Beauty Micro-Influencer Sourcing Template
Use this when you want a manual shortlist that behaves like a real operator tool, not a vague checklist. The template gives you the scorecard, a 45-minute sourcing pass, three worked examples, and a 15-creator tracker so you can test fit before you buy speed.
What this page gives you
A working shortlist format with the fields that actually discriminate between broad beauty reach and category care.
A score rule that lets you tag creators as shortlist, watch, or cut without editing your standards mid-scroll.
A direct handoff into the live beauty pack only after the free method has already delivered value.
Best fit
Founder-led beauty or skincare teams testing gifting, seeded UGC, or first-pass outreach before they decide whether manual sourcing is too slow for the quarter.
One-page worksheet
The scorecard
Copy this into Sheets or Excel. The point is not to be exhaustive. The point is to force a consistent second pass so you stop rewarding creators who only look good at first glance.
| Field | What to record | Score rule | Cut threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | Approximate follower count in the main format you would buy. | 2 points for 4K to 28K, 1 point for 28K to 40K. | Above 30K: cut unless category fit is unusually strong. |
| Niche fit | One sentence on how specifically they cover the product category. | 2 points for category-native, 1 point for adjacent. | If you can only describe them as broad beauty, cut. |
| Save-to-like | Saves divided by likes on three recent posts. | 2 points at 8% or higher, 1 point at 6% to 7.9%. | Below 6%: watch at best. |
| Repeat mention | Did they show the same product type or brand twice organically in 30 days? | 2 points for yes. | No repeat pattern: deprioritize. |
| Comment quality | Are people asking specific questions, or just dropping emoji? | 2 points for specific product or routine questions. | Mostly emoji or generic praise: cut. |
| Recent paid deals | Clearly sponsored posts in the last 60 days. | 2 points for zero, 1 point for one. | Two or more: cut. |
| Creator angle | What makes them useful: ingredient educator, routine realist, before-and-after explainer, esthetician voice. | 2 points if angle matches the product and buyer education gap. | No clear angle: watch. |
Send outreach in the first 15-creator batch.
Keep only if your niche is thin or local.
Do not negotiate yourself into false positives.
Worked examples
What good, borderline, and bad actually look like
Ingredient educator with repeat product behavior
1818.4K followers, three posts in two weeks about barrier-repair moisturizers, save-to-like at 11%, comments full of ingredient questions, zero recent sponsorships. This is a shortlist creator even if the audience is smaller than the names on curated lists.
Broad beauty creator with one strong adjacent signal
1127.6K followers, mostly makeup but one scalp-care angle that genuinely performs, save-to-like under 8%, one recent ad. Keep as watch only if the category is narrow and local supply is thin.
Visible creator, wrong economics
541K followers, heavy sponsorship density, generic comments, no repeat mention pattern. This is the kind of creator roundup lists push to the top and operator scorecards should remove quickly.
15-creator tracker
Track the test, not just the scroll
Most teams never learn whether manual sourcing works because they stop at the shortlist. Track the first 15 sends the same way every time and you will know whether your category rewards fit over reach.
| Handle | Score | Angle | Message sent | Reply in 7d | Post live | Coupon or UTM result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @creator01 | 18 | Barrier-repair educator | 2026-04-23 | yes | pending | watch 60d |
| @creator02 | 15 | Routine realist | 2026-04-24 | no | - | - |
| @creator03 | 14 | Ingredient explainer | 2026-04-24 | yes | 2026-05-02 | pending |
When manual is too slow
Use the live beauty pack as the speed option
If you already know beauty is the category and you want a founder-reviewed mixed Instagram and TikTok shortlist faster than a manual weekend pass, use the live beauty route. This keeps the handoff honest: the template teaches the method first, then the pack buys back time.
Need another niche?
Use custom as the secondary branch
If your actual need is skincare, scalp care, wellness-adjacent beauty, or a tighter regional shortlist, use the custom path instead of pretending the live beauty pack is the same thing. That keeps the public promise clean.