We Analyzed 300 Top Beauty Ads – Here’s What Works in 2025

The best-performing beauty ads aren’t just pretty – they follow data-driven patterns that maximize engagement and revenue.

After analyzing 100 top beauty brands’ ads, we discovered the winning ad formats, word choices, and creative strategies that actually work.

Forget guesswork, our research reveals exactly which ad headlines, copy, and visuals turn beauty ads into high-performing money-makers.

/You can read more about the methodology at the end of this article./

Categorized winner ad library in MagicBrief

Social media thrives on UGC videos because of their winning nature.

33.7% of the best-performing beauty ads are in the UGC format.

In these videos, small content creators typically try out the products, mainly through product demonstrations (53.5%) or before-and-after transformations (29.7%).

In the second-best performing ad format, single images, 35.1% of ads show product demonstrations, while 24.3% feature sales offers.

Among video ads, the third-best performing ad format, product demonstrations lead the way (53.7%), followed by lifestyle (16.4%) and social proof (14.9%).

At Evolut, we typically organize campaigns into three categories:

• EVERGREEN campaigns run for over a month and include long-term winner ads that continue to perform over time.
• SEASONAL campaigns are designed to generate high revenue in a short period, often tied to seasonal offers.
• FUNCTIONAL campaigns can also run long-term, but they require frequent creative rotation and visual updates (e.g., Google Display Network (GDN), Performance Max (PMax), and Meta Dynamic Remarketing).

In this research we found that evergreen ads dominated, with an average runtime of 212 days.

7 MONTHS IS THE AVERAGE AD DURATION OF THE BEST PERFORMING BEAUTY ADS.

If we look specifically at seasonal ads, their average runtime is 89 days – nearly three months.

This suggests that when brands find a winning seasonal ad, they don’t immediately stop it after the season ends, allowing it to continue generating results.

By the way, the longest-running beauty ads belong to the ‘before-after’ creative type. These ads had the longest lifespan in our 300 ad sample.

After analyzing 300 ad copies, including headlines and primary texts, we identified patterns and common characteristics that can help you craft more effective ad copies.

Many ads emphasize new product launches, with ‘new’ being one of the most frequently used words in headlines, highlighting its effectiveness in driving engagement and results.

The word ‘off’ appears frequently, indicating a strong reliance on sales promotions.

Additionally, ‘your’ is the most common word (31 times), reinforcing the importance of personalization and direct engagement in top-performing ads.

Ads featuring ‘Your’ in the headline from Tatcha and Rhode.

The average length of the ad headlines is 5 words (~29 characters). There is a weak positive correlation (0.11) between headline word count and ad duration. 

This suggests headline length alone does not significantly impact ad longevity. Ads with short, punchy headlines (3-5 words) are just as likely to last long as those with longer ones.

The first word in an ad headline is crucial in capturing attention. Here are the most common opening words:

• ‘The’ (14 times) – Used for definitive and authoritative product claims
• ‘New’ (12 times) – Reinforces novelty
• ‘Get’ (12 times) – A direct call-to-action
• ‘Shop’ (10 times) – Pushes e-commerce behavior
• ‘Your’ (9 times) – Personalization matters

MOST MARKETERS FOCUS ON FEATURES OR PRODUCT NAMES, BUT THE TOP-PERFORMING BRANDS USE ‘THE’ TO ADD AUTHORITY.

Great ads from LANEIGE and Blue Lagoon Beauty show the effectiveness of ‘award-winning’ copy in driving engagement and credibility.

Overall, benefit and results-driven communication dominated the primary text section. Mentions like ‘clinically proven’ and ‘see the difference’ reinforce product effectiveness. Right after, direct CTA type ad copies follow the way with direct phrases like ‘shop now’ and ‘get yours.’

Not surprisingly urgency is the third most common technique to drive sales. Use of phrases like ‘limited time,’ ‘back in stock,’ and ‘don’t miss.’

As seen in the headlines, the frequent use of ‘your’ highlights a strong emphasis on direct customer engagement, making the ad feel more personal and relatable.

The average length of the studied sample is 30 words (~192 characters). There is a Weak positive correlation (0.14 – 0.17) between primary text length and ad duration. 

It means a slight preference for longer texts in high-performing ads, but it’s not a decisive factor. Ads with more detailed descriptions may perform slightly better, but not drastically.

MOST MARKETERS BELIEVE OTHERWISE, BUT LONGER AD TEXTS SEEM TO HAVE A SLIGHT EDGE IN AD LONGEVITY.

The first word of an ad can define engagement. Here are the most used starting words:

• ‘The’ (15 times) – A strong authoritative statement
• ‘Meet’ (10 times) – Often used for introducing new products
• ‘A’ (8 times) – Simple yet effective
• ‘Discover’ (5 times) – Encourages curiosity
• ‘This’ (4 times) – Adds specificity and intrigue
• ‘Get’ (4 times) – Call-to-action-driven

Instead of hard-selling (‘Buy Now’), brands are subtly pushing customers with softer CTAs like ‘Try It’ or ‘Discover.’ This suggests that education + engagement is better than direct push.

Social Proof ads (e.g., testimonials, influencer content) have the longest primary texts on average. 

Sales Offer ads tend to have the shortest texts but last almost as long as other formats. It suggests that simplicity in discounts and offers works better than over-explaining.

Before-After ads have above-average duration and slightly longer primary texts. It implies that these ads need more context and explanation for credibility.

‘Try It’ appears in longer-duration ads. Experience-driven CTAs last longer, meaning ads that push product trials tend to have better sustainability.

BRANDS SHOULD FOCUS ON USING HIGH-VALUE WORDS LIKE ‘CLINICALLY PROVEN’, OR ‘BEST-SELLING’.

Winner ads from Weleda and Korres ran for over six months, featuring ‘clinically proven’ as a key USP, increasing trust and credibility.

Do emojis add extra value to beauty ads?

According to our research, the answer is a loud YES.

There is a weak positive correlation (0.196) between the number of emojis used and the duration of an ad. 

Some ad formats may rely more on emojis to grab attention, such as UGC (User-Generated Content) and Animations.

Social proof and product demo ads tend to use more emojis, possibly to make them more engaging and relatable.

Our analysis identified specific words and emojis that frequently appear together in beauty ads.

The strongest correlation between emoji usage and ad duration was found for 🌍 (Earth emoji) with a 0.34 correlation, suggesting that sustainability or global themes may contribute to longer-running ads.

🙌🏻 (Raised hands emoji) and 🧖 (Person in steamy room emoji) also showed moderate correlations, indicating that ads focusing on self-care, wellness, or celebration may have a longer lifespan.

Videoscripts are significantly longer than other ad texts. The average script length is 83 words (~462 characters). UGC scripts are even longer, 100 words (~552 characters). 

UGC ads tend to require more storytelling than other ad formats. Brands allow influencers or real users to talk at length, which builds authenticity and trust.

UGC scripts are highly personal and casual. Instead of a brand’s voice, they sound like a friend giving a recommendation.

Most common first phrases in UGC scripts:

• ‘Here is my…’ → Personal showcase
• ‘Yeah, similar. She’s…’ → Comparison to a previous product
• ‘Hey everyone, it’s…’ → Influencer-style introduction
• ‘I just dropped…’ → Feels like an exclusive reveal
• ‘This product makes…’ → Jumping straight into benefits

Tarte Cosmetics and Typology Paris UGC ads

UGC videos almost NEVER start with a brand name. Instead, they start with personal experiences or exciting discoveries. This boosts credibility and engagement because it feels unscripted.

UGC ads do not use ‘marketing language.’ They rely on authentic, natural speech that mirrors how real people talk.

UGC videos are loaded with casual, informal phrases like:

• ‘I’m obsessed with…’
• ‘This is literally amazing!’
• ‘You NEED to try this…’
• ‘I was skeptical, but then…’
• ‘This changed my life!’

Compare this to brand-written primary texts, which use:

• ‘Our best-selling product…’
• ‘Clinically proven results…’
• ‘Get 15% off today!’

UGC ads from Aveda and Dossier

UGC videos with longer scripts tend to have longer ad durations. Correlation (0.17) between script length and ad duration (weak but present). Suggests that longer UGC videos have better engagement and retention.

Many successful UGC scripts validate the product with external proof. They don’t just say ‘this works’ – they say ‘this is popular, and I had to see for myself.’ This increases credibility.

Common phrases that build trust:

• ‘Everyone is talking about this…’
• ‘I saw this all over TikTok…’
• ‘People keep asking me about this…’
• ‘This went viral and I had to try it…’

The best UGC scripts follow a storytelling arc:

• Introduce a problem or skepticism (‘I was skeptical, but…’, ‘I never thought I’d find…’)
• Reveal the product as the solution
• Showcase the transformation (‘This is a game-changer!’)
• End with strong emotional conviction (‘This is a game-changer!’)

A key mistake in video scripts is spending too much time on introductions, particularly in UGC videos, where viewers expect authenticity but lose interest if the content doesn’t engage them immediately. 

Product demo videos that open with a brand name tend to underperform, as audiences respond better to benefit-driven hooks rather than corporate messaging. 

Similarly, over-explaining in before-after transformations weakens the impact, as visual results should speak for themselves. 

The solution? If a script exceeds 80-100 words, it must hook the viewer within the first five seconds, whether through curiosity, transformation, or direct engagement, otherwise, retention drops sharply.

Our deep analysis of 300 beauty brand ads reveals that success isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about strategic storytelling, data-driven optimization, and audience psychology. 

The best-performing ads leverage concise yet compelling ad copies, with UGC and social proof formats driving trust and engagement. Shorter primary texts work best for sales-driven offers, while longer, benefit-focused texts enhance longevity. 

Video scripts show that over-explaining reduces effectiveness, and the first five words are critical to capturing attention. 

Ads that use emotional storytelling, immediate transformation visuals, and strong CTA variations (‘Try It’ vs. ‘Buy Now’) achieve higher engagement and retention rates. 

Ultimately, brands must tailor their creatives based on ad format, audience psychology, and conversion goals, using a blend of data-backed messaging and authentic storytelling to drive long-term success.

As beauty trends 2025 continue to evolve, staying ahead will require brands to adapt their ad strategies to emerging consumer preferences, technological advancements, and shifting engagement patterns.

To conduct this research, we selected 100 beauty brands based on several key factors on MagicBrief:

• Established Customer Base – Each brand has a significant and engaged customer following.
• Active Advertising Presence – We focused on brands running a substantial number of ads, ensuring a diverse and reliable dataset.
• Category Representation – While the majority of selected brands specialize in skincare, we also included cosmetics and fragrance brands to provide a more comprehensive industry perspective.

Data Collection Process

We identified the top three best-performing ads for each brand. Our selection criteria were based on Magicbrief’s algorithm, which ranks advertisements according to:

• Ad Duration – Ads that have been actively running for an extended period.
• Engagement Metrics – Including likes, shares, comments, and overall interaction.

To ensure consistency, we extracted only the highest-performing ads for each brand, resulting in a dataset of 300 advertisements. The longest-running ads were prioritized under the assumption that ad longevity correlates with performance and return on investment.

Data Validation & Refinement

During the data collection process, we encountered a few cases where brands had no active paid advertisements. These brands were removed from the dataset, as their absence from paid media made it impossible to compare their performance metrics with other brands.

The final dataset was then categorized based on key attributes like ad format, creative type or landing page type.

Using AI-powered analysis, we examined all ad headlines, primary texts, and video scripts, assessing their correlation with different ad formats and ad duration to identify key patterns in high-performing beauty ads.