In recent years, multiple celebrities have started various brands, most of which dominate the hair and skincare industries. A lot of these celebrity brands have become successful, but others have failed to achieve the same recognition.
People speculate that some of these celebrities only endorse brands to make a quick buck. Others believe they are truly passionate about these products and enjoy the process, not just the money.
One famous example is Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez. Founded in 2020, Gomez created the brand along with Rare Impact, which focuses on supporting mental health and self-acceptance. This is reflected in her makeup, which has multiple shade ranges to match any skin tone.
Another example of a popular celebrity beauty brand is Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. Launched in 2017 by Robyn Rihanna Fenty, this line has become an extremely popular celebrity brand. Her goal was to design makeup that was meant to be played with and experimented with and have the customer feel beautiful.
Recently, actress Blake Lively used the press of her movie, “It Ends With Us,” based on the book of the same title, to promote her new hair care line, Blake Brown. She caused quite a bit of controversy in the overpromotion, due to the heaviness of the movie’s plot dealing with rough topics, such as domestic abuse. People realized the product’s ingredients made one’s hair rough, garnering additional backlash.
“I think they’re a bit silly,” said Sydney Auriemma, a senior mass communications major. “I feel like these celebrities probably have enough money and what they should be doing is funding or sponsoring smaller beauty and cosmetic companies to help them out rather than just making more money for themselves.”
Mario Dedivanovic, a well-known makeup artist, created Makeup By Mario, which has become a brand used by many celebrities and influencers. His expertise and passion for his craft draw consumers in, unlike other celebrity brands where customers would prefer to have the same thought, time and effort put into the products, but for the people who make the brands, makeup is not their priority.
“I get why people love Rare Beauty, and while some of the products are decent, I feel like it’s very obvious that a lot of the hype comes from Selena’s reputation rather than the formulas being groundbreaking. It just doesn’t stand out that much in terms of performance,” said Caleb Rogers, a junior biology and Spanish double major.
Celebrity makeup brands are a hot topic since most think that they are unnecessarily expensive, which often happens with big-name brands created by singers or actresses.
Kim Kardashian and her family have all started varying brands, producing clothes, skincare, makeup or even baby products.
“I think celebrity makeup brands as a whole are overpriced, and some are good quality while most can be similar to cheaper alternatives,” said Imani Cooper, a sophomore graphic design major. “I think that Kim Kardashian’s SKKN is just in for the money.”
One major problem with celebrities starting brands is the lack of association or connection with their brand. Brands, like that of Amy Poehler, showcase a promotional aspect to her film but connect her audience with her brand. Poehler was the star and director of Netflix’s “Wine Country,” and now she co-owns a wine company.
Another brand that makes sense is Brother’s Bond Bourbon, a whisky brand created by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, who played brothers on the hit TV show, “The Vampire Diaries.”
They both play into their gruff and rugged characters on the show, which makes this company a perfect fit for their brand and aesthetic. During the filming, they loved to drink together, which made it their passion to create this company.
“Florence by Mills by Millie Bobby Brown feels overhyped to me, I really don’t get the appeal,” Rogers said. “It feels childish and gimmicky, and the quality is just not there. The brand seems to target Gen Z and younger teens, but the products don’t seem effective or well-formulated. It comes across as a trendy cash grab rather than a well-thought-out beauty brand.”