Most new skincare brands should start with paid social if they need fast learning and direct sales data, and with PR if they need credibility before they ask people to buy. In practice, the strongest launches use a small amount of both. The right starting point depends on your product, your budget, your timeline, and whether people already know why they should trust you.
What each channel actually does
Paid social puts your message in front of a chosen audience on a schedule you control. You get quick feedback on which creative, offers, and audiences respond. It is measurable, adjustable, and can be paused. It also stops the moment you stop paying.
Beauty PR earns attention through editors, writers, creators, and publications. It builds credibility and third-party validation that ads cannot buy on their own. It takes longer, depends on relationships and timing, and is harder to measure in a direct line to sales. What it builds tends to last.
Think of paid social as the megaphone and PR as the reputation. A megaphone is only as useful as the message you shout, and reputation makes that message easier to believe.
When to start with paid social
- You have a clear hero product and a simple offer.
- You need to learn which message and audience respond.
- Your site is ready to convert, with clear product pages, shipping and returns information, and fast load times.
- You have creative assets, whether from a shoot or from creators.
- You can commit to testing, reviewing, and adjusting every week.
If the site is not ready, ads will not fix it. Fix the basics first.
When to start with PR
- Your brand has a distinct story, founder, or formulation approach worth telling.
- You are launching and need credible coverage to point to.
- Your category is crowded and buyers rely on trusted voices.
- You are seeking retail placement and need proof of market interest.
- You have time to build relationships and pitch strategically.
PR also helps your paid work later. Press mentions and credible content give ads something real to link to, and they can lift trust on your own site.
Why most brands need both, in the right order
A practical sequence for a new skincare brand looks like this:
- Build the foundation. Clarify positioning, claims, imagery, and the website. Skincare marketing should stay careful about claims, so settle what you can and cannot say before anything goes public.
- Seed with creators and press. Send product to a focused list of editors and creators. Provide a clear brief and disclosure guidance.
- Add paid social behind what is working. Boost the content and angles that earn attention, and test new creative around them.
- Keep earning. Repeat the cycle as new products, collaborations, and moments arrive.
This order protects budget. You learn what resonates through earned and creator content, then put paid spend behind it.
Claims discipline matters either way
Whether you pitch a journalist or run an ad, skincare claims need care. Avoid language that suggests medical outcomes and keep any statements you make supportable. This is general guidance, not legal advice, so involve your counsel on product claims and testimonials.
"A new beauty brand does not have to choose one channel forever. It has to choose what to prove first. I would rather build the story and the claims carefully than rush ads into the market."
Lauren Barrett, Founder and CEO of AC Partners
How to decide
Ask yourself four questions. What do I need to learn right now? What do I need people to believe? How much time do I have before launch? How much can I invest in each channel? If learning is the priority, lean paid. If belief is the priority, lean PR. If both matter, split the effort and be honest about which one leads.
Our PR services work alongside social and content so the two channels support each other. If you are also planning a launch moment, see our event content creation page.
How AC Partners helps
AC Partners is a Miami marketing and PR agency specializing in beauty, wellness, and medical aesthetics brands. We work with brands nationwide, with a focus on New York City and Chicago, and we plan PR and social together instead of treating them as separate projects.
FAQ
Is PR or paid social cheaper for a new skincare brand?
Neither is automatically cheaper. Paid social lets you control spend and pause at any time. PR often takes more time and relationship building. Compare based on what you need to learn or prove first.
Can PR replace advertising for a skincare brand?
For most brands it supports advertising instead of replacing it. PR builds credibility and ads create repeatable reach.
How long does beauty PR take to show momentum?
It varies widely by brand, product, and timing, and no agency should promise coverage. Plan for a sustained effort instead of a one-time push.
Talk to AC Partners
Not sure where to start? Email Lauren Barrett at laurenbarrett@ardormarketing.com or visit the contact page.
Questions? Send me a note.
Lauren Barrett is the founder of AC Partners, a Miami marketing and PR agency specializing in beauty, wellness, and medical aesthetics brands. She leads the agency's strategy and stays involved in client work.