Why the Make-up Money Train turns stars into BILLIONAIRES and who's the real winner – from Molly-Mae to Kim Kardashian

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SELENA Gomez has joined Rihanna and Kim Kardashian on the Makeup Money Train as the singer has officially amassed a fortune worth $1.3billion (£973 million).

And while these women are known for other talents like singing, and acting, their big fortune has come from the beauty industry.

Selena’s billion dollar wealth has come mainly from her Rare Beauty make-up company making her one of the "youngest female self-made" stars, according to Bloomberg. 

She is one of many A-List women, including Rihanna and Kylie Jenner, making millions from cosmetics.

In 2022, the global market for personal care and beauty reached an impressive $1,088.7 billion (£809.54bn) which showcases the opportunities here.

Beauty PR expert and director of We are Lucy says: "The beauty and wellbeing market is something that is only ever increasing and teamed with the power of social media for these mega influencers – you are onto a winner."

This means the beauty industry is now one of the most lucrative avenues for A-listers to go into.

Megan Boyle, head of PR at TAL Agency, says: "We're seeing an increasing number of celebrities launching their own beauty brands. 

"The potential for passive income, premium pricing, and brand diversification makes beauty a lucrative and tempting venture. 

"Many celebrities that have brands will have a genuine interest in beauty and skincare, viewing their brands as a way to express themselves creatively and influence beauty trends.

"But it's also a way to leverage their existing fan base by tapping into a ready-made market; the type of people within their following are likely already interested in the likes of makeup and skincare."

Here, we take a look at the celebs with the biggest global beauty empires.

Rihanna

Fenty Beauty: Estimated £477 million turnover

Introduced in 2017 across 17 countries, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna has become the most successful celebrity cosmetics line globally. 

Since her launch, Rihanna, who holds a 50 per cent stake in the brand alongside luxury goods company LVMH, is the celebrity to beat when it comes to having a successful beauty empire. 

She earned her top place by providing make-up for all skin tones, and prioritising formulas suitable for all skin types to ensure inclusivity for women everywhere.

Celebrity brands often command a higher price point than non-celebrity brands for a number of reasons

Megan Boyle

Riley Gardiner, Founder of No Strings Public Relations, says: "Stars like Rihanna have adeptly capitalised on personal branding to create strong connections with their audiences. 

"Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, introduced in 2017, significantly changed the landscape by emphasising inclusivity with its extensive foundation shade range. 

"This innovative approach addressed a clear market need, positioning Fenty as a decisive industry leader."

Selena Gomez 

Rare Beauty: Estimated £299 million turnover

Selena’s cosmetics brand was launched in September 2020 and promotes self-acceptance and individuality, encouraging people to embrace their unique qualities.

The brand, which partnered with one of the biggest luxury beauty stockists, SpaceNK, offers products including foundations, concealers, lipsticks, blushes, and in a variety of shades to cater to various skin tones.

The financial success of these ventures often arises from the merging of genuine branding

Riley Gardiner

According to Bloomberg, the brand reportedly did net sales of $400m (£299 million) in the 12 months to February.

Megan says: "Celebrity brands often command a higher price point than non-celebrity brands for a number of reasons.

“These include the perceived higher quality when endorsed by celebs, the exclusivity of limited editions, incredibly strong brand loyalty, and a big marketing budget – allowing them to invest in marketing stunts, pay for famous faces to front their campaigns and ultimately get them 'everywhere.'

"Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez has gained significant popularity – almost overnight – for its focus on mental health awareness and inclusive products."

Trinny Woodhall

Trinny London: Estimated £180 million 

Following years of experience in the fashion and beauty industry, Trinny launched her business “from her kitchen table” in 2017 with the aim of “giving everyone the tools to be their best.”

Today, her beauty brand, Trinny London, is generating a big fortune as she has a customer base of 1.2million people around the world. 

Launching online in 2017, with make-up targeted at women over 35, followed by skincare in 2022, Trinny has now built an £180 million beauty empire.

Megan says: "Trinny Woodall's journey from TV personality to successful beauty guru is a testament to her passion, expertise, and ability to connect with the audience she's built up over the years.

Beauty products are often more accessible, and are viewed as a daily essential or affordable luxury

Megan Boyle

“With decades of experience in both fashion and beauty, Trinny spotted a gap in the market for a more accessible and personalised beauty brand that catered to women of all ages and backgrounds.

“A strong move, given a high percentage of her following will be made up of women who watched her on the TV years ago. 

"Building on her foundation of expertise, Trinny created a brand that focused on personalisation and products that were easy to use; they were designed to be customised to individual needs and preferences, making them feel more personal and effective. 

"She used her platform to share her knowledge and advice on beauty, fashion, and lifestyle, positioning herself as a trusted name in the industry giving out sage advice."

Kim Kardashian

Kkw Beauty, Inc: Estimated annual turnover £100 million

She transformed herself from reality TV star to one of the leading female business women in the world. 

The 43-year-old first launched her beauty brand in June 2017 selling her well-known contoured makeup look, before entering the KKW Fragrance in November that year.

She's also embarked on celebrity collaborations, including Winnie Harlow, Mario Dedivanovic and Kylie Jenner. 

The range includes cleansers, toners, hyaluronic acid serum, face creams and oil drops.

It also features home accessories, including a waste basket made of concrete for £130.

Despite products costing up to £200, beauty fans are still flocking to buy them.

Kim shifted 300,000 units of her signature Creme Contour Kits within two hours of their launch in 2017.

Riley says: "The financial success of these ventures often arises from the merging of genuine branding and personal identity. 

"Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS and KKW Beauty are brilliant at transforming social media presence into consumer trust, achieving considerable sales and recognition."

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham Beauty: Estimated annual turnover £89.1million

Introduced in 2019, Victoria Beckham Beauty quickly emerged as the most profitable segment of Victoria Beckham’s business portfolio.

Despite her fashion label reporting a £5.9 million loss in 2021, the beauty products have played a significant role in maintaining her overall earnings.

Megan says: "When it comes to Victoria Beckham, her fashion line has seen success on the catwalks and the pages of Vogue, but not so much when it comes to the everyday person.

“However, Victoria Beckham Beauty, on the other hand, has skyrocketed in popularity.

Molly-Mae's success in beauty has proved it's not only Hollywood stars who can win big in this space

Carol Driver

“This drastic difference in success is probably caused her target audience alignment; her fashion line often targets a high-end, luxury, ready-to-wear market which can limit the potential customer base – especially in today's time of economic uncertainty.

“On the other hand, beauty products – especially skincare – are often more accessible, and are viewed as a daily essential or affordable luxury. 

"It may also come down to personal branding; Victoria's personal style is often associated with her fashion brand, which may not resonate with everyone.

“Whereas her beauty line can be seen as an extension of her personal care routine, making it more relatable to consumers."

Molly-Mae Hague

Filter By Molly-Mae: Estimated annual turnover £300k

She has been dubbed the UK's Kim Kardashian thanks to her shrewd business acumen and savvy social media skills. 

The 25-year-old has an estimated net worth of £6 million and that's thanks to her career as creative director at Pretty Little Thing – which reportedly saw her net a £400 million salary – as well as social media earnings, and her beauty brand Filter by Molly-Mae. 

Who doesn't want to look as flawless as these stars, like Molly-Mae?

Carol Driver

The mum-of-one launched Filter in 2019 which sells popular products including body polish and a body crème.

Filter by Molly-Mae is considered one of her successful business endeavours, contributing to her overall financial success.

Carol Driver, a journalist and PR expert, says: "While Molly-Mae's success in beauty has proved it's not only Hollywood stars who can win big in this space. 

"These savvy entrepreneurs are essentially monetising their fame by creating beauty products that feel like extensions of their personas, allowing fans to buy into a piece of their lifestyle. 

"And who doesn't want to look as flawless as these stars, like Molly-Mae?"