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Nearly half of beauty and cosmetics shoppers cite reviews as their largest influence when deciding whether or not to purchase a product. With staggering stats like that characterizing the beauty and cosmetics industry, it’s no surprise that make-up brands rely heavily on social proof when building high-converting websites.
Social proof strategies like customer reviews, before and after photos, user-generated content (UGC), celebrity endorsements, and awards and certifications are core building blocks of an effective beauty and cosmetics website. Keep reading to see examples of each of these five social proof methods employed by real beauty and cosmetics brands.
Ilia Beauty: Customer Reviews
93.4% of shoppers rely on customer reviews when researching ecommerce brands that they’re unfamiliar with— that’s a lot of prospective buyers! With so many consumers on the hunt for honest reviews, it makes sense to prioritize this social proof strategy.
In the example below, Ilia Beauty features over 1000 reviews from real customers on the product description page (PDP) for its Fullest Volumizing Mascara. In addition to a written review, customers are also able to include photos, which enables prospective buyers to see how the product looks on a real person. Additionally, Ilia Beauty gives visitors the ability to filter reviews based on age range and predetermined keywords. This comprehensive reviews section enables visitors to educate themselves about others' experiences with the product they’re interested in buying.
Tarte Cosmetics: Before and After Photos
There’s no worse feeling than dropping a pretty penny on concealer only to find that your pesky blemish shows right through! One way to show customers that your beauty product does what it’s supposed to do is by featuring before and after photos.
In the example below, Tarte Cosmetics, does just that by featuring a before and after photo on the PDP for Shape Tape™ Concealer, aka Tik Tok’s favorite concealer. In the image below, site visitors can observe the efficacy of Tarte’s product, and get a better understanding of what the product will look like when used.
Benefit Cosmetics: User-generated Content (UGC)
UGC is content pertaining to a particular brand or product that is created by fans, customers, or employees for free. This highly effective form of social proof is a foundational building block for any effective beauty or cosmetics website.
In the example below, Benefit Cosmetics displays 16 pieces of UGC from Instagram on its PDP for POWmade Brow Pomade. These eye-catching photos help to show shoppers the popularity and quality of the brow product.
Fenty Beauty: Celebrity Endorsements
Celebrity endorsements aren’t a new concept. Who can forget the star-studded “Got Milk?” campaign from the ‘90s, what about Michael Jordan’s iconic collab with Wheaties? Today, many beauty and cosmetics brands turn to celebrities and influencers to publicly endorse products they use and love. When consumers see their idols use an item they may be more likely to take the product seriously, see its value, and purchase.
It’s probably no surprise that Fenty Beauty, the beauty company that earned Rihanna billionaire status, leverages imagery of and quotes from its founder throughout its website. Fenty Beauty has gone so far as to create a “Rihanna” section on its top nav, so visitors can shop by the musician’s iconic looks!
Milk Makeup: Awards and Certifications
Another effective way to show social proof on your beauty or cosmetics website is by showcasing awards that you’ve won, along with any certifications that add credibility or confirm that your products are effective and in some instances, safe.
Milk Makeup does just that by including their 2022 Best of Beauty Award in the right-hand corner of their product photo of their Bionic Glow Illuminating Liquid Highlighter. Winning beauty and cosmetics awards is no easy feat, so if your brand earns one, you should show it off!
We hope these five social proof strategies for beauty and cosmetics websites give you the inspiration you need to kick your social proof game up a notch!
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