In this edition of the Glossy+ Research Briefing, we dive into Beyoncé’s new hair-care brand launch and examine how other celebrity beauty brands have seen rapid sales growth in the last year.
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Celeb beauty brands surpassed $1 billion in sales last year
Breaking news: This arrival of hair-care brand Cécred by Beyoncé this week was met with much industry fanfare. This eight-piece collection is inspired by “hair rituals from global cultures” with a focus on nourishing all hair types — especially textures that need more moisture. Cécred is led by CEO Grace Ray, former CEO of Living Proof and Milani.
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Beyoncé’s golden locks have long been a signature look for the artist. But her connection to the hair industry started when she was a young girl helping her mother, Tina Knowles, at her own Houston-based salon “Headliners Hair Salon.” Beyoncé’s hair-care line was created in collaboration with her mom and serves as a continuation of her involvement with the history and culture of black hair care.
Cécred enters an already crowded hair-care space, with many celebrity-founded brands:
- TPH (available at Target and Walmart) by actress Taraji P. Henson
- Pattern Beauty (available at Ulta) by actress Tracee Ellis Ross
- Flawless Curls (available at Amazon and Sally Beauty) by actress Gabrielle Union
- Donna’s Recipe (available at Amazon and Ulta) by chef Tabitha Brown
- Kenya Moore Hair (available at Sally Beauty) by “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Kenya Moore
- 4u by Tia (available at Walmart) by actress Tia Mowry
- Inala (available at Amazon and Urban Outfitters) by TV personality and actress Alani Nicole “La La” Anthony
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Research dive: Forty-three celebrity beauty brands tracked in a study by NielsenIQ surpassed $1 billion in sales for the first time in 2023. During the 52 weeks ending Nov. 4, 2023, celebrity beauty brands also experienced greater sales growth than the total beauty category — up 57.8% versus the prior year, while total beauty was up 11.1%, according to NIQ. Celebrity brands that saw the most success were those whose founder had a clear purpose and authentic connection with their followers, indicating that loyal beauty consumers and enthusiasts want to know the “why” behind a brand.
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