What Actually Makes You Want to Try a New Makeup Brand?

There are more makeup brands than ever.

New beauty brands seem to appear every day, and with so many choices available, getting someone to try a brand they’ve never heard of can be surprisingly difficult.

A product can look beautiful in a photo. The packaging can be gorgeous. The price can be tempting. But before someone actually pulls out their credit card, there is usually another question:

Can I trust this brand enough to try it?

That got me thinking about what actually makes people comfortable buying makeup from a newer or lesser-known beauty brand.

Is it the product itself? The price? The photography? Reviews? Social media? Or does the entire shopping experience matter?

Here are some of the things I think make the biggest difference.

1. I Want to See What It Actually Looks Like on Real People

This might be one of the biggest factors.

Professional product photography can make almost anything look amazing. But when I’m considering buying makeup, I also want to see what the product looks like on an actual person.

How does the lipstick look on real lips?

Does the foundation actually look like skin?

What does the eyeshadow look like outside of a perfectly edited studio photograph?

Does the blush have the same color payoff in person?

Seeing products used by real people gives shoppers something that a traditional product photo can’t always provide: context.

And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a professional makeup tutorial. Sometimes a simple, well-lit video or a close-up photograph can be much more helpful than a heavily produced campaign image.

2. The Photos and Videos Have to Feel Trustworthy

Beautiful content is important, but there’s a difference between beautiful and misleading.

When I’m shopping for makeup online, I want to feel like I’m getting a realistic idea of what I’m buying.

That means showing different angles, natural lighting when appropriate, close-ups, swatches, packaging, and the actual product.

If everything looks heavily filtered or overly edited, I start wondering what the product really looks like.

Good beauty photography should make me want the product while still giving me enough information to make an informed decision.

3. Price Matters But Cheap Isn’t Automatically Better

Price is obviously important, especially when you’re trying a brand you’ve never purchased from before.

If I’ve never heard of a brand, I’m probably more willing to experiment with a $12 product than a $60 one.

But there’s an important distinction between reasonable pricing and simply being the cheapest option.

People still want to feel like they’re getting quality.

A reasonable price can actually reduce the risk of trying something new. If the product looks good, the brand feels legitimate, and the price doesn’t feel excessive, trying it becomes much easier to justify.

4. The Store Has to Feel Legitimate

This one is easy to underestimate.

Before buying from an unfamiliar beauty brand, I want to know that there’s an actual business behind it.

Does the website look complete?

Are there clear product descriptions?

Are there contact details?

Is there information about shipping?

Are returns explained?

Are the payment options familiar?

Does the website look like someone actually maintains it?

None of these things are particularly exciting, but together they can make the difference between thinking “I want that” and thinking “I’m not sure I trust this site.”

A beautiful product doesn’t matter much if the store itself makes shoppers nervous.

5. Shipping and Returns Shouldn’t Require Detective Work

Another simple one: tell me what happens after I place the order.

How long does shipping take?

Where do you ship?

How much does it cost?

What happens if something arrives damaged?

Can I return it?

How long do I have?

Who pays return shipping?

The answers don’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler the better.

When shoppers are already taking a chance on an unfamiliar brand, uncertainty about shipping or returns can become another reason not to buy.

Clear policies make the purchase feel less risky.

6. Reviews Help But I Don’t Expect a New Brand to Have Thousands

Obviously, reviews can make a huge difference.

But I don’t think a newer brand needs thousands of reviews before someone can feel comfortable trying it.

A smaller number of genuine reviews can still be useful, particularly when they include details about the actual product.

Photos and videos from customers can be especially helpful because they show the product outside of the brand’s own photography.

And if a brand doesn’t have many reviews yet, I’d rather see it be honest about being new than try to make itself look more established than it is.

7. I Want to Know Why This Product Is Worth Trying

There are so many makeup products competing for attention that simply saying “high quality” isn’t particularly convincing anymore.

Tell me what makes the product interesting.

Is the color unusual?

Does it have a particular finish?

Is the formula especially easy to use?

Is it a great everyday product?

Does it solve a specific problem?

Is it an affordable alternative to something much more expensive?

The more specific the reason, the easier it is for a shopper to decide whether the product is actually for them.

8. Individual Products vs. Curated Makeup Bundles

This is an interesting one because I can see the appeal of both.

With individual products, I can choose exactly what I want.

Maybe I only need a lip product. Maybe I’m looking for a particular shade of blush. Maybe I already have everything else.

But curated bundles can make shopping easier.

Instead of trying to figure out which products work together, someone has already done some of the decision-making for me.

For example, a brand could create a simple Everyday Makeup Bundle, Night Out Bundle, or Beginner Makeup Bundle.

The important thing is that the bundle should feel curated rather than simply being a collection of random products discounted together.

9. Social Media Can Make Me Curious But the Website Has to Close the Deal

Social media is often where I discover a new beauty brand.

A video catches my attention. I see someone using a product. I like the packaging. I become curious.

But eventually, I’m probably going to visit the website.

That’s where everything I’ve seen on social media gets tested.

Does the website match the quality of the content?

Can I find the product easily?

Can I understand what it does?

Can I see the price?

Can I figure out shipping and returns?

If the social media presence is beautiful but the website feels unfinished, the trust can disappear pretty quickly.

So What Actually Makes Someone Try a New Makeup Brand?

For me, it probably isn’t one single thing.

It’s the combination of product appeal + realistic content + reasonable pricing + trust.

A newer brand doesn’t necessarily need to look like a giant beauty company.

It just needs to give shoppers enough information to feel comfortable taking that first chance.

And I think that’s an important distinction.

The goal isn’t necessarily to convince someone that a new brand is already as established as a major beauty company.

The goal is to make them think:

“This looks good. The price is reasonable. The store seems legitimate. I understand what I’m buying. I’m willing to give it a try.”

That’s a much more realistic hurdle for a small beauty brand to overcome.

What About You?

I’m genuinely curious what matters most to other makeup shoppers.

If you discovered a makeup brand you’d never heard of before, what would make you comfortable placing your first order?

• Seeing the product on real people?
• Customer reviews?
• Social media videos?
• A reasonable price?
• Beautiful photography?
• A professional-looking website?
• Clear shipping and return policies?
• A first-order discount?
• Individual products?
• Curated makeup bundles?

What makes you go from “I’ve never heard of this brand” to “Okay, I’ll try it”?