Celebrity Skin Care and Beauty Brands Worth a Try
Want to smell rich and famous? Buy a celebrity fragrance. Want to look healthy, feel red-carpet cool and glow with do-good vibes? Buy a celebrity’s namesake moisturizer, serum or body cream. At least that’s what actors, models and musicians are counting on as they churn out skin care lines from affordable to luxurious. Worth a try? Yes, but only if you…
Top row, left to right: Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber. Bottom row, left to right: Le Domaine Skincare The Serum ($352, le-domaine.com); Goop Beauty GoopGlow Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator ($125, goop.com); Rhode by Hailey Bieber Peptide Glazing Fluid ($29, rhodeskin.com)
Joe Maher/Getty Images; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; Taylor Hill/Getty Images; Le Domaine Skincare; Goop; Rhode
1. Keep an open mind
This is no longer about famous faces just adding their names to big established brands for advertising benefits. The star is actively involved in the creation/development and ownership of a line with an up-to-the-minute point of view. Skin care brands by 50-something celebs such as Goop Beauty by Gwyneth Paltrow and Le Domaine by Brad Pitt are sure to grab our attention first (after all, they’re our peers), but don’t ignore those by younger stars such as Hailey Bieber whose Rhode Skin Peptide Glazing Fluid promises “glazed donut skin” for all. Every line has one product that will stop you mid-scroll and call out to your AmEx card.
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Top row, left to right: Michael Strahan, Naomi Watts and Scarlett Johansson. Bottom row, left to right: Michael Strahan Daily Defense Face and Neck Moisturizer ($14, riteaid.com); Stripes The Power Move Plumping Facial Serum ($85, iamstripes.com); The Outset Moisture-Boosting Oil ($44, theoutset.com)
Eric Canha/Cal Sport Media via AP Images; Jon Kopaloff/WireImage; Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic; Rite Aid; Stripes; The Outset
2. Make a personal connection
It’s what I call the “She’s like me!” factor. For example, Naomi Watts created her Stripes menopause-based brand after going through the hormonal ups and downs that resulted in parched skin. Scarlett Johansson, who suffered from sensitive/problem skin, launched The Outset and emphasizes a plant-based alternative to hyaluronic acid in every product. Vegan, cruelty-free and allergy- and dermatologist-tested, it’s also totally fragrance-free. Michael Strahan started his Daily Defense line for men to tackle his own mature skin issues — dryness, ingrown hairs, shaving and stubble care — and packaged the dermatologist-approved, hypoallergenic products in recyclable aluminum travel sizes with twist locks for no messy spills.
Top row, left to right: Idris Elba, Jada Pinkett Smith and Miranda Kerr. Bottom row, left to right: S’Able Rooibos Micellar Water ($28, sablelabs.co); Hey Humans Banana Aloe Hydrating Body Wash ($8, target.com); Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Foaming Cleanser ($42, sephora.com)
Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; Monica Schipper/Getty Images
3. Like the “clean, green beauty” trend
Many “celebrity” brands are on the wellness/eco-conscious track and looking to connect with like-minded consumer-fans who want to delete sulfates, parabens, silicones and other potentially harmful ingredients from their regimens. Hey Humans by Jada Pinkett Smith’s sustainably packaged line includes everything from body wash to deodorant designed to reduce plastic pollution; S’Able Labs by Idris and Sabrina Elba is gender-free, ethically sourced, eco-responsible and uses recyclable, refillable packaging; and Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr uses verified organic ingredients and no potentially harmful ones such as sulfates and parabens.
