Influencer Session with Gresa Atic

Socially Powerful interviewed natural beauty influencer Gresa Atic (@gresaatic) whose TikTok makeup tutorials focus on simple, filter-free looks to inspire confidence in her audience. Gresa embraces imperfections and prefers a natural makeup style, learned through training with brands like Laura Mercier. She mainly uses TikTok because of its organic and diverse environment, but also shares content on Instagram. Gresa defines influencer marketing as brands collaborating with creators to reach a wider niche and audience. She only works with trusted brands like L’Oreal and Huda Beauty. Gresa predicts that over the next year, smaller influencers with loyal followers will become more valuable to brands. Her ultimate goal is to become an ambassador for a beauty brand aligned with her values.

Gresa Atic @gresaatic

We caught up with natural beauty enthusiast and influencer Gresa Atic to talk about all-things makeup, authenticity on TikTok, and how Instagram marketing has changed over the years.

Check out the full interview for more!

1. Tell us about your background and how you started to build your following.

I started to film simple and easy to follow makeup tutorials on TikTok, then quickly realised that people were interested in the looks I was creating and the fact that I wasn’t using filters. This was a reminder for me of why I do what I do; to inspire others to feel good in their skin and to be able to not take makeup too seriously no matter how much of a pro you may be.

2. What is about the natural makeup look that attracts you, above any other makeup style?

I absolutely love imperfections, that is one of the reasons that attracts me to a more natural approach to makeup. Being trained by brands such as Laura Mercier in the past, I have learned to achieve the simplest yet effective ways to wear makeup. Don’t get me wrong, I love a smouldering ‘smokey eye’ or a pigmented blush depending on my mood, it’s just easier to balance these looks once you have the right vision.

3. Which platforms do you predominantly use? Which is your favourite?

I predominantly use TikTok and Instagram, slightly favouring TikTok for its very organic environment. Feels like I can post pretty much anything on there and it won’t be judged to the same sort of scrutiny as Instagram or YouTube; I can be more myself on the platform.

4. What type of content do you create, and which type works best for your audience?

Short form makeup tutorials that are calming to watch and easy to follow. I also create lifestyle and other beauty content for Instagram and TikTok.

5. How would you define “influencer marketing”?

Influencer marketing for me is where brands collaborate with social media creators to help reach a wider but sometimes more niche audience where they couldn’t before with traditional marketing.

6. Have you worked with brands before? How do you decide which brands to work with?

I have worked with brands before, notably L’Oreal and Huda Beauty. When deciding which brands to work with I will look at firstly whether I can actually vouch for their product, it makes it easier if I already use their product as part of my makeup or skincare routine!

7. How do you think influencer marketing will change over the next 12 months?

My thoughts are that bigger brands will start to target smaller social media creators in addition to the bigger accounts as they will look for more ‘faithful’ followers to give exposure to their products. Smaller influencers will sometimes have a very niche but ‘faithful’ audience so are more likely to see a larger proportion of their followers buy into what they are selling.

8. How has influencer marketing changed since you began working within social media?

Having set up my Instagram when it first came out, it has been interesting to see how the platform has been influenced by the recent rise of TikTok (Reels being introduced). Whereas a lot of marketing campaigns before on Instagram were just photo based, I am seeing a wider variety of adverts on my feed with lots of different influencers rather than the same ones.

9. Do you use any software to help create and edit your content?

I use Splice, CapCut, iMovies, Canva, iPhotos and TikTok/Insta inbuilt editors.

10. How do you balance your online and offline lives?

I love to give myself a day of the week such as Saturday, where I could focus on myself and my family and friends, without going on my phone or laptop.

11. Which influencers inspire you?

Huda Kattan inspires me, even during the times that I worked for Huda Beauty as a makeup artist, she was so hard working and passionate about her brand values. Her story on how she started blogging to creating a brand with just two pairs of lashes to now being one of the biggest beauty brands shows how much heart and soul she invested in her passion.

12. Where would you like to take your career as an influencer?

I would like to be able to work with more brands and be able to become an ambassador for a beauty brand that really speaks the same values as I do.