by BR Tabatha
Who is living their best life by buying makeup by celebrity beauty brands? That is the question that rolls through my head as I try to drift off to sleep, as I exercise, as I go about making dinner. Who is splashing the cash? Someone must be, because celebrity makeup brands are becoming the new celebrity perfumes that were so massive back in the early 2000's.
The trend of celebrity makeup brands isn't exactly a new thing. I have vague memories of Jessica Simpson putting out a (now defunct) line out a long while back. Then there's Honest Beauty by Jessica Alba, which is still cracking on. Not to mention Drew Barrymore's Flower Beauty, which goes from strength to strength. I'm sure there would have been others during that time... but they didn't make enough of a splash to stick in my mind... until recently.
You see, celebrity makeup brands are now big business and must be doing big business, because every celebrity and their sister is putting one out (I'm looking at you Kim K and Kylie J), but are they any good... or are they just a quick and easy cash grab?
When I think of a successful line that really feels like there's input from the celebrity, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty comes to mind. It's well thought out. It's cohesive. It's her. And the products I've tried are good! Even better, this brand's no flash in the pan, with regular drops coming out during the year.
image: fenty beauty
Then there are the lines that just feel like no effort was put in, and the celebrity and their backers were hoping the name would be enough to sell the product. I'm looking at you HAUS Laboratories.
Promoted as being Lady Gaga's line, I was definitely gaga to see it... until it was released, and it felt like a bunch of basic makeup had a name stamped on it and was shipped out. There was no Gaga-ness at all to be seen. Where was the bright? The vampy? The out there? Lately the brand's releases have felt a little more on brand, al little more Gaga, but is it too little, too late?
image: hauslabs
Since then there have been other brands launching, such as JLo Beauty, which makes sense as so much has been made of the 'JLo Glow'. Though how much of an impact that brand has made remains to be seen as I've not heard much about it since its launch.
Then there's Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty. Ariana Grande has just released her own brand called R.E.M Beauty. Alicia Keys has Keys Soulcare, which is produced by e.l.f. Millie Bobby Brown released Florence by Mills. And, most recently, the fabulous Gwen Stefani released GXVE Beauty. A celebrity makeup brand that makes TOTAL sense to me, as when I think about Gwen Stefani I think makeup as much as I do fashion. The woman has never had an eyelash or eyebrow out of her place, and her lipstick style is iconic.
image: GXVE Beauty
But, it's a lot, right? The celebrity brands mentioned above are just a drop in the ocean of what's available. A quick google reveals so many more, some I've never heard of, even though I've heard of the celebrities who've put their names to them.
So someone must be buying up big to make it a worthwhile venture. But who? And that's my big question for the week...
Are you a sucker for a celebrity makeup brand? Do you have a favourite celebrity brand you love to buy from? Or are celebrity brands a no go for you? Hit up the poll and get chatting below!
Bought the Ariana grande moonlight perfume not long ago and found it had quite a pleasant smell not strong but lasts loving it atm