Top skincare digital marketing campaigns from 2025

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, the skincare industry always stands out on top. And, 2025 has been a year of groundbreaking campaigns that have made an impact among skincare lovers and consumers. 

I’m Molly, one of the content account managers here at Embryo. And, as well as being passionate about blog writing, I love myself some good skincare! In this blog, I’ll deep dive into some of the best skin care marketing campaigns of the year so far, analysing what specific details have made them gain incredible success. 

Before we get into it, if you’re looking for some assistance when it comes to your digital marketing campaign, you’re in the right place. Get in touch to work with our team and achieve incredible results today. 

What makes good beauty campaigns? 

Before we go into a deep dive, it might be beneficial to understand what goes into a marketing campaign to make it so successful. While some things, like viral moments and clips, are quite difficult to control, there are some methods you can adopt to ensure you’re getting your campaign off on the right foot. These can include: 

Authentic storytelling – Brands that tell compelling stories, from their origins to tackling real customer journeys, will probably outperform those that don’t. They will use emotional narratives, maybe even create a lovable character or persona, and before and after visuals that truly form a deeper connection with their audience. 

Showing true purpose & inclusivity – The most memorable beauty campaigns usually champion a cause, whether it’s promoting mental health advocacy or redefining beauty standards for all skin types, tones, and ages. This approach makes brands more trustworthy, which is important now more than ever when consumers are looking to support brands that truly align with their values. 

Using hyper-personalisation – In a world that relies on AI and data more than ever, beauty brands are creating more personalised experiences. From interactive quizzes that recommend products for specific skin issues to email campaigns that are segmented by regional climate, these approaches are making customers feel seen and understood. 

Community building – Rather than just offering transactional relationships, some of the best beauty brands embrace their online community. They utilise social media to host Q&A sessions, engage in discussions, and host live events, encouraging a sense of belonging among their customers. 

So, what are the best skin care marketing campaigns of 2025? 

This year, the skincare marketing world has been more innovative than ever. Social media has become the new beauty counter, where brands are building trust and credibility through user-generated content, educational tutorials, and partnerships with influencers and celebs. The campaigns that truly stood out in 2025 were the ones that didn’t just sell a product, but sold a purpose, a community, or a powerful idea, proving that the most successful marketing is deeply human! 

Here’s a sneak peek of the campaigns I’ll be looking at: 

• Lil Wayne x Cetaphil 
• L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect x Gillian Anderson
• The Ordinary x Uncommon 
• Dove’s Real Beauty campaign 
• Billie’s Scratch ‘n Sniff campaign 

Ready to discover some showstopping skincare ads? Let’s get into it… 

Lil Wayne x Cetaphil for Super Bowl 2025 

A pretty unexpected face for the beloved skincare brand Cetaphil, Lil Wayne is probably someone who wouldn’t first come to mind. However, this campaign is all about resilience and making the most out of disappointing situations. Wayne was reportedly lined up for a major Super Bowl commercial spot, only to be let down last minute. Instead of letting the situation slide, he turned this rejection into the centrepiece of a campaign about sensitivity. 

The commercial itself features Wayne sitting in a studio when someone in a suit delivers the news about his Super Bowl gig. Instead of portraying a meltdown, he shrugs it off and pivots to talking about something that is equally as important to him – taking care of sensitive skin. 

What makes this ad great is how Cetaphil taps into those universally awkward moments that we all experience. And, the tag line hits the perfect note: ‘Can’t change the sensitive situation? At least you can soothe your sensitive skin.’ This ad truly flips the script on sensitivity. In a culture where ‘sensitive’ is often used as an insult, Wayne has reclaimed the term with his trademark confidence. 

By bringing authenticity to a skincare campaign and showcasing his disappointments and vulnerabilities, Lil Wayne has created something that resonates beyond typical celebrity endorsement. Some people have even gone on to say it’s one of the most self-aware commercials they’ve seen! 

This campaign is: Authentic and purposeful. 

L’Oreal Paris’s Age Perfect x Gillian Anderson

At the age of 56, Gillian Anderson is not just revisiting her past in the latest L’Oreal Paris campaign. She’s redefining what it means to be a woman in her fifties who refuses to disappear. Her latest move means that she’s signed as the newest face of L’Oreal Paris’s Age Perfect line, joining other legends like Helen Mirren, Jane Fonda, and Viola Davis. 

The Age Perfect campaign specifically focuses on empowering women over 50 to embrace their age with confidence and style. Anderson’s involvement highlights her commitment to female empowerment, inclusivity, and sustainability values that lie deep within L’Oreal’s ethos. And, the campaign seeks to motivate women to view age as a benefit instead of a constraint! 

What makes this campaign truly unique is Gillian’s talent for challenging stereotypes in both her professional and personal life. She’s not merely the face of the brand; she is a force of talent and advocacy, demonstrating that beauty and strength transcend age boundaries. 

This campaign is: Empowering, timeless, and confident. 

The Ordinary – Truth Should Be Ordinary 

Moving aside from celebrity endorsements, The Ordinary is a brand that does transparency right. Their ‘Truth Should be Ordinary’ campaign is a bold statement against the beauty industry’s long-held habit of gatekeeping information. 

Rather than a traditional product launch, The Ordinary created a free, open-source digital archive on a dedicated website, thetruthshouldbeordinary.com. This offers direct access to scientific white papers that are usually hidden behind paywalls, exposing common beauty myths. It’s a digital marketing masterclass in building authority and trust, and actually educating the consumer rather than leading with false information. 

One of the great things about this campaign is that they’ve proved that authenticity and substance can be far more compelling than celebrity endorsements and polished values. 

Alongside this website, they also produced city-wide billboards that showcase a statement which is truly unbiased and factual. The aim was to contrast the everyday hustle and bustle and give people a moment to take in something informative and intelligent. 

“At the heart of this campaign is truth”, says senior creatives Ellie Daghlian and Elisa Czerwenka. “In a world of noise and distractions, the white space that is baked into their identity always cuts through.”

This campaign is: Educational, transparent, and purpose-driven.  

Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign

In the year where the influence of AI on beauty standards has become slightly scary, Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign is a master class in purpose-driven marketing. It’s timed seamlessly with the 20th anniversary of their iconic Real Beauty platform, which has proved that Dove is just as relevant in the digital world as it is in the physical one. 

90% of content is predicted to be AI-generated by the end of 2025, and Dove’s tagline still reigns true: keep beauty real. Dove vows to champion real beauty, with a commitment to never use AI to create or distort women’s images. To set a new digital standard of representation, Dove is set to create the ‘Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines’, a playbook on how to create images that are representative of real women and girls on the most popular AI generative programmes. 

This campaign is a huge wake-up call to other skincare brands. It directly addresses a new and pressing threat to self-esteem, showing Dove’s proactive approach to tackling real modern issues. This solidifies its status as one of the most trusted, forward-thinking brands. They truly want to solve the problem of AI bias and drive the entire skincare industry forward. 

This campaign is: Proactive, important, and real. 

Billie ‘Scratch n Sniff’ campaign 

And finally, I’ve got to mention the totally unique and quirky scratch-and-sniff armpit billboards from Billie. In a crowded market where digital ads can easily be scrolled past, this campaign was a refreshingly bold and tactile move that cuts through the social media noise! 

Launched earlier this year in New York City to promote their Coco Villa deodorant, the campaign featured multiple billboards featuring images of women with their arms raised, inviting passersby to ‘scratch and sniff’ the armpit area. This seemingly outrageous concept was a great way to engage people’s senses and create a memorable experience. The campaign (rightly) went viral, proving that a simple yet quirky idea can generate a powerful buzz, especially when it tackles social taboos with a wink and a smile. 

Billie isn’t just pushing boundaries with creative formats. While they’re predominantly an American brand, they’re making their mark on the UK skincare market. They promote a clean, aluminium-free deodorant that is dermatologist-tested and streak-free. Their campaign also reinforces their commitment to clean ingredients, which is something that consumers truly value. 

This campaign is: Viral, fun, and quirky. 

Upgrade your marketing strategy with help from the experts at Embryo 

Hopefully, this blog has given you some more ideas for quick skin care marketing wins. As we’ve seen from the brands above, it’s not just about selling your products. Instead, make sure you’re building communities, fostering trust, and creating authentic connections with your audience. 

Here at Embryo, we believe in seeing what others don’t. Our team of experts go beyond the surface to uncover unique opportunities that truly make your brand stand out. And, we’re on standby to create bespoke digital marketing strategies that deliver extraordinary growth. 

Ready to elevate your online presence? Get in touch with us today, and we can start a conversation about how we can help your brand achieve the extraordinary.