At the age of 12, she used her mother's credit card to purchase a $29 Kylie Lip Kit in Candy K, which included a matte pink liquid lipstick and matching lip liner. The debut makeup product from Kylie Jenner sold out quickly in 2015, causing the website to crash and propelling the youngest Kardashian-Jenner sibling to beauty mogul status by the age of 18. Lip Kits became a must-have item, even making their way into the New York City bar and bat mitzvah circuit, where emcees would throw the popular lip colors and liners into the crowd of dancing tweens in bandage dresses. In five years, the beauty market has exploded, generating nearly $500 billion in sales last year according to Euromonitor. Celebrities are dominating social media with products like lip gloss, face lotion, and even vibrators, promising plump lips, glowing skin, and a better sex life. New beauty lines are constantly being released, like Harry Styles' Pleasing nail polish in vintage-inspired jars and Machine Gun Kelly's UN/DN LAQR nail polish with paint splatter shades. Ariana Grande and Chiara Ferragni also have new makeup lines, with themes like space and pink sparkles. Billie Eilish and Addison Rae have introduced perfumes. Lori Harvey, daughter of Steve Harvey, has launched her SKN by LH skincare line, while Demi Lovato has created the Demi Wand, an eight-speed vibrator in collaboration with Bellesa, a website geared towards women. Hailey Bieber has announced that her Rhode Beauty products will be available for purchase next year, named after her middle name. The trend is starting to seem like a parody. When the Alex Rodriguez concealer for men, a collaboration with Hims & Hers, was released in May and gained attention in celebrity news outlets like The Shade Room, many people initially thought it was a joke. Dua expressed skepticism towards celebrity beauty brands, a sentiment that is shared by many of her peers according to Hana Ben-Shabat, founder of Gen Z Planet, a research firm. Ben-Shabat's research shows that 19% of Gen Zers are influenced by celebrities when making purchasing decisions, while 66% cite their friends as the most influential. Stacey Berke, a 34-year-old addiction counselor from Rochester, New York, commented on how celebrities promote their skincare products and deny using Botox, attributing their appearance solely to their own products. "It becomes difficult to believe." The traditional method of using celebrities to endorse products is no longer sufficient. Consumers now expect to see evidence of expertise or genuine interest in the product being promoted. According to Lucie Greene, a trend forecaster and founder of the Light Years consultancy, the transactional nature of celebrity endorsements is becoming more evident. It is no longer seen as a genuine endorsement driven by passion. Additionally, it is widely known that celebrities often undergo cosmetic procedures to enhance their appearance. Consumers are aware that there is no miracle product that can make someone look significantly younger or change their physical features. Richard Gersten, an investor and founder of True Beauty Ventures, noted that transitioning from making money by promoting other brands to creating one's own brand may not always be the best motivation for creating something. He mentioned that his firm has been approached by at least 10 celebrity or influencer brands recently. Rachel ten Brink, a general partner of Red Bike Capital and founder of Scentbird, highlighted how social media has changed the way fans interact with celebrities, allowing them to access more intimate aspects of their lives in real time. "You are essentially owning a piece of a celebrity by following them on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok," stated ten Brink. "This allows you to connect with them in a unique way." After the popularity of celebrity fragrances in the early 2000s, such as those by Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and 50 Cent, Kylie Cosmetics introduced a new type of celebrity brand that focused on selling makeup and skincare products online. Jenner revolutionized the marketing and selling of a brand, which had previously been done mainly at department stores or Sephora. With just one Instagram post, Jenner could sell millions of dollars worth of lipstick. Then, in 2017, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty changed the beauty industry by emphasizing inclusivity, diverse shade ranges, and discussions about race. In its first complete year, the brand brought in over 500 million dollars in revenue, according to LVMH, the French luxury conglomerate and co-owner of Fenty Beauty. Another example is Goop, which has established itself as a lifestyle brand over the last ten years. Gwyneth Paltrow, its founder, sells skincare products, supplements, bath salts, and athleisure. Many have attempted to imitate these successful business models. However, some in the industry are not fully convinced by well-known founders, such as John Demsey, the executive group president of Estée Lauder Cos, which owns brands like Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics, and Clinique. He has collaborated with many celebrities, but he stated that there will not be a brand solely based on one. On December 1, MAC, known for its collaborations with A-listers such as Mary J Blige, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Mariah Carey, launched its new Viva Glam lipstick without a celebrity for the first time in 27 years. Demsey mentioned that it felt like the right time, with the red, blue, and yellow lipsticks featuring Keith Haring designs on the tubes. They focused on the core essence of the product and the brand. A collaboration is temporary, while a brand is long-lasting. The majority of celebrity beauty brands are unsuccessful. In an attempt to discover successful celebrity beauty brands beyond Kylie Cosmetics, Fenty, and Goop, a variety of individuals were interviewed for this article, including executives and high school students. However, none were able to name any other successful brands. According to Demsey, relying solely on influence or having a large social media following is not enough. For example, in June, Vanessa Hudgens and Madison Beer introduced Know Beauty, a skin care line that utilizes DNA testing to create a personalized skincare regimen. Know Beauty made a big entrance when it first launched, but has been less active recently, despite still selling products on its website. The company declined to discuss its business. Lady Gaga's Haus Laboratories, which was highly anticipated when it was introduced two years ago, did not resonate with her dedicated fan base. Recently, the brand hired a new executive team to concentrate on improving products, ingredients, and packaging. The new Casa Gaga collection has a different aesthetic from the original black packaging. Lipsticks, highlighters, blush, and other cosmetics are now available in white packaging with gold accents. Haus Laboratories did not provide a comment on their business. Other well-known incidents include Tati Westbrook closing Tati Beauty and Rflct shutting down due to false anti-blue-light claims. Many celebrity cosmetic lines are actually created by a few companies known as brand factories or "incubators" that specialize in developing multiple labels quickly. They are either created in partnership with a celebrity or crafted with the goal of partnering with a celebrity in the future. For instance, Beach House Group developed Millie Bobby Brown’s Florence by Mills, Kendall Jenner’s Moon oral care line, and Tracee Ellis Ross’ Pattern hair care. Forma Brands, the owner of Morphe, is responsible for Jaclyn Cosmetics and Grande’s R E M Beauty. Maesa is behind Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty, Kristin Ess Hair, Taraji P Henson’s TPH by Taraji hair care, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Hey Humans personal care line. According to experts, most brands created by these companies are not meant to be long-lasting businesses, although Ross' Pattern line seems to be successful and could outlast many of its competitors. Greg Portell, a partner at the Kearney consulting firm, explained that incubators are designed for rapid growth rather than brand-building. Shaun Neff, founder of Beach House Group, mentioned that his team creates concepts for new companies and then partners with a celebrity. Neff cited Kendall Jenner as an example, stating that she was chosen for her status as a supermodel, large fan base, and good taste. The decline of celebrity brands is also influenced by shifting cultural values. Older customers are more likely to be attracted by celebrities, but it is more challenging to attract young millennials and Gen Zers who value authenticity. Dua questioned the skincare knowledge of Brown, the 17-year-old star of "Stranger Things," whose skincare line was released when she was 15, expressing doubts about her expertise. Wearing someone else's makeup goes against the idea of self-expression, which is important to younger generations. They do not want to emulate celebrities like Addison Rae; they want to be unique.