To choose a beauty public relations (PR) agency, consider these things first. Look for results in your exact product category, a clear period and scope behind every number the agency quotes, and a working plan for creators, editors, awards, and retail. The eight questions below use the Medicube skincare device campaign as a worked example, including why you should never add the 2.5 billion impressions and 420+ placements in 5W's published Medicube case study.
Video: How to choose a beauty PR agency, 8 questions to ask (2:00).
By Ronn Torossian, founder and chairman of 5W. Published October 23, 2026.
What should you check first in a beauty PR agency? First, check whether its results match your category, your numbers, and your sales calendar. Most agencies show a reel of big logos and bigger totals. That reel tells you the agency has clients. It does not tell you whether the agency can sell your product.
If I were the brand, I'd ask the eight questions below. They work for skincare, hair, devices, color, and personal care. For a wider view of who shapes beauty selection today, see my post on why beauty editors and experts still matter.
Does a beauty PR agency have results in your exact subcategory?
A beauty PR agency should show results in your exact subcategory, because skincare devices, hair care, solid personal care, and multicultural hair care each reach shoppers through different editors, creators, and stores. A device needs proof that it works. A shampoo needs repeat use. A multicultural hair brand needs editors and creators that the audience already follows.
Ask for one case study that matches your product, not the broad "beauty" label. We sort 5W's skincare and haircare case studies this way.
What period and scope sit behind each number?
Every number a beauty PR agency quotes needs a period and a scope; otherwise, it means very little. Take Medicube, a Korean skincare device brand. Its published case study reports 2.5 billion impressions from one collaboration over three months and 420+ brand and product placements over less than two years.
Those are two different numbers, each with a different scope. Don't add them up, and don't let an agency do it for you. When a proposal shows one giant total, ask what time window it covers and which campaign produced it.
How does a beauty PR agency build credibility before celebrity?
A beauty PR agency builds credibility before a celebrity moment by getting creators and a credentialed expert to show the product working first. Medicube had only been sold in South Korea. A high-priced premium device needs clinical context before shoppers will choose it.
The program started with creators who showed real use and results. New York dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman then mentioned the brand. After that creator campaign circulated, Hailey Bieber used the device in a TikTok.
The team turned that into an earned media push and an Amazon Prime Day tie-in, which produced more than 25 earned placements in three months, according to the same case study. Nobody controlled the Hailey Bieber moment. The work built the base that made the moment useful. Ask any agency how it will build that base for you before it promises a celebrity.
Can a beauty PR agency build founders, awards and retail moments?
A strong beauty PR agency can explain four more parts of the plan: the founder, awards, launch timing, and creator selection. Each one needs its own answer.
How will the agency build your founder's public profile?
A founder-led beauty brand needs a plan for the founder as a public figure, not only for the product. The It's a 10 case study centers on founder and CEO Carolyn Aronson, and The Doux case study centers on its founder's voice with a multicultural audience.
Has the agency won awards and editor tests?
Beauty awards and editor testing give shoppers a third-party reason to choose a product. Wavytalk, a hair tools brand that started on TikTok Shop, won the Marie Claire Hair and Skin Awards, the Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards, and the NewBeauty Awards. Its case study reports that the brand moved from a 2% share of voice to the number one spot in its category.
How does PR line up with launches and retail?
Beauty PR should align with retail moments such as launches, new store openings, or sales events like Prime Day. Ask the agency to show its calendar next to your retail calendar.
How are creators vetted and paid?
Creator vetting decides whether a beauty campaign looks credible or bought. Ask how creators are selected, how they are paid, and how paid posts are disclosed.
How should you measure a beauty PR agency?
Measure a beauty PR agency by share of voice, placement quality, and sales moments, not just by impressions alone. Impressions show reach. Share of voice shows whether shoppers hear about you more than your competitors. I cover which numbers to keep in my PR measurement guide.
Each number in a beauty public relations case study answers a different question. This table explains what the five most common numbers tell you and what to ask about each.
| Number | What it shows | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | Potential reach | Over what period, and from which campaign? |
| Placements | Volume of coverage | Which outlets featured the product, and how many did? |
| Share of voice | Position against competitors | Which competitors, measured how often? |
| Awards | Editor testing and third-party proof | Which awards, and in which category? |
| Celebrity moments | Attention spikes | What credibility work came first? |
Also ask how the agency checks what artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews say about your brand. No agency can guarantee an AI citation. A good agency can show you what those tools say today and which sources they pull from, which I explain in how AI engines decide what to cite.
Which beauty PR agency should you choose?
Choose a beauty PR agency that matches your subcategory, explains the period and scope behind each number, and builds credibility before it chases a celebrity. Compare agencies by period and scope, not by impression totals. 5W's beauty PR practice is one firm you can run through these eight questions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a beauty PR agency?
Check results in your exact subcategory, the period and scope behind every number, and the plan for creators, editors, awards, and retail. Then ask how the agency measures share of voice and sales moments.
Should I trust a beauty PR agency's impression totals?
Only when the agency states the period and the campaign behind each total. In the 5W's Medicube case study, the 2.5 billion impressions came from one three-month collaboration, while the 420+ placements came from two years.
Can a beauty PR agency guarantee AI search results?
No. An agency can show what AI tools say about your brand and which sources they use, but no agency can guarantee an AI tool will cite or recommend a brand.
Disclosure: I own and write this site, and I founded 5W in 2003. Medicube, Wavytalk, It's a 10, and The Doux are 5W clients. Every result above comes from 5W's published case studies, linked in the text. The video features a member of the 5W team.