What 300 Top-Performing Beauty Ads Taught Us About Winning Creative Strategies in 2025

Let’s be real, most beauty brands are burning money on ads.

They invest in high-end production, beautiful visuals, and influencer collaborations, yet many of their ads fail to convert. Why?

Because they’re focused on aesthetics instead of performance.

At Evolut, we wanted to uncover what actually works in beauty advertising. So, we analyzed 300 of the longest-running, top-performing beauty ads from 100 beauty brands. Big names like ILIA Beauty, Fenty Beauty, KÉRASTASE, OSEA, HUDA Beauty, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Sol De Janeiro, KOSAS, K18 HAIR, Drunk Elephant, and Augustinus Bader.

Our goal? To find the patterns in ad formats, creatives, and messaging that make people stop scrolling and, most importantly, buy.

The findings? Eye-opening. Some were expected, some were completely counterintuitive.

In this article, we’ll break down what’s actually working in beauty ad creatives right now and how you can use these insights to improve your own paid campaigns.

The 3 Ad Formats That Dominate Beauty Advertising Right Now

One of the most striking discoveries in our research was that not all ad formats perform equally. 

Some formats get longer runtimes, better engagement, and stronger conversions, while others struggle to keep people’s attention.

So, what are the winning formats?

1. UGC-Style Video Ads

33.7% of the top-performing beauty ads were UGC (user-generated content) style. This is no surprise. People trust people, not brands. And beauty is all about real results, making UGC-style videos incredibly effective.

But here’s where most brands get it wrong:

They force influencers to follow a rigid, overly branded script. They insert their logo in the first 3 seconds (which kills engagement). They don’t leverage storytelling, making the video feel like an ad.

What Makes a UGC Beauty Ad Work?

It starts with skepticism: “I didn’t believe this product would work, but…” It shows transformation: Before-and-after visuals outperform static product shots. It focuses on a relatable problem: Dry skin, frizzy hair, cakey makeup? Call it out. It looks native: If it feels like an ad, people will skip it. The best ones feel like honest recommendations from a friend.

2. Product Demonstration Videos

28.4% of winning ads were product demo videos. Beauty is a highly visual industry. People don’t just want to hear about results; they want to see the transformation in action.

That’s why product demonstration videos consistently outperform static images. They give people an instant idea of what to expect before buying.

What Makes a Great Product Demo?

Show application & results: Don’t just talk about the formula, show it in action. Use dynamic visuals: Slow-motion, zoom-ins, and texture shots keep viewers engaged. Use a clear, problem-solving angle: Start by addressing a common frustration.

3. Carousels for Retargeting

17.2% of winning beauty ads were carousel ads. Carousels aren’t flashy, but they work, especially for retargeting warm audiences. They allow brands to tell a story, show different products, or address multiple objections within a single ad.

How to Make Carousels Convert?

Feature before & afters → One slide shows the problem, the next slide shows the solution. Address different use cases → “This works for oily AND dry skin.” Highlight social proof → Include real customer reviews or user-generated content.

The Omnipresence Strategy: How Beauty Brands Stay Top-of-Mind Across Channels

One of the most critical insights from our research is that top-performing beauty brands don’t just rely on a single ad or platform to drive sales. Instead, they execute a multi-layered, omnipresent ad strategy that ensures their brand is everywhere their potential customers are.

We call this the Omnipresence Strategy, a method that systematically builds brand awareness, trust, and conversions by showing different types of content at various touchpoints in a customer’s journey.

This method follows a structured ad layering approach, which includes:

Value Ads: Educational content that provides beauty tips, skincare guides, ingredient breakdowns, or expert insights. Demonstration Ads: Videos showcasing how the product works, often with a before-and-after comparison. Testimonial Ads: Social proof-driven content featuring UGC, influencer opinions, or customer reviews.  Call-to-Action (CTA) Ads: Direct, conversion-focused ads prompting users to take immediate action. Feeling-Based Ads: Emotional storytelling that connects with beauty consumers on a lifestyle level. 

You can find the full research on the top performing beauty ads in a comprehensive article on the Evolut blog.

The Future of Beauty Ads & 2025 Trends

In 2025, beauty trends in advertising will be shaped by AI-driven personalization, interactive content, and an even stronger emphasis on creator-led storytelling. Brands that fail to adapt will see their campaigns fade into the noise, while those who embrace data-backed, multi-platform ad strategies – just like Europe’s leading agencies – will dominate the market.