The Most Expensive Makeup Routines In Hollywood
Celebrities have made the world of glam and makeup routines so interesting that there's a huge cult following over them. Vogue has the incredibly popular "Getting Ready With Vogue" series where celebs share their makeup routines and favorite skin care products. Sephora also makes the most of star power, featuring heavyweights like Jennifer Lopez and Zoe Kravitz as they get ready in front of the camera.
While the world of social media has given us a glimpse of the process of getting glamorous, we can't forget the fact that the celebrity beauty industry has become an empire all its own. There's Kim Kardashian's KKW Beauty brand and sister Kylie Jenner, who's made a fortune off of Kylie Cosmetics. There's Rihanna's Fenty Beauty and Lopez's JLo Beauty. Selena Gomez founded Rare Beauty, and Jessica Alba launched Honest Beauty. So the world of makeup is big business.
While Hollywood A-listers make a fortune off of their makeup lines, we've learned from their tutorials and videos that they don't always exclusively use their own brands. Hey, can't blame a gal for wanting to switch things up. And since there's big money in Hollywood, the makeup routines followed by these celebrities are almost prohibitively expensive. In fact, most of their beauty regimens cost more than the average salary in America. You'll see what we mean. So let's voyeuristically look at the most expensive makeup routines followed by celebs.
Christine Quinn spends a fortune
Fans of Netflix's "Selling Sunset" know that Christine Quinn rocks a gothic-chic look like nobody else. Her wedding to Christian Richard cost $1 million, according to Hello! Magazine, made all the more memorable by her black wedding dress.
Quinn also spends a lot on her everyday look. She told Vogue in 2020 that she spends approximately $1,000 a day. "When it comes to the show, I don't do my own hair," Quinn admitted. "I do my own makeup because I love doing it. The full start to finish, including wardrobe, is around two and a half to three hours. My glam isn't cheap, either — $1,000 a day, if I go all out."
Quinn is also refreshingly honest about the work she's had done. "I tell people all the time: I got my boobs done, I get my lips done, tons of Botox, tons of makeup. How I look on ['Selling Sunset'] is not how I look when I wake up in the morning," Quinn said to Vogue.
So what is her process when she wakes up in the morning? "I'm not one for foundation," Quinn explains. "I don't wear it [because] I think it's too heavy -– I don't like it unless I'm filming or doing a photoshoot ... [I love] the Clinique Even Better; I use my beauty blender ... so it's not so heavy," Quinn told Beauty Crew. And as for the red lipstick, Quinn wears Yves Saint Laurent in shade 1.
The cost to look like Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has somehow defied aging, and in her 50s, she's created a major buzz about her secrets to keeping the iconic JLo glow. Besides an impressive workout regimen, Lopez is dedicated to skin care. She shared with People that she uses "glycolic acid to get that healthy glow and clear skin. I never go to bed without taking my makeup off, [and I use] night creams to keep my skin hydrated." Lopez added that SPF is non-negotiable.
Lopez's makeup artist, Mary Phillips, told Well + Good that Lopez loves facial oils and uses Själ's Saphir Concentrate, which rings in at $175 a bottle. While she likes the finer things, Lopez cleared up the rumor that she uses a face cream that costs $1,000 per ounce on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." Lopez said that she actually buys her face cream at Whole Foods. According to BuzzFeed, the moisturizer is Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream, which comes to $45 a tub. When Cohen asked her what is the one makeup product she can't live without, Lopez said it was lipgloss. BuzzFeed also noted that Lopez is a fan of the Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream, which costs $95.
While Lopez has mastered the balance of pricey and affordable products, she spends an estimated $13,199 per year on her skin care, which comes to $36.16 a day, according to The Derm Review. Amazingly, Lopez's yearly cost is low on the list of celebrity beauty and makeup routines.
Cate Blanchett spends a ton
Cate Blanchett loves to take care of her skin and doesn't seem phased by pricey products. To be fair, Blanchett is an ambassador for SK-II, a high-end Japanese skincare brand known for its gentle effectiveness. She is also, as The Skincare Edit notes, an ambassador for Giorgio Armani Beauty.
It's not hugely surprising then that much of Blanchett's routine is made up of SK-II. Interestingly, it's something that Blanchett used before she was hired by the company. "Initially, when I signed on with SK-II, some people would ask me, 'But you don't use it, do you?' and I would honestly respond, 'Yes, I do actually,'" Blanchett explained to Gritty Pretty (via The Skincare Edit).
In a 2014 interview with the Paris Gallery, Blanchett said that the real secret to her flawless look is sticking with something. "We're all so faddish," she said. "Especially as an actress, you get a lot of different products thrown at you." Clearly, her loyalty is with SK-II. As Good Skin Day notes, her favorite product is the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, which costs $99 a bottle. Blanchett actually spends more on her skincare routine than Jennifer Lopez, per The Derm Review. Blanchett's total comes to $28,298, or $77.53 a day.
In a 2020 piece in Vanity Fair, Blanchett's makeup artist shared a few products that she uses on the actor, all from Armani Beauty: The Eyes to Kill Mascara clocks in at $29, the Luminous Silk concealer is $38, and there's a lightweight powder, Neo Nude, for $64.
Blake Lively spares no expense
Blake Lively is another beauty who ain't shy to pay big to look that good. In 2019, the "Gossip Girl" star shared her organized makeup stash on Instagram Stories, and Page Six helpfully captured the moment in time. "When you organize once, then gotta share with the world," she captioned and shared a glimpse of her drool-worthy cosmetic drawers.
Lively is a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury, using the brand's foundation, finishing powder, lip gloss, contour wand, and bronzer. Of the pricier items in Lively's daily collection was By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi-Serum, which costs $91, according to Page Six. She also uses the Christian Louboutin Velvet Matte Lip Color, which comes to $90, and the Exo Skincare Bio.digital Perfection Moisturizer, which costs $78. In fact, the outlet calculated the total for all of Lively's on-hand products, and it came to $1,332. Refreshingly though, Lively also had some drugstore familiars in the mix, like a Burt's Bees Lip Balm and some good ole CeraVe.
However, she did buck the bougie trend and wore only drugstore makeup to the 2018 Met Gala when the theme was "Heavenly Bodies." As Allure notes, Lively wore $2 million worth of jewelry that night and a custom-made Versace gown but opted for a full face of L'Oréal products to perfect her look. The grand total for the night, in terms of makeup, came to $122. Certainly an interesting pairing with a multi-million dollar look. Clearly, Lively can pull off anything.
Hailey Bieber's look costs a mint
Hailey Bieber spends an impressive amount on her skin care. The beauty shared her routine on her Instagram Stories, and Seventeen captured the moment, as well as the cost of what it takes to go makeup-free so successfully. Bieber loves the $166 SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum as well as the $185 Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum. She's a huge fan of the Drunk Elephant line, and her daily facial moisturizer is the Augustinus Bader's The Rich Cream, which costs $265. The entire cost of her routine comes to $995.
In a tutorial for Vogue in 2018, Bieber ran viewers through her routine to get her beachy, California glow. She uses the Tom Ford concealer, which costs $54, and the brand's bronzing palette, which costs $88. Bieber uses a $54 Giorgio Armani face powder and jumps back on her eyelids with the Tom Ford bronzer. She uses MAC mascara and said to the camera, "If I had to choose two things to take to a desert island, for sure it would be lip balm and mascara. I would die without lip balm." Bieber's look was ultra minimal, so in terms of quantity, there isn't as much as some other celebs we've seen.
It seems that Bieber's priority is skin care over makeup. In a YouTube video on her channel, she shared her favorite morning mask, the Biologique Recherche Masque Visolastine+, which costs $150, per the Daily Mail. She also uses a $399 Shani Darden Skin Care Facial Sculpting Wand.
Beyoncé's huge beauty splurges
Beyoncé is surprisingly down to earth when it comes to some of her makeup and skincare choices. She told Elle in 2010 that her favorite moisturizer is Aquaphor, a drugstore brand that rings in under $20. "I go to bed looking totally greasy," she said. "It's not all glamour all the time." The singer is a huge fan of the full body bronzed look, revealing, "I love L'Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze One Day gel, which you can just get at Walmart, and Scott Barnes Body Bling is also great."
While some of this sounds very low-maintenance, Beyoncé also has a taste for luxury, especially if she's going to be seen at an event. "Beyoncé puts herself under extreme pressure to look perfect, never leaving the house without her hair and makeup professionally done," a source told Ok! Magazine. So while she might choose drugstore brands for her face cream, she also reportedly spends big on an on-staff masseuse, a spray tan artist, and regular chemical peels and Botox.
So what does this cost her? The outlet estimates that Beyoncé frequently spends $1,000 a day on treatments and that her annual regimen costs upwards of $1 million. As Fashion Magazine notes, she spent $900 on gold nails for her Mrs. Carter World Tour. But as PopSugar notes, Queen Bey's makeup artist shared that the foundation he uses on her for performances, RCMA's Color Process, costs a mere $23. That's certainly a balance between high and low beauty price tags.
Chrissy Teigen's pampering makeup routine
Chrissy Teigen is a huge fan of taking care of her face and body. The model shares two children with husband, John Legend, and told Allure that stretch marks are a concern. "I come from a stretch mark–prone family — I have them all over my butt and inner thighs. Luckily, I'm with a man who could not care less about them or else I would be insecure, but during my pregnancy, it was my belly I was scared of." So what's her secret? "La Mer The Concentrate saved my life," Teigen said. "I'm constantly 25 minutes late to everything because my lotion regimen is that long. I put it everywhere." A 1 oz. bottle comes to $400.
What about her makeup routine? Teigen's makeup artist, Patrick Ta, shared with Byrdie what he does to get her glow. He first uses Tatcha's Gold Camellia Beauty Oil ($95) and follows this with Armani Designer Lift Foundation ($67). Teigen loves the Young Blood Mineral Blush ($25) and BECCA Cosmetics Highlighter ($38). Ta finishes off her look with Tatcha Luminous Skin Mist ($48).
While Teigen opts for luxury, she uses products down to the last drop, something Legend doesn't do. "[He steals my] face creams and body lotions," Teigen told Refinery 29. "And, you know, women really invest in face creams. I use a pea-size amount, I will Q-tip the end of the bottle until it's dead, and John just treats it like it's nothing, slathering it on his hands, and I'm like, 'Noooo!'"
Kylie Jenner spends like a billionaire
Kylie Jenner's presence on our list won't come as a huge surprise. The star has made an empire out of makeup thanks to Kylie Cosmetics, so clearly, the topic is of interest to her. In 2015, she gave a breakdown of her favorite items to The New York Times, a list which included the Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder foundation and the Nars Orgasm blush. Like Blake Lively, Jenner isn't afraid to shop for drugstore products, especially when it comes to fake eyelashes. She loves the contour kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills, among several other items by the same brand.
Teen Vogue tallied up the list of products and rang it in at $3,500. This total, however, doesn't include the $350 Jimmy Coco spray tans that Jenner is so fond of nor does it include her manicures which, according to People, can take up to five hours.
Jenner doesn't just do her own makeup though. She often shares on social media that she gets artist Ariel Tejada to help her, and a house visit from Tejada can cost up to $2,500 a day, per The Sun. Jenner is a major fan of wigs, extensions, and a constantly revolving hair look. The outlet notes that on one occasion, she wore $8,000 worth of extensions. Plus, Jenner is candid about the work she's had done, including fillers in her face and lips. The Sun estimates that it costs Jenner $141,500 a month to look the way she does.
Rihanna's pricey look
Rihanna knows makeup and has a symbiotic relationship with it. She spends a lot, but her look has also made her big money. The mogul is sitting on a net worth of $1.7 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth, thanks in large part to her makeup and skincare line, Fenty Beauty.
In her Vogue makeup tutorial, Rihanna exclusively used her own products. After she finished her face, she used her Body Lava Body Luminizer ($59) to perfect her arms and décolletage. She used several colors of her Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick ($26 each) and a Fenty foundation, bronzer, lip gloss, and the Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter. Clearly, the brand has all your bases covered. While she gave viewers a glimpse of what it takes to create her look, Rihanna shared what every makeup wearer knows to be true. "I can do my makeup in 10 minutes or 10 hours, it feels like sometimes. Depends on what kind of day you're having."
While she obviously has unlimited access to Fenty products, Rihanna still spends big on her look. Her biggest expense is her hair. Fashion Magazine notes that she can spend up to $20,000 a week to have stylist Ursula Stephen create different styles. Rihanna also spends a lot on her nails and on treatments, so those, combined with the cost of her hair, come to approximately $1 million a year, according to Lifestyle Asia. Good thing she's a billionaire.
Gwyneth Paltrow's expensive natural look
Gwyneth Paltrow is another celebrity who's made a fortune off of the beauty industry, thanks to her Goop empire. The brand is now worth $250 million, according to The New York Times. And to think, it all started with an e-mail newsletter.
While Paltrow's earnings from the beauty industry far outmatch what she spends, the star still shells out a fortune for treatments. As the Sunday Times notes (via the Daily Mail), she spends just shy of $20,000 a month. Part of Paltrow's rituals include microdermabrasion treatments at Tracie Martyn in New York, which come to $2,000 a session. She's also known to frequent Sonya Dakar in Los Angeles where she gets apple stem facials, which cost over $400 per treatment. The outlet also speculates that Paltrow gets face and neck Thermage laser treatments, which cost upwards of $23,000.
While Paltrow goes all out when it comes to treatments, she's much more chill about makeup. "In the day, I generally don't wear that much makeup," she told The New York Times and shared that she'll use a Tata Harper cream blush or the same kind of product from RMS Beauty. Paltrow also revealed that she's a huge fan of Juice Beauty, especially their mascara, because their products are all organic. But Paltrow also joked that her daughter is the true makeup aficionado and has learned a lot from YouTube tutorials. So it's great that she has a makeup guide in the house!
January Jones' lavish beauty routine
January Jones has an impressive routine. On Instagram in 2018, she shared her daily ritual, and the total cost of her products comes to just short of $6,000, per Page Six. "It's not for the faint of heart," Jones wrote, "but it's something I love to do."
What does she use? The "Mad Men" star starts her ritual by using the Déesse Pro LED mask ($2,300). She then uses two face washes: the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex, which costs $42, and the $80 May Lindstrom Skin The Pendulum Potion. She finishes this with the Omorovicza Refining Facial Polisher ($95), per Page Six. Jones then has a complex range of several serums, some used in the morning and some at night.
Jones herself realizes how intense her regimen is. She told Elle, "All of my beauty rituals are pretty high maintenance — well, not my hair. My skincare ritual is pretty high-maintenance, but I love it. I don't get facials, I do them at home, so I love doing exfoliation masks and moisture masks and serums and creams and eye patches. I just love all that stuff." What about makeup? For Jones, the key is as natural as possible. For this reason, she's a huge fan of Jessica Alba's Honest line. In a 2016 piece in Into the Gloss, Jones shared a few favorite makeup products, saying her look is "fairly basic." She prefers Chanel Le Volume mascara ($32), a $73 Clé de Peau concealer, and a red Chanel lip ($40).
Kim Kardashian's expensive makeup routine
This list wouldn't be complete without Kim Kardashian and her ultra-glam routine. Fans of the reality star already know that she works closely with makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, and together, they have curated Kim's perfect, if rather high-maintenance, makeup look.
Mario actually did Kim's makeup on stage in a masterclass in Los Angeles in 2015, Cosmo reports, where the audience got to watch firsthand what it took to make Kim selfie-ready. Her daytime routine is a 50-step process, and the entire cost for products is $1,200. If you factor in tools like brushes and blotting sheets, the total cost is $1,700. Kim is a huge fan of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation ($62), and Mario used two different shades on her. She also loves Anastasia Beverly Hills as well as Charlotte Tilbury.
While this routine might seem intense, in a YouTube video on her channel in 2017, Kim did her own makeup in just five minutes. "I always had so many products," Kim shared, "and I just wanted a little, defined kit of all of my favorite products that could just be really easy." Kim was advertising her KKW Beauty Creme Contour and Highlight set, as she's another celebrity who spends big on beauty but also has made a fortune from the cosmetics industry. Kim later shared on her website what she uses for skin care. According to People, the list of 17 staple items came to $4,500.
How Victoria Beckham gets her look
Victoria Beckham has one of the pricier regimens in Hollywood. She shared with Net-a-Porter that she uses some of her own products, including the Victoria Beckham Beauty Power Serum ($210) every morning. Beckham said that even if she's home during the day, she still wears makeup. "I'm loving the new Satin Kajal Liner; I'm no makeup artist, but its creamy texture makes it very easy to use with your finger, and it almost looks better at the end of the day," she said. Beckham added, "I use the Bitten Lip Tint on my lips and cheeks, as it gives a fresh, sun-kissed look, and I also use the No. 2 Lip Definer -– it makes me look a bit more 'done,' but in a very subtle way."
While she might like a subtle look when it comes to makeup, Beckham's skin care regimen is very unique. As The Mirror notes, she's known to get sheep placenta facials, which cost over $400 per treatment. Beckham told Glamour that she's a huge fan of the 111SKIN Black Diamond eye patches ($115) and uses the Augustinus Bader's Rich Cream ($265). In fact, when Beckham created her own skin care line, she collaborated with Bader to come up with her products. So what does all of this cost her? According to The Derm Review, Beckham's annual skin care routine costs $48,381, or $132.55 per day.
Jessica Simpson's intense routine
Aside from the extreme glamour of the Kardashian and Jenner clan, Jessica Simpson has one of the most expensive glam routines in Hollywood. She spends $1,000 a week on tanning and the same weekly amount on eyelash extensions, according to Heat Magazine (via Fashion Magazine). Added to this weekly bill is $4,500 for her personal trainer.
Each month, she reportedly pays $2,000 for cellulite treatment. A source told the outlet, "Jessica's convinced she has cellulite and spends at least $2,000 a month on laser and light treatments smoothing out the back of her thighs and butt" (via Cosmo). Simpson also reportedly spends $50,000 on bust-enhancement treatments. "Jessica uses Natural Breast Enlargement Cream twice a day. She also has the upper part of her chest massaged twice a week to help," the insider said.
Lastly, in a year, Simpson shells out $230,000 on her hair. The reason for such a high bill is that Simpson wants these procedures done at her house, and so everyone comes to her. So what does this come to altogether? Cosmo says that Simpson spends $1 million a year to look the way she does.
While Simpson spends a lot, she has also been candid about accepting herself. In her 2020 memoir, "Open Book," she wrote: "I have grown into myself and come to a place where I want to be honest about my flaws. If I can do that in front of the world, then I can remain honest with myself." Sounds like a great attitude.