In a world where influencer- and celebrity-owned brands already have a strong presence on social media, the importance of authenticity, quality ingredients, and expertise can’t be overstated. In this article, we’ll take a brief look at the history of popular celebrity-owned beauty lines and how they’re traditionally funded (as well as highlighting the many ways Blanka can support your beauty business venture). You’ll also find plenty of tips for keeping your brand ethos authentic while discovering new ways to showcase your undisputed knowledge on the product(s) being sold.
The IT factor: the rise of the celebrity-owned beauty brand
The relationship between celebrities and their beauty brands can be traced back to 1994, when supermodel Iman released Iman Cosmetics—a makeup collection that remains famous to this day for its high-quality, extensive range of products for women of colour. In 2004, Jessica Simpson released her now-defunct line of edible makeup (yes, you read that right) called Dessert Beauty. Over the next decade, stars such as Jennifer Anison, Cindy Crawford, Miranda Kerr, and of course, Gwyneth Paltrow would go on to sell skincare, makeup, nail polish, hair products, as well as branded tools and accessories.
Today’s beauty influencers have become celebrities in their own right, with crossover stars such as Hailey Beiber (Rhode Beauty) and Emily Weiss (GLOSSIER) dominating the influencer-owned market.
The production and marketing of celebrity- and influencer-owned beauty brands are typically backed by business incubators. These incubators offer entrepreneurs much-needed aid during the early stages of development in the form of mentorship, investment capital, and marketing execution.
When it comes to celebrity beauty lines, examples of brand incubation are easy to find. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin are supported by Kendo; Priyanka Chopra’s Anomaly hair care line and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty, a cruelty-free makeup line, are both backed by Maesa; and Gwen Stefani’s GXVE Beauty is financed by New Theory Ventures—the same as Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty.
Proving that the celebrity-owned beauty brand niche isn’t bound by gender, you can also find Machine Gun Kelly’s nail polish line UN/DN LAQR backed by the Unlisted Brand Lab incubator.
Ready to receive VIP treatment? With Blanka, you can build your beauty brand in minutes—no minimum order required.
Try the first 14 days for free!
Authenticity: the influencer key to standing out in a crowd
The products you sell should be a reflection of your brand’s ethos, your personality, and the aspects of beauty and skincare you’re most passionate about. Storytelling—whether sharing a positive anecdote or being transparent about a struggle you’re facing as an entrepreneur—is an excellent way to display authenticity. Customers are more likely to reward authenticity, with one 2023 survey finding that fully connected customers are responsible for 37% of a brand’s revenue, with connected customers spending twice as much per year as highly satisfied (but disconnected) customers.
Looking for more ways to establish an authentic connection with your audience?
- Promote diversity and inclusion by showcasing your product on individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds.
- Be authentic when engaging with your audience. Answer questions, address concerns, and make announcements about your brand in an authentic, open manner.
- Use thoughtful, inclusive language when talking about your brand in place of overly sales-centric language.
- Attach your brand to causes you care about. Consider donating a portion of sales revenue to a charity or social justice platform that reflects your values and those of your wider audience.
- Share real-life testimonials from satisfied customers by asking your followers to rate and review your products.
Make clean beauty and sustainability a top-selling feature of your brand
With interest in clean beauty and sustainability a top concern for many shoppers (recent statistics show that 63% of respondents view clean beauty as either “extremely important” or “very important), the importance of using locally sourced, cruelty-free ingredients cannot be overstated. No longer satisfied with greenwashing marketing claims, 70% of information-savvy customers research a company’s eco-credentials before making a purchase.
At Blanka, we pride ourselves on offering our clients the best ingredients in the business. Not only are our ingredients cruelty-free, they’re also gluten-free and sulphate-free, with the majority also being paraben-free and vegan.
Establish your trustworthiness and expertise as a skincare influencer
There’s no better way to establish trust with your audience than by demonstrating your expertise in the application of the particular beauty product you’re selling. Research examining the impact of an influencer’s expertise on buying credibility found that purchasing behaviour is positively affected by the perceived trustworthiness of the seller.
Wondering about other high-impact ways to increase your trustworthiness as an influencer?
- Discuss common skincare and beauty concerns and explain how your products are suited to addressing these issues.
- Stay current when it comes to relevant information, sharing your findings with your audience and inviting experts to weigh-in with their opinions if possible.
- Be transparent and honest about the products you’re selling—always disclose partnerships and sponsorships when appropriate.
- Keep informed about the beauty niche you’re occupying. Read about industry trends and scientific innovation as often as possible so that you can navigate questions or concerns from your customers.
Check out these resources for even more tips on building and promoting your own beauty and skincare brand:
- Instagram monetization by selling your own beauty products
- How to build your own brand in seven easy steps
Conclusion
Building your successful own line of branded beauty and skincare products requires authenticity, quality ingredients, and expertise. At Blanka, we make the process pain-free so that you can concentrate on turning followers into customers.
Let us take care of the formulations (or customize your own!), branding, and shipping—all you need to do is be your authentic self.
With zero minimums and zero risks, what are you waiting for?
Build your beauty line!
