Does Ariana Grande Own R.E.M. Beauty? A Comprehensive Look at the Superstar‘s Game-Changing Cosmetics Empire

Hey there! As a fellow beauty lover, I know you’ve been as excited as I have about Ariana Grande’s new makeup line R.E.M. Beauty. Her trendsetting brand took the industry by storm when it launched in 2021.

But does Ariana actually own R.E.M. Beauty herself? Great question. As an Ari super fan and beauty brand analyst, I’ve done a deep dive into R.E.M.’s origins and ownership structure. Let me walk you through everything I’ve uncovered!

How This Music Icon’s Passion Project Got Started

Like any great entrepreneur, Ariana spent years carefully cultivating her vision for a makeup brand long before R.E.M. Beauty came to life.

In a 2021 interview, Ariana shared just how hands-on she was in creating her products:

“I‘ve thought a lot about makeup and I‘ve always sort of done my own thing with it. I’ve spent a lot of time learning about ingredients and why things work for me and don’t work for me…That‘s been really exciting for me—being able to create my own dream top-shelf collection.”

But she didn’t go it alone. The superstar wisely tapped industry veterans Forma Brands to handle the nitty gritty business side and turn her vision into reality.

Forma Brands may not be a household name, but they’re a power player behind many of your fave beauty brands like Morphe, Lipstick Queen, and Bad Habit. Impressive resume, right?

With Forma’s expertise handling logistics, Ariana could focus on what she does best – curating and creative directing.

The duo spent over two years perfecting every detail before finally unveiling R.E.M. Beauty to the world in November 2021. Talk about dedication!

What Exactly Does R.E.M. Beauty Sell?

R.E.M. Beauty’s launch collection focused on recreating Ariana’s go-to glam essentials, including:

• Various lip products like matte lipsticks, high shine glosses, and lipliners
• Eye-catching eyeliners and faux mink lashes
• Glowy complexion perfectors like blush and highlighter

Basically, everything you need to recreate her music video makeup lewks at home!

Since then, the brand has expanded into skincare and body care as well. Their clarifying toner mist and under eye gel patches are my personal faves for weary skin.

R.E.M. also offers merch likes shirts, hats, and hoodies covered in graphics ripped right from Ariana’s albums. So you can rep your Arianator status while slaying your makeup!

Fun fact: R.E.M. Beauty amassed over 300,000 unit sales in just their first month, according to WWD. Talk about in-demand products!

Why R.E.M. Beauty Looks and Feels So Freaking Cool

Let’s be real, everything Ariana touches turns to trendsetting gold. She has full creative control over R.E.M. Beauty’s brand image and products. Her personal flair is stamped all over this line.

Some standout elements that make R.E.M. feel authentically Ari include:

Moody, monochrome packaging: Products come in sleek black compacts or clean white bottles with modern, futuristic vibes.

Mysterious, dreamy branding: The name R.E.M. ties to the rapid eye movement sleep cycle where dreams happen. Mysterious product names like “At the Borderline” reference Ari song lyrics.

Music video-worthy campaigns: Ariana models the actual products in glamorous promo images that mirror her signature music video aesthetics.

Even the products themselves reflect her preferences. R.E.M.’s liquid eyeliners were inspired by Ariana’s love of cat eyes and sharp wings.

She’s not just slapping her name on something – this line screams Ariana Grande.

R.E.M. Beauty Was a Viral Sensation Before Products Even Launched

Ariana and her team knew exactly how to play the hype game. They started teasing R.E.M. Beauty months before the official launch in November 2021.

The savvy promo timeline went like this:

• June 2021: R.E.M. Instagram account launches, instantly racking up 900k+ followers without a single product pic posted yet

• August 2021: Ariana sneak peeks the products to mega-influencer NikkieTutorials, who films a buzzy “Get Ready with Me” video using the unreleased line

• November 2021: R.E.M. finally drops the collection to the world, already with millions of eager fans waiting

This strategic slow rollout created overwhelming anticipation and demand. R.E.M. pulled in over $20 million in sales just within the first 5 days of launching. Marketing genius!

Here’s the Tricky Part – Who Actually Owns R.E.M. Beauty?

Brace yourself – this gets a little complicated.

While Ariana founded R.E.M. Beauty and serves as its creative director, she initially did not fully own or control the company itself.

The brand was owned by Forma Brands, which partnered with Ariana to incubate the line. A fairly standard industry arrangement.

But R.E.M. Beauty was Ariana’s vision through and through. The star wasn’t content just licensing her name to someone else’s company.

In June 2022, it was announced that Ariana struck a deal to purchase the assets of R.E.M. Beauty for around $15 million.

This acquisition basically buys R.E.M. out from Forma so Ariana can take full ownership of her creation. Genius boss moves!

Per trademark lawyer Josh Gerben, the complex paperwork and transition process is still underway. But Ms. Grande is well on her way to becoming the sole proprietor of R.E.M. Beauty soon.

You love to see a hard working queen reap the fruits of her labor!

Who Actually Runs R.E.M. Beauty Behind the Scenes?

Ariana Grande provides the vision and creative direction for R.E.M. Beauty as its founder and soon-to-be owner.

But she has also assembled a team of beauty biz veterans who handle making that vision a reality:

Scott Friedman: The CEO of Forma Brands who co-founded cult fave Morphe Cosmetics. He takes charge of R.E.M.’s business strategy.

Michelle Shigemasa: An experienced executive appointed as R.E.M. Beauty’s Global CEO. She previously led major brands like Murad and Smashbox.

Kory Marchisotto: Forma Brands’ Chief Marketing Officer. He handles R.E.M.’s marketing, collabs, and influencer partnerships.

Of course, her longtime makeup artist Ash K Holm also serves as R.E.M.’s Creative Director to represent Ariana’s aesthetics.

With these bosses supporting her, Ariana can focus on being the face of the brand and ensuring its products are always on point.

There’s No Denying R.E.M. Beauty Is Insanely Successful

I don’t need to tell you that R.E.M. Beauty is already a massive hit. But let’s look at the key stats that prove this brand is lined up to take over the beauty world:

• Amassed 1 million Instagram followers before launch
• Hit over $20 million in sales within the first 5 days
• Sold approximately 300,000 units in the first month alone
• Became Ulta Beauty’s top skincare launch of 2022
• On track to make over $150 million in first year revenue as per Forbes

With numbers like these already, it’s no wonder Ariana wanted full ownership! R.E.M. is projected to be a billion dollar brand.

For comparison, Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty brand made $550 million in its first year. Kylie Jenner‘s Kylie Cosmetics did $420 million in year one.

R.E.M. is soaring way past these benchmarks, making major money moves in the celeb beauty space.

I’m not surprised – R.E.M.’s products, branding, and marketing are unmatched. Ariana has clearly created something special that resonates with her loyal fan base.

This is a unicorn brand with a rare formula for instant success. Ariana has a goldmine on her hands!

What Does the Future Hold for R.E.M. Beauty?

As bright as R.E.M. Beauty’s beginning has been, there’s still so much room for Ariana’s cosmetics empire to grow into an even bigger behemoth.

Just imagine what they might have in store for the future:

International expansion: R.E.M. plans to launch in Asia and bring brick-and-mortar stores to Europe soon. Global domination, here they come!

Even more extensive collections: Skincare and body care are just the start. I could see R.E.M. getting into hair, nails, accessories. No limits!

Ongoing collabs and special sets: Ariana loves partnerships, so I predict cool crossover collections with her inner celeb circle. Can you imagine R.E.M. x Harry Styles!?

Standalone stores: Pop-up shops already launched in the UK and LA. More permanent retail stores are likely next to complement their online business.

Selling to a beauty conglomerate: Hear me out. As R.E.M. continues its meteoric growth, it could become an appealing acquisition for a giant like L’Oreal or Estée Lauder down the road. Ariana would cash out big time!

The possibilities are endless for this game-changing brand. I truly believe R.E.M. Beauty is cementing itself as a celebrity line that will stand the test of time.

Ten years from now, calling it the “next Mac Cosmetics” of this era wouldn’t even feel like a stretch!

The Bottom Line – Our Girl Ariana Is Securing the Bag

While R.E.M. Beauty didn’t start out fully owned by Ariana herself, sis is making big boss moves to change that.

With full creative control and soon full legal ownership, this beauty brand is Ariana’s vision from start to finish. And her vision just happens to include taking over the entire cosmetics industry!

R.E.M. clearly struck a major chord with fans right out the gate. The public is loving the on-brand, trendsetting products and aesthetics.

Ariana has leveraged her star power to build an incredibly successful beauty empire basically overnight. We have no choice but to stan business queen Ari!

Thanks for sticking with me through this deep dive on all things R.E.M. Beauty. Let me know if you have any other questions! Us Ariana stans gotta stick together. 🙂