In the beauty industry, getting noticed is only half the battle. Sure, great packaging can catch someone’s eye—but holding their attention? That takes something extra.
Today’s beauty shoppers want more than just pretty products on a shelf. They want instant access to tutorials, reviews, and personalized recommendations right when they’re thinking about buying.
Quick Response (QR) Codes give beauty brands a simple way to deliver that extra layer of value. Adding a code to product packaging, displays, or samples creates a seamless connection between offline moments and online content, helping shoppers feel more confident, engaged, and ready to purchase.
In this article, we’ll cover how to use QR Codes to market beauty products more effectively, create better in-store experiences, and build lasting customer connections.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
Benefits of using QR Codes to promote beauty products
In a competitive industry like beauty, QR Codes give brands and retailers a smart, scalable way to stand out. They make it easy to bridge the gap between physical products and digital content while helping customers learn, engage, and shop confidently.
Here’s why business QR Codes are an effective marketing tool for beauty brands.
Mobile-first behavior of beauty consumers
54% of consumers turn to search engines when researching a purchase, and that research often happens right in the store aisle. Today’s shoppers aren’t just influenced by packaging; they want social proof: reviews, blogs, videos, and more.
With QR Codes on your cosmetic product packaging, you can meet your target audience exactly where they are by giving them the information they’re already searching for. That quick, helpful connection can be the thing that turns browsers into buyers.
Helps brands deliver product info, tutorials, and reviews
Product packaging has a limited amount of space. Overloading the box with too much information can be off-putting to customers. Still, you want to convey value.
That’s where QR Codes shine. These small scannable squares pack a punch, acting as a gateway between your physical product and branded online resources. With a quick scan, customers can be whisked away to content that helps them learn more, explore tutorials, and read real reviews.
Adds interactivity to packaging, displays, and samples
Interactive experiences can boost a customer’s likelihood of choosing your brand by 29.6%. QR Codes let you tap directly into that interest, transforming static packaging and print ads into dynamic touchpoints that capture attention and drive engagement.
If you’re selling makeup products like foundations, concealers, or lipsticks, you could create an augmented reality QR Code for your packaging. Shoppers could scan to find their perfect shade match in minutes.
This isn’t just a nice-to-have. It solves a real pain point: 60% of shoppers say finding their ideal shade is their biggest challenge when buying beauty items. Adding handy tools like QR Codes not only helps drive sales but also strengthens brand loyalty.
Tracks engagement
There are two types of QR Codes: Static and Dynamic. Static Codes can’t be edited after printing and don’t offer scan metrics. Dynamic QR Codes, on the other hand, are both editable and trackable. You can change the destination URL at any time and access real-time insights like total scans, location, device type, and more.
These insights are invaluable for marketing teams looking to refine their product marketing strategies and improve the user experience. You’ll see how users engage with your QR Code content across stores, measure the impact on sales, and even conduct A/B tests to see which codes drive the most engagement.
Where to use QR Codes in the beauty product journey
QR Codes are incredibly versatile, giving beauty brands plenty of creative ways to boost interactions and drive sales. Here are some smart placements for QR Code marketing:
- On product packaging: Add codes to the front, back, or side of cosmetic packaging to give customers on-demand access to how-to videos, product tutorials, or testimonials.
- In-store displays or testers: Feature codes on price tags or shelf-talkers so shoppers can easily scan for more product information while browsing.
- On direct mail or thank-you cards: Include QR Codes on the outside of direct mail envelopes or the corner of thank-you notes to drive post-purchase engagement.
- On event signage or pop-up booths: Print codes on posters, banners, digital signage, or near entrance points to capture attention at events.
- In influencer gifts or PR kits: Add codes to the inside lid of influencer gift boxes or include them on insert cards to connect recipients with exclusive content.
What to link your beauty product QR Codes to
Now that you know where to put your beauty QR Codes, let’s dive into what they should link to.
Product detail pages or ecommerce store
When consumers shop in-store, there’s only so much they can learn about your product just by looking at the packaging. Online is a different story. Your ecommerce pages can showcase detailed information like ingredient lists, directions for use, sustainability efforts, customer testimonials, shade finders, and more.
That’s why linking your QR Code to a product detail page is an effective strategy. A quick scan gives customers instant access to all the information they need, helping them feel confident in their purchasing decisions.
Video tutorials or user-generated content
61% of beauty consumers prefer user-generated content (UGC) over traditional branded content. It all comes down to trust and authenticity: Seeing real people use (and love) a product makes shoppers more likely to believe in its value.
You can tap into this psychology with QR Codes. Use them to link to tutorials or skincare routines featuring your product, whether it’s customer-created or influencer videos, and give your target market a reason to trust your brand.
Augmented-reality experiences or virtual try-ons
Shade matching is one of the biggest challenges for beauty consumers. No one wants to invest in a new foundation or lipstick only to realize it doesn’t work once they get home.
An augmented reality QR Code lets shoppers “try on” different shades right from their phone camera while shopping in-store. Instead of guessing in harsh lighting or swatching multiple products, shoppers can instantly see how a foundation, eyeshadow, or lipstick might look on their own skin, making the path to purchase feel effortless and personalized.
Alternatively, you could link your code to an interactive shade-finding tool that helps shoppers input their current go-to products or skin tone details to discover their perfect match in your collection. It’s a smart, low-cost way to deliver a more customized shopping experience—similar to L’Oréal Paris’ virtual try-on tool, which lets customers test makeup shades online before committing.
Loyalty program sign-ups or discount codes
Once someone’s purchased your product, the real journey begins. You want to keep them engaged and turn them into repeat, loyal customers.
Including QR Codes on thank-you cards or product inserts is an easy way to drive loyalty program sign-ups, especially when there’s a reward, like a free sample or bonus points, waiting after the scan.
No loyalty program? No problem. Small businesses can use QR Codes to drive customer loyalty in other ways, like providing a special offer, discount code, free sample, or gift with their next purchase.
Brand storytelling or behind-the-scenes content
Customers want more than just products—they want to feel part of something. Storytelling builds that connection.
QR Codes make it simple to share what makes your brand special, even while customers are shopping in-store. Link to content like:
- A message from your founder
- A purpose-driven campaign
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- New product teasers
It’s a simple way to bring your online community into the offline shopping experience.
Social media or influencer campaigns
A well-executed influencer partnership can do wonders for reaching new audiences and boosting sales. QR Codes give cosmetic brands an easy way to bring those campaigns to life in-store or on packaging.
A quick scan can send shoppers to a dedicated landing page featuring your influencer partner—whether it’s a product tutorial, exclusive discount, or behind-the-scenes content designed to build trust and excitement.
Reviews and testimonials to build trust
A simple (but highly persuasive) way to drive sales through QR Codes is by linking to authentic product reviews and testimonials. Genuine feedback from real customers builds credibility, and seeing other customers’ experiences can be the extra push shoppers need to complete their purchase.
Best practices for using QR Codes in beauty product marketing
Ready to use QR Codes to boost product sales and customer engagement? Here are some best practices to keep in mind.
Always include a clear call-to-action (CTA)
Your QR Code can lead to all kinds of content, but your customers won’t scan it unless they know what’s in it for them. That’s where a strong call to action (CTA) comes into play. Use a short, benefit-driven phrase that tells customers exactly why they should scan.
Here are some CTA examples for beauty brands:
- Shade finder: “Find your perfect shade here!”
- Discount code: “Unlock your discount code!”
- Loyalty program: “Sign up for our loyalty program!”
- Brand storytelling: “Hear a thank you from our founder.”
- Reviews: “See why customers love our product!”
Align the QR Code design with your brand
Your QR Code should feel like an extension of your brand’s visual identity, not an afterthought. With tools like Bitly, creating customized, eye-catching codes is quick and easy. Use your brand’s colors, add custom frames, and even incorporate your logo to design a code that looks polished and on-brand.
Make the experience worth the scan
Don’t add a QR Code to your packaging just for the sake of it. QR Code solutions only work when the content behind the scan is genuinely useful.
Give customers something they can’t get from simply looking at your product on the shelf, whether that’s personalized recommendations, tutorials, exclusive offers, or behind-the-scenes content. The best QR Code experiences feel like an upgrade, not an extra step.
Track and analyze performance
Once you’ve rolled out your QR Codes, it’s time to put your data to work. With Bitly Analytics, you can track valuable scan metrics like:
- Total scans
- Scans over time
- Scan location (city and country)
- Device type
- Referrer
These insights help you see how your Bitly Codes are performing across different stores, regions, or campaigns. You can even add Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameters—tracking tags—to the URLs linked to your code for a more complete picture of customer behavior. When paired with Google Analytics, these insights give you the utmost visibility into customer engagement and campaign performance.
All of this data is invaluable for measuring results, understanding what’s working, and fine-tuning your marketing strategy over time.
How to create QR Codes for beauty products using Bitly
With Bitly, creating branded, customized QR Codes for your beauty marketing campaigns is quick and simple. Here’s how to get started:
- Sign up for a Bitly account, or log in if you already have one.
- Select Create new and choose Create a QR Code.
- Paste your destination URL (like a video tutorial, loyalty sign-up form, or product page). Then, add a title and customize the back half of your link if desired.
- Design your QR Code to match your brand. Depending on your plan, choose your colors, pattern style, and frame, add your logo, and adjust the inner and outer corners.
- Select Create QR Code to generate your code.
- Before using it, test your QR Code to ensure it works properly. Then, download it in your preferred file format and add it to your packaging, displays, or marketing materials.
Boost your beauty product marketing efforts with Bitly
In the beauty industry, first impressions matter—but lasting connections drive sales. QR Codes give cosmetics companies and beauty retailers a simple, effective way to engage shoppers beyond the shelf. From helping customers find their perfect shade to unlocking special offers or exclusive content, QR Codes turn everyday packaging into a powerful marketing tool.
With the Bitly Connections Platform, it’s easy to create branded QR Codes that fit your look and connect shoppers to what matters most—whether product tutorials, customer testimonials, loyalty programs, or online stores. Plus, with Bitly Analytics, you’ll get real-time scan data to track engagement, measure impact, and optimize your QR Code campaigns for better results.
Ready to turn your product packaging into your best marketing channel? Sign up for Bitly today and create smarter customer experiences.
