At this point, it feels like every celebrity is waking up, staring at the millions in their bank accounts, and thinking: you know what the world really needs? Another skincare line. From Rhianna’s Fenty Beauty, to Hailey Beiber’s Rhode, and Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, the celebrity beauty rise is impossible to ignore. But why are we all so obsessed with smearing our faces in serums and moisturizers made by people who have their own personal dermatologists? Is it their glowing skin? Their amazing branding? Or are we all just eager to believe that a £40 moisturizer will make us look like Rhianna? Let’s break down the phenomenon of celebrity skincare and why we keep handing over our credit cards to them.
It’s not just about the products. It’s about the fantasy. Celebrity skincare brands don’t just sell moisturizers and serums; they sell the illusion that their perfect, poreless faces are somehow bottled up and available for us to purchase. Also, all of these A-list celebrities have access to the best dermatologists, estheticians, and in most cases, Facetune. Whether it’s the clean-girl minimalism of Hailey Bieber or the effortless radiance of Rhianna, all of these skincare lines are curated extensions of their public personas. Also, in a time where social media has blurred the line between celebrity and consumer, buying a bottle of their night cream almost feels like buying a piece of their lifestyle.Â
But here’s the thing: most of these celebrity skincare brands aren’t exactly doing anything new. The serums, moisturizers, and cleansers they are selling often contain the exact same ingredients as the drugstore versions sitting on our vanity for a fraction of the price. Yet, once you put a famous name on the packaging, and make it look aesthetically pleasing, suddenly it’s a must-have. It’s quite literally the power of branding which is convincing us that this particular serum is somehow more hydrating because it was “formulated” by someone famous. However, in reality, many of these products are developed by the same labs that create skincare for multiple brands, so the only real difference is the name on the bottle, and oh of course, the price tag.
Despite knowing all of this, we still continue to hand over our credit cards. Why? Because celebrity skincare isn’t really about skincare. It’s about identity. When you buy Rhode, you’re not just getting a peptide lip treatment; you’re aligning yourself with Hailey Bieber’s clean-girl aesthetic. When you splurge on Fenty Skin, you’re buying into Rhianna’s effortless cool. All of these brands go beyond just beauty. They offer a sense of belonging, a way to feel closer to the stars we admire. In a world where influencers and celebrities feel more accessible than ever, using their products creates the fantasy that we’re part of their world, even if the closest we’ll get is a £40 cleanser.
At the end of the day, celebrity skincare isn’t really about what’s in the bottle; it’s about who’s selling it. Deep down we all know that no serum is going to give us Hailey Bieber’s glow or make us age in reverse like J.Lo, but that hasn’t stopped us from purchasing. These brands flourish on the promise of transformation and bringing us closer to the people we see on our screens. And while the celebrity beauty boom shows no signs of slowing down, maybe the real secret to great skin isn’t a ÂŁ40 moisturizer; it’s realizing that no amount of branding can replace consistency, sunscreen, and a tiny bit of scepticism.Â