The Skinny on Celebrities and Men’s Skincare

Last week it was announced that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was launching a skincare brand, adding his name to the fast-growing list of skincare lines tied to male actors, musicians, and other celebrities known for their accomplishments outside the beauty and wellness industry.

The landscape is varied. Most of the celeb-connected lines, which range from premium to affordably priced, are sustainable and free of chemicals, as has become the norm with collaborations in the beauty industry. In some cases, the products are developed specifically for men, with a stated goal of filling white space in that market and/or getting men to focus more on their skin health and remove any stigmas related to using skincare formulations. But the majority are unisex, meant to be effective for anyone. Many involve celebrities who are known for their skincare or wellness regimens, giving them credibility and authenticity in the market, while others have attracted skepticism due to the celebrities’ past remarks suggesting disinterest in the subject.

Here are some examples that have come on the market since this trend took off in 2022:

• Johnson’s new line, called Papatui, launched yesterday (March 10), starting with 12 items including soap, body wash, hydrating facial cleanser, toner, daily facial moisturizer, eye gel, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and scent. The range also includes the more unusual—but on brand for the actor and wrestler—tattoo stick and tattoo balm, both made with coconut oil and mango butter. The audience is broad; males all the way from teens to older men were in mind when the line was designed, but all the products are unisex. Each item retails for under $10. Retail partner Target, which was involved in the development of the line, is carrying the range in 1,900 stores and on Target.com

• Skateboarder-actor Evan Mock joined Good Weird as creative director shortly after its debut in March 2023. Described as an “optimistic” skincare and beauty brand for Gen Z consumers, the unisex line is meant to both address current skincare needs, such as acne, and promote long-term skin health. The first three products at launch were a bronzer, a moisture stick, and an under-eye serum.

• Singer John Legend launched Loved01 (pronounced “Loved One”) in January 2023, in partnership with A-Frame Brands. The skin- and bodycare brand, which is unisex, is formulated specifically for melanin-rich skin. Products include face wash, shaving cream, lotions, moisturizer, toning mists, scrubs, wipes, exfoliating cleanser, soap, and face and body oil. Every product in the Loved01 range is priced at $15 or less. Initially available at Walmart, the brand expanded to Amazon in January of this year.

• Jared Leto introduced Twentynine Palms in late 2022 as a premium line encompassing hair, skin, and body care, with ingredients sourced from the Mojave desert and formulations inspired by Joshua Tree National Park. The brand generated some controversy as the actor had said in the past that he did not really have a skincare or beauty routine. In September 2023, Leto confirmed the line had been discontinued, accusing his partner Maapilim Ltd of breach of contract and mismanagement.

• Michael Strahan, NFL athlete turned sports commentator and news presenter, who also has an apparel line, introduced his men’s skincare and grooming brand, Michael Strahan Daily Defense, in CVS stores in September 2022. Launch products, all priced at $14 or less, included face and beard wash, shaving lotion and post-shave balm, beard oil, and face and neck moisturizer, most with specific properties such as hydration, calming, and conditioning. The line was developed with Evolved By Nature and contains ingredients formulated from silk protein.

• Travis Barker, drummer for the band Blink-182, launched Barker Wellness in September 2022. The fragrance-free products, starting with a daily moisturizer, eye serum, face serum, renewal balm, and two-in-one face cleanser and mask, with more products added since the introduction, are vegan and CBD-infused and are an extension of the Barker Wellness CBD line, which initially focused on gummies, tinctures, and pet tinctures. The brand offers a Kourtney x Barker Wellness collection of calming and rejuvenating bath flakes, bath soaks, and bundles in collaboration with Barker’s wife Kourtney Kardashian.

• Actor Idris Elba, along with his wife, model Sabrina Dhowre Elba, launched S’Able Labs in 2022 to market genderless skincare products including cleanser, moisturizer, and toner. Many of the ingredients, which include baobab, are sourced in Africa. Like Legend’s brand, the products are tailored to melanin-rich skin, addressing specific issues including hyperpigmentation. Most products initially have been sold online, but there is some retail distribution and the hope is to expand that.

• Actor Brad Pitt came to market with Le Domaine in 2022, in partnership with Famille Perrin, partners with Pitt in a vineyard he owns in France that supplies ingredients, including grape water, Grenache seeds, and Syrah and Mourvèdre skins, used in the line. The products—cream, serum, fluid cream, and cleansing emulsion to start—are gender-neutral and appropriate for all skin types. The launch attracted some pushback, due to the line’s very high prices and the fact that Pitt did not seem to have a skincare routine or any interest in the category prior to the introduction. However, the products won a number of awards in 2023, including from GQ, Glamour, Women’s Health, Robb Report, and Elle. The brand expanded into retail in the U.S. with Bluemercury in June 2023.

While most of the action in male celebrity-backed skincare has occurred since 2022, there were examples before that. Harry Styles launched Pleasing, which includes beauty and wellness products as well as a variety of lifestyle goods, in 2021, for example, while Pharrell Williams debuted his skincare brand, Humanrace, in 2020. Ryan Seacrest introduced a men’s skincare line back in 2015.

These men are following in the footsteps of their female contemporaries, many of whom expanded their focus from traditional cosmetics and fragrance deals into skincare around 2018 to 2019, with Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna among those who have entered the space.

The skincare category in general has been doing very well of late, driven in part by the plentiful celebrity-associated launches. In the U.S., 2023 sales of prestige skincare products (high-end products sold through department and specialty stores) increased by 14% over 2022, according to Circana, while sales for skincare products in mass channels were up 11%.