Dua Lipa again?Why beauty lines need to find new brand ambassadors

Just over a week ago, Style Not Com or Beka Gvishiani alerted her followers to the latest news. YSL Beauty has deleted her Instagram feed.

The move felt very 2018 to some commenters, who likened the beauty label to “Reputation”-era Taylor Swift (in case you forgot, I might add But Taylor Swift deleted her Instagram account six years ago, ahead of her album release.) Still, judging by Style Not Com’s post, fans were clearly intrigued.

On Monday, YSL Beauty made a big announcement to her 11.3 million Instagram followers. Singer-songwriter Dua Lipa has become the label’s newest global makeup ambassador. “YSL Beauty is exploring new ways to increase its authority on social media by creating native content and disruptive ways to connect with young people, while causing virality and stunts,” the press release reads. It’s dark. Since the brand’s announcement, four Instagram posts have featured the brand’s new lip lines, Lipa and LoveShine.

Ripa is a big star, but the secret development was a little surprising. The “Houdini” singer is no stranger to beauty or fashion. She has been the face of the label’s Libre franchise for almost her five years, and YSL has designed collections with Versace, serving as her ambassador for the global beauty brand.

In today’s crowded beauty marketing environment, it’s difficult for labels to make noise. A celebrity face alone won’t automatically make you a hit, but for cautious brands, it’s a better option than entering the unpredictable vortex of TikTok videos. The problem is that the biggest brands rely on the same rotating cast of celebrities.

Case in point: L’Oréal-owned skincare brand Skinceuticals this week named the ubiquitous Sofia Richie Grainge as its first global brand partner. Richie Grainge has led campaigns for Prada Beauty, Nudesticks and Jo Malone since she married music executive Elliott Grainge last year. She also told Porter in December that she plans to launch her own beauty brand under the name SRG. Actress Sydney Sweeney, who has already secured contracts in the fashion industry with Laneige, Armani Beauty and Miu Miu, became the face of Kerastase in January. Even with a truly unexpected name, she can quickly lose her ability to surprise. Pamela Anderson largely disappeared from the public eye until the release of the Netflix documentary Pamela: A Love Story in early 2023, but she appeared in a Proenza Schouler campaign in early 2024 . But after that, there was hardly a week that went by without a new announcement from her label.

You can’t blame celebrities for trying to make money off of their name and likeness. The incentives for beauty brands are less clear. Data from Creator IQ shows that celebrities tend to generate much less media value for beauty brands than for fashion lines. For example, Lipa posted $639,000 in beauty EMV in 2023, all of which went to YSL Beauty, while in the fashion sector he moved $8.5 million. (The $5 million went to Versace only). Content marketing director Alex Rawitz said celebrities don’t drive EMV as much as top beauty influencers because they post less frequently and are more exclusive.

Not all celebrities are created equal, which is why beauty (and fashion) brands like to jump on something solid. That’s why Kendall Jenner remains popular across categories and aesthetics (hello, Jacquemus, Revolve, L’Oréal Paris), and why her sister Kim Kardashian (Hello, Jacquemus, Revolve, L’Oréal Paris) and her own The same goes for the labels Skkn and Skims).

However, I think the customer may have become tired.

It’s one thing for shoppers to follow the likes of Ripa, Richie Grainge and Sweeney on their social feeds, or to see them in street style images or on the red carpet. But when so many brands use the same faces over and over again, it’s hard to remember exactly what they’re selling. you?

Here are my top picks from this week’s beauty and health insights and analysis.

1.Will Gen Z buy anything Millie Bobby Brown sells?

Is Florence By Mills, a very famous founder with zero public financial data, a hidden winner in the Gen Z beauty and personal care space or an alternative to a venture that hasn’t happened yet? Either. Perhaps, in the right hands, you’ll get both.

2. Isamaya French talks about where the magic of beauty comes from

The glory days of backstage beauty are long gone, replaced by front row makeup and social media “Get Ready With Me” videos. But if we cultivate it, moments of true creativity and emotion can occur on the runway as well.

3. Why L’Oréal is investing in a niche fragrance brand in China

The French beauty giant’s latest two deals are part of a broader M&A drive by global companies to capture a larger slice of the Chinese market and offer products with a distinctly Chinese element. It targets popular high-end brands.

Beauty industry news overview

Bath & Body Works expects full-year sales and profits to decline due to a slowdown in demand. Shares fell 9% in premarket trading. The beauty and skin care company expects annual net sales to be flat to 3% down in 2024.

Olaplex will begin a rebuilding plan after a difficult period in 2023. CEO Amanda Baldwin said the brand’s revival strategy includes increasing focus on the professional stylist channel, investing in improving brand equity and leveraging data to drive decision-making. .

Supergoop names Lisa Sequino as new CEO Mr. Sequino most recently served as CEO of Jennifer Lopez’s skincare brand, JLo Beauty. Sequino takes the helm after former CEO Amanda Baldwin joined Olaplex late last year.

YSL Beauty has appointed Dua Lipa as its global makeup ambassador. Lipa has been the face of Libre Fragrances since 2019 and served as the label’s global brand ambassador. YSL Beauty hopes to appeal to a new generation of beauty consumers with Lipa’s expanded role.

Skinceuticals has named Sofia Richie Grainge as its first global brand partner. The model and entrepreneur will star in the label’s new ‘Skin Powered by Aesthetic Doctors’ global campaign. She also oversees her skin care routine for a brand called “The Sophia” and the line will be available for purchase on her e-commerce site.

Estée Lauder has announced a collaboration with Sabyasachi on a 10-line lipstick collection. The partnership is part of the conglomerate’s larger strategy to capture the Indian market. It is also Sabyasachi’s first foray into beauty.

Sephora launches its first Impact Summit for BIPOC-founded brands. The Impact Summit is designed to take a deeper dive into Sephora’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Aurora James, founder of 15 Percent Her Pledge, Amy Liu, founder of Tower 28, and Danessa Myricks, founder of her namesake label, were speakers.

British fashion chain Next is in talks to buy The Body Shop’s assets. However, any sale would not include The Body Shop’s most famous asset. Its brand and intellectual property are not part of the management process.

The Body Shop will close 75 stores across the UK. Factoring in 300 head office job cuts, nearly 800 people will lose their jobs. 116 stores will continue to operate after the changes.

Shiseido is inviting 1,500 employees to take early retirement as part of its cost-cutting efforts. The program is available to employees who meet certain age and tenure requirements, and applications will be accepted from April 17th to May 8th. The estimated financial impact of this action has already been factored into the company’s full-year forecast.

Famille C Participations has invested €130 million in the luxury hotel operator. The company, owned by the Cotin family, has acquired a strategic stake in luxury hotel brand Evoque Collection. The investment includes a partnership with Evoque Collection to open a Clarins Spa within the hotel.

Advent International invests in Skala Cosméticos. Advent International said the investment was made from LAPEF VII, a $2 billion fund specifically allocated to deals in Latin America. Advent International previously invested in Olaplex and Parfums de Marly.

The US FDA Commissioner is very concerned about fake weight loss drugs. Demand for weight loss drugs far exceeds supply, with some analysts predicting the weight loss drug market could reach $100 billion annually by the end of 2020. Earlier this month, the FDA sent warning letters to two online vendors for selling unapproved or counterbranded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide.