What Happened to Actors Acting? The Rise of Celebrity Brands and the Fall of Integrity

In 2023 alone, the beauty industry generated over £27.2 billion for the UK’s economy, according to the British Beauty Council. It is no surprise then, the sudden rise of celebrity beauty brands in recent years (namely Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez, r.e.m. beauty by Ariana Grande, and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna). If you walk into any major beauty retailer, you will see various skincare, makeup and lifestyle brands that have been created or curated by female celebrities.

For celebrities like Rihanna and Gwyneth Paltrow, their primary reason for fame, i.e. music or acting, catapulted them to become successful businesswomen in the commerce industry. Fenty Beauty was estimated to be worth $2.8 billion in 2021, with Rihanna holding a 50% stake in the company. Meanwhile, Goop was estimated at $250 million in 2023, with Paltrow holding a 30% stake. Both of these celebrities have now built their wealth, influence, and identity outside of the industries that initially created their stardom. 

The rhetoric and narrative surrounding both women have often focused on the financial success of their respective businesses, though Goop has not escaped ridicule for various products over the years- remember the “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle? For both women, their transition to becoming business owners has halted other projects, with Rihanna last releasing an album in 2016 and Paltrow’s last notable film, outside of Marvel, being over a decade ago. Across Rihanna’s social media, fans have relentlessly asked for a new studio album to be released for years. And yet, this has rarely impeded their respect or admiration for Fenty Beauty. A central part of this dynamic is that Rihanna has remained authentic to her personal style and brand throughout, as has Paltrow with her focus on health and wellness within the beauty landscape. 

In August, Blake Lively received criticism for using her film, It Ends With Us, which focuses on domestic violence, to promote her haircare brand Blake Brown. Lively is known for her role as socialite Serena van der Woodsen in the TV series Gossip Girl, and the subsequent fashion and beauty pop culture moments it created. However, the promotion of her beauty brand, alongside a film that details an important social issue, translated to social media users as inappropriate and distasteful. The 2023 release of Betty Booze, Lively’s canned cocktail brand, also gained similar criticism as she doesn’t drink alcohol. Hence, this further adds to the rhetoric surrounding celebrity brands as a quick cash grab, signifying the fall of integrity.

In the case of Rihanna and Paltrow, their beauty brands align with their personal brands and are quite distinct from other music or film projects. Comparatively, Lively’s decision to promote Blake Brown alongside her It Ends With Us press tour is problematic. Considering the film’s important messaging, there is no space to discuss her personal brand in conjunction with the foremost issue of domestic violence. The conclusion is that the rise of beauty brands coincides with the fall of integrity only when actors and celebrities, such as Lively, choose self-promotion over authenticity.

Words by Sophie Gregory