From Rihanna To Kylie Jenner, 9 Celebs Who Started Their Own Beauty Brands
Celebs influencing fashion with their own beauty brands
Many celebrities have ventured into beauty, fashion and lifestyle industries. Social media has played a pivotal role in this as celebrities, already considered fashion and beauty influencers, connect with millions of avid fans daily. Models, actors, singers, and influencers often venture into entrepreneurship, making it challenging to create something truly innovative. Amid the many short-lived attempts, there are, however, celebrities who have excelled in the business world. Here are 10 beauty and fashion brands owned by or backed by celebrities.
1. Selena Gomez: Rare Beauty
In 2020, Selena Gomez launched Rare Beauty, her makeup brand. Gomez's early exposure to makeup artists fueled her passion for beauty products. She actively participated in developing Rare Beauty, focusing on celebrating individual uniqueness rather than unrealistic beauty standards. The name Rare is inspired by her third album, also released in 2020. Gomez is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health through Rare Beauty. She founded the Rare Impact Fund to improve mental health access and aims to raise $100 million in the next decade. One percent of Rare Beauty product sales supports this initiative.
2. Rihanna: Fenty Beauty
Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, named after her original name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is celebrated for its inclusivity, particularly for people of colour. Founded in 2017, it quickly gained recognition as one of Time Magazine's 25 Best Inventions of 2017. Fenty Beauty set a new industry standard, inspiring other brands to follow suit. Fenty Beauty has expanded into Fenty Skin, offering vegan, cruelty-free, and environmentally-conscious skincare products.
3. Kylie Jenner: Kylie Cosmetics
Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics established in 2015 and made her the world's youngest self-made billionaire at just 20. With her Kardashian fame and massive Instagram following, her beauty products consistently sell out. The brand is known for its signature pink packaging and cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free products. Kylie Cosmetics frequently releases Limited Editions and collaborates with sister Kendall Jenner on makeup palettes. The brand portfolio extends to Kylie Skin for skincare and Kylie Baby for children's skincare and bath products.
4. Jessica Alba: Honest Beauty
Jessica Alba founded Honest Beauty in 2011, but it gained popularity in recent years. The brand is known for its commitment to the environment, safe ingredients, transparency, cruelty-free and vegan options, and dermatologically tested products. Honest Beauty emphasizes ingredient disclosure, using skin-friendly and eco-friendly materials, and supports charitable causes. Jessica Alba also founded Honest, a brand focusing on safe and sustainable everyday products.
5. Halsey: About Face
Electro-pop singer Halsey launched her makeup brand About Face in 2021. The brand is entirely vegan and cruelty-free. About Face is all about inclusivity, drawing inspiration from the LGBTQIA+ community to ignite creativity and fun through makeup.
6. Millie Bobby Brown: Florence By Mills
Millie Bobby Brown founded Florence in 2019, a makeup and skincare brand named after her grandmother Florence. Inspired by celebrities like Rihanna and Selena Gomez, Florence aims to promote happiness over perfection. The brand is PETA-certified, vegan, and free of harmful ingredients, with donations going to the Olivia Hope Foundation for childhood cancer research.
7. Winnie Harlow: Cay Skin
Supermodel Winnie Harlow founded the Cay Skin sunscreen brand in 2022. After suffering a severe sunburn during a 2018 photoshoot that damaged her skin, she decided to create skin-friendly, eco-conscious sunscreens. Known for her vitiligo and successful modeling career, Harlow embodies self-acceptance and inclusivity. Cay Skin's sunscreen products are silicone-free, vegan, cruelty-free, and reef-friendly. They are carbon-neutral and packaged in recycled materials. The sunscreens, including Glow Body Lotion (SPF 45), Body Oil (SPF 30), Glow Face Lotion (SPF 45), and a Lip Balm (SPF 30), are dermatologically tested and made with skin-care and island-based ingredients. Cay Skin aims to offer sustainable, skin-friendly sun protection for all skin types.
8. Charlie Howard: Squish Beauty
Charlotte Howard, a British plus-size model and body activist, founded Squish skincare in 2019 to promote body positivity and help with dry skin and acne. The brand emphasizes inclusivity and showcases models of all sizes, skin colors, and backgrounds. Squish offers cruelty-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free products suitable for sensitive skin.
9. Addison Rae: Addison Rae Fragrance
21-year-old Addison Rae, famous for TikTok, dancing, singing, and acting, launched Addison Rae Fragrance in 2021. These fragrances aren't typical; they're designed to enhance moods and well-being. They are water-based, alcohol-free, vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free, suitable for sensitive skin, and environmentally friendly. The collection includes Hyped AF (citrus), Chill AF (chamomile and sandalwood), and Happy AF (grapefruit, peony, and violet). Unique color-changing packaging adds a special touch. Hyped AF shifts from orange to yellow, Chill AF from violet to dark blue, and Happy AF transitions between violet-blue and pink.
