Thoughtful About Beauty Ads

In today’s fast moving beauty market, social media advertising is no longer about simply showing a product, it’s about creating a connection, telling a story, and adapting quickly to what your audience responds to.

At Thoughtful, our insights are grounded in both hands-on campaign experience and data from our Thoughtful Index, proprietary benchmarking tool, which aggregates performance metrics from over 35 brands.

By combining this dataset with our analysis of top performing beauty brand ads, we’re able to go beyond broad industry averages and pinpoint the performance metrics that matter most to beauty brands today.

UGC is the Unofficial Queen of Beauty Ads

Across both new and established markets, User Generated Content (UGC) consistently outperforms other creative types when it comes to driving engagement and conversions. At Thoughtful, we’ve seen this effect amplified when pairing UGC with influencers who are already trusted in their specific region. Regional familiarity helps build brand authority and deepen trust, which in turn gets audiences engaged more quickly - and in one new market, this approach lifted ROAS by 78% in just one month.

Why does UGC paired with trusted voices work so well? Because it feels authentic and credible. When audiences see products in the hands of influencers they already know and trust - something 62% of consumers say makes them more believable than traditional celebrities. It creates an immediate sense of relatability. Beauty brands using short, influencer-led videos - especially those that show application tips, skincare routines, or “get ready with me” moments - are finding this format hit the sweet spot between aspirational and attainable, making the content both engaging and persuasive.

Tip: Refresh UGC frequently. In fast paced social feeds, even the most engaging creative can fade in effectiveness within weeks.

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Bold Messaging That Leads with Benefits

Great creative gets noticed. Great copy gets remembered. Beauty ads that clearly communicate product benefits and unique selling points tend to drive stronger click-through and conversion rates. Phrases that highlight innovation (“A world first”), proven results (“Over 700 five-star reviews”), or science-backed claims create trust and intrigue. In fact, ads that include social proof of clearly defined USPs can see up to a 32% performance lift.

Tip: Pair strong benefit-led headlines with UGC or lifestyle content. For instance, an influencer applying a product while a headline calls out a unique formulation or SPF rating can combine credibility with relatability.

“Shop award-winning MERIT Beauty - loved by Allure, Bustle, Vogue, and more.” - MERIT BEAUTY
“It's not a foundation or a concealer, but it’ll replace both in your makeup bag.” - MERIT BEAUTY
“Darlings, it’s my secret to 28-HOUR* EXAGGERATED FAST VOLUME + CURL! Shop NOW!” - Charlotte Tilbury
“Who are you wearing? The answer is always BETTER THAN SEX. Experience the mind-blowing collection.” - Too Faced

Consumer Behaviour:
Markets & Mix Matter

Consumers interact with beauty ads in two key ways. Established markets prefer product-focused ads with clear benefits, while newer markets respond to lifestyle and influencer-led content as they build trust. Most shoppers also buy from only one to three brands, so success comes from owning a distinct position in their curated mix rather than trying to dominate the entire category.

Across our portfolio, we have seen these behaviours translate directly into measurable ROAS improvements. In one example, introducing a fresh round of UGC in newer markets drove a clear uplift in performance. The trend was consistent: ROAS improved steadily while UGC remained active but declined once it was paused. In home markets, core best-selling products and sets delivered the strongest results, while in newer regions, colourful lifestyle visuals and product-in-situ imagery resonated most with audiences.

Shopping behaviour adds another important layer to this picture. Most consumers only buy from one to three beauty brands at a time, which means success is less about dominating the entire category and more about owning a clear and distinct place in the consumer’s curated mix. Celebrity-led brands benefit particularly well here, as fans often cross-shop between different names when the positioning feels authentic and aligned with their expectations.

Tip: Shape your creative mix around both market context and shopping habits. Established regions respond well to product close-ups, ingredient details and clear benefit messaging, while newer markets engage more with storytelling, lifestyle content and educational UGC. Since most consumers buy from only one to three beauty brands, focus on owning a distinct position in their mix rather than trying to compete everywhere.

Test and Diversity Ad Formats

Video continues to lead in traffic driving campaigns, capturing attention and conveying brand storytelling quickly. Static banners often perform best for conversions, offering a clear, distraction free product focus. Carousels, while often underused, can deliver strong ROAS when tested strategically. Collection ads also show promise, offering a way to blend product variety with a shoppable experience.

Tip: Keep your creative mix varied and performance led. Use video for awareness, static banners for conversions, and test formats like Carousels and Collection ads for a fresh way to engage audiences.

Landing Pages That Convert Core Audiences

Improving landing pages is one of the fastest ways to lift revenue, especially when tailored to audience behaviour. In the beauty space, Millennials (25–34) remain the core buyers, driving the largest share of visits with strong loyalty and discretionary spend. Gen Z (18–24), while not yet the biggest buyers, play a powerful role as cultural amplifiers, driving buzz and virality. The most effective landing pages recognise both groups, giving Millennials the depth and trust-building detail they value while engaging Gen Z with quick, shareable formats that spark momentum.

Our analysis of top-performing landing pages shows that brands who strike this balance consistently unlock stronger returns by:

Prioritising hero categories - Sun care, body oils, and other premium skincare formats often generate strong revenue, even with modest spend.
Spotlighting proven performers - Essentials kits, curated bundles, and targeted treatment products consistently deliver high add-to-cart and purchase rates.
Balancing traffic and conversion - Directing more traffic to high-converting, lower-CTR pages can significantly lift ROAS without increasing budget.

Influencer Variety, Backed By Brand Power

The most effective influencer strategies combine variety, authenticity and brand strength. Working with a diverse mix of creators who produce content in their own style keeps campaigns engaging and relatable, while rotating the roster ensures different audience segments feel represented and helps prevent fatigue.On Instagram, nano-influencers deliver the highest engagement rate of any tier at around 6.23%, showing that smaller voices can often outperform bigger names for impact.

The strongest results came from creators who integrate products naturally into their routines, making the content feel genuine rather than scripted. This authenticity becomes even more powerful when supported by strong brand equity. Leading beauty brands generate 40–50% of their traffic from direct and organic channels, showing that customers actively seek them out by name. In this context, influencer partnerships act as amplifiers, keeping campaigns fresh, extending reach and reinforcing the trust the brand has already built.

Tip: In growth markets, aim to feature a rotating mix of around 10 influencer creatives per month, blending established partners with new voices to keep momentum strong.

Overview

THE TAKEAWAY

In beauty marketing, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but there are proven patterns.From leveraging UGC alongside trusted regional voices to optimising high-converting product pages and diversifying influencer mixes, the strongest campaigns balance authenticity with data-driven strategy. Thoughtful’s Benchmark Report provides a unique lens into real performance trends across the beauty and lifestyle sectors, helping brands refine creative, media spend and strategy with precision.

Success also comes from recognising who is converting, with Millennials driving long term value and Gen Z amplifying brand buzz and cultural reach. Most consumers curate only a small set of favourite brands, which means the ones that rise above are those with strong equity, fuelled by direct and organic demand. Paid social, influencers and community led content then serve as amplifiers, keeping campaigns fresh and extending reach.

Ready to elevate your brand’s strategy?

At Thoughtful, we bring deep experience in the beauty and lifestyle space, combining creative strategy with data-backed insights. Our proprietary benchmarking tool, the Thoughtful Index, gives brands a competitive edge by uncovering what’s really working across the industry. Reach out to explore how we can help refine your creative, optimise spend, and unlock long-term growth.