Opinion | Rihanna, J.Lo, Harry Styles – celebrity beauty brands are everywhere, but why do we need so many?
- Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, Millie Bobby Brown, Selena Gomez, the Kardashians… the list of celebrity beauty lines seems to get longer every day
- Let’s just call a spade a spade. These beauty lines are money moves. Is it any surprise that so many of them sprang up in the wake of Covid-19?
As someone who is very much into pop culture, I totally understand people’s fascination with the lives of the rich and famous. We all need a bit of escapism, especially amid the doom and gloom of recent times.
There is something, however, that rubs me up the wrong way: the proliferation of beauty brands “founded” by celebrities. Not a day goes by without the announcement of a new line helmed by someone famous.
The list is so long that it’s hard to keep track. Examples include the likes of Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Pharrell Williams; actors such as Idris Elba and Scarlett Johansson; athletes like Naomi Osaka; musicians like Harry Styles, Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez; and a never-ending number of influencers such as the Kardashian klan and Hailey Bieber.
Everyone loves a side gig – nothing wrong with that – but the idea that being a beauty fan qualifies you as a beauty brand founder is outrageous.
All these “passion projects” stem from a “genuine desire” to fill “a gap in the market” and to “promote inclusivity and diversity” … We’ve all read the PR drivel.