Mobile platforms such as Instagram are making beauty more transparent and accessible than ever before. Now, messages of beauty don't only come from runways and glossy magazine spreads, but also from peers on digital networks. Everyday women are rewriting the rules of beauty and shaping trends in equal measure alongside big beauty brands and esteemed beauty experts.

From finding inspiration to inspiring others, women's Instagram feeds are becoming channels for discovering new products, sparking impulse purchases and sharing new beauty looks. And because of Instagram's highly curated and personal environment, the content is seen as trustworthy, authentic and relevant, and subsequently more likely to inspire action. In fact, 45% of beauty buyers who research beauty content on Instagram say that they trust the people who provide information because they have a personal connection.

Our friends at Facebook IQ recently conducted an extensive quantitative study amongst more than 1,700 female beauty-buyers aged 18-44 in the US to better understand how beauty is perceived on Instagram and Facebook. Read their findings on how mobile is changing the beauty path to purchase and how you can use Instagram to elicit more sales in store and online.