Key Takeaways
- Creative is your targeting. Call out the hair type, skin type or look in the first frame, and the right people stop.
- Show the result. Before and after, the finished look and real texture do more than any claim.
- UGC doesn't need the creator talking. Voiceover over real footage is easier to test and rewrite.
- Your comment section is free social proof. Put it in the ad.
- Beauty buyers want to see it on someone like them. Real faces, real hair and real reactions beat a perfect product shot.
Beauty might be the most visual category on Meta. People buy with their eyes: the shine, the texture, the color, the finished look. That makes the bar for creative high, and it makes it easy for ads to blur together.
Below are 10 beauty ads we've made for haircare, skincare, nail and makeup brands, with what makes each one work. Several first ran in our newsletter, so some of the "why it works" notes are pulled from what we wrote at the time.
Call Out the Hair Type
1. Verb: "Thick Hair Girlies"
"Thick hair girlies, your coarse hair will shine." Then native shots of Verb's Glossy Shampoo, Conditioner and Shine Spray in the shower and in use, with callouts like "increases shine by 126%" and "reduces frizz by up to 75%," and a final shot of the result: "Get glass hair with the Glossy Collection."
Why it works: "Creative really is your targeting these days. You could never specifically target people with thick hair in the past, but especially in a world of broad and Advantage+, your creative needs to jump out to your target market." The first frame does that. Then it's a simple framework: product, product in use with value props, and the final result.
2. Verb: "This One's for the Curly Girls"
"This one's for the curly girls," over a split screen of the before and after. Then close-ups of Verb's Curl Defining Mask going on, and the creator showing off defined, nourished curls while the voiceover tells the story.
Why it works: "We can't directly target people with curly hair on Meta, so we call it out immediately within the creative." And it uses UGC footage "without the person on camera saying anything." That matters for testing: with a voiceover, "you can also more easily try different copy or messaging that you wouldn't be able to with the creator speaking to the audience."
Lead With the Result
3. Sleepy Tie: "Get Curls Overnight"
The first thing you see is the payoff: big, glossy curls and "Get curls overnight." Then a framed clip of the creator wrapping her hair around the Curly Tie, and the reveal: "wake up with perfect hair."
Why it works: Heatless curlers are a hard sell until you see what they do, so the ad opens on the result instead of the product. The how-to in the middle shows it takes a minute, which answers the next question: is this a hassle? For haircare and makeup, the finished look is usually the strongest hook you have.
Use Your Comments
4. DND: "Love DND Nail Polish?"
It opens on real Instagram comments over close-ups of finished nails: people who are obsessed, running to buy, saying they need them all. Then "You'll love the Cat Eye," the full shade lineup and a few colors in action, with "magnet-activated nail color" and "electrifying 9D effect."
Why it works: "Two things every brand should have: 1.) Footage of your product 2.) Positive comments on an IG post. Combine those puppies together and you've got a solid hook." Real comments read as proof, and the nail close-ups show exactly why people are excited.
Borrow Credibility
5. Proven: "It's Like Sitting Down in Front of a Dermatologist"
"Proven is the world's most personalized skincare system," with 17,915+ five-star reviews. The concerns it solves cycle past (dark spots, redness, sensitivity, fine lines, wrinkles), then the claim behind it: a custom SPF moisturizer built from 47 different factors. A Byrdie quote seals it, "It's like sitting down in front of a dermatologist," and the ad ends on the skin quiz.
Why it works: Personalized skincare sounds great and a little too good to be true. The review count, the specific "47 factors" and a beauty publication's quote do the convincing, so the brand doesn't have to. Ending on the quiz gives a low-effort next step.
Show the Product and the Proof
6. Briogeo: The Sleek Stick
A creator smooths her hair back with Briogeo's Sleek Stick, then the ad moves into clean product animation: 24-hour frizz control, sleek and glossy finish, no residue, no pulling. Press mentions appear along the way, and it closes on her touching up a slick-back bun on the go.
Why it works: It mixes the two things beauty shoppers want: a real person using it and a clear, polished look at what it does. The use case is specific (slick-back buns and mid-day touchups), so the viewer can picture exactly when they'd reach for it.
7. MOB Beauty: UGC With a Checklist
A creator applies MOB's cream clay blush on camera while a checklist builds next to her: vegan, clean, matte finish, blendable, mistake-proof, cheeks and lips.
Why it works: The creator shows how it looks and goes on, and the checklist answers the questions a beauty shopper is asking at the same time. It's a simple layout that gets a lot of information in without a voiceover having to say it all.
8. Dieux: Build a World Around the Product
Two products float in a sky of soft clouds: "The skincare duo for heavenly results." Each one gets its moment, Deliverance, a lightweight serum, and Instant Angel, a moisturizing cream, with a short line on what it does. It closes on "You're Dieux-ing Great."
Why it works: The whole ad lives inside the brand's world. The product names, the clouds and the copy all play on the same heavenly theme, so even a simple product animation feels distinct and recognizable. When the visual idea matches the name, people remember both.
Let Real People React
9. Hi, skin: The Street Interview Mashup
It opens with a street-interview question to real clients outside a Hi, skin studio: "If your skin could text you right now, what would it say?" Then it cuts fast between people talking about their facials and how their skin looks after, with "snatched, glowy, glassy" on screen, and ends on the $99 first facial.
Why it works: A street interview feels unscripted, and a string of different people saying similar things is more convincing than one perfect testimonial. It's the same idea as a review roundup, but people actually watch it.
Bring Them Back
10. MOX: The Retargeting Refresh
A single bold frame: "The pinnacle of strong skin," with the MOX products in front of a mountain climber and a simple offer: come back for 10% off.
Why it works: Not every ad has to do everything. This one is for people who already know MOX, so it skips the explaining and leads with the brand's look and a reason to come back now. A fresh retargeting creative like this keeps returning visitors from seeing the same ad over and over.
What These Beauty Ads Have in Common
- They call out the buyer. Thick hair, curly hair, cat-eye fans. The first frame tells the right people it's for them.
- They show the result. Shine, curls, glossy nails and glowing skin, up close.
- They use real people. Creators, clients and commenters, not just product shots.
- They make proof easy to take in. Comments, checklists, press and quick interviews.
- They match the ad to the stage. Some introduce the product, others bring back people who already know it.
More Examples
See our 21 DTC ad examples for more from Verb and DND, and our health and wellness ad examples for more from Hi, skin. For openers that work in any category, see our Meta ad hook examples.
How We Make Beauty Ads at Biddyco
Our DTC creative agency makes UGC, motion and static Meta ads for beauty, haircare and personal care brands. We work across 100+ accounts spending $20M+ a month on Meta, so each batch starts from what's working across categories, and new files land every two to four weeks.
Book an intro call to talk through your account.
FAQ
What makes a good beauty ad?
One that shows the result on someone the viewer relates to. The best beauty ads call out who they're for in the first frame, show the product and the finished look up close, and back it up with real proof like comments, reviews or reactions.
What kinds of beauty ads work best on Meta?
Creator UGC, voiceover UGC, before-and-afters, product animation, comment-section hooks and street interviews all work. The strongest accounts run several of these at once, because each one reaches different shoppers.
How do you target a specific hair or skin type on Meta?
Through the creative. Meta's broad targeting can't reach "people with curly hair," but an ad that opens with "This one's for the curly girls" will stop exactly those people. Call out the type in the first frame and text.
Should beauty brands use UGC?
Yes. Beauty shoppers want to see the product on a real person, with real texture and real results. UGC with a voiceover is also easier to test, because you can change the script without reshooting.
How do you use reviews in beauty ads?
Make them visual. Show real comments over footage of the product, run quick interviews with customers or pair a short quote with the result it describes. A wall of text reviews usually gets skipped.
What should a beauty retargeting ad look like?
Simpler than a first-touch ad. People already know the brand, so lead with the look, the product and a reason to come back now, like an offer or a new shade.
