Okay, real talk.

I've spent way too much money testing celebrity beauty brands. Like, an embarrassing amount. My bathroom looks like a Sephora exploded in it, and honestly? I have thoughts.

You know what's wild? Some of these brands are actually incredible. Others? Total cash grabs riding on famous names. And nobody's really being honest about which is which.

So I tested them all. Every single one I could get my hands on. From Rihanna to Kylie to that random reality star who launched a lip gloss line last month.

Here's what I learned.

The Ones That Actually Slap

Let me start with the good stuff because yes, some celebrity brands are genuinely worth the hype.

Fenty Beauty changed the game. Period. Rihanna didn't just slap her name on some products - she created 40 foundation shades when everyone else was doing like, 12. The formula? Chef's kiss. I'm on my third bottle of Pro Filt'r and it's not just because I love Rihanna (though I do).

The Gloss Bomb is that girl. You know the one everyone talks about? There's a reason it went viral before TikTok even existed.

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez? I was skeptical. Another celebrity brand, whatever. But then I tried the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and my whole perspective shifted.

This stuff is PIGMENTED. Like, one tiny dot does your whole face. I've had the same bottle for eight months and it's still half full. The staying power is insane, and it looks so natural and glowy. Plus, Selena's actually transparent about her struggles with beauty standards, which feels... different? Refreshing, honestly.

If you want the full breakdown, I wrote about my experience with Rare Beauty products here.

Rhode by Hailey Bieber. Look, I know everyone's obsessed with the glazed donut skin aesthetic, and honestly? The Peptide Lip Treatment lives up to the hype. It's basically the perfect everyday lip product - not too glossy, not too matte, just that perfect your-lips-but-better vibe.

The Glazing Milk is also gorgeous if you're into that dewy, glass skin look. It's not groundbreaking, but it's solid.

The Mid-Tier Situations

These aren't bad. They're just... fine? Like, they're decent products but nothing you can't find elsewhere for less money.

Kylie Cosmetics has come a long way since those crusty lip kits from 2016. The rebrand actually improved the formulas significantly. The lipsticks are creamy now, the eyeshadows blend better. But here's the thing - they're just average luxury products at this point. Nothing special.

The packaging is cute though, I'll give her that.

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga has some hits and misses. The RIP Lip Liner is actually really good - it stays put and doesn't feather. But some of the other products feel gimmicky? Like they're trying too hard to be edgy and avant-garde when sometimes you just want a good foundation.

Honest Beauty by Jessica Alba is... honest? The products are clean and gentle, which is great if you have sensitive skin. But they're not particularly exciting. It's like the sensible older sister of celebrity beauty brands.

The Overhyped Disappointments

Okay, here's where I might get controversial.

Flower Beauty by Drew Barrymore gets so much love, and I really wanted to love it too. It's affordable, the packaging is pretty, Drew seems genuinely sweet. But the quality is just... drugstore. Which it is! But people act like it's this hidden gem when really, you can find better drugstore options for the same price.

The Light Illusion Foundation broke me out. The mascaras are clumpy. I tried, Drew. I really tried.

Milani - wait, that's not a celebrity brand technically, but people always think it is because of the packaging. Anyway.

KKW Beauty was Kim's original line before she pivoted to SKKN. The contour kits were okay but nothing revolutionary. Honestly felt like she was just capitalizing on the contouring trend she popularized. The brand has since shut down, so... that tells you something.

The Skincare Ventures

So many celebs are launching skincare now, and it's a mixed bag.

SKKN by Kim is her new skincare line, and wow, it's expensive. Like, $630 for the full routine expensive. I tried it (for journalism, obviously) and look - it's fine. The products are nice. But you can get similar results from Korean skincare at Target for literally 1/10th of the price.

The cleanser is $43. FORTY-THREE DOLLARS for a cleanser that you wash off your face. Make it make sense.

Outset by Scarlett Johansson is actually pretty good. The Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser is lovely, and the pricing is more reasonable. It feels like she actually cared about creating quality products instead of just slapping her name on random stuff.

About-Face by Halsey is interesting. It's very editorial, very artistic. The products are pigmented and fun, but they're not for everyday wear. If you're into experimental makeup looks, you'll love it. If you want a natural everyday routine? Skip it.

The "Why Does This Exist" Category

Some celebrity brands just feel like... why though?

I'm not gonna name names here because I don't want to be mean, but there are SO many celebrity fragrance lines that smell identical. Like they all went to the same manufacturer and picked from the same 5 scent profiles.

And don't even get me started on the random celebrity hair care lines that are just private label products with fancy packaging. You can find the exact same formula at TJ Maxx for $7.

The Ones I'm Still Testing

Jones Road by Bobbi Brown isn't technically a "celebrity" brand since she's a makeup artist, but people often lump it in. The What The Foundation is interesting - it's more like a tinted moisturizer situation. Very natural, very minimal.

Makeup by Mario - same deal, he's a makeup artist (Kardashian family favorite). The Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette is actually stunning. Rich, blendable, not chalky. This one's worth checking out if you love neutrals.

Item Beauty by Addison Rae is surprisingly decent? The Lid Glaze gives you that wet eyeshadow look that's all over TikTok right now. It's Gen Z makeup through and through, but it works.

Here's My Honest Ranking

Top Tier (Actually Worth It):

1. Fenty Beauty - Revolutionary and still delivering
2. Rare Beauty - Innovative formulas, great value
3. Rhode - Simple, effective, pretty packaging
4. Makeup by Mario - Pro quality at reasonable prices
5. Outset - Thoughtful skincare that works

Mid Tier (Decent But Not Essential):

6. Haus Labs - Some gems, some misses
7. About-Face - Great if you're into editorial looks
8. Kylie Cosmetics - Improved but nothing special
9. Item Beauty - Good for TikTok trends
10. Jones Road - Minimalist and natural

Lower Tier (Skip Unless On Sale):

11. Flower Beauty - Just get regular drugstore instead
12. SKKN - Way too expensive for what it is
13. Honest Beauty - Safe but boring
14. Most celebrity fragrances - Generic
15. Random hair care lines - Usually private label

The Real Tea

Here's what nobody tells you about celebrity beauty brands: most of them use the same manufacturers as regular brands. They're working with the same labs, the same formulas, just with different packaging and marketing.

The ones that succeed? They're either:

A) Actually involved in product development (Rihanna, Selena)
B) Filling a gap in the market (Fenty's shade range)
C) Offering something genuinely different (Rare Beauty's formulas)

The ones that flop? They're just slapping a famous face on generic products and hoping you'll buy them.

I've noticed that viral beauty trends often feature the same few celebrity brands over and over. There's a reason for that - some of them actually photograph well and perform on camera.

What I Actually Recommend

If you're gonna spend money on celebrity beauty brands, here's my advice:

Start with Fenty or Rare Beauty. They're the most consistent in terms of quality and innovation. The price points are reasonable for what you're getting.

Skip the super expensive skincare lines unless you're really committed to luxury products. You can get similar results from affordable retinol products or other targeted treatments.

Don't buy something just because your favorite celebrity launched it. Read reviews, check ingredients, watch YouTube demos. The parasocial relationship is real, but your bank account is realer.

The Bottom Line

Look, I love celebrity culture as much as the next person. I follow all the launches, I watch all the promo videos, I get caught up in the hype.

But after testing all these brands? Most of them are just... fine. A few are genuinely great. Some are straight-up disappointing.

The best celebrity beauty brands are the ones where you can tell the celebrity actually cares about the product, not just the paycheck. Rihanna testing 40+ foundation shades on different skin tones? That's caring. Selena being transparent about her own beauty struggles? That's caring.

Random celebrity slapping their name on a lip gloss and calling it a day? That's a cash grab.

Your move, bestie. Spend your money wisely. Or don't - it's your money. But at least now you know what you're getting into.

What celebrity brands have you tried? Are you team Fenty or team Rare Beauty? Let me know if I missed any good ones because honestly, new launches drop every week and I can barely keep up.

My wallet is tired, y'all.