Since celebrity makeup brands have taken over the world, we round up the best ones on the market.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Fenty Beauty, created and owned by Rihanna, launched in 2017. The brand first started out exclusively online before branching out to Sephora stores in the US. Fenty Beauty then arrived in the UK at department store Harvey Nichols and has most recently been rolled out in Boots stores. One of the brand’s most staple products and widely praised reviews is the inclusive range of foundations available. There is a spectrum of 50 different shades to accommodate for people of all skin colours.
The need for the makeup industry to include people with darker skin was long overdue. Rihanna set the standard for more makeup brands to add more foundation shades to their collection. Not only is the makeup inclusive, but also long lasting, high quality and reasonably priced for such a high-end makeup collection.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Colour in Uncensored, (the ‘perfect universal red’) – £20
- Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife – £28
- Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation (Hydrating alternative also available) – £27
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
Rare Beauty launched in September 2020 and has already received praise for not only its products, but the ethos behind the brand. The brand is named after her album Rare, which was released in January of last year. Gomez also proudly calls the products “clean and easy” in a conversation with Glamour, noting how she wanted “people to feel safe”.
Similar to Rihanna, the foundation shade range covers 48 tones and has been praised for light but buildable coverage – perfect for virtual meetings. Also in line with the brand, Gomez has launched The Rare Impact Fund, “with the goal of raising $100M over the next 10 years to help give people access to mental health services”. The price point for all her products also stays at $30 or below, a cheaper price compared to other celebrity makeup brands. Unfortunately, the brand has not launched in the UK yet, but the company have said the plan is to branch out internationally this year.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation – $29
- Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Love – $20
- Lip Souffle Matte Lip Cream in Inspire – $20
Iman Cosmetics by Iman
Iman Cosmetics was founded by Iman Abdulmajid, supermodel and muse of various high-end designers. It was launched in 1994 and prides itself on being “designed for all women with skin of colour”. The brand also has a whole range of products to build a flawless face of makeup, at affordable price points. Iman Cosmetics is not only limited to makeup but also dips into skincare. It accommodates for all skin types from dry/mature skin, to combination skin and also helping skin with hyper pigmentation. One of the best aspects of her brand is the pre-created looks which people can recreate featuring looks such as The Romantic to The Femme Fatale.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Moisturising Lipstick in Diva (Luxury) – £12.95
- Contour Trio (Luxury) – £15.95
- Luxury Highlighter in Gold Digger – £12.95
About Face by Halsey
If you’re looking for the newest celebrity makeup launch, look to Halsey. Her new brand About Face launched in January of this year. The brand proudly speaks of their “multi-dimensional makeup for everyone, everywhere”. Additionally, Dazed noted About Face as “taking inspiration from MySpace and the 90s”. Majority of her products are either almost gone or completely sold out online, but the website is offering free shipping on orders over $35 dollars (US only). Not only does the brand sell makeup but also tools, gift cards and merch. About Face is only in its early stages in the makeup playing field, but if they’ve started as they mean to go on, Halsey’s new makeup line is one to watch.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Shadowstick in Baroque – $21
- Paint It Matte Lip Colour in Nudist Judas – $22
- Liquid Lock Highlight Fluid in Sunstruck – $32
Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga
Haus Laboratories by singer and actress Lady Gaga launched in 2019. Her makeup beauty brand promises vegan, cruelty-free products in its line. The brand’s mission is “to spread kindness, bravery and creativity”, a message also emphasised in Lady Gaga’s music career. The brand also partnered with Amazon for its release, making it accessible to a large volume of shoppers.
The products and colours from Haus Laboratories are definitely an ode to the eccentric looks Lady Gaga has served in the past and continues to in her current work. The price points are more on the expensive side and follow similar prices and packaging aesthetic to Huda Beauty. For the creatives who enjoy experimenting with makeup, Haus Labs is a perfect brand. The brand also proudly donates $1 from every paid transaction to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation “to help increase access to resources and awareness amidst our global mental health crisis”.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Sparkle Lipstick – £19
- Head Rush Blush + Highlighter Duo in Pleaser/Tease – £24
- Liquid Eye-Lie-Ner – £18
Victoria Beckham Beauty by Victoria Beckham
We can always rely on Posh Spice to stay true to her staple, and Victoria Beckham Beauty does not disappoint. The brand is based and “founded on the idea that beauty should complement and empower the dynamic life you lead”. The products are aimed towards people who wish to create the perfect clean, minimalist and nude look – a trend Victoria Beckham herself has mastered. She also does not shy away from her Spice Girls roots and has a whole lipstick collection named Posh. This is a dedication to the different shades of lipstick she used during her Spice Girls years. The prices of her products are on the higher end of the scale but live up to the promise of glamourous, luxury beauty.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Posh Lipstick in Girl – £34
- Lid Lustre in Honey – £30
- Future Lash Mascara – £26
FLOWER Beauty by Drew Barrymore
FLOWER Beauty by actress turned TV host, Drew Barrymore, launched her makeup brand in the UK at the end of 2018. The best aspect of the brand is the promise to clean makeup and the extremely reasonably priced products that could slip into the same price points as high street beauty brands. The shades of her products are simplistic but flattering tones and her collections are accessible to beauty lovers, whether you’re new to the world of makeup or you’ve used it for years. FLOWER Beauty’s message is “you’re already beautiful, now let’s play”, and the marketing and branding definitely lives up to this. FLOWER Beauty is available in Superdrug stores in the UK.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Flower Pots Powder Blush in Berry-More – £5.99 (£11.99 at full price)
- Miracle Matte Liquid Lipstick in Rosewood – £5.99 (£8.99 at full price)
- Supernova Celestial Skin Elixir Primer – £11.32 (£16.99 at full price)
KKW Beauty by Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian was the second sister in the Kardashian/Jenner clan to step into the makeup business. It was an expected move from the social media star and allowed her to differ from Kylie Cosmetics. KKW offers a more toned down, nude range of products to match Kim’s new renovated image of nude, soft-glam looks. Kim has started to step into more colourful shades in her eyeshadows and lipsticks, but nothing compared to Kylie’s. KKW is definitely aimed towards the more mature makeup artist who endeavours to create a ‘less is more’ look. The Kardashian and Jenner family are famous for their high pricing products and KKW Beauty is no exception. The most effective part of her brand is creating collections with other celebrities or events in her life. This includes The Mrs West Collection or the Ultralight Beams collection.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Best of Nudes Lipstick Set – $65
- Crème Contour & Highlight Set in Tan – $32
- Matt Cocoa Eyeshadow Palette – $45
Florence by Mills by Millie Bobby Brown
Florence by Mills, created by Millie Bobby Brown, launched in 2019 and the brand prides themselves on clean beauty products and clean skincare. The brand is definitely directed at a younger, Gen Z audience who are fans of the young actress. It is also perfect for anybody who wants to start their venture safely into the makeup scene. Additionally, her products feel light, simple toned and help people create youthful makeup looks, at a fairly reasonably price. Currently, the brand has a generally small collection of products which can be helpful to anybody who feels overwhelmed when makeup shopping. Therefore, if you’re unfamiliar with makeup brands or you want to create the ‘no makeup’ makeup look, Florence by Mills may be the perfect fit for you. Florence by Mills is available in the UK in Boots stores.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Get Glossed Lip Gloss in Moody Mills – £12
- Cheek Me Later Cream Blush in Stellar Sabrina – £14
- Like a Light Skin Tint – £18
Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner
Kylie Cosmetics, created and owned by reality TV star Kylie Jenner, was launched in 2015. Her launch surrounded her most popular and staple product, Kylie Lip Kits. The kits contain a lip liner with a matching liquid lipstick to recreate Kylie’s iconic lip looks. Since then, the brand has developed and branched into more products including blushes, eyeshadows, ‘kybrows’ and now Kylie Skin. The brand is definitely more popular in the US, especially amongst beauty bloggers and Youtubers. Jenner also regularly collaborates with her sisters or creates seasonal collections. These are usually accompanied with extravagant PR packages delivered to influencer’s front doors. Kylie Cosmetics has not yet launched in any UK stores, but Kylie Skin has now come to Selfridges and Harrods.
Inayah’s Top Picks:
- Velvet Lip Kit in Posie K – $27
- Kylighter in Salted Caramel – $20
- The Peach Extended Palette – $45