In the early 1990s, Elizabeth Taylor’s perfume “White Diamonds” was an overnight success. The perfume, a carefully crafted blend of florals, citrus, and musk, felt like Taylor in a bottle. To this day, it remains the highest-selling celebrity fragrance of all time. Following Taylor’s success, celebrity brands skyrocketed in the 2000s, particularly in the beauty and fashion worlds.
In the 2000s, celebrity brands were largely licensing deals, typically sold through department stores like Macy’s or Nordstrom. By the mid-2010s, the age of social media allowed celebrities to build brands that felt more personal and sell direct-to-consumer. For example, Kylie Jenner used her personal social media accounts to build excitement for the release of “Lip Kit by Kylie”. When she finally released her first three lip kits in November 2015, her units sold out in less than a minute, and her website crashed from the amount of traffic.
Over the years, celebrities have launched so many brands that many now consider the market oversaturated, and star power no longer guarantees success. When a celebrity I am a fan of launches a brand, I am always curious to try it, but I do not always ultimately repurchase. I find myself repurchasing products when they are high-quality, long-lasting, and exciting to use. In the past few years, I have come to love a handful of brands that I believe are hidden gems worth putting on everyone’s radar. For every brand I recommend, I will also share my personal favorite product.
Below 60 Vanilla Buys a Timeshare In Paradise Diffuser Set
Hilary Duff is the Chief Brand Director of Below60, a home fragrance line best known for their plug-in diffusers. Their scents, with unique names like “Meet Me in the Garden” and “If Citrus Were a Feeling”, thoughtfully capture an emotion or a memory. Most importantly, they use clean ingredients and avoid many common chemicals. Compared to leading diffuser brands that rely on synthetic fragrances, Below 60 formulates with essential oils and sustainably sourced fragrance oils. I have their diffusers plugged in three different rooms, and I like alternating the scents for season. My favourite scent is “Vanilla Buys a Timeshare in Paradise,” a refreshing blend of vanilla, coconut, and pineapple.
LolaVie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner
If there is a perfect person to be a founder of a haircare company, it is Jennifer Aniston. From the moment “Friends” debuted and the “Rachel” haircut was introduced, she had the most famous head of hair in the world. She debuted Lolavie in 2021, and on the brand’s first anniversary, they finally released haircare for the shower.
Everyone needs shampoo and conditioner, and I have found the LolaVie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner to be the perfect ones. While I am not an expert in the science of haircare, I know my hair feels cleaner and healthier than ever. The products feature minimalist packaging and a light scent that creates a relaxing sensory experience in your shower.
Homecourt Cece Exfoliating Hand Wash
If Aniston is the perfect founder for a haircare company, her “Friend,” Courteney Cox, is the perfect founder for a homecare company. Homecourt sells soaps, laundry room essentials and cleaning supplies that would make Monica Geller proud. With their products, everyday routines become exciting rituals.
Every product comes in a collection of fine fragrances, including Courteney’s signature and my personal favorite, Cece. With notes of cedarwood smoke, cinnamon, and white leather, it is warm, earthy, and intimate. I have always loved Homecourt’s soaps, and since the brand released the Exfoliating Hand Wash last month, my hands have never felt softer.
Sonsie Super Serum
After her decision to stop wearing makeup a few years ago, Pamela Anderson sparked a broader conversation about why we use beauty products in the first place. In January 2024, she became co-founder of Sonsie Skin, a clean skincare brand built around a mindful philosophy. While many skincare brands promote the messages of “anti-aging” or “fixing” your skin, Sonsie believes that skincare is “an act of self-acceptance, not self-improvement.” They intentionally take a “less is more” approach to beauty, selling only five products to build an essential routine. My personal favourite, Super Serum, is designed to give sensitive skin a dewy glow.
Paris Hilton Epic Nonstick Pots and Pans Set
Cookware is one of those household items everyone needs, but if you are not much of a home cook, it can feel like a chore to buy. However, when Paris Hilton released her cookware collection, I was genuinely excited to replace my cookware and to cook more recipes.
It is durable, high-quality, and, most importantly, her signature shade of bubblegum pink. Her cookware combines practicality and aesthetics, turning boring everyday objects into rituals that spark joy. My personal favorite items in the collection are the practical bento-style snack boxes, the cheeky “That’s Hot” tea kettle, and the classic pots-and-pans set.
Being Frenshe Magnesium Bath Salts in Cashmere Vanilla
Founded by Ashley Tisdale, Frenshe debuted as a wellness blog and expanded into a product line two years later. Through its MoodScience™ Scent Technology, the brand designs fragrances to support mood and well-being. Cashmere Vanilla, in particular, was designed to soothe and comfort.
Because of this, I like to use the products in a bath before bed, and a spray of the linen mist on my pillows and blankets is the cherry on top. If I had to choose a favorite product in the Cashmere Vanilla collection, it would be the Magnesium Bath Salts. With the benefits of magnesium and the aroma, it is a perfect way to physically and mentally unwind.
Blake Brown Fundamental Strengthening Mask in Sandalwood Vanille
While there has been some online criticism of Blake Lively’s haircare brand, Blake Brown Beauty, I will come to its defense. As a “Gossip Girl” lover, I was admittedly excited to try her products, but I am able to be unbiased. My final verdict? I genuinely liked everything I tried, and I love how the products work together.
The brand has a philosophy of alternating between its Strengthening and Nourishing systems, allowing your hair to receive maximum benefits and prevent building a tolerance to a single formula. Further, their fragrances are built on a signature woody base. Because of this, they are easy to layer into a personalized scent which will have you showered with compliments. My favorite products were the masks, which the brand uses in place of conditioner for deeper care. After using the Fundamental Strengthening Mask, I could feel my hair becoming stronger.
As Ever Raspberry Spread
Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, has also been the subject of much online discussion and debate. I bought the original product, the Raspberry Spread, when it debuted last spring. I think it is a unique alternative to traditional jams that use a 1:1 ratio of fruit and sugar. Their ingredient list is simple: raspberries, lemon juice, and a small amount of cane sugar and fruit pectin. Because it uses less sugar, it has a more natural fruit taste and a thinner consistency. You can drizzle it on breakfast foods like crepes, on a charcuterie board, or even on ice cream.
K2O Advanced Strength Hydration Mix
As the wellness boom continues, everyone knows the benefits of hydration. I bought a large Stanley water bottle a few years ago and got into the subconscious habit of drinking much more water. I don’t quite like plain water, so I have always added Liquid IV. Kylie Jenner recently launched her own line of hydration packets focused on beauty and skin benefits.
As a skincare lover, I was intrigued. Beyond the essential electrolytes, her hydration packets contain hyaluronic acid and collagen. Further, they have much less sodium than traditional hydration packets, making them healthier and better-tasting. They come in three fruity flavors so far, and I recommend choosing the variety pack to try them all.
Mémoire Love Birds World Box
Mémoire is a bit of an outlier on this list. It debuted only a couple of weeks ago and sits at a luxury price point. Founded by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the lifestyle brand was created to design timeless objects meant to become keepsakes and, ultimately, heirlooms. The products are organized into four “worlds”: “High Castle,” “Secret Garden,” “Glass Lake,” and my personal favorite, “Love Birds.” Every world has a World Box, a bundle of products within a box designed to store memories. The boxes include stationery, a glass candle, and a refillable leather notebook. Their collection also includes leather frames and luggage tags. Everything is made with the finest craftsmanship and designed to be personalized and gifted.
As the world continues to become more digital, physical memories are more meaningful than ever. The products provoke a sentimental feeling that money can not buy. When I first saw the products, I loved imagining which memories would prompt me to use them, especially the items designed for handwriting. I am most excited to use the stationery to write notes for unexpected occasions, and the notebook to write about special moments as they happen. In the world of Mémoire, moments become treasures.
Final Verdict
When I read the list of brands and products I’ve put together, I see a shared thread of finding beauty and pleasure in everyday moments. As a long-time fan inspired by the celebrity founders, I believe their brands come from genuine passion and love. If they weren’t on your radar before, I’m happy to be the messenger.
