Celebrities have been associated with beauty for as long as their images could be printed. The original influencers—actors and musicians—have lent their faces (and hair and bodies) to countless ad campaigns for beauty brands. And they still do, often as extremely well-compensated “brand ambassadors.” But it seems, nowadays, leasing out their likeness simply isn’t enough for some of the more aesthetically eager and ambitious stars. We are still living in the age of the celebrity beauty brand.
Sure, we’ve watched as countless celebrities have launched a fragrance or two or 25, but the 21st century—in particular the last few years—has seen an unprecedented rise in makeup, skin-care, and hair-care companies founded by famous folks who couldn’t resist the lure of beauty entrepreneurship. Some have already come and gone (remember Jessica Simpson’s Dessert Beauty?), while others have stayed the course for many years now (your beauty lineup may very well include something from Jessica Alba’s Honest Beauty).
And despite the fickle nature of the genre and the fatigue that can sometimes outweigh fan enthusiasm, celebrity beauty brands show no sign of slowing. Even stars who are notoriously private and picky about their endeavors (cough, cough Beyoncé) have entered the beauty space with highly anticipated launches—and products that prove to actually deliver lasting benefits.
Here, you’ll find the celebrities who currently have thriving beauty brands. Each one’s star products are proof that a famous name on the label alone isn’t a solid reason to try them. But the serious research, science, and thoughtfulness that went into them sure is.