You know who runs the world? Celebrities. From their outfits to makeup, houses, and even their skincare routines, we want to know everything about them. Celeb culture is so widespread that we’re almost convinced that if we follow exactly what they do, there’s some chance that we might end up looking like them or even becoming as successful as they are.
But it’s not just that. There’s also a sense of pride attached to owning the things they do. The second we found out the lipstick Alia Bhatt or Kareena Kapoor uses, the internet jumped to get it. When we found out the perfume SRK swears by, we wanted to buy it for our fathers, brothers, and boyfriends.
Celebrity power doesn’t only extend to endorsing certain brands though, it also involves creating new ones. In the last few years, I can think of at least 20 new celebrities who launched their own beauty brands. But are they all worth it?
What Different Do Celebrity Beauty Brands Have To Offer?
In short, nothing revolutionary.
Whether it’s a regular brand or a celebrity brand, every product today is marketed as “transformational”, or crafted with “brand-new tech.” Because let’s be honest, we’ve tried and tested and now exhausted everything that can be applied to the face or hair. From onions, snail mucin, red algae, and whale sperm, beauty brands seem to have gone through every length to whip up products with innovative ingredients.
Some celebrity beauty brands still make sense. Hailey Bieber has always been obsessed with skincare. So when she launched Rhode, it not only filled the gap of products required to get glass skin, but it also made sense. The same holds true for Mira Kapoor. She has been sharing her ghar-ka-nuskha’s and products she’s vouced for, for the longest time. So her brand Akind makes sense (and it also helps that the brand is so affordable). Kylie Jenner’s lips were a controversial subject so she leveraged that and launched her own lip kits that sold like hot cakes. Kim Kardashian was known for her sharp, perfectly contoured facial structure, which led her to launch her own contour sticks that became a bestseller. Jennifer Aniston too, has always been known for her silky blonde hair be it on Friends or a red carpet. Lolavie, her hair care line works for that reason.
All these celebrities were essentially launching brands that were extensions of their own personalities. On the other hand, have you heard Blake Lively talk about her haircare routine before she launched her haircare line? Or Ellen DeGeneres talk about how her skin was ageing before she launched her skincare line? Beyonce perhaps mentioned her haircare routine sometimes, but is that enough for her to launch her own haircare line? Harry Styles is known for his choice of colourful nail polishes and launched a line of his own nail paints. But they’re exorbitantly priced and there’s honestly nothing new about them. Pleasing has glossy and matte finishes and is priced at around Rs. 1,600 per piece.
Unfortunately, that’s what celebrity brands have to offer – just the celebrity name. This article talks about all the international celebrity beauty brands that actually live up to the hype. Closer to home, Kriti Sanon‘s Hyphen was heavily criticised when it was just launched, for not listing out all the ingredients clearly. The actress seems to have taken feedback in a positive way and has since then improved on her formulations, with her recent drop – the tinted lip balms becoming a hit and a potential dupe for Rhode! Deepika Padukone‘s brand 82 East also received some criticism for one of the first drops – sunscreen oil. Because really, in a temperate country like India, we’re always on the lookout for mattifying products that don’t add extra oil to the skin since we’re sweating so much.
What Can Celebrities Do Instead?
Launch products that are an extension of their personalities – only then will it make sense! Gigi Hadid collaborated with Maybelline back in 2017 to launch just a few shades of red lipsticks to mimic her iconic red pout. Kendall Jenner, rather than putting out her makeup line, launched a neutral eyeshadow palette with Kylie Cosmetics to achieve her doe-like eyes. Jacqueline Fernandez was one of the first Indian actors to advocate for false lashes and nails. So her collab with Huda Beauty – the Jacqueline Lash, made total sense.
You know what would also make sense? If celebrities invested in and launched cutting-edge products that actually work. The Milk Makeup Jelly Tint went viral for a reason – it was never seen before! Now imagine a celebrity brand formulating such a product. Red light therapy is huge in the world of skincare and celebrities use them all the time, but we haven’t seen a single celebrity tap into that space. Why?
Because that’s what I’d like to see from celebrities today.
Featured Image: Instagram