EXCLUSIVE: Jeffree Star to Launch Skin Care Brand
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Jeffree Star is growing his beauty empire to a new category.
The beauty influencer and YouTube star-turned-entrepreneur is gearing up to debut Jeffree Star Skin, a line that’s been years in the making. The brand is launching with seven products on Feb. 25 that offer a full skin care routine and reflect Star’s own everyday essentials.
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“[The pandemic] opened up a whole new world and we just happened to be developing skin care for years now, so the timing of the pandemic and this launch is bizarre and cool,” Star said. “I’ve always loved skin. I’ve been reviewing skin care for years, so it was a natural progression. I think we definitely dominated the crazy color cosmetics industry, so I really wanted to give the customer an experience, but also formulas that worked.”
From the lineup, Jeffree Star Skin has two hero products: its Morning Dew Hydrating Eye Cream for $24 and its Magic Star Hydrating Moisturizer for $28. The eye cream is formulated with ingredients like red algae, vitamin C and caffeine to firm the skin, reduce puffiness and brighten the area. The product also offers a cooling tip applicator that helps with puffiness. The moisturizer is made with niacinamide, sugar-derived squalene and apple extract to hydrate, brighten and sculpt the face.
Courtesy of Jeffree Star Skin
For Star, it was important to do a thorough formulation process to create effective products with unique and clean ingredients. He explained his products use a higher percentage of niacinamide to promote hydration and calm irritation and are free of alcohol and synthetic fragrances.
Star explained the brand is a natural extension of his highly popular Jeffree Star Cosmetics brand, which he launched in 2014 and has grown to be one of the most successful influencer-launched beauty brands on the market. The makeup brand has become known for its bold colors, flashy packaging and, at times, controversial collection themes.
The founder is bringing over some of the makeup brand’s ethos to skin care, stating: “I always want to be very gaudy and dramatic, but [the skin care line] isn’t as dramatic as Jeffree Star Cosmetics. It had to be a subdued version.”
This is seen in the brand’s packaging, which incorporates the same light pink hue as the makeup brand. The moisturizer, for one, is housed in a clear reflective jar that’s meant to resemble a diamond. The packaging also includes Star’s signature star motif.
Courtesy of Jeffree Star Skin
“It’s the perfect prep,” Star said on how the skin care brand complements Jeffree Star Cosmetics. “If you really want to get that Jeffree Star face and that skin, then this is the perfect thing. I know I haven’t put out a foundation yet — that’ll come out one day — but the full line, prior to makeup application, will make you look stunning. Your skin is going to look like a mannequin.”
Since Star launched his namesake makeup brand, the influencer beauty brand market has grown tremendously in size, with virtually every big name launching their own ventures both successfully and unsuccessfully. On the state of the current influencer beauty brand market, however, Star answered bluntly that “it’s dead.”
“Obviously I was a piece of the beauty puzzle, but I think overall beauty was a trend, right?” he said. “I think the internet pushed beauty into this huge thing, but COVID-19 kind of took that out. YouTube slowed down, makeup sales slowed down for the whole industry. Influencer culture has definitely shifted. There aren’t many [influencer brands,] it’s kind of a graveyard. I love some of the new people like Mikayla [Nogueira] on TikTok and people who just genuinely love makeup and they’re not into drama. I know that might sound a little funny coming from me, but it’s nice to see normal cool reviews from people again without all the craziness.”
The “craziness” refers to a time in the YouTube beauty community of heightened drama between many of the biggest influencers, such as in 2019 when James Charles and Tati Westbrook were involved in a very public feud that ended up involving many other influencers, including Star and his former collaborator Shane Dawson.
“I think there was a pinnacle moment of the drama-geddon moments and all of these things that just made the beauty industry weird,” he explained. “I don’t know how it all happened. I’m writing a book right now, so I’m deciphering through my version. I think influencer culture has definitely shifted. The consumer doesn’t want drama and they just want facts and information, which is nice.”
For the future of Jeffree Star Skin, Star already has other products lined up for release and will be partnering with wholesalers at a later date after initially launching on his own website.
“I just wanted something where if someone picks up one of the items and tries it, they get an effect,” he said. “Like I see something that’s changed or my skin is softer than before. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised. I don’t think people are going to be doubting that it’s going to work or not because I have a good track record, but you never know.”
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