How Beauty Brands Can Create Better Content, According To Experts

Beauty and cosmetics ecommerce sales continue to rise, according to a recent report from Statistica . This figure is forecast to reach over $30 billion by 2026.

While Amazon remains a top go-to for shoppers, beauty brands like Glossier, Sephora and Ulta are funneling sales through ambassador programs, beauty brands starting out don't always have a big budget or marketing team for widespread promotion. Many smaller beauty brands are turning to influencers to share their genuine experience with a product, creating authentic storytelling.

While creating social media content can drum up sales, it also helps build trust and creates a community where women feel empowered and connected to each other. Focusing on this type of authentic storytelling is the best way to resonate with your audience, it also builds brand loyalty.

One beauty reseller called eCosmetics sells over 60,000 products on their website, from haircare to skincare, fragrances and cosmetics brands. They focus on women-led brands, like Charlotte Tilbury, Drunk Elephant, Rare Beauty, and Dr. Barbara Sturm, and attempt to humanize the ecommerce space.

"We make sure we have real people answer the phone when you call us," said Alex Irvin, the Chief Marketing Officer, who co-founded the brand with CEO Richard Kirsch in 2019.

While the brand has received organic shoutouts from celebrities like Olivia Culpo , Jennifer Hudson and Lisa Vidal , it's the micro influencers who have really helped them build credibility along the way, like Kerry Ingram , Taylor Renyer and Wei Ren .

"We want our social media presence to be a representation of our customers, so we strive for authenticity," said Irvin. "We don't tell influencers what to post, we just let them be creative. It's incredibly effective because people can tell when something is organic or scripted."

They sell to a mainly female clientele between the ages of 25 and 65, and cater to the biggest states, like New York, California, Florida and Texas, as well as others.

It's more than just selling but providing entertainment or showcasing the power of a particular product. "We've found some of the influencer campaigns that are the most successful generating sales were not intended to," he adds. "Someone creates a visually stunning or funny piece of content that isn't trying to sell anything and then it's shared all over the web and you get this kind of organic natural exposure that you really cannot buy."

The influencers help the smaller beauty brands seeking to find their audience. Ingram helped develop a makeup following for eCosmetics, while Ren helped elevate products with a luxe look. "She helped us understand how to combine her skincare expertise with a high-end content look and feel while still communicating to the customer our value proposition which is really that we carry just about everything at great value," said Irvin. "We helped them grow and they did the same for us."

Some of the up and coming beauty brands that eCosmetics sells (or has sold) includes women-led brands like Koa+Roy, a San Diego body care company co-founded by Adriana Gluyas and Inga Von Wellsheim, kai perfume, which incorporates exotic aromas into fragrance and bath lines, and vegan makeup by Carlucce, founded by makeup artist Carla Abruzzo. They go out of their way to support new and minority-owned brands, offering them a boost in sales.

For brands needing that extra boost, Irvin recommends focusing on the user first and giving them something worth watching. "The most important thing you can do on social media is to create shareable content. If it's shareable because it's funny, useful, thought provoking or uplifting, it has a chance to be effective on social media."

Social media is key, but the approach must be authentic. "It's primarily about gaining trust," said Irvin. "You can try to 'go viral,' good luck, and you can buy retargeting and prospecting ads, but the real value for an emerging beauty brand is to show real social proof—it gives brands a way to authentically connect with their customers. You can be a little less formal and meet the customer where they are."

To Marianne Fonseca , founder and CEO of gente beauty in Brazil, social media is a tool to share women's stories. It's also core to how women use the brand's products. "We post testimonials, user-generated content, and really just showcase everyday women embracing their bodies with confidence," said Fonseca. "Our goal is to make women feel like the best, healthiest versions of themselves, and we love promoting that through sharing their content, making them feel seen, and getting to showcase real bodies."

Fonseca understands how to create a safe space for women. "We need to be celebrated for who we are, not just for how we look," she said. "Our message is to highlight the mixed and diverse culture we experience in our country, Brazil. We are one of the most diverse looking nations and we truly want to show that beauty doesn't have just one look; body confidence is for everybody."

Her advice for young beauty brands is to go beyond your marketing efforts. "Don't just create stories for the sake of marketing—genuinely connect with women," said Fonseca. "Include women of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and ages, and make sure your platform feels welcoming. The most powerful thing you can do is give women the freedom to express their true selves and just amplify their voice."

Alicia Grande is the CEO and founder of Grande Cosmetics , which aims to focus on natural beauty, so women can feel like "the best version of themselves," she said. She created the brand with one lash product and now has a line of over 40 products.

"We use our platform to show off the humanity of our brand," said Grande. She starts with herself—using social to share her own story of founding the brand back in 2008. "I hope to inspire others to reach their fullest potential in their careers and prove that anything is possible through hard work and dedication."

Grande proves that you don't have to be an influencer to create a beauty brand, you just need good products. Grade shares her own story on social and her employees, who share the backstory of products, frequently asked questions and up and coming product lines. They also share before and after reviews from users and have an ambassador program with roughly a thousand users.

"Our community is looking to engage with the faces behind the brand," said Grande. "Going deeper into showing off the humans behind the brand is important to us."