The Age of Celebrity Cosmetics
“The last thing the world needs is another beauty brand. But that’s too bad,” Lady Gaga proclaimed in an advert for the launch of her makeup line, Haus Laboratories. She is not wrong to point out that there has been an increase in the number of new beauty brands hitting the market—many being led by celebrities. None of this is necessarily new, but the rate at which celebrities are taking control of their cosmetic lines has increased dramatically in the last decade.
Back in 1987, Elizabeth Taylor created one of the first, and certainly the biggest, celebrity-launched perfume line. At the time, celebrity endorsement was growing as a means to advertise products, but Elizabeth opted to start her own company, the House of Taylor. Her first perfume would win her a Fifi award, the most prestigious award in the fragrance industry, and her subsequent perfumes would establish her perfume line as a staple of celebrity brands.
Thirty-two years later, and the Haus of Gaga (Lady Gaga’s creative group) would launch their own beauty brand, Haus Laboratories. The line currently sells eyeliners, lip glosses, shimmer powders, and lip liners. Although technically a collaboration with Coty Inc. and Amazon, the brand’s public image is all Gaga. Gaga joins a long list of contemporary celebrities starting up their own brands. Selena Gomez has recently launched Rare Beauty, and Ariana Grande launched her own “thank u next” perfume line.
Although Grande’s perfume is her first dip into the fragrance world, she has been collaborating with makeup brands for years. Most notably, in 2015 she joined the ranks of Selena Quintanilla, Mariah Carey, and Madonna with her first MAC Cosmetics collaboration. The proceeds to her collection go towards helping those affected by AIDS. MAC is iconic for their inclusion of celebrities, and Ariana’s partnership with them proved not only that she was stepping into a new realm of stardom but that MAC still knows how to remain in the social consciousness.
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As is apparent with Ariana Grande launching her own line, though, celebrities are seeking more autonomy over the products they release. It seems that many have grown past the desire to have their names attached to a prestigious beauty brand. It has now become a race to make one’s own name prestigious.
Indeed, after launching her own brand with money she had saved from modeling, Kylie Jenner surpassed any and all expectations with the success of her Kylie Lip Kits. Since 2016, the brand Kylie Cosmetics has launched its creator into becoming the youngest “self-made” billionaire. It stands to wonder if the success came from the already established Kardashian fame, or did Kylie Cosmetics really revolutionize the lip market?
Whenever Kylie Cosmetics is mentioned, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty is not far behind. Certainly, Rihanna’s cosmetic line has grown to be one of the most notable cosmetic brands of the past decade despite only being released in 2017. With its focus on an inclusive shade range, it quickly eclipsed other brands in sales and publicity.
Fenty Beauty has clearly become the focus of Rihanna’s attention for the past few years, much to the disdain of her music fans. Any time a new release comes, there is as much praise for the products as there are, “Where’s the album?” comments. Similar comments have been directed towards Lady Gaga as Haus Labs appeared to be her focus over her “Chromatica” album. Do celebrity beauty brands come at the cost of their art? The annoyance directed at Rihanna’s beauty venture has nevertheless been eclipsed by praise. Her latest photo promoting her Savage x Fenty lingerie line has become one of her most like posts in a matter of days.
On a different note, brands like that of Rihanna and Gaga are not as entirely independent as they first appear. As mentioned, Haus Labs is owned by Coty Inc. This company is also affiliated with Kylie Cosmetics, Katy Perry Perfumes, and many other well-known brands. Notably, 50% of Fenty Beauty’s revenue is now owned by Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH). Despite celebrities having more control of their beauty products, the major beauty corporations have managed to forge new partnerships that benefit them. The names of brands have shifted, but the big players have not.
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that celebrity-owned brands are growing in cultural influence over past, well-established brans. Kylie Cosmetics is in the top 10 most influential beauty brands of 2019, and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has been adapted in the social lexicon for beauty brand excellence. Fenty was popularized for being one of the first beauty lines to release a truly inclusive shade range. This followed various scandals of brands promoting a diverse range but failing to execute. It is clear that celebrity brands have a reputation for being at the forefront of innovation and inclusion.
As established beauty brands continue to collaborate with celebrities, and opening the world up to YouTube celebrities as well, it is clear that this a symbiotic relationship that will continue to flourish. However, the artist’s need for control over their art is driving celebrities to gain as much ownership as they can over products that use their likeness. As the beauty industry shifts towards more inclusivity and diversity, the biggest names in Hollywood like Rihanna and Gaga are leading the charge. The real question—will traditional brands allow this takeover?
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