What is a hook in a UGC video?

The first one or two seconds, spoken and/or on screen, that give the viewer a reason not to scroll. It usually names a problem, a result or a surprising claim about the product.

How long should a UGC hook be?

Under three seconds and under twelve words. Say it before the product even appears, and put the same line as on-screen text.

Should you write multiple hooks for one video?

Yes. Brands running ads test hooks. Film three different opening lines for the same video and offer them as variations; it is also an easy add-on to charge for.

Do hooks need to be true?

Yes. Every claim in a hook has to be something you actually experienced or the brand can substantiate. "Cleared my acne in 3 days" gets ads rejected and gets you dropped.

25 UGC Hooks for Beauty Videos That Actually Stop the Scroll (With Examples)

Brands buy UGC for one reason: they want people to stop scrolling. And whether someone stops is decided in the first two seconds, before they’ve seen the product, before they know what the video is about. That’s the hook.

I used to just start talking (“hey guys, so today I’m trying…”). Nobody stopped. Then I started treating the first line like a headline, and my videos started getting picked for ads. Here’s what I learned, plus 25 lines you can steal.

The formula

A hook does one of three things: names a problem the viewer has, promises a result they want, or says something surprising they didn’t expect. Ideally in under twelve words, said out loud and written on screen, before the product shows up.

The test I use: if I muted the video and only saw the first frame with the text, would I know what’s in it for me?

25 hooks, sorted by type

Problem hooks (viewer sees herself)

“My skin was so dull in the morning that I stopped taking selfies.”
“If your concealer creases by lunch, this is why.”
“I’ve had the same three blackheads on my nose since 2019.”
“Frizz in August in New York. You know.”
“I hate the feeling of sunscreen and I’ve tried, like, thirty.”

Result hooks (with a number, always)

“14 days, one serum, here’s my skin.”
“This blush lasted through a 10-hour wedding.”
“I stopped using four products and replaced them with this.”
“Three washes and my hair stopped shedding in the shower.”
“$18 and it did what the $70 one couldn’t.”

Contrarian hooks (say the thing nobody says)

“Stop using toner. Seriously.”
“Your ring light is ruining your skin videos.”
“The most expensive item in my routine is the one I’d cut first.”
“Double cleansing is optional and I’ll die on this hill.”
“I don’t use retinol and my skin is fine.”

Curiosity hooks (open a loop)

“Nobody talks about this ingredient and I don’t understand why.”
“The thing my esthetician said that changed my whole routine.”
“I bought this because of the packaging. I kept it because of this.”
“Okay, why did no one tell me this about cream blush?”
“There’s a reason this keeps selling out at Sephora.”

POV / relatable hooks (the viewer is in the story)

“POV: you finally found a lip oil that isn’t sticky.”
“Get ready with me for a first date I’m nervous about.”
“Trying the product everyone in my group chat is obsessed with.”
“Sunday reset, but my skin is the project.”
“Unboxing the thing I’ve been waiting on for two weeks.”

How I actually use these

Three per video. When I film a talking-head review, I record the same video with three different opening lines. Then I send the brand one edit with hook A, and mention that B and C exist. Half the time they buy the extra variations, which I price at about $60 each (details in my rates guide). The other half, they remember me as “the one who thinks about ads.”

Match the hook to where the video runs. Organic TikTok likes curiosity and POV. Paid ads like problem and result, because the brand is paying per view and needs the viewer to know what’s being sold. Ask the brand where it’s going. If they don’t know, give them one of each.

Text on screen, same words. Most people watch muted at first. The hook goes on screen in big, clean captions, and I keep the product out of the first frame so the words get all the attention.

The mistakes I see in other people’s hooks (and my old ones)

“Hey guys!” Cut it. Nobody’s watching for you yet.
Starting with the brand name. “I’m trying the new X serum” is what the brand wants to hear, not what a stranger wants to hear.
Vague results. “This changed my skin” means nothing. “Fewer breakouts by day 10” means something.
Claims you can’t back up. “Cured my acne” will get the ad rejected and you dropped. Say what you actually saw.
Hooks that are longer than three seconds. If it takes six seconds to get to the point, the point is gone.

A worked example

Brief: a $24 cream blush, the brand wants ad creative for Meta, target is women 25–35 who feel like makeup slides off by afternoon.

Hook A (problem): “If your blush is gone by 3pm, watch this.”
Hook B (result): “This blush lasted through a 10-hour wedding.”
Hook C (contrarian): “Powder blush is over, and I was the last to admit it.”

Same video, same footage, three different first lines, three separate 15-second edits. The brand ran all three, kept B, and came back for a second batch. That’s the whole game.

Hooks are the part of UGC that’s most like writing, and I think it’s why some very beautiful videos never get picked: they look great and say nothing in the first second. Write the line first, then hit record. If you want to see hooks in context, the video formats they belong to are all in the portfolio guide.