Let’s start with a beauty brand. I’ve always found beauty to be one of the most exciting industries because it’s so visual and emotion-driven. The first time I worked with a beauty startup, I realized the importance of creating an immersive experience right from the branding stage. Here’s how I approached it.
The Brand Identity Guide
Before you even think about launching products or opening social media channels, you need to nail down your brand identity. One of the most crucial pieces of advice I gave this beauty brand was to invest in a solid Brand Identity Guide for their website. And I’m not talking about a generic logo-and-color scheme guide—I mean a deep dive into what this brand stands for and how it’s visually represented.
We assessed the most popular beauty brands, from Glossier to Fenty Beauty, and noted their website layouts. The trending templates in the beauty industry often emphasize minimalism with vibrant pops of color, clean lines, and seamless user experience. Consumers expect a luxurious and smooth interaction with beauty products online, so that’s what we delivered.
The Photoshoot: Showcasing the Product
This is where I get excited—because this is where the product comes to life. After creating a mood board, the next step was planning a product and beauty photoshoot that showed the brand in the best light possible—literally.
We hired a photographer who specialized in beauty shoots, found models that represented the brand’s diverse target audience, and paid attention to every tiny detail, from lighting to hair and makeup. I always tell brands: your photos are the first impression people get of your product, especially in the beauty industry where imagery is everything.
The photoshoot doesn’t just provide content for the website; these images are your social media fuel for the next few months. It’s all about keeping the visual identity consistent across platforms. When it came to sharing these photos on Instagram, TikTok, and even Pinterest, we made sure the captions weren’t just about the product—they told a story about empowerment, diversity, and beauty as self-expression.
The Influencers and PR Push
Once the website and social media channels were in place, we shifted focus to influencers. And here’s a tip: gifting products for reviews is gold for a beauty brand. You’re not just looking for influencers with big numbers—you’re after those who have real influence. We gifted products to influencers who had smaller but more engaged followings. The buzz? Immediate.
On the PR front, we targeted leading beauty magazines and curated lists like “Best New Products to Watch.” Trust me, a well-timed placement in something like Vogue or Allure can change the game overnight. A great PR campaign combined with influencer marketing meant we quickly had beauty bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagrammers raving about the product. The result? Our beauty brand was on everyone’s radar within weeks.
Real-Life Example: Glossier
Glossier is the perfect example of a beauty brand that has nailed these strategies. From the beginning, they crafted a brand identity that emphasized minimalist beauty and a user-friendly, clean website that resonated with millennial and Gen Z consumers. Their product photoshoots feature real people with dewy, glowing skin, embracing an “effortless beauty” aesthetic.
Glossier also used influencer gifting to expand their reach. Their PR campaigns, which landed them features in Vogue and Allure, built hype around each product launch. By engaging a strong community of fans and influencers, Glossier didn’t just create a product line—they created a movement.
One of the more interesting aspects of Glossier’s success was their direct engagement with their audience. They were one of the first beauty brands to build a community-driven approach, frequently crowdsourcing ideas and feedback directly from their customers through social media. This interaction gave them an edge, creating products based on real consumer desires rather than trends dictated by the industry. The strategy allowed them to create cult favorites like Boy Brow and Cloud Paint, which skyrocketed in sales due to their loyal community base. Their emphasis on feedback loops made customers feel heard, turning them into lifelong brand advocates.
