8 struggling celebrity-owned beauty brands, from Kim Kardashian’s Skkn by Kim and Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Skin, to Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty and Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs

Nov 1 , 2023

Kim Kardashian visits the Skkn by Kim holiday pop-up store at Westfield Century City Mall in November 2022, in Century City, California. Photo: Getty Images

Celebrities can’t all make millions like Selena Gomez with Rare Beauty or Rihanna with Fenty Beauty, as success in the beauty industry requires far more than star power

From Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty and Jared Leto’s Twentynine Palms to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rose Inc and Naomi Watts’ Onda Beauty, here’s why it hasn’t been smooth sailing for these labels

Not all celebrity-owned beauty brands make it in the long run. While Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty are prime examples of how to do it right, other A-listers haven’t been fortunate enough to reap the same kind of success these two leading ladies have in the biz. Just like certain films and TV shows have shown over the years, relying on a star’s pulling power doesn’t always work.

Sure, celebrity endorsements might grab attention at first, but running a successful company takes hard work, goal setting and well-executed strategies. Oh, and some seriously good marketing.

Per Bloomberg, more than 50 celebrities and influencers have launched cosmetics, skincare and haircare brands in the last three years alone. Yet, amid issues such as rising interest rates and a growing prioritisation of substance over hype – and taking into consideration authentic product reviews from consumers – attaching a famous name to a brand isn’t an automatic moneymaker.

Here are just a few examples of celeb-owned beauty businesses that have struggled lately – and why.

1. Kylie Skin by Kylie Jenner

Launched by Kylie Jenner in May 2019, Kylie Skin markets products that are vegan, cruelty-free and free from gluten, sulphates and parabens. Photo: Kylie Skin

Kylie Cosmetics exploded in popularity when it was first launched in November 2015, with founder Kylie Jenner pocketing some US$540 million pre-tax when she sold 51 per cent of the company to Coty Inc. in January 2020, per Forbes.

However, when the reality TV star released her skincare line Kylie Skin in May 2019, it was met with a string of controversies in the months that followed. Per Newsweek, the brand’s walnut face scrub got a lot of backlash, as the nut’s shell particles are known to create micro-tears in the skin. An X (formerly Twitter) user also reportedly exposed that some products that claimed to be vegan were not, states the same source.

2. Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty

With a name referring to one of Ariana Grande’s songs, R.E.M. Beauty refers to rapid eye movement, a phase of sleep when vivid dreams occur. Photo: @r.e.m.beauty/Instagram