From a nondescript warehouse just north of Chicago, Sarah Potempa, the celebrity hairstylist and CEO behind the viral Beachwaver hair curling iron, captivates thousands of viewers for hours on end, showcasing products through TikTok live streams. This burgeoning trend of livestream shopping, which has achieved significant traction in China over the past decade, is now gaining substantial momentum in the United States, propelled by social media titan TikTok and the specialized live commerce platform Whatnot. Notably, Whatnot recently achieved a remarkable $20 billion valuation, underscoring the immense commercial potential of this interactive retail format.
During a recent TikTok livestream session in late July, which this publication observed, Beachwaver generated approximately $8,000 in sales within the first four hours alone. Potempa masterfully orchestrated the event, auctioning off limited-edition curling irons while her teenage son provided a DJ soundtrack. She also conducted live demonstrations of hair care products, engaging viewers with a bold promise: she would shave her brother-in-law’s head live on camera if they managed to sell 500 orders. This event was one of hundreds of livestreamed sales that Beachwaver conducts annually. Approximately a quarter of its $1 million in TikTok Shop sales for 2026 thus far have originated from these livestreams, where the company not only hosts its own selling events but also collaborates with affiliate creators on the popular social media application.
Beachwaver CEO Sarah Potempa hosts livestreams from the company’s warehouse in Gurnee, Illinois.
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