In the age of the professional beauty influencer-slash-beauty entrepreneur, brand ambassadors are expected to showcase a significant degree of transparency about the products they are promoting, as well as demonstrate how they work on themselves — celebrity brands aren’t an exception to this rule. Alicia Key’s skincare line, KEYS Soulcare, followed a public decision to ditch makeup altogether in 2016. Keys wore just her glowing bare face at high-profile events and photoshoots, helping legitimize the brand’s claims. Cay Skin, the sunscreen brand from Black supermodel Winne Harlow, was developed after Harlow reportedly experienced “a painful sunburn” that required emergency medical treatment and “permanently altered” the pattern of her vitiligo, a skin condition she says is “a treasured part of my identity as a woman, activist and model.” Meanwhile, Rihanna’s well-established Fenty Beauty makeup line comes with cute and relatable videos of her doing her makeup. Beyoncé and her brand are, evidently, following a reliable marketing strategy. Cécred has entered an oversaturated haircare market driven by highly knowledgeable consumers (Black women are the biggest consumers of haircare products in the world) and some had doubted whether the brand should rely solely on Beyoncé’s name alone to be successful and urged the private superstar to step into her influencer bag and give us a hair tutorial. And so she did. Complete with close-up shots of her scalp to prevent any allegations of hidden weave tracks. It felt like subtle shade to her haters — and I was here for it.
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