A crash course in beauty influencer marketing

We’ve all seen beauty influencers pop up on our social media feeds, showing off their elaborate makeup looks and multi-step skincare regimens. Across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, these beauty pros are ready to redo your reflection with their best tips and recommendations. 

If you’re curious whether beauty influencers can help your brand, it’s important to know how these campaigns work, which trends to spotlight, and how to find the right influencers. 

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together this crash course in beauty influencer marketing to get you started.

What is beauty influencer marketing?

Beauty influencer marketing happens when brands and influencers form a partnership, typically to promote new products or initiatives. These influencer collaborations leverage the influencer’s market position and reputation, giving brands a new or unique way to tell their story without compromising their brand values. 

Beauty influencers are popular because they “show” rather than “tell,” and casual viewers and devoted followers alike love to see the transformations. When it’s time for followers to make their own purchasing decisions, they rely on these content creators to help them make more informed choices. 

Beauty influencers largely started out as bloggers or website creators, but thanks to the rise of social media, most moved over to visually appealing platforms like Instagram. Since then, they’ve made a real impact on everything from inclusivity to sustainability, changing the very definition of beauty to represent a more authentic and holistic self.  

Today, many beauty CPG brands sell both online and in stores like Sephora, Ulta, or Nordstrom. Brands need website and foot traffic, but they’re often focused more on foot traffic to avoid losing retail space. It’s why brands often partner with local influencers to coax people away from their screens and into the stores. 

When everyone has their own skin type and skin tone, the sheer range of beauty influencers makes this market an open landscape. But to really make a splash in beauty influencer marketing, you’ll need more than discount codes or coupons. 

In such a marketing-saturated world, you have to engage potential customers by meeting them where they are. And that all starts with setting the right goals and finding the right influencers. 

What makes an influencer campaign successful?

Beauty influencer metrics depend on your larger brand goals, but you’ll see common threads throughout the most successful efforts. Below, we’ll explore what makes influencer campaigns successful and why each factor matters to your bottom line. 

A clear vision for the campaign 

The goals for your influencer campaign should support your larger content strategy, whether you’re branching into new territories, modernizing your marketing, or just increasing brand awareness. When you establish a clear vision, your target demographic will gain a better understanding of how your products can benefit them. 

A clear vision can also help you decide what type of content to share, which products or collections to promote, and how long the campaign will run. Whether you want upbeat unboxing videos or drive sales velocity at a specific retailer, you can integrate influencer content with your larger marketing strategy.

Authentic influencer partners 

Authenticity is currency on the Internet, with 75% of Americans stating that they spend more money on brands they perceive as authentic. If you want to run a successful campaign, your influencers need to be a trusted source of useful tips. 

Successful influencers often spend years honing their content and testing different methods to learn what information their audience considers valuable. As a general rule, social media users trust micro-influencers and nano-influencers the most, as the influencer-follower relationship is more genuine with smaller audiences. 

According to research conducted by Bocconi University, a nano-influencer may yield a $1,000 return after receiving just $50 worth of free products. For many brands, it makes more sense to spread their budget around to multiple smaller influencers than to funnel it into one or two macro-influencers. 

A unique point of view 

The best digital marketing campaigns set up clear direction on things like the number of posts, the content type, and the end goal. But they still give their influencers freedom to share a unique perspective on their beauty products. 

Remember, it’s the influencer’s creativity that will captivate your target audience. If you try to dictate too much of the direction and content style, you won’t get the results you’re hoping for.

Smaller influencers often offer unique perspectives on beauty products, such as how the ingredients react to their skin type or how well the color options mesh with their skin tone. 

Whether you market haircare, makeup, or skincare products, your influencers’ opinions and honest advice can give you a better understanding of who your customers are and how to reach them. 

Celebrities in the beauty space, like Kylie Jenner and Rihanna, may have millions of followers, but these glamorous stars aren’t exactly relatable. Most social media users would rather take advice from influencers who are in the same boat, whether that’s struggling with perpetually dry skin or finding a non-smudgeable lipstick. 

Successful campaigns empower influencers to use their own voices and highlight the benefits that matter most to their audiences — and your potential customers.

Beauty industry trends and how they impact influencer marketing 

Despite the rise of ecommerce, 71% of all household purchasers prefer to shop for their personal care products in-store rather than online. Whether it’s to try product samples before they buy or for immediate gratification, this trend means retail space for beauty brands is at a premium. 

Below, we’ll detail a few other trends that might impact your influencer campaigns. 

Beauty influencers dominate on TikTok 

Between the targeted algorithms and the young audience, beauty influencers are increasingly choosing TikTok as their preferred platform. While Instagram may have a bigger audience, TikTok boasts the best engagement rates. 

Around 70% of TikTok users consider the platform a helpful resource when buying beauty products, and around half of them are in the market for high-quality or luxury options. If you’re looking to create impactful content, these TikTok users favor before-and-after videos, dermatologist testimonials, and transparent pricing. 

Consumers crave natural ingredients

Consumers see organic ingredients as better for their skin and the environment, with 40.2% agreeing that natural ingredients are the most important factor in their purchasing decisions. 

With more buyers than ever doing their homework, trusted influencers are a valuable information source. Rather than just reading through ingredient lists or checking the brand’s website, consumers look to influencers to tell them more about what to expect from their beauty products. 

Keep in mind that transparency is a must when it comes to sustainability. If an influencer wants to know more about where you source your ingredients or your production methods, you need to be able to back up your claims. 

Makeup isn’t just for girls 

While women still account for a significantly higher revenue share in the beauty industry, men are more open to trying makeup than ever before. No longer seen as taboo, men are often astounded by the sheer range of products made just for them. 

In fact, experts project that the market for male color cosmetics will reach $43 billion by 2033. This has led beauty brands to rethink who their influencers are and how they market their products. From gender-neutral language and packaging to new product lines, beauty brands are embracing inclusivity. 

3 flawless beauty influencer campaigns 

If you’re getting ready to launch an influencer campaign, take a look at these three campaigns that executed their vision to perfection. 

1. Huda Beauty 

Huda Beauty began with false eyelashes and now offers more than 140 makeup products. Since its U.S. launch in 2015, Dubai-based Huda Beauty has favored social media as its primary marketing strategy. Huda’s high-quality collections and products were a near-instant hit with young people looking for a more inclusive brand.

Huda’s recent influencer marketing campaign took people behind the scenes, allowing followers to connect with influencers on a more personal level. By sincerely sharing the rewards and challenges of life as an influencer, this campaign humanized the brand and even inspired viewers to become influencers or entrepreneurs. 

Huda invites influencers from every walk of life to talk about how their products impact their daily routines. Between the campaign’s diversity and the real-world stories, fans couldn’t help but feel closer to a brand that cares about its partners. 

2. CeraVe

CeraVe makes highly targeted skincare products designed to infuse moisture, reduce acne, and treat sensitive skin. CeraVe’s influencer marketing strategy puts the brand’s benefits front and center, getting straight into the science of how their products protect your skin.

CeraVe’s most notable influencer was Hyram Yarbo, a beauty influencer known for giving honest and straightforward product reviews. With 5.8 million followers in TikTok and 814,000 followers on Instagram, his genuine love of the cleansers and moisturizers improved CeraVe’s brand visibility and reputation with the Gen Z crowd. 

3. ColourPop

ColourPop is a trendy, playful, and ethical brand that markets high-quality makeup at a budget-friendly price. To spread the word, the brand partnered with local beauty enthusiasts, known as hummingbirds, inviting them to visit ColourPop’s in-store space at Ulta Beauty. 

In this campaign, hummingbirds tried out the brand’s newest collection, including Liquid Blush and So Juicy Lip Oil. Armed with a $50 ULTA gift card, they posted video content of the products, their makeup routines, and their stunning results. One hummingbird was so excited to try the glossy, lip-plumping oil that she put it on in her car immediately after leaving the store!  

This influencer campaign worked because it highlighted how fun makeup can be. One hummingbird had a great time dancing with her kids as they all tried the lip oil. Another showed off her glamorous face at the pool before sharing her makeup routine.  

Learn why local influencers are the best partners for beauty brands

You might see local influencers or nano-influencers used interchangeably, but local influencers are their own breed. Because their audience is largely made up of colleagues, family, friends, and acquaintances, their words and actions mean more on every level. 

When you partner with local influencers like hummingbirds, you work with people who genuinely help their audiences find great beauty products. Rather than spending your time combing through thousands of influencers to find the right ones for you, give your local creators a try. 

The Hummingbirds platform will match you with enthusiasts who are already interested in your products, so you can create more impactful campaigns together. 

Book a call with the Hummingbirds team today and start building your next beauty campaign!