Nearly two decades ago,Jessica Simpsonhad an edible cosmetics line called Dessert Beauty, sold at Sephora.
It was sugary and sexy, a shimmering distillation of the spirit of the early aughts.
It was a simpler time, predating Instagram,Kardashians, and sponcon.
Photoillustration by Danielle Schuler
Celebrity beauty looks were documented and dissected primarily on red carpet shows and in gossipy magazines likeUsandStar.
For the first time, their beauty businesses were tabloid fodder too.
These are people who spend a lot of time in makeup chairs.
No small part of their job is to look impeccable.
Now, you could eat their makeup.
Jada Pinkett Smith’s Hey Humans brand includes body wash and toothpaste.
In a dramatic change of approach, they are less brand ambassadors and more beauty executives.
But that model was the exception, not the rule.
Today, the “founder” title is an achievement all its own.
“It’s not surprising to me that celebrities would also like to be founders.”
This happens via a few different arrangements.
Anyone with money can go to a contract manufacturer and ask them to make products.
And then there are the celebrity beauty brands that are born from parents.
Maesa approached her with the idea of working on something together and eventually Flower bloomed.
Today, Maesa produces Hensons TPH, Priyanka Chopra Jonass Anomaly, and Jada Pinkett Smiths Hey Humans.
But often incubators themselves seek out celebrities for partnerships.
“Clients are wanting to be connected to what a celebrity stands for.
What are their values?
What are the emotional connections, and is there something good and a mission behind the celebrity?”
says Alison Hahn, senior vice president makeup and fragrance at Sephora, which carries Fenty Beauty andJLo Beauty.
Positioning a brand alongside a sociopolitical cause is important to modern beauty consumers.
Pinkett Smiths Hey Humans uses almost no plastics in its packaging.
Still, being famous and attaching oneself to a noble cause isnt enough.
“The products need to work,” says Hahn.
“They still need to do everything any product we sell does.”
Day-to-day decision-making is often left up to the larger teams.
(She even did her ownRare Beauty makeup looksfor her October 2020Allurecover.)
For a brand to succeed, it’s crucial the celebrity helps sell it.
Her enthusiasm for Happy Dance can be measured in dollars.
But she admits that it’s sometimes been initially difficult to convey to retailers the authenticity of the partnership.
“We’re, luckily, easily able to overcome it because Kristen is so genuine.”
Yet that’s certainly not discouraging celebrities from clamoring for a piece of the pie.
But for how long?
