Ran hundreds of UGC ad tests for indie skincare/beauty brands this year. The pattern is brutally consistent: brands that write a script first and shoot second get worse hook rates than brands that shoot raw reactions and script around them.

Here's the 3-second rule we use on every video: if the first 3 seconds don't show a problem, a hand touching product texture, or a before/after tease, scroll-stop rate drops off a cliff. Doesn't matter how good the rest of the video is.

Quick breakdown of what's actually converting right now for beauty/skincare:

• POV "getting ready with me" framing beats studio testimonials 3:1

• Text overlay with a specific number ("day 14 results") outperforms vague claims

• Creators who look like they could be your customer's friend outperform polished influencers

• Native, unpolished editing (phone camera, natural light) consistently beats agency-style production

If you're a founder shooting your own UGC before hiring anyone: film 10 raw takes reacting to the product before you write a single script. You'll find your hook in the raw footage, not the outline.

Happy to break down what's working in your niche specifically — drop a comment.