I keep it simple and unscripted. Rather than over-planning every shot, I focus on capturing genuine moments that reflect how a real shopper would experience something. I think about who is watching and what would actually stop them from scrolling, usually something that feels like a natural discovery rather than a sales pitch. I also pay attention to lighting, sound, and pacing because those small details affect whether something feels polished in a forced way or polished in a way that still feels human. Mostly I try to stay in the mindset of a real person sharing something they found, not someone performing for a camera.

UGC works so well for beauty brands because people trust real people more than polished ads. When a shopper stumbles across a product on a shelf and shares their genuine reaction, it removes the skepticism that comes with traditional advertising. For a brand like The V Curls, that authenticity is especially valuable because the clean beauty audience is particularly savvy and values transparency. Effective UGC also meets people where they already are, scrolling TikTok or Reels, and fits naturally into their feed rather than interrupting it. When the content feels real, relatable, and discoverable, it builds trust faster than almost any other format.

I would start by making sure the content feels native to the platform, so for TikTok and Reels that means vertical video, a strong hook in the first two to three seconds, and captions that add context. I would also use a mix of trending sounds and relevant hashtags to boost discoverability, and post at times when the target audience is most active. Encouraging interaction through questions or calls to action in the caption helps too, and consistently engaging with comments builds community and signals to the algorithm that the content is worth pushing.