How Hollywood star power creates beauty super brands

When Jennifer Aniston was shooting the movie We’re the Millers last year, she tried a product she liked so much that, as the familiar saying goes, she bought into the company. She’s now a co-owner and spokesperson for the premium haircare range Living Proof.

“For years and years I’ve been asked to endorse hair products and I’ve always said ‘no, no, no,’” says Aniston, who recently became an ambassador for natural cosmetics company Aveeno, but hadn’t leant her name to a brand since she fronted the ‘Because I’m worth it’ campaign for L’Oreal in the 90s. Why? She worried, she says, that “people would ask, ‘is this just another celebrity endorsement?’” and not trust her as a result.

“What caught my attention about Living Proof is the company’s unique approach to haircare – using scientific technologies to offer women actual proof in a bottle rather than hoping for results.”

OK, that’s the science bit. The fact is that for A-listers like Aniston, who are very protective of their public image, endorsing a hair or beauty product doesn’t just mean lending their name to it – they have to be sure it actually works. While some Hollywood stars continue to opt for the more traditional role of brand ambassador for cosmetics houses, including Julia Roberts (LancÔme), Emma Stone (Revlon) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Max Factor), there’s a growing trend for A-listers to become involved and hands-on with actually creating the ranges they’re saying they use.

Among them is actress Katie Holmes. Already the face of Bobbi Brown cosmetics, she recently joined forces with the celebrated make-up artist to create the Bobbi & Katie Collection, “the ultimate make-up line for today’s modern woman”.

The range includes a mini-brush set and a face palette inspired by one of Katie’s own favourite journals and her “classic design sensibility”.

“I’m really excited to be a part of this,” said Holmes, who can be found modelling Brown’s limited-edition Nude Glow collection. It’s an enduring partnership that clearly works for both sides.

Meanwhile, international superstar Rihanna has collaborated with Mac cosmetics on her RiRi Hearts range (including a Love, Rihanna soft golden brown bronzing powder and Bad Girl RiRi matte taupey nude lipstick).

While it’s unlikely they’re putting on white coats and going into the lab or sourcing ingredients from around the world, in this social media savvy age, A-listers are ensuring they’re involved in the development and marketing of any product or brand they’re associated with. So why does celebrity endorsement still matter, what do we as consumers get out of it, and how can it make or break the commercial success of a brand?

“Celebrity-endorsed beauty products are very popular in the UAE,” says celebrity make-up artist and blogger Najla Kaddour. “The women here are very fashionable and want to look beautiful. Whenever a celebrity collaborates with a beauty brand many women feel the need to buy the products because they look up to them. By buying and using the same products as celebrities, they can recreate the look, which makes them feel and look beautiful. For example, Rihanna’s collaboration with Mac means every woman has the opportunity to wear the exact same lipsticks as Rihanna. And if she’s wearing it, it must be good, right?”

“People believe, for example, that David Beckham might use a Gillette razor to stay groomed; but we take more convincing that a celebrity or film star uses a relatively inexpensive face cream or lipstick when we know they have the top colourists and make-up artists at their disposal.”

The most successful partnerships are the ones where the celebrity accurately reflects the essence of the brand – for example, Chanel and Nicole Kidman.

“For example, Nicole Scherzinger is hugely popular and has amazing hair, so people are more likely to buy the shampoo she endorses [Clairol’s Herbal Essences]; however, when Britney Spears partnered with Elizabeth Arden on her Midnight Fantasy fragrance in 2007, events in her personal life affected sales. How a celebrity is viewed by the public can make or break a product.”