From a fragrance to a story: a closer look at product UGC

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A product video has a simple challenge: make someone understand why they should care, while still making it feel like something a person would actually say. My Shay & Blue fragrance content is one example of where product storytelling meets a personal lens.

Disclosure: The Shay & Blue products featured in my creator content were gifted. This article is about the creative approach to UGC, rather than a fragrance-note review or a promise about how a scent will wear on someone else.

Start with a useful question

A product can be beautiful and still need context. Who is it for? How does it fit into a routine? What can someone learn from seeing it in use? For a discovery set, the story might center on exploring options rather than declaring one universal favorite.

That question gives the video a reason to exist beyond showing a package to the camera. It also helps keep the message focused enough to work in a short format.

Let the details do some of the talking

Packaging, scale, texture and the way someone handles an item can all help explain it visually. A clear close-up and a natural demonstration can communicate more than a long list of adjectives.

For fragrance, a video can show the bottles and the experience of exploring the set, but it can’t transmit the scent. Keep descriptions honest and personal. Avoid pretending that an individual preference is an objective result everyone will have.

Keep the story human

UGC works best when the viewer can follow a person’s point of view. A clear opening, a small moment of discovery and a useful takeaway can be enough. There’s no need to force a dramatic transformation where the product doesn’t support one.

My background in communications shapes the way I approach a brief: understand the message, choose the details that support it and make the finished story easy to follow.

Give the brand a clear brief

For a collaboration, agree on the deliverables, format, deadlines, revision process and intended use before filming. A video made for a brand’s own channels may need a different approach from a post for a creator’s audience. Clarifying that early helps both sides.

Make room for disclosure and accurate product information. A polished video should still leave viewers with a truthful understanding of what they’re seeing.

A personal lens, with a purpose

The goal is content that feels warm and relatable while doing a clear job for the brand. A fragrance set, an everyday essential or a hotel experience each needs its own story. The useful part is finding the connection between the product and the person watching.

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