The cosmetics industry is not experiencing a downturn.
In France, it is worth more than 17 billion € in 2023.
This continuous growth is fuelled by recurring consumption and an increasing number of brands on the market.
In short, it is a dynamic and highly competitive playing field.
In this context, brands are looking to stand out.
Not only in terms of product, formulation or commitment, but also through the customer experience.
This is where loyalty programs come in. It is no longer just a matter of rewarding repeat purchases, but of creating a lasting, almost intimate relationship with your customers.
In beauty, the act of purchasing is often emotional.
We don't just buy a skincare product or a lipstick.
In the make-up sector, for example, 34% of French consumers say they are willing to commit to a cosmetics brand. We buy a promise, an identity, a sense of belonging.
This is the challenge of a good loyalty program in the cosmetics industry: prolonging this experience and making it last over time.
Behind the glitz and glossy packaging, the beauty world is a jungle.
The cost of recruiting new customers is skyrocketing. Large corporations are spending huge amounts on advertising.
New brands are focusing on community engagement.
In other words, customer loyalty is not a luxury but a necessity for long-term survival.
Acquiring a new customer has never been so expensive.
Between inflation in advertising prices on social media and competition to buy keywords, margins are shrinking.
By creating a loyalty program, you increase customer lifetime value and therefore profitability.
Every return to your site becomes a lever for amortising your acquisition costs.
It's common sense in business, but you need to know this when you start out!
In the beauty industry, products run out. And that's a real opportunity. A cream, foundation or shampoo is used up and replaced. Unlike other sectors, the shopping basket is not unique. Your customers may come back every month. But you still need to give them a good reason to do so.
A well-designed loyalty program is a direct response to this need. It supports purchasing habits. It encourages repeat business. It strengthens your brand's place in their routine.
Take La Belle Boucle, for example.
This brand, which specialises in curly hair, has created a strong bond with its community.
Their ‘Fidéliboucles’ program rewards every interaction (customer reviews, stories, shares, etc.) and offers a range of attractive rewards in exchange for accumulated points.
Customers identify with the brand.
They find products, advice and an identity. And they come back for more.
That's what a good loyalty programme does: it extends customer loyalty.
It rewards seniority, offers privileges and tells a shared story. In short, it transforms customers from mere customers into committed members.
Cosmetics enthusiasts have one thing in common: they love to talk about it.
On social media, on YouTube, in product reviews.
They test, compare and recommend.
They get involved.
A modern loyalty program must capitalize on this commitment.
With Loyoly, for example, you can reward your customers for their reviews, shares or content creation.
A customer who posts her routine or invites her friends via your referral program means free visibility and conversion.
It's also a way to strengthen their sense of belonging.
They are no longer just customers.
They become ambassadors.
Pssst... You might find this interesting!
Loyalty programs are strategic for your beauty brand, and we can probably help. Check out our platform!
Creating an effective loyalty program cannot be improvised.
You need to think about business, branding and customer experience in equal measure.
The goal? To stimulate engagement, increase repeat purchases and create a real community around your brand.
At Loyoly, this community-based approach is at the heart of our strategy.
Thanks to a scoring system for ambassadors and tailor-made rewards, brands such as La Crème Libre, La Belle Boucle or Pomponne have seen very concrete results: an increase in repeat purchases, more user-generated content and an ultra-active community.
Before handing out loyalty points left, right and centre, you need to know what you really want to achieve.
More repeat purchases? A higher average order value? User-generated content? Verified reviews? All of the above?
La Crème Libre, for example, launched its program with the clear desire to increase repeat purchases while rewarding its most loyal customers.
As a result, the most loyal customers are also the ones who share the most content and recommend the brand to their friends and family.
It's a winning strategy.
A good program doesn't just reward purchases. Of course, it's important to include a simple mechanism such as ‘1 £ spent = 1 point’.
But that's just the basics.
With Loyoly, you can also award points for product reviews, Instagram posts, stories, referrals or even participation in an ambassador campaign.
The cosmetics industry lends itself perfectly to fun and distinctive loyalty mechanics.
You can set up a simple points system, but you can also create progressive statuses with names aligned with your branding: Glow, Radiance, Purity, etc.
And best of all, you can see them directly in your customer account.
The result is gamified loyalty that keeps customers coming back for more.
Earning points is great. But the reward has to be worth it.
In cosmetics, customers are looking for more than discounts; they want to feel special.
Early access, collector's boxes, exclusive samples, invitations to beauty workshops... that's what really hits the mark.
And above all, rewards that customers ask for themselves.
This is a real lever to boost programme usage.
In an industry where brand loyalty is strong, word of mouth is a powerful weapon.
Integrating a referral program into your loyalty strategy can turn your customers into ambassadors.
With the right incentive and a mechanism that is well integrated into the customer account, referrals become natural.
You reach new prospects at a lower cost, while strengthening the bond with your loyal customers.
A successful loyalty program not only rewards customers for their actions but also involves them in the product development process.
Co-creation is a powerful tool, allowing customers to feel invested in the brand and its offerings.
The importance of sensorial experience cannot be overstated in cosmetics; products must engage the senses to truly captivate customers.
Nubiance, for example, integrates co-creation by involving their loyal community in the testing and feedback stages.
This approach strengthens relationships with customers while generating valuable user-generated content and enhancing brand credibility.
By tapping into their customer base for product feedback, brands can refine their offerings and ensure they meet the sensory expectations of their target audience.
👉 To include consumers in your process you can also try gifting
Loyalty goes hand in hand with data.
For a loyalty program to be truly effective, you need to track key indicators: repeat purchase rate, average order value, program activation rate, number of points used, share of active customers, etc.
At Loyoly, brands such as La Crème Libre are seeing concrete results: +150% Customer Lifetime Value in just 4 months, an estimated annual ROI of 168%, and more than 160 customer reviews generated through the programme.
These results illustrate how a well-thought-out strategy can transform loyal customers into true ambassadors.
Even with the best intentions, a loyalty program can miss its targets.
Poor targeting, overly basic mechanics or lack of follow-up.
Certain mistakes can hinder performance.
Here are the three most common pitfalls to avoid at all costs.
This is a classic mistake. Limiting yourself to a simple equation such as ‘1 £ spent = 1 loyalty point’.
Of course, this logic has its place, but it is not enough to create a real customer relationship.
Cosmetics brands have a pool of customers who are willing to interact far beyond their purchases.
Leaving a detailed review, posting a before/after photo, participating in a beauty challenge, sharing a post... these are all actions that also deserve to earn points.
Above all, they strengthen overall engagement with the brand.
Let's be honest, a 5% discount doesn't make anyone dream.
In fact, it may attract attention and convince some customers, but in the beauty world, what builds loyalty is exclusive attention.
It's rare samples, privileged access and personalised experiences.
A good program should focus on rewards with high perceived value that are aligned with your brand positioning.
In other words, offer benefits that your customers won't find anywhere else. And give them a really good reason to check their customer account to claim their points.
A loyalty program without monitoring is like a cream without active ingredients: it's useless.
It's impossible to improve without data.
It's essential to track key indicators such as the number of active members, program activation rates, points used, repeat purchase rates, NPS, volume of reviews collected, etc.
This analytical insight allows you to continuously optimize the program, identify what works and eliminate what doesn't.
👉 This also apply to the fashion industry, find out more on how to build loyalty in fashion.
Many beauty players have embraced loyalty strategies that go far beyond the classic points system.
Whether through personalized rewards, community activation or hybrid online/offline experiences, these programs prove that loyalty is a powerful tool for creating lasting customer relationships.
Let’s explore 5 more standout examples.
Pomponne, the clean and vegan makeup brand known for its cheerful and conscious positioning, has launched a loyalty and referral program that perfectly mirrors its brand spirit: Gang Pomponne.
True to its name, this “gang” invites customers to join a fun, vibrant community where loyalty is rewarded and sharing is celebrated.
Pomponne encourages user-generated content as part of its loyalty program, rewarding customers for sharing their experiences, posting on social media, and creating beauty content, which helps strengthen the brand’s community and visibility in the beauty sector.
Beyond missions, the referral program allows members to receive a €10 discount for every friend referred,.
What makes La Gang Pomponne stand out is how it aligns with the brand’s broader experience offering personalized beauty tips, virtual consultations, and an overall warm, inclusive environment.
The program doesn’t just incentivize purchases; it builds a community united by values, fun, and a love for conscious beauty.
Nubiance has built a loyalty program that rewards a range of actions beyond just purchases : creating an account, following the brand on Instagram, celebrating birthdays, or leaving reviews all earn points.
These can be redeemed for rewards, encouraging engagement and strengthening customer relationships.
Each purchase allow customers to climb through the VIP tiers, all offering more and more rewards (points multiplier, vouchers...).
The referral system offers €10 to both referrer and referee, making word-of-mouth a key growth driver.
Most notably, Nubiance invites its community to take part in product testing, placing co-creation and sensorial feedback at the heart of its development process.
Réjence, a French brand specialising in organic skincare for sensitive and atopic skin, has developed a loyalty programme that combines simplicity and generosity.
The principle is straightforward: for every euro spent, customers earn one point.
Once 80 points are accumulated, they can be exchanged for an €10 voucher.
In addition to rewarding purchases, Réjence actively encourages user-generated content, a key driver in the beauty sector.
Customers can earn points by sharing their experience, leaving reviews or engaging with the brand online, helping to amplify authentic visibility.
Réjence also offers a referral programme: when a customer refers a friend, the friend receives an €10 discount on their first order, and the referrer also receives an €10 voucher once the friend's order is confirmed.
This approach not only rewards loyalty but also encourages organic growth through word-of-mouth.
By integrating both loyalty and referral systems, Réjence strengthens its relationship with customers while expanding its community.
La Canopée’s loyalty program effectively combines purchases with social engagement.
Customers earn 1 point for every €1 spent and can redeem points for rewards, while referrals bring both the referrer and referred €10 vouchers.
This approach taps into the power of word-of-mouth and social proof, key drivers in the beauty sector.
Through the missions they reward user-generated content and reviews to strengthen the brand community and visibility.
This not only boosts customer loyalty but also fosters organic growth, as consumers become ambassadors who actively share their positive experiences.
La Belle Boucle, a French brand specializing in natural haircare for curly hair, has successfully revamped its loyalty and referral program to enhance customer engagement and build a stronger community.
By integrating its program with Shopify POS, customers can earn and redeem rewards both online and in-store, providing a seamless omnichannel experience.
The brand offers a wide range of loyalty missions, including subscribing to social media channels, leaving reviews, and creating UGC through Instagram and TikTok. These actions not only foster customer interaction but also drive social proof, crucial in the beauty sector for increasing visibility and credibility.
Results speak for themselves: La Belle Boucle generated over €969,000 in additional revenue in just 6 months.
Customers who engaged with the program demonstrated a 73% higher repurchase rate and a more than doubled customer lifetime value.
The program also led to the collection of 5,834 reviews and 92 pieces of UGC, further amplifying the brand's presence across platforms and contributing to its ongoing success.
This loyalty program is a powerful example of how to integrate customer engagement, social proof, and financial growth in the beauty industry.
👇 Listen to the testimony of Laureen from La Belle Boucle (in french only)
An effective loyalty program is not just about distributing points and ticking KPIs.
It's a strategic lever for embodying your brand, promoting its values and turning every customer into an ambassador.
In the beauty industry, where emotion, routine and aesthetics are at the heart of the experience, loyalty comes through attachment.
With Loyoly, you can create a program that rewards engagement in all its forms: purchases, reviews, referrals, content creation.
You give each customer a place in your world. And you build a community that reflects who you are.
👉 Create your beauty loyalty program with Loyoly and engage your customers like never before.
Loyoly is a loyalty and referral platform combined with UGCs, which helps to engage customers in 40+ ways to increase LTV and social proof, while reducing CAC.
