Makeup

Style and beauty are two consistent market dominators. It’s no wonder the cosmetics market has seen increasing boom year after year. In the U.S., the cosmetics industry pulls in a whopping $56 billion (and growing). Those in the beauty and fashion niche have a prime opportunity to make money by adding makeup affiliate programs to their site or blog. Companies like L’Oreal, Avon, Pantene, Nivea, Dove, and Garnier offer an incredible portfolio of makeup products. Stores like Ulta, Sephora, and Sally Beauty dominate online and local retail. Fashion and beauty content creators command thousands of shares and views with sponsored makeup content. A woman will spend nearly $15,000+ on makeup within their lifetime. A survey by SkinStore.com placed it at $200,000+. Those using cosmetics will spend 21+ minutes in front of the mirror each day. For the health and beauty blogger, it’s a no-brainer for adding the highest paying makeup offers to the site.

The Makeup Niche: What You Need to Know

The makeup niche is heavily dominated by two groups:

• Promotional pieces and sponsorships
• Tutorials and style guides

Take one look at YouTube for ‘makeup tutorials’ and you’ll find thousands of content creators sharing cosmetics tips and tricks. Many are sponsored by the cosmetics company. The company sends sample products to these content creators – the creators do free promotions to their massive following. The promotional side is massive, too. Plenty of mommy, fashion, and beauty bloggers run giveaways sponsored by cosmetics companies. These giveaways reach tens of thousands. Tutorials and style guides are an incredible promotional tool, too. An investment in cosmetics will create “the look”. Sure, viewers can attempt with off-brand or already owned makeup, but it’s not quite 100%. Smart creators making tutorials and guides partner with makeup affiliate programs since they’ll point to retail links.

The Makeup Industry: By the Numbers

The makeup (cosmetics) industry is larger than probably thought. The profit margins are huge. There’s usually some form of makeup being used daily whether that’s a simple foundation or eyeliner. It’s a female-dominated market but the male segment is growing, too. What are the numbers?

• The makeup industry is around $382 billion globally
• 58%, the # of girls (8/yo-18/yo) who wear makeup
• E-commerce sales of health and beauty topped $14.5+ billion

A quick Google search shows more than a billion results for ‘Makeup’. It’s an industry influenced by celebrities and influencers, to word-of-mouth and entertainment. And, it just so happens most major brands and retailers offer makeup programs further fueling spend and promotion.

Why Promote Makeup Affiliate Programs

Makeup programs offer the products synonymous with beauty. It’s an industry closely representing the razors and razor blades market – you don’t buy a cute outfit without matching it with cute makeup. Makeup has many financial avenues:

• Primer
• Concealers
• Foundation
• Powders
• Highlighters
• Bronzers
• Mascara
• Lipstick and gloss
• Nail polish

… and so much more. Then, let’s not forget the overwhelming set of items that create the makeup kit which includes brushes, pencils, pads, stencils, and more. One study found women typically purchase $43+ each time they shop for beauty supplies. Makeup affiliate programs give beauty and fashion bloggers access to all these products. There are dozens of smaller makeup promotions offered through third-parties. You’ll find niche cosmetics affiliate programs for organic products or specific sub-segments like charcoal or sugar-based. This massive ecosystem of cosmetics neatly pairs with the individuality of the content creator. There’s something for everyone. It’s a market fueled by passionate followers and outgoing personalities. Plus, commission rates are quite attractive with these makeup programs meaning big bucks are to be made.

Attractive Commissions in the Makeup Market

There’s opportunity in the makeup market because it’s huge. There are new products and services constantly on the horizon. There’s a market for discontinued product lines, too. Fashion drives the beauty market and vice versa. Affiliates getting behind brands like Elf, Mac Makeup, Benefit Cosmetics, and ColourPop programs are seeing great returns. Becoming a Sephora affiliate grants access to 13,000+ products across 200 leading brands. These programs often pay 5-10% commissions on average. There’s something for everyone:

• General retailers and online shopping
• Niche markets (organic, eco-friendly, skin color, etc)
• Horizontal and vertical markets

YouTube personalities like Carli Bybel, Jaclyn Hill, Juicystar07, Nicole Guerriero, and Tati, have millions of subscribers. It’s not surprising so many of their videos are sponsored by makeup companies. Many use makeup affiliate programs to further monetize their content creation. The highest paid makeup bloggers are earning $20-$100,000+ each month!

How to Promote the Highest Paying Makeup Offers and Promotions

There’s some vanity to the makeup market… … looks do help with how well many will perform with building a following. However, personality, confidence, and talent are just as important. A stellar tutorial sharing how to get the perfect look, along with a charming personality and banter, can perform quite well. If anything, look and follow top influencers to learn their style and approach – see what makes their personal brand charming to followers. Then… Start with what you have and know:

1. Sign up for the highest paying makeup offers and promotions
2. Look through what products you own (and by what brands)
3. Begin making tutorials covering the basics with your personal flair

Keep at the content and before long you may find yourself approached by cosmetics companies seeking reviews and promotions in exchange for free products or sponsorship. Otherwise, build a following and reach out and see if they’re willing to pair up. Long-term marketing strategies would include:

• Tutorials and guides
• Product reviews
• Video creation

These would go through your typical channels like a blog and social media.

Growing Your Makeup Community

As mentioned, charm and skills will play an important role when promoting makeup offers and promotions. This could include replicating makeup and styles done by celebrities. Or, riding the trends and making videos around whatever’s hot in entertainment. Other ways to grow the community could include:

• Niching down to provide beauty advice to a smaller group of followers
• Creating and using a Facebook group to talk makeup and tutorials
• Hosting giveaways to spread the word (for your blog and the product)

The prime opportunity for the makeup market is how well it’s paired with everything else beauty and fashion. A new, hot dress can completely change the type of makeup. This gives you endless possibilities if you’re keeping up with trends – a piece of content for every type of look (that’s always changing).

Lay the Foundation with Foundation… Make Your Earnings Beautiful

There’s a lot of opportunities when promoting cosmetics affiliate programs. It’s a huge multi-billion-dollar industry, constantly changing and evolving. Hot trends are shaped by the latest product line or celebrity mention. It does require passion and constant trend hunting… but those loving cosmetics and makeup should have no problems finding a way to add makeup affiliate programs to their sites. The makeup promotions pay well, there are thousands of products to choose from, and plenty of room to craft your style and community. This is something you’re likely doing every day, anyway. So, what’s not to love by turning your efforts into a money-maker? Start today. Browse our makeup affiliate programs directory to see which brand and company offers the best products for your niche and community. Add links and banners to your beauty blog. Then, keep at the content. Each successful tutorial and review puts money in the bank.