‘Cash grab’? 8 struggling celeb beauty brands, from Kim K to Lady Gaga

Here are just a few examples of celeb-owned beauty businesses that have struggled lately – and why.

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1. Kylie Skin by Kylie Jenner

Launched by Kylie Jenner in May 2019, Kylie Skin markets products that are vegan, cruelty-free and free from gluten, sulphates and parabens. Photo: Kylie Skin

Kylie Cosmetics exploded in popularity when it was first launched in November 2015, with founder Kylie Jenner pocketing some US$540 million pre-tax when she sold 51 per cent of the company to Coty Inc. in January 2020, per Forbes.

However, when the reality TV star released her skincare line Kylie Skin in May 2019, it was met with a string of controversies in the months that followed. Per Newsweek, the brand’s walnut face scrub got a lot of backlash, as the nut’s shell particles are known to create micro-tears in the skin. An X (formerly Twitter) user also reportedly exposed that some products that claimed to be vegan were not, states the same source.

2. Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty

With a name referring to one of Ariana Grande’s songs, R.E.M. Beauty refers to rapid eye movement, a phase of sleep when vivid dreams occur. Photo: @r.e.m.beauty/Instagram

Ariana Grande may be one of the biggest pop stars of today, but the “Thank U, Next” songstress has also encountered troubles with her cosmetics line R.E.M. Beauty, which launched in November 2021.

R.E.M. Beauty make-up is marketed as vegan and cruelty-free. Photo: @r.e.m.beauty/Instagram

According to reports from Bloomberg and Forbes in January this year, Grande was set to acquire the physical assets for R.E.M. Beauty for around US$15 million from Morphe Cosmetics’ parent company Forma Brands after the company filed for bankruptcy.

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But that’s not all. Fans reportedly thought the launch was a “cash grab”, with some saying that Ari’s make-up products weren’t as good quality as her fragrances, per Showbiz Cheat Sheet.

3. Kim Kardashian’s Skkn by Kim

Kim Kardashian launched her skincare line Skkn by Kim in June 2022. Photo: @skkn/Instagram

There’s no doubt that Kim Kardashian has won the fashion game, achieving billionaire status thanks in part to her highly successful Skims shapewear and apparel brand.

Skkn by Kim is a nine-product skincare line developed by Kim Kardashian in association with A-list skincare experts. Photo: @skkn/Instagram

So why isn’t her skincare line doing as well? Debuting in June 2022, Skkn by Kim was a joint rebrand of her former labels KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance, per British media. But fans don’t seem to be buying it. In one recent Instagram post, netizens stated they wanted Kardashian to “bring back” KKW Beauty and leave behind what they labelled her “failed” skincare enterprise.

4. Jonathan van Ness’ JVN Hair

Jonathan van Ness’ JVN Hair is marketed as sustainable, “science-backed”, silicone- and sulphate-free haircare. Photo: Jonathan van Ness/Facebook

August 2021 marked the beginning of JVS Hair, a clean hair products brand launched as a collaboration between biotechnology company Amyris and Jonathan van Ness. The partnership wasn’t all smooth sailing though as this August, Amyris filed for “Chapter 11 bankruptcy”, per Women’s Wear Daily, with plans to sell its consumer brands – including JVS Hair. It’s unclear who will buy the label, per a report in August by The Business of Fashion.

5. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rose Inc

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s plan was to develop a brand “that relies on unique ingredients to deliver skincare benefits in thoughtful designs, putting environmental considerations before opulent packaging”. Photo: Rose Inc

The former Victoria’s Secret model launched her beauty label Rose Inc in August 2021. It seems that she too has found herself at a crossroads, with the brand also being under Amyris, per WWD, meaning it plans to sell Rose Inc.

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6. Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs

Haus Labs products are “made without more than 2700+ questionable ingredients”, according to the brand’s website. Photo: @ladygaga/Instagram

Lady Gaga is one of the undisputed queens of dramatic make-up – yet her beauty line didn’t pan out so well upon its release, per Beauty Independent. After originally debuting on Amazon in July 2019, Haus Labs (renamed from Haus Laboratories) moved to Sephora in June 2022, according to industry sources. It seems that since its shift to the beauty giant, Gaga’s brand is performing better, per Storyclash.

6. Naomi Watts’ Onda Beauty

One of Onda Beauty’s three co-founders, Naomi Watts, is no longer involved with the brand. Photo: Onda Beauty

Opened back in 2014 as a joint venture between Larissa Thomson, Sarah Bryden-Brown and Naomi Watts, Onda Beauty was also part of Amyris’ portfolio.

Onda Beauty is one of several celebrity cosmetics brands to have fallen prey to Amyris’ bankruptcy filing. Photo: Onda Beauty

However, Amyris reportedly shut down the retailer in August, states Beauty Matter. Per Beauty Independent, one of the original founders, Thomson, acquired the clean beauty brand in October and relaunched the concept – but Watts will not be returning.

7. Addison Rae’s Item Beauty

Item Beauty products were marketed as “made with clean, science-backed ingredients free of anything harmful to your skin or the planet”. Photo: BoxyCharm/Facebook

TikTok star Addison Rae has a colossal following on social media, yet this apparently didn’t translate to sales when she launched Item Beauty in August 2020. In January this year, Sephora pulled Rae’s beauty label from shelves, states Insider. It’s unclear whether the business is still running, as the brand’s Instagram page has been made private, while its website doesn’t show any products.

According to Insider, influencer-backed brands often see mixed results.

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8. Jared Leto’s Twentynine Palms

Jared Leto promoting his short-lived brand, Twentynine Palms, in October 2022. Photo: @jaredleto/Instagram

The actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars musician announced the launch of his gender-neutral skincare and haircare label, Twentynine Palms, in October last year – but it wasn’t long before he pulled the plug on the project.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Leto ended his relationship with parent company Maapilim some months ago, due to “what he believes was a breach of contract and mismanagement by the brand operator”, his rep, Robin Baum, told the publication.

Daily News