Luminess is a US-based beauty brand renowned for making professional-grade airbrush makeup accessible for at-home use. Founded nearly 25 years ago by entrepreneur Sean Mehta, Luminess was inspired by his experience in the fashion industry, where makeup artists rely on airbrush systems to achieve flawless, long-lasting results. He created a first-of-its kind airbrush system that combines performance with ease of use. Luminess developed a strong TV presence through engaging commercials that often featured dermatologists, makeup artists, and real users showcasing dramatic before-and-after transformations—highlighting how simple it could be to achieve a professional-quality finish at home.
Luminess has since sold over 5 million units in the US and reached over $250 million in annual sales. Reflecting its commitment to customer satisfaction, Luminess’s “Try Before You Buy” program lets shoppers experience full-sized products at home for 14 days, paying only the cost of shipping. This approach not only puts customers first, but also drives strong product adoption by reducing the barrier to making a purchase.
For most of its history, Luminess utilized TV commercials to demonstrate the transformative effects of its airbrush makeup systems.
As Luminess shifted its strategy to digital ads, the team stayed focused on highlighting products in a way that felt both aspirational and accessible. They aimed to expand their digital marketing and find new, efficient ways to convert customers while preserving the strong brand identity that fueled their early success.
“. Longer videos let us walk our audience through the full transformation, and with end cards we can really emphasize our signature Try Before You Buy program.”
- Sean Mehta, Founder & CEO
Luminess worked with AppLovin to launch a cost per purchase (CPP) campaign focused on driving purchases on the day a user sees an AppLovin ad, at Luminess’s target cost. The team adapted Luminess’s proven strategies for AppLovin’s platform and consistently tested new video ads and end cards on a weekly basis to maximize scale and performance.
To encourage conversions, Luminess prominently featured its signature "Try Before You Buy" offer in video ads and reinforced the message on end cards. Each ad directed users to a product personalization quiz which matched them with products based on their skin type, skin tone, desired coverage, and more. Luminess recognized that users engaging with mobile games are in an active, decision-making mindset, making the interactive quiz a natural next step that keeps users engaged and drives conversions.
“Our product quiz is a key part of our funnel—it makes shoppers feel invested before they place an order and helps ensure they’re getting a product they’ll love. AppLovin’s audience is the perfect fit for the quiz experience because they’re coming from mobile games, where they’re making quick decisions and moving through different screens already.”
- Shivangi Gupta, Growth Marketing Manager
Less than three weeks after launch, Luminess had driven the sale of more than 2,000 items with AppLovin—a number that has since grown to over 100,000.
This success was fueled by a combination of compelling ads true to Luminess’s brand, a risk-free trial offer, and an engaging quiz experience that matched users’ active mindset. Encouraged by these results, Luminess is planning to promote additional product lines on the platform in anticipation of summer.