CONTENTS

    Using Omnisend to Personalize Skincare Recommendations

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    alex
    ·October 18, 2025
    ·8 min read
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    Personalized skincare journeys convert because they feel helpful, not pushy. In this hands-on guide, you’ll set up a zero-party data flow (skin type, concerns, sensitivity), turn that data into segments, tailor content with conditional/dynamic blocks, add product recommendations, and automate welcome, cross‑sell, replenishment, and review requests—end to end inside Omnisend.

    • Difficulty: Medium (no code required)
    • Time to first launch: 2–4 hours (including QA)
    • Prerequisites: Shopify connected to Omnisend; product catalog synced; email/SMS consent capture enabled; basic privacy notice ready

    What you’ll build

    • A multi-step form/mini‑quiz that captures skin type and concerns
    • Clean contact properties you can segment on
    • Conditional/dynamic email content that adapts to each profile
    • Product recommendation blocks with guardrails
    • Automated flows for welcome, post‑purchase cross‑sell, replenishment, and reviews

    Step 1 — Capture skincare preferences (zero‑party data)

    Goal: Collect data customers willingly share so you can personalize responsibly.

    Recommended contact property schema

    • skin_type (enum): dry, oily, combination, normal, sensitive
    • primary_concern (multi‑select): acne, aging, dullness, hyperpigmentation, redness, dehydration
    • sensitivity_flag (boolean): true/false
    • routine_level (enum): minimal, 3‑step, 5‑step, advanced

    Do this

    1. In Omnisend, go to Forms and create a multi‑step popup or embedded form. Ask for email first, then skin type, concerns, and sensitivity.
    2. Map each question to a contact property using consistent values (e.g., use lowercase "oily" everywhere). Add helpful microcopy like “We’ll tailor tips and routines—no spam.”
    3. Offer a value exchange: “Get your personalized routine + 10% off.”
    4. Add separate, explicit opt-ins for email and SMS. Include frequency expectations and “STOP to opt out” for SMS per TCPA.
    5. Publish and place the form where new and returning visitors will see it (homepage, routine finder page, post‑purchase page).

    Why this matters

    • You’ll use these exact fields to build segments, show conditional blocks, and route automations. Keep names short and consistent to prevent mismatches later.

    Compliance guardrails

    • For consent quality and record-keeping, align your opt-ins with the European Data Protection Board’s guidance on unambiguous, informed consent (2020 update) as summarized in the EDPB Guidelines on consent (2020).
    • For SMS, obtain prior express written consent and include HELP/STOP language. The Federal Communications Commission’s rules in 47 CFR §64.1200 (TCPA) outline core requirements in the U.S. (cite this near your legal team review).
    • Treat skincare preferences for Washington State residents as potentially “consumer health data.” Review the Washington My Health My Data Act text (HB 1155) and apply heightened consent and notices where applicable.

    Checkpoint

    • Submit the form as a test user for each skin type and at least two concerns. Confirm properties are created and populated on the contact record.

    Step 2 — Map and QA your contact properties

    Goal: Ensure your data is usable in segments and content.

    Do this

    1. Open a test profile in Audience > Contacts and confirm values for skin_type, primary_concern, and sensitivity_flag appear exactly as defined.
    2. Create one internal test contact for each skin type to validate conditional content later.
    3. Normalize values: avoid “Oily” vs “oily.” If you change a label in the form, update it in segments and content.

    Troubleshooting

    • If the field doesn’t appear in filters later, re-check your form mapping. Omnisend field mapping and custom properties are available through its forms and integrations; fields show under Contact Properties once they’ve been used in at least one record.

    Step 3 — Build high‑impact skincare segments (templates)

    Goal: Turn properties into audience slices you’ll actually use.

    Segment recipes (copy the logic into Omnisend > Audience > Segments)

    1. Oily + Acne Education
      • Filters: skin_type = oily AND primary_concern contains acne
      • Use cases: Welcome branch, targeted campaigns, summer oil‑control content
    2. Sensitive‑skin Safe Set
      • Filters: sensitivity_flag = true
      • Use cases: Exclude from fragrance/acid-heavy promos; send gentle regimen content
    3. Replenishment Window: Cleanser
      • Filters: Placed Order contains product in “Cleansers” collection AND order date is 30–45 days ago AND NOT repurchased
      • Use cases: Reminder flows, tips to maximize efficacy
    4. Cross‑sell: Bought Cleanser, Not Moisturizer
      • Filters: Purchased Cleanser A AND NOT purchased Moisturizer B (last 60 days)
      • Use cases: Post‑purchase automation branch

    Notes and citation

    • Omnisend supports rich, multi‑filter segmentation across custom properties, behavior, and order data; see the Omnisend Segmentation features page for capabilities.
    • In August 2025, Omnisend announced the ability to sync Shopify customer segments to Omnisend (rollout may vary by account). See the What’s new—August 2025 update for context and confirm availability with Support.

    Checkpoint

    • Each segment should show more than zero contacts after your test submissions. If a count is zero, double-check property names and value formats.

    Step 4 — Personalize emails with conditional and dynamic content

    There are two ways you’ll personalize content in Omnisend:

    • Conditional content for campaigns: show/hide blocks based on audience conditions
    • Dynamic content for automations: populate blocks with event data (e.g., items from an order)

    Do this

    1. Campaigns (conditional content)
      • In the Email Builder, insert a content block and set its visibility rules (e.g., show if skin_type = oily; hide otherwise). Maintain a fallback block for unknown profiles.
      • Availability may depend on your plan. Omnisend has referenced a “Conditional content blocks Add-on” in releases—review the Omnisend “Another feature drop” post and contact Support if you don’t see conditional options in your editor.
    2. Automations (dynamic content)
      • Create or edit a workflow with an event trigger (e.g., Order Placed). In an email step, add dynamic content tied to event properties (like item.name, order.total). Omnisend’s help outlines usage in Dynamic Content in Automations.

    Skincare examples

    • Oily branch: Show an education block on sebum control and lightweight hydrators; hide heavy occlusives.
    • Sensitive flag: Show fragrance‑free bundle; hide strong exfoliants.

    Do / Don’t

    • Do add a final “default” block for contacts without preferences.
    • Do keep copy educational (“how to layer niacinamide and SPF”) and avoid medical claims.
    • Don’t rely solely on one property; combine skin_type with primary_concern for relevance.
    • Don’t create dozens of tiny segments when conditional blocks can handle variations in one campaign.

    Checkpoint

    • Use preview to step through each test contact and confirm the correct blocks show/hide.

    Step 5 — Insert product recommendation blocks with guardrails

    Goal: Show relevant SKUs without recommending what someone already owns.

    Do this

    1. In the Email Builder, add a Product Recommender block and choose layout (grid, cards). Configure source (e.g., best sellers, new arrivals) and the number of items shown. See the Omnisend Product Recommender item guide for setup details.
    2. Exclude owned items by audience gating:
      • For campaigns: exclude a segment like “Purchased Cleanser A in last 45 days.”
      • For automations: add a conditional split; if purchased product X recently, route to an alternate message.
    3. Provide a universal fallback: if there’s not enough data, show a best‑sellers block or an editor’s choice trio.

    QA tips

    • Click every product link from a test send to confirm the URL and tracking parameters resolve correctly.
    • If a recommender renders empty, verify store/catalog sync and switch to a non‑personalized source for that audience.

    Step 6 — Automate core skincare journeys (templates)

    1. Welcome series (branches by skin_type)
    • Trigger: Subscribed to list or form submitted
    • Flow: Intro email → Conditional Split by skin_type → tailored routine email(s)
    • Content: Layering basics, patch‑test reminder, CTA to curated collection per skin type
    1. Post‑purchase cross‑sell (complements by concern)
    • Trigger: Order Placed
    • Split: If purchased “cleanser for acne,” send a sequence recommending non‑comedogenic moisturizer and niacinamide serum; suppress if already purchased
    • Tip: Use conditional blocks to swap education and links per concern
    1. Replenishment (timed to usage)
    • Trigger: Order Placed
    • Wait: 30–45 days for cleansers; 45–60 for serums; 30–45 for moisturizers (A/B test timing)
    • Check: If reorder occurred, exit; otherwise send gentle reminder with usage tips
    1. Product reviews and UGC
    • Use Omnisend’s pre‑built Product Reviews automation and customize delay to your usage windows. See Product Reviews in Omnisend and the pre‑built automations overview.
    • Repurpose high‑rated, non‑therapeutic reviews in campaign blocks; keep claims truthful and avoid implying diagnosis.

    For broader automation best practices, Omnisend’s overview of use cases is a useful primer; skim the Email Automation overview for ideas that complement skincare journeys.

    QA and launch checklist (don’t skip this)

    Preview and test

    • Use Omnisend’s Preview & Test to view desktop/mobile and send tests to teammates. Their help article on testing outlines best practices; start with Testing campaigns & automations.
    • Use Dynamic Preview to simulate event‑based content (e.g., abandoned cart items) before going live.

    Data validation

    • For each skin type, open a test profile and confirm property values.
    • Check that conditional blocks render for each branch; verify a fallback block exists.
    • Confirm product recommender never shows zero items for your test segments.

    Deliverability and compliance

    • Email: Unsubscribe link, physical address, and clear subject lines. Avoid spammy phrasing.
    • SMS: Confirm HELP/STOP responses work and quiet hours are respected per your policy and applicable law. The TCPA rules in 47 CFR §64.1200 (linked above) are your baseline reference.

    Go/no‑go gates

    • Segment counts are non‑zero and match expectations.
    • Test sends display correct content by branch.
    • Event‑based automations trigger in a safe sandbox or test condition.

    Measure impact and iterate

    What to watch

    • Open rate, click rate, add‑to‑cart rate from email clicks, conversion rate by segment, time‑to‑second‑purchase, revenue share from automations.

    Benchmarks for context

    • Omnisend’s 2025 ecommerce report cites overall open rates around the mid‑20% range and a strong revenue share from automated emails relative to their volume. Use the 2025 Ecommerce Marketing Report to set ballpark expectations, then build your own skincare‑specific baselines.

    Iteration ideas

    • A/B test replenishment timing (30 vs 45 days for cleansers; 45 vs 60 for serums).
    • Test “single‑concern” vs “multi‑concern” content variants.
    • Try 3‑item vs 6‑item product grids to reduce choice overload.
    • Rotate seasonal content via a simple season property or inferred location.

    Troubleshooting guide (quick fixes)

    • Segment count is zero
      • Recheck property names and value case (“oily” vs “Oily”)
      • Confirm your form maps fields to Contact Properties and that test contacts exist
    • Conditional block didn’t show
      • Ensure the feature is enabled in your account (may require add‑on); add a default fallback block
      • For automations, confirm the trigger provides the event properties you referenced
    • Recommender block is blank
      • Verify product catalog sync; for personalized sources, ensure recipient has order history
      • Switch to “best sellers” or “new arrivals” for unknown profiles
    • SMS opt‑outs spike
      • Revisit frequency, timing, and copy; ensure HELP/STOP works and that you obtained proper opt‑in
    • Review requests mistimed
      • Adjust delay to your product’s usage cycle; suppress for returns/exchanges

    Next steps and your data stack

    • If you’re formalizing first‑party data tracking to better understand how these personalized journeys perform across channels, review this primer on pixel setup and data readiness: Getting started with first‑party data (Attribuly Help).
    • Ensure your analytics and ad platforms can ingest the insights you’re generating. A quick overview of ecosystem coverage is on the Attribuly Integrations overview.
    • For teams that want to connect attribution and identity resolution with lifecycle personalization, consider exploring Attribuly. Disclosure: Attribuly is our product.

    Appendix: Copy blocks and templates you can adapt

    Consent language (examples; run by legal)

    • Email: “Yes, send me skincare tips and product recommendations. You can unsubscribe anytime.”
    • SMS: “I agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages (e.g., cart reminders) at the number provided. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.”

    Subject line starters (tune to branch)

    • Oily skin: “Your shine‑control routine is ready →”
    • Sensitive skin: “Gentle, fragrance‑free picks for calmer skin”
    • Replenishment: “Running low? Your cleanser refresher is here”

    Block headlines (conditional)

    • Oily + Acne: “Lightweight layers that fight shine”
    • Dry + Aging: “Barrier‑building hydration and retinol tips”
    • Sensitive: “Soothing essentials—no fragrance, no fuss”

    Flow blueprint (welcome)

    1. Email 1: Brand intro + promise of personalization
    2. Split by skin_type
    3. Email 2a–2e: Routine guide by branch + 3 recommended SKUs
    4. Email 3: How to layer actives + patch‑test reminder
    5. Optional SMS: “Your routine recap—reply STOP to opt out”

    Citations index (for your team’s deeper reading)

    Retarget and measure your ideal audiences

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