The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Beauty Brand Through Affiliate Marketing (2025)

When magnificence big Sephora approached Reverie a couple of potential partnership in 2015, founders Garrett and Hillary Markenson did one thing sudden—they mentioned no. “We initially mentioned, We’re not prepared, we will’t do that,” recollects Hillary, the model’s president. Quick ahead six months, and Sephora got here knocking once more. This time, the bootstrapped model took the leap and have become one in all Sephora’s first clear hair care manufacturers, serving to set up the retailer’s Clear at Sephora requirements.

Forward, dive into how Reverie proved you don’t want to lift funds to make waves within the trade—simply have an unwavering dedication to high quality and a robust affiliate community.

   

Easy methods to run a profitable associates program 

Simplify your choices 

Reverie started as a ardour venture in Garrett’s salon, the place he developed merchandise that matched each his aesthetic imaginative and prescient and his shoppers’ wants. Fairly than speeding to market with a full line, the model has deliberately launched simply 10 merchandise over 14 years—every born from recognized buyer wants and in depth testing.

“We don’t put something out into the world that we don’t want ourselves and establish a necessity inside our prospects,” Hillary says. She cites their Rake styling balm for example—a product Garrett created as a result of he couldn’t discover a hair balm that met his requirements for efficiency and clear components.

Construct an genuine community 

Not like many magnificence manufacturers that primarily accomplice with content material creators, Reverie constructed its associates program round those that know their merchandise finest: skilled hairstylists. “Anyone who we establish as a fan of the model, we are going to attain out and ask them in the event that they wish to be a part of our associates program,” says Hillary.

This technique has confirmed remarkably profitable, with Reverie now partnering with roughly 1,000 salons throughout the nation. The facility of this strategy lies within the multiplicative impact: Every hairstylist serves a number of shoppers month-to-month, creating an intensive community of trusted suggestions.

Lead with training 

Reverie invests time in educating associates the best way to successfully market merchandise whereas sustaining their genuine voice. “You must educate them the best way to use [the sales channel],” says Hillary. “They’re artists. They don’t include a gross sales background or they’re not essentially serious about that side of the enterprise.”

Personalised, direct communication additionally helps create a dialogue between Hillary and the model’s affiliate companions. She crafts emails like she would textual content messages so there might be a straightforward forwards and backwards. “A whole lot of them write again they usually’re asking questions or they’re like, ‘Hey, I noticed that video you posted on Instagram. What merchandise have been you utilizing?’”

Search for methods to proceed scaling 

Reverie continues to evolve its associates program, just lately increasing to incorporate content material creators alongside its core stylist companions. The model can be planning to strengthen group connections by in-person occasions, recognizing the worth of face-to-face interactions in constructing lasting partnerships. “We actually wish to get in entrance of our prospects and be with them and spend time with them,” Hillary says. 

Tune in to the complete Shopify Mastersinterview to listen to how Hillary and Garrett overcame their preliminary hurdles when launching Reverie’s associates program, and different inventive methods the model continues to scale.