12 Best Beauty Marketing Strategies for 2024

In today’s fast-paced beauty industry, nailing your marketing game has never been more crucial as social media holds major sway over what consumers choose and new competitors pop up everywhere. Despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, the beauty industry is making a comeback and is expected to hit over $120 billion by 2025.

To rise above the competition in this crowded “red (lipstick) ocean,” beauty brands need to find unique ways to catch the eye of consumers. They’ve got to figure out where, when, and how to connect with their audience just the right way. 

This article knows the drill and gathers all 12 best marketing strategies for the beauty industry that will help beauty-savvy marketers glam and glow out of the crowd. Stick around!

What is Beauty Marketing?

In its simplest sense, beauty marketing involves promoting and selling beauty products or services through tailored marketing strategies. But in 2024, it’s more than just selling — it’s about educating and empowering consumers, reflecting the changing views on beauty, with a focus on inclusivity and diversity.

As mentioned earlier, the beauty industry is competitive, but the good news is that it’s easier for customers to switch brands here than in other industries. So, if you’re smart about it, there’s a great chance for success. 

Now, let’s dive into some effective strategies to help you create a strong beauty marketing plan for 2024.

1. Meaningful Content Creation

Crafting content that truly matters is crucial in today’s digital world, where everyone is sharing something every day. It’s important to make sure your content stands out and really speaks to your audience, instead of just adding to the noise on social media.

Rather than bombarding people with product photos and sales pitches, focus on creating content that adds real value and shows what your brand is all about. Meaningful content may seem simple, but it can have a big impact, helping to boost awareness and connection with your audience.

In the beauty world, your content should engage people actively. For instance, think about sharing tips for healthy, hydrated skin. Make sure each tip is something your audience can relate to, making them believe that following these tips will genuinely improve their skin. Take the chance to include your product as one of the tips, letting people learn more about how it can benefit their skincare routine.

You might also be interested: 18 Content Marketing Tips

2. Uplift Sales in Social Commerce & E-Commerce

Online shopping has emerged as a significant revenue stream for the beauty industry. Both digitally native and established global brands are swiftly expanding their presence across social media commerce and digital commerce platforms.

Consumers increasingly favor online beauty shopping due to the convenience it offers. Within brand platforms, consumers can seamlessly explore products, peruse reviews, add items to their cart or wishlist, and complete transactions—all in one place. Moreover, these platforms empower brands to personalize communication, craft promotional campaigns, and execute targeted advertising based on consumer preferences and behaviors.

Notably, Instagram is popular for both content marketing and social commerce for the beauty landscape, with many big beauty brands creating their own Instagram shop and leveraging shoppable features. 

You might also be interested: Instagram Social Commerce

3. Personalized Marketing

We’ve all been there – flooded with ads that just don’t hit the mark. But here’s where personalized marketing steps in, changing the game in beauty marketing. Personalization leverages advanced tools and technology to deliver tailored messages and product offerings tailored to individual preferences.

This win-win approach benefits both consumers and brands alike. Personalized marketing not only increases customer engagement and loyalty but also drives sales and revenue growth. By receiving personalized product recommendations, customers enjoy a more meaningful and relevant shopping experience.

Take Sephora, for example. If you’re a Sephora fan, you know what we’re talking about.

Sephora has its app for online shopping, featuring personalized in-app messaging that aligns with user profiles, including details like hair and skin type. Moreover, it also incorporates users’ shopping behaviors, purchase history, and search history to make their personalized messages even better.

4. Encourage User-Generated Content

92% of consumers trust their friends, family, and online pals more than fancy ads or scripted campaigns. And when it comes to beauty products, a whopping 86% of us want the real deal – authenticity.

That’s where user-generated content (UGC) comes in. UGC refers to when real people share real experiences with products on their social media, whether it’s through photos, posts, or videos.

Take Glossier, for instance. It started as a small online brand run by a beauty lover and quickly became a global hit with just four stores in The States. Their secret sauce aligns with building a tight-knit community of customers, mainly through Instagram and their website.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Glossier (@glossier)

By encouraging customers to share their experiences with Glossier products, the brand turned loyal fans into Micro-Influencers, inspiring others to give their products a try. If a customer’s post stands out, Glossier might even invite them to become a Brand Ambassador on Instagram and share affiliate links with their followers. 

You might also be interested: UGC Creators

5. Influencer Partnership

Influencer partnerships are the stars of beauty marketing on social media. They outshine even User-Generated Content (UGC). Influencers have the power to reach huge audiences and boost brand visibility in ways that traditional ads can’t match. Nowadays, people trust recommendations from individuals they know more than they trust ads.

Beauty influencers are experts at creating engaging content like makeup tutorials, product reviews, and transformations. These showcase how well beauty products work and give brands a chance to celebrate diversity. By teaming up with influencers from different backgrounds, representing all kinds of skin tones, body shapes, and identities, brands can promote positivity and challenge old-fashioned beauty norms.

When picking the right influencers to work with, it’s important to think about your goals, the kind of influencers who fit your brand, and your budget. This helps you find the perfect match and ensures a successful partnership.

@valeria_deldinova Trying the nyx lip liner that Hailey Bieber used. I personally love the nyx lipliners, affordable and have a nuce variety of colors❤️ SHADE: NUDE TRUFFLE #nyxlipliner #nudetruffle #nyxnudetruffle #nudelips #drugstorelipliner #haileybiebermakeup ♬ original sound – Valeria Deldinova

Learn how Mandala AI benefits your influencer marketing strategy

You might also be interested: 12 Best Influencer Marketplaces, Free Influencer Search Tools

6. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is the process where an affiliate earns a commission for promoting another person’s or company’s products. Many beauty brands, already well-known, are turning to affiliate marketing programs to stay competitive and attract new customers consistently.

Before making online purchases, many consumers, especially those shopping for skincare and beauty products, tend to research extensively online. They compare products across various brands. Partnering with content creators or affiliates skilled in product comparison and reviews can help beauty brands catch the eye of customers seeking their products.

Besides Glossier, which we mentioned earlier, big names like MAC are also nailing their affiliate programs these days. They offer commissions as high as 10% to creators on their beauty blogs, Instagram, or Pinterest campaigns.

You might also be interested: 22 Affiliate Marketing Tips

7. Hype-Generating Collaboration

Brand partnerships are a tried-and-true marketing strategy where brands team up to reach more people, create buzz, and boost sales. Lately, there’s been a surge in these collaborations. You see makeup artists teaming up with big cosmetic companies or skincare brands teaming up with dermatologists.

These days, beauty brands are also branching out to collaborate with brands from other industries for more creative and fresh results. This trend, known as ‘hype-generating collaboration,’ allows brands to tap into untapped sub-cultures and forge new paths to growth.

For instance, take the Lancôme x “Emily in Paris” collaboration. This partnership brought together a globally esteemed brand with the popular Netflix series to create the ‘For the Love of Paris’ limited-edition holiday collection. Beyond just the products, Lancôme leveraged the show’s main co-star, Lily Collins, to produce relevant content like beauty tips and dedicated product pages to further promote the collection. 

8. Urge With FOMO Marketing

FOMO, short for “fear of missing out,” is a psychological phenomenon where people feel compelled to participate in an experience to avoid regretting not doing so later. In the realm of online shopping, FOMO operates on three pillars: Social Proof, Urgency, and Scarcity. These principles are frequently utilized to prompt consumers to make quick purchasing decisions, and beauty marketing often relies on them.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sephora Singapore (@sephorasg)

Consider another e-commerce example from Sephora which recently offered customers a tempting “Now till 7 APR” for getting 8X extra points. By using the phrase “NOW” or “Until”, they created a sense of urgency, urging customers to act swiftly—a classic FOMO strategy.

Wanna get some FOMO marketing strategies for your beauty brands? Opt for our 18 ideas here to get that creative juice flowing.

9. Amplify Visibility With Paid Media

Even though brand-paid advertising isn’t always trusted by consumers these days, it’s still a powerful tool for promotional campaigns and boosting profits.

One important aspect of paid advertising, especially on social media, is audience targeting. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest let you target specific groups of people who are likely to be interested in your products or have engaged with similar brands before.

For example, Blue Lagoon Skincare, an Icelandic skincare brand, used shoppable ads on Instagram and Facebook. These ads let people buy products without leaving the app. By the end of their campaign, Blue Lagoon Skincare got over 1.2 times more clicks on their links than usual, and many of those clicks turned into purchases.

10. Create a Viral Campaign

Not every beauty brand can afford to hire big-name celebrities like the Kardashians or Jenners for endorsements. But often, budget-friendly viral campaigns with smart ideas can be just as effective in getting people talking about a brand.

In today’s beauty marketing world, it’s not just about selling products with fancy features. People want brands that stand for something meaningful, something that resonates with them. That’s where Fenty Beauty’s #FENTYFACE campaign comes in.

When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017, she wanted to make beauty inclusive for everyone. Fast forward to its 5th anniversary in 2023, and Fenty Beauty rolled out the ‘Fenty Face’ contest on TikTok.

The contest gives fans a chance to show their love for the brand and explain why they should be the face of Fenty’s 2023 campaign. It’s a clever way for Fenty Beauty to connect with its fans and celebrate their diverse community.

@fentybeauty 🗣 CALLIN ALL OUR BOOS!!! We’re searching for the next #FENTYFACE to model in an upcoming 2023 campaign, pull up to 2 major brand events (✈️+🏨 included!), get swagged out in a YEAR supply of errythanggg Fenty, and join our PR list with ya bestie 🤩📸 To enter, Follow us + Post a video that shows us a look that brings out ya BAD BISH ENERGY + Tag us and #TheNextFentyFace ♬ original sound – Fenty Beauty

11. Furthering Sustainable Effort

“Sustainability” has been a hot topic in the business world for years, especially in the beauty industry. With 61% of customers now demanding more environmentally friendly practices, businesses have been prompted to adapt to these values and work towards sustainability while also growing their success.

Speaking of a ‘sustainable’ beauty brand that everyone can take inspiration from, Caudalie doesn’t need an introduction. Since its origin in 1995, Caudalie has made a commitment to sustainability throughout its entire supply chain, from sourcing ingredients to product production and packaging, as well as in selecting collaborators. By prioritizing eco-friendly practices, Caudalie ensures that its products not only benefit users but also minimize harm to the environment.

Since 2012, Caudalie has been a member of the “1% for the Planet” network, contributing 1% of its worldwide turnover to organizations dedicated to environmental protection. 

12. Build Loyalty With Membership Program

Let’s wrap up with a beauty marketing strategy that’s sure to boost your brand loyalty: membership programs. While it’s easy for people to switch products in the beauty industry, brands can still build a loyal customer base by standing out and connecting with their audience.

Enter again Sephora, for example, the reigning queen of beauty retailers. Every Sephora fan is probably part of their loyalty program, known as the ‘Beauty Insider rewards program.’ 

This program uses a tiered system, ranging from Insider to VIB and Rouge, offering increasing benefits and a wide range of rewards. What’s really interesting about this program is the personalization aspect. Sephora ensures that members find rewards that truly appeal to them, making the program even more attractive.

Membership programs like these not only encourage repeat purchases but also foster a sense of community and belonging among customers. It’s a win-win for brands and their loyal fans alike.

Market Your Beauty Brand Strategically

Beauty marketing is always evolving, driven by changes in society and consumer values. It’s crucial to keep your marketing strategies fresh and full of diverse ideas, ranging from timeless classics to innovative initiatives, especially in the aesthetic industry. Dive into the world of beauty trends with our blog and stay inspired!

To assist beauty marketers in staying creative and organized, Mandala Cosmos is an innovation to cater to your marketing needs, uncovering new insights from beauty trends and the industry at large. Explore its features further here.