Over the course of the last decade, several celebrities have decided to dabble in the beauty and makeup industry, testing their luck against some of the biggest industry players in the game. So far, we've seen the likes of Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Gabrielle Union, Jeffree Star, and Kylie Jenner with Kylie Cosmetics.
It is fair to say that many of these ventures have been big earners for celebrities, undoubtedly racking in millions of dollars. A prime example of this is Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, which has made the star a billionaire. According to Cosmopolitan, the bulk of her net worth is thanks to the brand. That's not too shabby in comparison to other brands.
However, it is safe to say some of these brands have been more successful than others. Some have built extremely successful reputations, whilst others have been taken on a rollercoaster ride of backlash and criticism.
Kylie Cosmetics Grew To Fame With Its Founder
Despite having a tremendously successful initial launch that broke the internet, Kylie Cosmetics has also received plenty of criticism as time has gone on. First, let's start with looking at Kylie's extremely successful launch of her beauty brand.
Initially, Kylie only made 5,000 units of each product shade to initially test the waters and see whether her products would sell. However, it would soon be proved that the reality tv star had nothing to worry about. Thanks to her online marketing efforts on Snapchat and other social media platforms, the famous lip kits sold out within minutes. At one point, there was such a large influx of visitors to the site that it crashed.
After such a successful launch, production was boosted to 500,000 units. This momentum would continue as she introduced more shades and lip products to her range. However, Kylie would soon be met with her first hurdle.
Despite the huge success of her lip kits, as each launch was released fans began to notice inconsistencies in her products. Many of them took to Twitter to air their disappointment, perhaps in hope of some compensation. Some of these controversies included damaged lip gloss brushes that were skewered upon arrival and bronzers that would arrive crushed.
Some buyers had even complained that their boxes had arrived completely empty, with no products in them at all. Although some of these issues were later rectified, the complaints still tainted the brand's overall reputation.
Most recently, Kylie has decided to rebrand the company, while bringing out several new ranges, such as Kylie Skin and Kylie Baby. Although receiving initial positive reviews, Kylie Skin also ended up receiving backlash, and since, reviews have been mixed.
For some, the $20 facial cleanser started browning way before the expiration date, which came as a disappointment to many, as they could no longer use it. However, let's see how the brand fares against other competition in the market.
Do Kylie Cosmetics Products Still Stack Up Against The Competition?
Having established such a large brand in such a short amount of time is no mean feat. However, there are also plenty of competitors in the makeup and beauty space competing for customers' hard-earned cash. One of the most popular brands includes Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, as well as Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty. Let's take a look at how they compare.
In terms of price, when looking at lipsticks, all three brands are very similar, with Kylie's being the most expensive with her lip kits selling for $26. However, it is important to remember this also includes a lip liner as well as lipstick or lipgloss. Selena's lip souffle costs a total of $20, whilst one of Kylie's lip kits costs $29. In comparison, Rihanna's between $18 and $28 dollars, depending on the product.
Overall Kylie's lip kits have received mixed reviews over the years, mainly regarding quality. However, most buyers seem to enjoy and recommend the product. The same opinion is reflected in the other two brands. Overall all three brands have received over 4-star ratings from the buyers of their lip products.
For both Fenty Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics, many buyers have seemed to have issues with non-refundable products and long wait times. There are also some complaints about the quality of the products, with some comparing Rihanna's Fenty brand to drugstore makeup.
However, despite negative reviews, which can be expected when it comes to such large firms, it seems all three brands have still been hugely commercially successful, making both Kylie and Rihanna millions of dollars per year.
Overall, it looks like Selena's Rare Beauty comes out on top, with Rihanna's and Kylie's brands following behind in terms of customer service. Rare Beauty has generally impressed fans, and many have praised her charity and mental health work that has shined through. However, as an individual, it is down to you to decide which products you like best, and which you feel are the best value for money, as many products are highly rated all-round. In addition, general reviews from other beauty gurus have been mostly positive.
Other celebrities that have started beauty brands include Lady Gaga, Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian, Miranda Kerr, and Millie Bobby Brown, but so far, none seems poised to rival King Kylie's.
