Lady Gaga’s makeup line Haus Labs has officially expanded from the US into the UK. Before you ask, the answer is no, there’s no word on when the range will officially hit Aussie shores. However, this feels like a step in the right direction.
Amongst all the celebrating that comes along with launching into a new market, the “Poker Face” singer has also opened up on the challenges she faced side-stepping into a new industry. Even though her greatest hurdle in launching a celeb-owned beauty brand is totally valid, it sounds a little different to something the average joe would face. Nevertheless, we love the insight.
Lady Gaga’s greatest challenge in launching a beauty brand…
“Building startups is tremendously difficult,” she told Marie Claire UK. “I feel very blessed that I have the resources that I have to do it this way.”
However, as most new business owners battle with funding, staffing and brand exposure, Lady Gaga’s is a unique issue.
“The biggest challenge and the biggest triumph for us has been to make a brand that’s great without me,” she explained. In fact, this very reason was one of the driving forces behind her decision to temporarily close and then relaunch the brand back in 2019.
And while her name holds a lot of power and credibility, it was a priority for the “brand to stand on its own two feet.”
“I always say, we should be able to completely remove my name and face off all of this and it be like an absolutely hands down slam dunk of a product,” she said.
Are other celebrities following this strategy?
Without question this is an interesting business strategy and one that we haven’t seen deliberately executed too often before. In fact, the saturated market of celebrity beauty brands has almost always been designed to offer the consumer the ability to recreate the look of their favourite star.
From Kylie Lip Kits (promising the luscious pout of Miss Jenner herself) to KKW Contour Sticks (bringing Kim Kardashian’s infamous face-sculpting technique right into our homes), leveraging off the power of a celebrity has typically been the go-to marketing technique with any celebrity-backed beauty brand.
And don’t get us wrong, while her involvement mightn’t be as blatant as you’ll find with J.Lo Beauty or Victoria Beckham Beauty, Lady Gaga is certainly no silent investor. Much like Fenty by Rihanna, a quick visit to the official Haus Labs website and you’ll find ‘By Lady Gaga’ proudly displayed across your screen.
However, is she receiving customers because they’re fans of her music? Or new listeners because they’re happy customers of her brand? If you’re asking TikTok (who have sent multiple products viral, shout out to the Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation), you’ll find the answer is both.
Pretty impressive if you ask us.
Main image credit: @ladygaga
Are you excited to try Haus Labs?
Another celebrity following this trend.
They should all follow that trend as it is the product you are buying not the person.
I actively avoid celeb products. I agree that most of them are trading on their fame instead of the product’s quality.
Me too, I don’t think I own any celeb brands of anything and if I do its by accident
Same here.
I would try it but not because of an influencer. A product should be able to stand alone.
Yes I agree
Those Haus Labs lip colours all look fantabulous!!!
Having a celeb’s name attached to a brand can attract customers as well as repel them. The product itself needs to meet a customer’s needs in order to have long-lasting success.
Totally agree S-P
It’s good that she wants her products to sell not because of her name but for the quality.
It is a good image to sell.
Agreed, but it is also a good marketing angle to use when breaking into a new market like the UK
Yes but with so many new brands there needs to be a point of difference.
Also, I’ve never tried anything from her brand but I’ve heard the foundation is really good.
Would not try. He creeps me out a bit. Regardless, have seen quite bad reviews of the brand when it launched too.
Are you excited to try Haus Labs?
No interest here but I’m sure the brand will do well…
I think they all seem to be selling different versions of what is already out there.Nothing new or better.
I have heard good reviews about the blushes from this brand.
I don’t have any either
If it doesn’t have the celeb name if it is popular then it speaks for itself
I like the look of those things in the picture above, whatever they are. and she is right the product should stand up by itself. I normally don’t buy products associated with names. I will not touch anything associated with Jenner or Kardashian but thats because I don’t like their self promotion and fakeness.
I think that Gaga and Rhiannon have strong ethos’ about inclusivity behind their companies. Not sure about the other celebrity beauty brands.
I think the only celeb brand I’m into is Flower Beauty by Drew Barrymore. At least it’s affordable.
Interesting view from lady gaga perspective on owning your own brand & products and i feel like shes 100% right about the products being the driving force not her face
Interested to take a look, yes.
I understand what she’s getting at – she wants quality, not just a gimmicky product that sells on her name – and it’s admirable. Don’t know if she’s achieved it.
I am not after celebrity brands.