Pinned comments for skincare brands: a playbook

Why comments matter more in skincare

Social media is where beauty buyers most often remember finding a product. In Tinuiti's January 2025 survey of 1,003 US beauty shoppers, social media was the most-remembered place they first saw a product they later bought (38%, ahead of TV and in-store displays at 31%). Nearly two-thirds had bought a beauty product on an influencer's recommendation in the past year, and 22% had bought beauty directly on Instagram.

And skincare comment sections are full of questions about products. A pinned comment from the brand answers it at the top, where everyone reads it.

A note on "clean"

US beauty is growing: Circana reports prestige beauty up 4% to $36 billion in 2025, and mass skincare up 6%. But Circana also reports that clean skincare sales in prestige stores have declined since 2022, partly because there's no agreed definition of "clean." The FDA hasn't defined "natural" for cosmetics either, and doesn't regulate "clean" at all.

So don't lean on the word. Say what's in the product and what it feels like to use. That's more persuasive, and harder to challenge.

Which Reels to pin on

• Routines and get-ready-with-me videos. Your product fits naturally into a step.
• Seasonal skin. Winter dryness, summer sunscreen, travel. Timely and easy to comment on.
• Empties and honest reviews. Followers trust these creators' opinions, and the comments are already about products.
• Recent and still getting views. A Reel from last week, not last year.

Cosmetic claims vs drug claims

This is the line that matters most. The FDA treats a product as a drug if it's intended to treat or prevent disease or to affect how the body works. Its own examples of drug claims include "treat acne," "regenerate cells" and "reduce cellulite." In a 2024 warning letter to Repare Skincare, it cited "stimulate collagen production" and "reduce fine lines and wrinkles" as making the products unapproved drugs.

A pinned comment is advertising, so the same line applies. Talk about how skin looks and feels.

Disclosure

Put #ad in the comment itself. In November 2024, the National Advertising Division reviewed Drunk Elephant's influencer posts and recommended disclosures that are visible without tapping "more," a clear hashtag, disclosure from creators who only received free product, and a clear disclosure when the brand reposts creator content. The FTC's Endorsement Guides, updated in 2023, also warn that a platform's built-in label may not be enough on its own.

Pair it with a repost and a Story link

A pin gets your name into the comments. A repost puts your own Reel into the creator's followers' feeds, with a note that includes #ad. A Story link with a tracked URL tells you which creators actually send people. Used together across five creators in the same corner of skincare, the same followers see you several times in a month.

What it costs

Collabstr lists an average beauty sponsorship at $180 in 2026. A pinned comment costs less: we pay creators $40 to $150 per pin and $50 to $200 per repost, depending on size. Our clean beauty campaigns start at five creators for $1,100, and the rate calculator prices any creator you're considering.