6 beauty products that sold out immediately after a celebrity shout out
From our most basic purchases, to the bags we buy and the cars we drive (ahem, Matthew McConaughey and his Lincoln) we’re all swayed in one way or another by subliminal and not-so-subliminal messaging. It’s hard to say exactly what leads us to buy one brand of soy milk over another, but if a celebrity touted the delicious taste, chances are it’d weigh heavily on our buying habits. And while we’re generally aware of a celeb sharing an authentic favourite or experience (like Brangelina eating at Subway), to the less authentic variety, such a painful Proactive commercial, their sales pitches are certainly effective.
Of course, an unprompted suggestion goes a lot further for people looking for genuine results and reviews. A celebrity’s stamp of approval adds an instant cool factor that speaks volumes for a brand, and can ultimately help sway the consumer. When a celebrity approves a lipstick by simply wearing it, their honest approach resonates with fans. With their unlimited resources, global reach and access to the best products worldwide, their opinions make waves regardless of the product. And when these famous faces openly opt for something a little bit more familiar like drugstore mascara, we can all jump on that beauty bandwagon and rejoice. So with that in mind, we’re going to take you on a trip down memory lane as we uncover seven beauty products that were raved by (by the right person).
From Kylie Jenner to Angelina Jolie, this roundup that will uncover the best in beauty as appointed by Hollywood’s most famous faces.
Lupita Nyong’o It wasn’t too long ago that golden girl Lupita Nyong’o innocently pulled out her Clarins lip balm during last year’s Oscar as a gratuity for Ellen DeGeneres’s pizza delivery stunt. And when Ellen soon after said, “Lupita’s lip balm! That’s worth something!” she certainly knew a tidal wave in the form of a beauty buy was about to hit. Suddenly Lupita’s lip balm, which actually turned into a trending hashtag, (#LupitasLipBalm) was selling out overnight.
While this wasn’t a paid for publicity stunt by Clarins by any means, the major beauty brand published a press release acknowledging Lupita and her now-famous selling power over the balm. Not only was the brand on the mouths and minds of everyone tuned into the ceremony, but sales went through the roof. Thanks to a few seconds of airtime on the most watched award show of the season, a typical lip moisturizer was now a heavily sought-after beauty buy.
Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Balm ($26, clarins.ca)
Kylie Jenner
If the resurrection of ’90s fashion isn’t enough to send us into our best version of the Hammer dance, than the revival of the decade’s best beauty is enough to send us into a tailspin. The ’90s was a decade of loud colours, crop tops and over-lined lips. When this now-famous beauty trend was spotted on a few of Hollywood’s elite (think Pamela Anderson’s drawn on pout), a cult craze was born and a few lip liners became instant classics.
And like many trends from the ’90s, they soon died off not to be seen or spoken of until recently. Cue Kylie Jenner, a teen with a famous last name and an even more famous set of lips. While there has been a lot of controversy surrounding her ever-expanding pout, she’s recently admitted to enhancing her most famous feature with fillers and liners alike. Luckily for her fans everywhere, Kylie named M.A.C’s pencil in “Spice” as her favourite, which is already a mainstay at every M.A.C counter. But now that she’s revealed her sworn-by shade, the universally flattering hue has become almost impossible to track down. This spike in popularity has also caused a shortage at department stores everywhere, making it a best-selling product and must-have for many. A word to the wise, if you do happen to spot this unicorn of a beauty product, grab it while you still can.
M.A.C Cosmetics Lip Pencil in “Spice” ($16, maccosmetics.com)
Rihanna This pop princess is known for her impeccable style and taste, so when she posted an Instagram selfie of her wearing an electric violet lipstick, the world wanted in on her secret. And this time around, it wasn’t just one snap of the celebrity wearing the shade; Rihanna flooded her feed with several shots of her mysterious purple pout. After RiRi revealed what shade she was sporting, the hue sold out immediately.
Luckily for her friend who provided her with the hue, the lipstick belonged to her company Free Spirit Cosmetics, and suddenly all eyes were on her start-up. Not only does this prove that Rihanna’s pull is pretty powerful, but if you’re looking to sell a vibrant colour that requires a bad gal to rock it, befriend Rihanna and your line will go viral.
Free Spirit Cosmetics Lipstick in “Purple Haze”
Alexa Chung
The model and muse to many isn’t just a pretty face, she’s also quite business savvy as well. Alexa Chung is probably most famous for her always-impeccable cat-eye, so an inevitable foray into the beauty business, and more specifically, Eyeko was a complete no brainer. In an interview with WWD she said that, “Liquid liner is my savior,” Chung said. “Other people like other things to feel like they look normal, but for me, I’m pretty much naked without my eyeliner on. It’s my comfort blanket.”
So when the model revealed that she would finally debut her line at a Selfridges in London, the sell-out was almost instantaneous. And what made her appearance even more spectacular was that her celebrity drew in immense crowds that nearly shut the store down. The model-meets-makeup technique will always make sense to both beauty brands and consumers.
Eyeko Liquid Eyeliner ($16, eyeko.com)
Margot Robbie:
This year’s Academy Awards was nothing short of spectacular, especially when Margot Robbie sashayed down the red carpet with her head-turning lip shade. And while the actress is entirely stunning in her own right, her makeup artist Tyron Macchausen pulled off a complete beauty win when he paired her bold pout with styled down and sleek hair.
Of course, the beauty circuit was gawking and guessing as to what brand she could be sporting, so when the magic words were revealed, beauty websites everywhere were flooded with fans. Robbie’s buzzed about Oscar’s lipstick was Hourglass’s Opaque Rouge Liquid lipstick in Raven, which was so sought after that it even sold out in Australia. So for anyone looking to channel some of her cool girl vibes this shade is still hard to come by, but worth the hunt at any rate.
Hourglass Opaque Rouge Lipstick in “Raven” ($12, sephora.com)
Angelina Jolie:
For many, Angelina can do no wrong, so when she swiped lip gloss on her famous pout at the Golden Globes in 2011, the world stood still (too much?). When the live camera panned to her face, the actress pulled out the gloss and her fans and followers were left wondering what brand she was wearing. Luckily, the product was soon after revealed, and the beauty buy in question was Chantecaille’s Brilliant Gloss in Love.
And while this is one of the pricier glosses you could splurge on, the hue sold out on the companies website and department stores all over. The famous face was such a fan of the brand that she even wore a similar Chantecaille gloss on her lips on her cover of Vanity Fair in 2011. So for anyone looking to spend a little to feel luxe, look no further than this actress-turned-humanitarian’s makeup bag.
Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in “Love” ($46, nordstrom.com)
