Some star-backed skincare brands have more to offer than just a famous name. We put eight of them to the test.
By Gina Way
Ididn’t want to like Kim Kardashian’s face cream. I’m decidedly not into catching up with the Kardashians, and why would Kim K become my trusted skincare guru? For that matter, why would any of the many celebrities who have co-launched, partnered with, or founded brands with lotions and potions over the past couple of years? Sure, Brad Pitt reverse-aged in Benjamin Button, Hailey Beiber does have skin that resembles a glazed donut, and Alicia Keys doesn’t need makeup—still, I remained very skeptical of what they could do for me.
I’m not the only one giving these celebs the side-eye. The proliferation of star-led beauty brands in the past two years has stirred up an understandable backlash. So I asked board-certified dermatologists Kavita Mariwalla, MD, and Ryan Turner, MD. to help me try out eight celebrity lines and read the fine print on all the ingredients lists...our findings surprised us all. (Spoiler alert: I’m now a Skkn By Kim fan.) We also learned that these brands have well-respected doctors and cosmetic chemists advising behind the scenes. The celebs themselves aren’t exactly donning lab coats and formulating lotions, but they do have a hand in the process, whether that’s thinking of the type of product to create, weighing in on packaging designs, or sampling the many iterations of a moisturizer.
The Outset Gentle Micellar Antioxidant Cleanser
Celebrity: Scarlett Johansson
Both dermatologists loved this entire line, especially the gentle, fragrance- and sulfate-free, jelly-like cleanser. “It’s a smart formulation with great moisturizers, including niacinamide, polysaccharides, and sunflower seed and safflower oils, which are biocompatible with the free fatty acids in your skin,” says Mariwalla. “This did a great job of removing makeup and mineral sunscreen without having to double cleanse.”
Skkn By Kim Face Cream
Celebrity: Kim Kardashian
I noticed an overnight improvement in my complexion after using this night cream. Was it the alfalfa complex, which is described as “a natural retinol-like extract?” “While this ingredient has some antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory properties, it’s not a dupe for a retinoid,” Mariwalla says. So how did it make my skin look so good? “There are a lot of hydrators included, like glycerin, squalane, niacinamide, and beta-glucan, which will plump your skin. It also has postbiotics to help support a healthy skin barrier,” says Turner, who also liked this cream a lot.
Loved01 Shave Cream
Celebrity: John Legend
Legend’s line works for all skin types but caters to melanin-rich skin, with antioxidants and moisturizers that specifically counter dryness and hyperpigmentation issues. (The brand has board-certified dermatologist Naana Boakye, MD, as its director of dermatology.) “All the formulas contain rose hip and sea buckthorn oils, which are high in essential fatty acids and have potent antioxidant benefits that help even skin tone,” says Mariwalla. She singled out the frothy, moisturizing Shave Cream, as did Turner: “Melanin-rich skin tends to get razor bumps due to coarser or tightly curled hair, and this cream is fortified with ceramides that help soothe and protect the skin.”
Honest Stay Hydrated Hyaluronic Acid + NMF Serum
Celebrity: Jessica Alba
We all loved the milky feel of this water-based serum. In fact, “I found this to be much more hydrating than most HA serums,” says Turner. “It contains moisturizing plant-derived oils, and plenty of really effective humectants, including hyaluronic acid, amino acids, sodium PCA, glycerin, and arginine.”
JLo Beauty That Limitless Glow Sheet Mask
Celebrity: Jennifer Lopez
“This hydrating sheet mask is infused with Japanese rice sake and yeast-derived ferments, which are known to calm and plump the skin, and it has excellent moisturizers, such as niacinamide and squalane,” says Mariwalla. (The two-piece mask also has loops that tuck behind your ears so it stays put.) When I removed the mask from my face after 20 minutes, I squeezed it out—as if I were juicing an orange—then slathered the serum residue all over my face, neck, and chest as an overnight treatment.
Le Domaine Le Serum
Celebrity: Brad Pitt
“I actually think this formula compares to physician-grade clinical antioxidant serums,” says Mariwalla. "The proprietary ingredients are science-backed." Le Domaine’s patented GSM10 (a cocktail of grape-based antioxidants) and antioxidant complex ProGR3 were developed by a team of PhDs. “ProGR3 is a combination of potent natural antioxidants, including apigenin from chamomile tea, catechin derived from green tea, and resveratrol from grape skin extract. Studies show that resveratrol may have a protective effect against the aging and breakdown of DNA protein structures called telomeres. Essentially, it may help delay deterioration,” says Turner.
Keys Soulcare Truly Becoming Multi-Benefit Peptide Serum
Celebrity: Alicia Keys
Each Keys Soulcare product has a positive affirmation on the bottle. (The one on this serum: You rise above.) We liked that message and the effective ingredients. “The tripeptide-1 in this formula is an amino acid that helps to promote collagen production, which can help firm skin over time. It also has hydrating hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and good plant-derived ingredients,” Mariwalla says.
Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment
Celebrity: Hailey Bieber
This three-piece line is a Gen Z fave. It has board-certified dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali and renowned cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson on the advisory board, which shows on the excellent list of ingredients for each product. “I like that there’s a peptide in this hydrating lip balm, and this particular one—palmitoyl tripeptide-1—has some scientific evidence that it helps promote collagen growth,” says Turner, who also thought it moisturized well and “gave lips a healthy-looking reflectiveness.”
