The Story
Louis built GlowUp - an AI-powered mobile app that lets users virtually try on makeup looks without buying any products. Users can see how different lipsticks, eyeshadows, and other cosmetics look on their face in real-time using AR technology. Think "Snapchat filters but for realistic makeup."
Before GlowUp, Louis had built 10 apps that all failed. The pattern was always the same: build something he thought was cool, then struggle to find users. For GlowUp, he flipped the script.
Louis spent hours studying TikTok makeup videos - not the videos themselves, but the COMMENT SECTIONS. He noticed people constantly asking: "Where can I try this look without buying everything?" and "I wish I could see how this would look on me first."
Instead of building immediately, he created content first to validate the idea. It went viral. Only then did he build the app.
The results were explosive. One single TikTok video got 48 million views and 2 million likes, generating $12.5K in sales and 60K downloads in ONE DAY. His secret weapon? An in-app referral system where users could "invite 3 friends for a free makeup look" - this drove users back to the viral video to share codes in comments, creating a feedback loop that boosted engagement even further.
GlowUp hit #1 in Lifestyle and #4 overall in the App Store, with ~2 million users and 70,000 paying customers generating $800K in its first year.
Key Insights
Finding the Idea
- •Previous apps failed because he built first, marketed later
- •For GlowUp: studied TikTok makeup videos and comment sections
- •Found people asking for solutions to try makeup without buying
- •Did content first to validate, it went viral, then built the app
- •"By looking at comment sections, you really just feel what people are wanting"
Viral Video Breakdown
- •One video got 48 million views, 2 million likes
- •Generated $12.5K in sales in ONE DAY with 60K downloads
- •Secret: In-app referral system ("invite 3 friends for free makeup look")
- •Users came back to the video to share codes in comments, boosting engagement
- •Added anchor link at 500K views
App Stats
- •~2 million total users
- •~70,000 paying customers
- •#1 in Lifestyle, #4 in Free Apps
- •$9.99/week or $39.99/year subscription
TikTok Playbook
- •Warm up account (3 days):
- •Use USA SIM card + VPN if outside US
- •Scroll, like, comment 15-30 minutes daily
- •Look at hashtags to validate niche size
- •Start posting:
- •Replicate trends that work, add your app idea
- •Start with once a day
- •Once you see traction, post 4-6 times daily
- •Find trends that are easy to reproduce and faceless
- •Add anchor link:
- •Only when video hits good views (thousands or 100K+)
- •Don't add under 1K views - it kills the video
- •Create multiple accounts:
- •2-3 accounts per phone
- •At peak: 7 accounts posting 8-12 times daily
Tech Stack
- •FlutterFlow (vibe coding, drag-and-drop)
- •Firebase + Google Cloud Functions (backend)
- •Superwall (payments)
- •MixPanel (event tracking)
Profit Margins
- •~90% profit margins
- •Backend: ~$1K/month
- •AI: ~$500/month
- •Marketing: $0 if posting yourself, more for UGC/influencers
Resources
- •Follow Louis: https://x.com/LouisDavidPH
- •GlowUp: https://www.useglowup.app/
- •TikTok Playbook: https://build.starterstory.com/build/playbook-organic-short-form