Authentic Branding is to the Success of a Makeup Line as Water is to Humans

Now more than ever, I have noticed an influx of makeup lines, especially celebrities starting makeup brands. It makes sense why: celebrities have a tremendous amount of influence over their followers and makeup is an extremely profitable business with one of the highest margins. However, sometimes I will see a celebrity come out with a makeup line and just think to myself “Oh great, another one”. And I had this exact thought when Selena Gomez released her brand “Rare Beauty”, and I was wrong to think that because not only do I love the brand’s products, but more importantly, I am so impressed by their branding. 

I was confused as to why Selena Gomez was releasing a makeup line because I’ve never really associated her with makeup. However, I’ve learned that the strength of her association with makeup did not really matter because Rare Beauty’s mission statement and branding is so strong. Rare Beauty’s mission statement is to provide the tools to make people feel good and be comfortable with themselves; it’s not about being perfect. The brand promotes breaking down unrealistic expectations and standards and embracing one’s own uniqueness. For a predominant chunk of Selena’s life, she has advocated for kindness, the importance of mental health, and accepting herself as she is. In addition, Selena is aware that she is not a makeup artist or aficionado, but that adds to the intentions of the brand because it shows these products are something anyone and everyone can use. Every now and then, Selena will pop onto the Rare Beauty Instagram page or TikTok, and just show how she uses her own products. It feels like she is so connected to her brand, and that for me is such a selling point. The authenticity shines through. 

When the motivations of the face of a company align with the company’s motivations as well, it makes it very simple for a customer to connect the dots and be pulled in. In addition, when the intentions behind the brand is to promote inclusivity and self-acceptance, it will always resonate with people.Inclusivity is not just a word in their mission statement, but it can be clearly seen in their shade range and promotional images across their website and social media platforms. A brand can succeed when its focus is on the customers, not the products. On Rare Beauty’s “About Us” page, the text emphasizes how this brand and its products are supposed to make someone feel, not how amazing a product is. As humans, we need to be able to create that emotional connection before we consider looking into the logistics of a product. In Rare Beauty’s case, they have created this beautiful community and mission, and guess what? They happen to actually have amazing products too! One of Selena’s main focuses was on the product development side of the brand. And the reviews are in! People cannot get enough of Rare Beauty, it has been so successful. Even the product names promote kindness and positivity. With such authentic and solid branding and quality makeup, Rare Beauty is quite the force in the makeup industry.