This month, two huge makeup brands released new collections. Fenty Beauty, Rihanna’s new company, was announced on August 1st with the collection launch on September 9th. Estée Lauder, who first teamed up with Victoria Beckham to release a collection last year, is now in its second collection with VB, released on September 1st. So, with these two iconic collections, which do you go for?
There is a clear difference in the target consumer of each, as both brands are geared toward different shoppers. One such contrast clearly rests on the price points. While Fenty Beauty is carried at Sephora, VB x EL is stocked at higher-end department stores. The Fenty Beauty Invisamatte Blotting Powder retails for $32, whereas the VB x EL Skin Perfecting Powder goes for $85.
Fenty Beauty is accessible to anyone who shops at Sephora, competing with brands like Urban Decay, Too Faced, Anastasia Beverly Hills and more. However, Fenty Beauty came out with a bang. In its release, there were over 40 different foundation shades ranging from very pale to very dark. This comprehensive coverage leaves brands that have existed for over a decade in the dust. It shames brands that do not provide ranges that cover all skin tones. This has caused many people to rejoice. The age-old argument of “no one will buy the darkest shade” has been laid to rest after the four darkest shades were sold old first. Because of the precedent Rihanna has set, other brands must scramble to keep up.
When looking specifically at the products, one can tell that this collection is meant for glamorous makeup looks. The foundation is full coverage, the Match Stix are for intense contour and highlighting, her Killawatt Freestyle Highlighters are for shimmery looks on either the eyes or cheeks, and the Gloss Bomb lip gloss has high shine and a rich mix of pink, nude and brown which allows it to work for all skin tones.
This buyer is younger, probably around 16-28, and isn’t afraid to make a statement with their makeup look.
In comparison, Victoria Beckham’s collection is clearly for a different consumer. While people flocked to buy Rihanna’s makeup because of the way it fits everyone, VB’s line is more exclusive to those who can afford it. The buyer is clearly someone who has a larger budget and wants the best quality products money can buy. It is no secret that VB has worked extremely hard with Estée Lauder to guarantee great quality products. She has also worked to match her collections in makeup to her Ready-To-Wear fashion line. Her makeup is light and understated. The face products are seamless and everything is meant to make the buyer look effortlessly perfected.
This buyer is probably around 35-60 years old, and wants to look fresh-faced and youthful without too much intensity.
With these two strong women taking the makeup industry by storm, they will make sure to cater to their separate audiences. With Fenty Beauty emphasizing heavier coverage (with a foundation that focuses more on oily skin) and VB x EL supplying a high-end, scaled back beauty (with an Illuminating Creme in place of a foundation—focusing on dry skin), these makeup titans hit both ends of the spectrum and don’t seem to be stopping there.
[Feature Image by Pexels]