From Kylie Skin To Fenty: What You Need To Know About Celebrity Skincare
Refinery29 says fragrance was once the big business for celebrities who were looking “to diversify their income streams” in the early 00s. But by 2021, celeb-fronted perfume is on the decline, and now the focus is shifting towards other avenues of beauty. “It began with makeup – namely Kylie’s Lip Kits and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty – but celebrities are cashing in on our love of skincare, too.”
The article says there is a clear split in celebrity skincare ranges – they will be either luxury or aimed at Gen Z. And the reason skincare is suddenly the new big celebrity trend is because it reflects what the consumer is buying and interested in.
Beauty predictions for 2021 are all about skincare rather than makeup and Refinery29 says it’s due to the effects of stress on our skin. Celebrities are simply following the money.
Famous faces are selling us the subliminal message that we could look like then, and now celebs are moving beyond brand ambassadors – they want ownership and the big sell is their face and name.
Kylie Jenner’s skincare sparked a discussion for including a walnut facial scrub which many experts argued was too harsh for the face. Rihanna’s Fenty also went into skincare with the Fenty Skin line, “expectations were high but for some, the products fell flat.”
The article says this raises questions about how effective said products really are and how involved the celebrity of the brand actually is. Dr Kemi Fabusiwa says: “a significant part of the branding and appeal that comes with most celebrity skincare is the glamorous look and smell of their products, and glamour isn’t a wonderful ingredient in skincare. As a doctor, science and a strong evidence base take priority. The thrill and sparkle that is attached to a celebrity skincare line does not necessarily equate to healthier, nourished skin, which is the goal that we should be striving towards when it comes to our skincare.”
Skincare is a far more complex venture for celebrities than perfume. There are different types of skin to consider and expertise needed that your fave celebrity is not qualified to give. The article says it is for this reason you should be looking at who they’re working with.
Victoria Beckham Beuty has aligned itself with skincare experts and makes clear that scientific standards are important to the brand which allowed the Beckham foray into skincare a degree of credibility, which other brands are lacking.
Brands which are backed by incubators such as Beach House Group (the company behind Florence by Mills and Kendall Jenner’s Moon Oral Care) often raise questions of credibility. These incubators churn out celeb brands on a regular basis and rarely mention expert involvement. Celebrities may be little more than brand ambassadors with a cut of the profits, or they may be intimately involved in the creation process. It’s impossible to tell, and all the celebrity skincare brands Refinery29 reached out to declined to comment. Dr Fabusiwa thinks we should be careful and try to distinguish between what’s just marketing and what is effective for our skin.
According to the article, trends suggest we’re moving towards a more scientific-focused skincare world and the pandemic is in part credited for the shift.
Jenni Middleton, director of beauty at trends agency WGSN, shares what she thinks about the future of celebrity skincare.
“It depends on the celebrity and their popularity and social media profile, but for some companies, being a celebrity is enough to sell the brand. That said, beauty shoppers are very discerning and know their products, formulation, ingredients and benefits well, so they will be highly vocal on shopping sites and beauty forums if they find brands do not deliver the promised results or do not live up to the hype.”
As to whether we can really trust celebrity skin care lines, the answer is only as much as you trust anything designed to make money. There will always be those looking to make a quick buck and celebrities who don’t look too closely at what they’re selling.
Read the full story, From Kylie Skin To Fenty: What You Need To Know About Celebrity Skincare, by BETHANY FULTON on Refinery29
