It seems like every celebrity is launching a brand of their own these days. Just this year, stars like SZA, Bella Hadid, Dwayne Johnson, and Tom Holland launched new business ventures in several categories from beer to fragrance. However, in the celebrity brand space, one group reigns supreme.
According to JLL Research, per the LA Times, “beauty is the most popular industry for celebrity retail brands” (Carras, LA Times). We’ve pulled a few case studies from some of the most successful celeb-beauty brands worldwide and found some interesting trends.
Let’s examine the mission behind these brands, review a few recent achievements, and uncover what their success might say about the celebrity brand space.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Launched in 2017, the popstar’s makeup brand is known for its long-lasting foundation sold in almost sixty shades, and its ultra-glossy lip products. Rihanna shares Fenty’s purpose in the “about” section of their site, “Makeup is there for you to play with. It's there for you to have fun with. It should never feel like pressure, and it should never feel like a uniform.”
The playful vision behind Fenty Beauty has certainly been carried out in the last seven years. The brand’s Instagram account showcases bold looks from collaborations–including their latest with action series Arcane–as well as user-generated content and goofy videos of RiRi herself.
Fenty doesn't just prioritize fun, but approachability too. Every product on the website contains a “see it in action section” which allows customers to see the product on models, the founder herself, and other customers just like them.
One of Fenty’s most celebrated assets is its inclusivity. The brand helped set the standard for wide shade ranges and filled a void in the makeup industry. As Prestige said in September “It’s for the people who’ve been left out of beauty conversations for way too long” (Roy, Prestige).
Since Fenty Beauty’s takeoff, Rihanna has felt motivated to expand the Fenty world, breaking into hair, fragrance, and skincare. As of late, the brand has seen an increase in collaborations and marketing opportunities.
The Numbers: In 2023, Fenty generated $602.4 million according to Citeline.
Recent Achievement: This year, Fenty Beauty was the first-ever official beauty partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. At the Paris Olympics this Summer, they shadematched 600 victory ceremony volunteers.
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
The Brand: Since its launch in 2020, Rare has been concerned with something much deeper than makeup. The name itself calls upon its mission to acknowledge each of its customers’ unique attributes offering a refreshing take on the beauty industry. Rare’s popularity might be due, in part, to its unique mission and philanthropic work. The brand achieves a level of care and comfort that others might not possess.
According to their website’s homepage, “Together we’re building a safe, welcoming space in beauty and beyond. This is makeup made to feel good in, without hiding what makes you unique.” By “beauty and beyond,” Rare is referring to their prioritization of mental health. Their site has an entire Comfort Club page dedicated to sessions led by guided experts to promote relaxation, movement, and connection.
Another page outlines the Rare Impact Initiative, which seeks to “reduce the stigma associated with mental health and give people access to the resources they need.” In 2023 Rare hosted a World Mental Health Day event–donating all proceeds to the Rare Impact Fund–along with a Mental Health Summit that was live-streamed to a global audience.
Rare’s trend towards authenticity is reflected in their approach to makeup staples too. Products like their “Soft Pinch Liquid Blush,” and “True to Myself Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder” promote natural beauty in both name and formula. Their foundation comes in almost fifty shades, and all face products have buildable coverage, encouraging customers to let their natural skin shine through (Rare Beauty).
The Numbers: Rare’s annual revenue was $350 million in 2023 according to Bloomberg.
Recent Achievement: Per a post on Time’s Instagram, Rare’s annual sales grew “100% from 2021 to 2022, and 200% the following year; they hit $400 million for the 12 months ending in May.” In the post, they named Gomez one of the 100 Most Influential People and Most Influential Companies.
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga
The Brand: Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs, has a platform largely built around clean beauty at the intersection of creativity and technology. Gaga says of the company, “My vision for Haus Labs centers around the future of clean makeup, supercharged products with innovative formulations and novel ingredients” (Haus Labs).
The company rebranded in 2022, announced by the Haus Labs Instagram account with a simplistic image of its founder and a future-focused caption, “a new brand reimagined.” Elle magazine called the rebrand “one of the best things that could have happened to the company” (James, Elle).
Their biggest success story has been the viral Triclone Skin Tech Foundation which, much like Fenty and Rare’s foundation offerings, comes in 51 shades. The award-winning formula contains 20+ skincare ingredients setting it apart among other popular options.
The Numbers: Their Expected Revenue Range for 2023: $75M to $100M
Recent Achievement: The most remarkable recent development for Haus Labs was a launch in 12 EU countries. The European market promises to deliver–after a successful expansion to the UK.
r.e.m beauty by Ariana Grande
Grande’s vision for r.e.m revolves around feeling incredible and unapologetically confident–according to the brand’s dreamy website. In their “about” section Grande outlines her attachment to the mission, “Makeup is so personal,” she goes on, “to just provide tools that support and encourage people in their creativity and self-expression is a gift that I’ll never take for granted."
The brand was a given for Grande who sported a signature cat-eye since the beginning of her career. As part of their 2021 launch, r.e.m experimented with themed collection drops racking up almost one million followers before dropping a single product (Elle).
But r.e.m’s marketing skills don't end there, in 2023 the brand opened a limited-time “Sweetener Shoppe” in NYC with “sweetener shade-matching, complimentary ice cream, limited edition merch, and more” according to their Instagram. They also created a “Hypernova Hotel” pop-up in Paris earlier this year. They have a talent for brand activations allowing customers to feel even closer to the brand and Grande herself.
The Numbers: r.e.m generated $88.7 million in revenue in 2023.
Recent Achievement: A very recent success story and marketing campaign by r.e.m. is a limited edition, exclusive capsule Wicked collection. Announced just as buzz began to build, products inspired by the world of Oz–and namely the film’s two leads–launched in September.
Newly-Founded Celeb Beauty Brands to Keep an Eye On
GXVE by Gwen Stefani
Famous for a red lip, it feels fitting that Stefani now sells her own. Founded in 2022, the singer’s makeup line is “all about everyday essentials with extraordinary performance” (GXVE’s Website).
WYN by Serena Williams
WYN launched earlier this year with a clean website and sporty socials. Their logo playfully resembles a tennis ball and their products promise to stay on while playing even the most hardcore match, “we make products for life, not just a photo finish” (WYN Beauty).
4U by Tia Mowry
Reality star Tia Mowry’s new haircare brand, founded in 2023, delivers clean, high-performing solutions for curls, “We started 4U to take the guesswork out of curl care” (4U’s Website).
And it’s not only celebs who generate successful brands but the media they appear in as well.
Half Magic by Donni Davy
Donni Davy, the makeup artist for the hit show Euphoria, founded Half Magic in 2022. Davy was highly praised for the show’s ethereal–and award-winning–makeup which became associated with the series and its stars like Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, and Sydney Sweeney. The brand’s site tells visitors “‘Normal’ means nothing” (Half Magic).
Why Beauty?
So, why is beauty the go-to market for so many celebs? According to the LA Times, it might have to do with lower production costs and fewer competitors (Carras). Marie Claire also cites having “a famous (and often beloved) face at the helm” as a reason so many of these brands attain a “cult-like” following (Zuvela).
I can’t help but agree; when we see celebrities they're in makeup more often than not. Their ground-breaking looks trend online–Chappel Roan’s white face paint comes to mind–and their faces become as instantly recognizable as a logo. Taking into consideration just how many beauty products celebrities wear and endorse annually, a beauty brand of their own seems like the obvious next step. But it's about something much deeper too.
When we look at the other most successful celeb-founded brands, the spaces they inhabit vary widely. From Dr. Dre's Beats to Kim Kardashian's Skims, beauty brands stand out among the rest as a kind of "go-to" venture for celebrities. But why don't people embrace celebs in other brand spaces like they do beauty? Why isn't the attention equally divided among beauty, technology, alcohol, and shape-wear?
Let's think about it this way. When a celebrity wears a unique shoe, hat, or bag, it trends online and sells out (just look at Hailey Bieber's platform Uggs). There's a sense of closeness when customers can don the same products as their favorite stars. If there's anything that achieves this closeness at an even higher level, it's makeup and beauty products.
Chief among what's trending in food or fashion is "the look" be it Gaga's bold graphic liner or Ariana's 60's-inspired pastel eyeshadow. Wearing a celeb's makeup brand means trusting the same ingredients that enhance their most widely shared asset thanks to social media; their face.
What Can Brands Learn From Celeb-Beauty?
Some commonalities between these brands are clear. For one, each seems to have a “golden product” that brings them both outstanding attention and revenue. Rare Beauty’s is their liquid blush, and Haus Labs' is their award-winning foundation. Other brands might consider what “golden product” will always sell; if a customer could only buy one thing from you, what would it be?
Another key takeaway is the importance of a mission. These brands prove that a website's “about” section is just as important as a home page. Every brand presented above features quotes from their founders that go far beyond makeup or beauty to resonate with customers somewhere deeper. All utilize messaging regarding inclusion and confidence with Rare Beauty’s Impact Initiative leading the charge philanthropically.
Finally, others can look to celebrity beauty brands’ collaborations. When something is limited-edition, it gains that much more power. When r.e.m creates a Wicked collection, it becomes a product that makeup lovers, Ari lovers, and Wicked lovers want, accessing the maximum number of customers.
No matter the reason, it’s increasingly clear that celebrities are trusted in beauty. Their ventures provide some valuable insights about what’s trending and why. We’ll see what stars launch a beauty brand in 2025, if they look to these brands for inspiration, success is sure to come.
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