Why No One Is Buying r.e.m Beauty | The Downfall of r.e.m Beauty

[@kairos-049]

I think rem beauty just,,, completely failed to stand out. Their packaging is cute, the products are generally decent, but they have no niche. Their target audience isn’t a specific kind of makeup wearer, it’s just people who love Ariana Grande.

[@trippysiren7966]

You're right! In fact, Ari is the only reason I bought it. It's not that different from drugstore stuff.

[@xCindyLouWhox]

I agree. There are no standout, groundbreaking, revolutionary, or even signature products.

[@vanaah727]

I totally agree with this. While I love the formula of the foundation and use it all the time, I can't find myself ever buying it normally if I wasn't already a fan. Especially at the price tag

[@gabifgt]

agreed! the brand has nothing revolutionary, none of their products are a game changer.

[@chick-a-roo4860]

You are right. REM didn’t really have any innovation that set them apart from any other celebrity brand or regular brand for that matter. The products that I used at least were fine, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to repurchase them. If someone were to gift them to me, I’d be more than happy to use them, but they’re nothing special. At least not in my opinion and user-experience. Arianna fans which is a large demographic likely contributed to REM’s early success. But her fans who were young probably care less about purchasing something just because their favorite celebrity is involved, and so that leaves die hard fans who still do that or predominantly younger fans who will also grow out of it when they are also more responsible for their own budget and hopefully develop more consumer awareness, which still only leaves those who will do anything to support anything she does. Her fandom has also died down, there are people who were sideline fans who maybe would have purchased it, but have since lost respect for her due to a lot of drama that some people care deeply about, which also could factor into the decline. Basically, like Arianna Grande for her vocal range, but generally have lost to need to care so deeply about supporting her every venture

[@kelseykmua]

r.e.m. Beauty isn't for beauty lovers...it's for Ariana Grande fans... the products are just okay, not anything worth writing home about.

[@LetsBHonest]

Yes it's for her fans, the home wrecking crew. Gotta love those who love a good homewrecker

[@kelseykmua]

@@LetsBHonest that's a little presumptuous, but okay

[@laylaxstein]

@@kelseykmuahave u tried the items? Specifically the foundation and concealer. I have never gotten more compliments on my makeup since rem beauty dropped.

[@kam0406]

Not even okay. Some are terrible

[@Fantasy_Dreamer_89]

​@@LetsBHonestshut up and stop saying rubbish

[@ChrystalVanDusseldorp]

The packaging was an odd choice to me. It's called r.e.m. so why not more dream-related, like the cloud fragrance bottles - pink, blue, purple, white, clouds, maybe some silver and/or gold stars, moons, ect. It would look a bit more cohesive. That being said, the r.e.m. liquid eyeshadows are 50% off today at Ulta! 😄😄😄 I love her fragrances, I have the mini coffret set and will repurchase. 💜🖤💜🖤

[@tammystiletto]

Oh good to know, brand overall good or not the black glitter liquid shadow is AMAZING. It doesn’t budge. I use it on stage or for when I’m outside and I need a liner for my watery eyes that won’t move. Its the best thing I’ve found 💁🏼‍♀️

[@Bazketcase7]

Thank you, I just ordered the black liquid shadow to give it a try. 🖤

[@StaceyQ22]

That too!! I don’t get how the name of her brand has anything to do with her outer space packaging . The aesthetic of her brand also doesn’t look like her style which is super feminine. It’s just so in cohesive.

[@jennie-c8l]

@@StaceyQ22 yes, the packaging looks nice but not even authentically ari....

[@iconiccrowbar6702]

When I worked at Ulta, the Rem beauty mostly sold to kids but I’d be surprised if they actually removed the brand due to “supporting women” since Ulta also sells and carries Youthforia🤷🏻‍♀️And if you watch Robert’s videos, you know what the problem with that brand is😅 Ulta sells MLM brands as well…

[@kekkelpenneypeckeltoot5700]

I am a 99.5% drugstore makeup girl. I don’t miss high end anymore. It’s been a super boon financially and it’s wonderful. Celebrity brands and influencer brands don’t interest me at all, unless the influencer has actually been a makeup artist as a career. As for packaging imo it going to go in the bin or be recycled so as long as it protects the product it’s fine. I don’t want to pay for someone’s name, or fancy plastic.

[@ifyouseekme6694]

What are some of your favourite drug store brands? If you don't mind me asking😊

[@hanaeyoshida5163]

Right!!! Esp with all makeup prices going up over the past few years I no longer see any reason to get anything high end. Drugstore formulas are THE way to go, super iconic formulas

[@redvelvet9215]

@@ifyouseekme6694elf, nyx, and milani

[@sunmiswashingmachine]

​@@ifyouseekme6694mine is kiko and milani

[@Air_Serpent]

I always get my makeup from discount stores

[@leighhamrick]

When it comes to beauty brands, there are two I trust: Fenty and Rare Beauty. I've also heard so many good things about Haus Labs since the relaunch that I would happily buy from them as well. These are brands with strong, deeply invested creators at the helm. Rihanna, the boss babe. Selena, the sweetheart. Gaga, the powerhouse. But r.e.m.? Not only does the brand feel very Claire's, it also feels like something Ariana just did a photoshoot for and walked away from.

[@gabifgt]

you said it all.

[@BlueJay-qj1rm]

Completely agree

[@eldaberry421]

Definitely feels very Claire’s. Like for kids and teens. The quality feels low

[@carvitqmilate9244]

I also like about face by Halsey it's have quality with decent price ❤

[@tigersugar1995]

Agree. I also feel like Ariana is more invested in her perfume line than her make-up.

[@laurakate6573]

Arianna Grande perfumes are the early 2000s Britney Spears perfumes for this generation.

[@adrijanaemilieconroy]

This was my EXACT thought!

[@PinkyPop2]

lol true. millenial consumerism, that being said, ariana lost a huge opportunity to make money with her makeup line had she been more invested on it she would have made a big coin

[@TheYoungKilljoy]

The amount of Circus replicas I used to see in that time was unholy

[@ChandraLee13]

Curious still slaps for me tbh. :')

[@phoebe5715]

Robert telling the most traumatic story of repeatedly waking up in the night screaming like it’s nothing- 😭

[@swolerabbit]

tbf if it happens to you, you kind of just get used to it. then it’s horrifying but you’re like “ugh gdi not again,” and go back to sleep 😂

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

​@@swolerabbityeah it's more annoying and frustrating than anything. Waking up in a panic makes it hard to get back to sleep, and when that happens several times per week and you need to get up in the morning to go to work, oh my God. You wanna beat something up every time it happens. Not sure what, but something needs to get punched, lol.

[@NettleAbsentmindedly]

​@@swolerabbit Yessss It's so annoying and honestly really embarrassing if you're around someone. I'm sure it scared me in the moment but once I became alert and aware the embarrassment set in

[@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory]

I was super happy for him that night terrors don’t bother him anymore. I used to have a lot of trouble with it, tbh I think it was caused by having college roommates/partner letting light into bedroom. I’m sure there’s a way to manage it with a partner, but I’m happily single & never have night terrors or sleep paralysis.

[@justilou1]

More annoying for your partner

[@crystalsparks5683]

Personally, I stopped purchasing R.E.M Beauty when I made an order, and they ended up canceling it. I think I ordered two or three items and when I asked customer service why they canceled my entire order they said it was because only one of the items were out of stock. First, I don’t understand why they had to cancel the entire order when only one thing was out of stock, and second, if the product was available for purchase when I made my order why wouldn’t they have it in stock to ship?

[@Lina-rk8nc]

Nowadays there are tooooo much celebrity brands. They are all the same with different packaging. People can't keep up with launches and new brands , plus the prices on most of those brands are too much. So eventually you stop focusing you attention and money on shit you can buy for a fraction of the price and sometimes it comes with more product for smaller price.

[@B.Harper7]

@Lina-rk8nc THIS!!! And nowadays, a lot of celebrity products are made by other brands, and just have a new container and label 🤷‍♀️ Why spend 2-3x on a product, as you said, when you can get the same thing for less?

[@arcaderat1613]

Completely agree. For so many of those celebrity brands, if you take the celebrity off it then it's just basic makeup from another overpriced brand. There's nothing special or interesting that makes them stand out and once people are over the hype of their favorite celebrity starting a brand, it just falls flat. The ones that do stand out have something specific or special about them that can stand on it's own.

[@GrungeGalactica]

True. Would be interesting to see a total revamp/rebranding. How did she/the team make space and dreams & clouds so dull? Plus it’s such a waste of packaging and resources, just to produce sub par products no one’s even buying/enjoying. If her hearts not in it she should let it d1e. Even the kar/jenners know when to quit a venture once it’s dried up…

[@kcototheyoyoyo]

Yeah. I just assume it’s all celebrity trash.

[@minimini550]

There’re just too many brands in general imo

[@husyadaedee6475]

To be honest I never associated Ariana Grande with makeup or skincare. Idk why she went this route. Like Halsey does incredible makeup and is an artist. Lady Gaga always has iconic aesthetics. Rihanna targeted a niche. Ariana Grande, Addison Rae, etc., these people just went after the makeup hype; but now that onverconsumerism isn’t as big of a thing (thankfully) just buying makeup for cute packaging or cause you like the owner isn’t really relevant.

[@cinberri]

I work at Ulta and sometimes I genuinely forget we have a section for r.e.m beauty

[@xamyx725]

Out of curiosity, how does Morphe sell at your store/region…? I’m in Los Angeles, and it seems the shelves are always fully stocked, and I rarely see anyone even looking at the brand…

[@cinberri]

@@xamyx725 morphe actually sells really well. I'm in Florida, and people buy their lipsticks and liquid blushes a lot. And people are almost always asking me to check in the back for the morphe pallets because they sell so fast. I think how well a brand sells also has to do with placement. Our morphe section is right when you walk in the store so people almost always stop to look at it. While r.e.m is all the way in the back on a tiny shelf so people don't even bother

[@marisamish]

I also work at Ulta and I always forget we have r.e.m beauty until we have to reset it lol

[@marisamish]

@@xamyx725I work at an Ulta in North Carolina, and it’s the same. Not a lot of people are buying Morphe and if they are, it’s the setting sprays.

[@crazyowlgirlcncowner]

OMG! An ENGENE! ❤

[@aleeza_h]

Maybe if the packaging was more like the fragrance? Playful, colourful, unique and instantly reminds the buyer of her aesthetic

[@pestiebestie]

Idk why "nobody wakes up screaming in their sleep anymore" made me laugh 😂

[@beebeexn]

Omg same it was so funny 😭

[@pinkbubblesnake]

Godamnit gen z. Ruining the traditions 😂

[@tanyapoe5490]

Haha apparently I sing and giggle in my sleep. The giggling creeps people out... understandably.

[@tammystiletto]

The skinny jeans of dream experiences 💅🏻

[@Eva-leeee]

“My normal fun dreams” , omg that’s hilarious! 😂 😅😭🤣 The word is OBSOLETE

[@lagadema16]

r.e.m. is not unique. Rare Beauty is for delicate make up, Fenty Beauty for strong make up, Charlotte for "ladies", Chanel for elegance, Bobbi Brown for businesswomen, Too Faced for pin-up girls, etc.

[@Dorts85]

Much more interested in getting rem beauty sleep.

[@NatalovesLilly]

Would have been a good name for their concealer 😅

[@lenababyyy1482]

Seriously 😂😂😂

[@Figen.E]

😂😂😂

[@hanaeyoshida5163]

HAHAHA speak on it

[@feliixby]

Lmao

[@AmonarayIsalay]

From a consumer perspective the Ariana Grande overall vibe is very youthful bordering on childlike. She looks like a little fairy doll. I think young folks would be drawn to that vibe but most makeup wearers who are grown adults are drawn to grown up cool classy/classic chic etc. That is why Fenty and Rare Beauty are so appealing. Also, I absolutely LOVE your idea for rem to rebrand and do capsules with her fragrances. Brilliant. Perfect way to start fresh and maybe give a grown up look to Ariana.

[@marceline8735]

I disagree that youthful packaging is the culprit in its downfall, as a user of K beauty products, playful and childlike packaging is not uncommon or unheard of, in fact, it is a central theme and aesthetic in most beauty brands, just look up Peripera or FLORTTE beauty, VEECCI, etc.. these brands certainly have a market and a dedicated consumer base. I think the issue here is more about the marketing and quality of the products than the packaging. Most brands nowadays use TIKTOK and Instagram to advertise their new releases, But, I never heard anyone talking about r.e.m beauty in the Makeup space on TikTok, maybe when they first launched but not anymore, despite them launching new products.

[@SM-ce1uy]

for me it's her matte dry make up and caked up concealer. it's so passe, I only wear good quality make up like Cantecaille or Armani who actually have quality foundations

[@olive872]

@@SM-ce1uyive tried so many foundations from drugstore to luxury and my favorite of all time is still a 8.99 drugstore foundation lol. High end doesnt always mean better

[@raenoway]

I go to Ulta for the Benefit Brow Bar. The employees have said over and over when we talk about makeup and trends that they hardly ever see people going to the r.e.m beauty section. Also had one of the licensed cosmetologist say they never recommend any of the products. They are just ok products but overpriced cause of who is behind it.

[@elizabethnino3977]

I only go to the r.e.m because it’s by the Peach and Lily section at my local Ulta lol, there’s literally no one at that gondola ever

[@Ruinwyn]

Sounds like r.e.m. is lacking their hero product. Brand like benefit might not be "on trend" but they have staple products people come to re-buy regularly. The focus on beauty is currently more on skin care, so the reason why r.e.m. is hanging on in the stores, might be just because there isn't an obvious replacement that would sell better.

[@dianegirard6645]

This could be an opportunity for r.e.m. Haus launched on Amazon with meh products. They rebranded, etc. and smashed it.

[@gilded_lady]

This is why no one cares. It's overpriced drug store.

[@fifimsp]

I said I honestly never heard of them and was thinking maybe I'm too old to know a brand by such a young star, but then I thought, no, I own products by both Rare Beauty and Fenty Beauty. I go into Sephora and Ulta all the time and have never noticed this brand and I have wandered around the entire store, which means, nothing was standing out even visually to get me to go over and look at the products. I've never heard anybody talk about them.

[@brendalynn7824]

I think another thing to take into consideration is Ariana herself. She’s been ruining her reputation lately and people are starting to make purchases based off morals and not popularity.

[@moonlightmadness3525]

You just made that up 😒

[@brendalynn7824]

@@moonlightmadness3525😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 why would I ever do that? What’s the point?! 🤪

[@Nà.jásh]

Tf you mean lmao, Ariana is and always has been a homewrecking cheater what u on abt😭😭😭 now ppl actually see her for what she is, nobody gonna give her money other than her preteen little girl fans lmao

[@Dahlia866]

@@moonlightmadness3525what do you mean they made that up? Ariana’s reputation took a nose dive last year and the general public doesn’t like her as much anymore. The ex-wife of her boyfriend came out saying he cheated on her with Ariana. After the SpongeBob scandal, people started digging up her old relationship timelines and lyrics about encouraging cheating, and all of that came together to form a not-so-pleasant public image for Ariana.

[@moonlightmadness3525]

@Dahlia866 Again, everything you just stated is false. Unfortunately for you, I won't be the one to break it down for you because, unlike ya'll, I have a life, go back, and research the actual facts. Also, only miserable humans sit up at night and dig up false information about another person lifestyle. Seek help, seek peace. Enough said, "I think I said everything that needed to be said." Bye-bye now. 😉🤍

[@EirlysMcLachlan]

I have nothing to base this on, but it feels like she really wanted to do the perfumes and make them great, then got pressured to do a makeup beauty brand, "everybody's doing it, you need to do it too!".

[@skateata1]

That's a good point

[@victoriat7961]

this makes sense but also she wears a lot of makeup and she probably just wanted to create her own products to use lol

[@alicia8891]

​@@victoriat7961 idk it was just too little too late

[@andreaarroyo5992]

This makes sense! Every time I see her promote her beauty brand she seems to not know much about to products. For instance she acts shocked at the makeup performance as if it's her first time using it or will read the label to say the product name. Those are things that should at the very least be done off camera lol

[@mordecaiissad8529]

I feel like saying pressured here is a very PR way of saying cash grab. Someone sold her on the idea she could make money off it with little to no effort and she went for it.

[@The_Cloth_Surgeon]

3:54 Robert love you, I think you should know, what you seem to be describing is a night Terror, which isn’t typically associated with REM, but is found with the third stage of sleep which is deep slow-wave sleep (SWS), REM On the other hand is stage 5 of a persons natural sleep cycle it is associated with rapid eye movement, vivid dreaming and temporary muscle paralysis, now nightmares can be associated with REM but these are usually extremely vivid and almost story like in nature, where as a night terror is typically not associated with vivid dreaming. The reason why wearing a sleep mask probably has helped keep you in enter and stay in REM sleep for longer through reducing extraneous stimuli, such as excess light. REM sleep is arguably one of the most important states of sleep for brain health as it helps with cognitive functions, including memory consolidation, emotional regulation, brain restoration, although its primary focus is more on physical healing and repair. There have been some really interesting studies on the affects of REM sleep and its affects on cognitive decline such as with sufferers of Alzheimers and Dementia, and interestingly enough it’s part of the reason they now recommend individuals adopt Monophasic preferably Diurnal Sleep pattern where an individual sleep for one extended period of time as apposed to Polyphasic Sleep where someone would take multiple naps throughout the day as there is evidence to suggest that individuals who do this are less likely to experience full periods of REM sleep and therefore aren’t experiencing receiving its full regenerative benefits :) hope this helps 🧡 P.s side bar apologies if this came across as less than coherent, this NB pal definitely did not get enough REM last night 😂

[@mashscriber7414]

Thank you, I was looking to see if anyone brought this up before I commented. Also, totally coherent.

[@The_Cloth_Surgeon]

@@mashscriber7414 Yay, Great minds!!! phew, thank you my brain always goes out the window after a bad nights sleep 🧡

[@memorysdancer]

I was waiting for someone to point this out and explain it to Robert. Very nicely explained.

[@shade247]

Girl 😂

[@abookishmess]

This a brand that was going to fail from the jump because it doesn't stand out. It's forgettable, and the theme is not helping. The colors are boring. The packaging is boring. They don't have a message or a mission statement to help people feel inclined to them. Just nothing. Also I find the theme kind of limiting and not leaving much room to grow. Sure it's fine but this is an over saturated space you need to be more than fine.

[@marig9236]

💯

[@TracyD2]

Ulta had their liquid eyeshadows for only 8 usd and still I was nah it would probably just sit in my drawer like the other just fine makeup. Can’t do it anymore. For me it’s wasteful.

[@pandorasgirl3584]

nailed it

[@Lemons823]

I love the sweetener foundation and concealer the most, the hyper nova blushes are some of my favourites- especially pinking of you being a very fair cool toned girlie. the new gel eyeliners are really nice and long lasting and the glossy balms are also a favourite for me. I can see why people don't like REM but personally I find it easy to build or use lightly depending on my mood, feel like good base staple products. I have most of the products that REM have available and have restocked the primer, setting spray, foundation and black eyeliner pen so far.

[@Alex-fc8xn]

I like the foundation, to the point of paying the high price for it despite only buying drugstore makeup normally, because omg I finally found my shade (4c, never found a pale and cool toned shade that actually looks good for me as a pasty redhead before. I always look yellow or orange) AND it doesn't have fragrance or aloe or any other things I'm allergic to

[@qkritten]

As a fellow dyslexic, I appreciate you not editing out all mistakes- they’re so relatable! Thanks ❤

[@AlexandraA102]

Right same!

[@onwednesdayswewearpink2761]

Arianna's personal current look is so off putting and Alien-like. That doesnt make people want to buy her beauty products

[@StefanTaf]

yeah maybe 5-10 years ago she would have had better success

[@feliixby]

When you start making "ugly" actions, they reflect on your outside

[@Tahja.k]

@@weavesnatched7957sounds like everyone was paid off tbh.

[@yaboylucas2371]

For me, I like it cause I’m a Sci-Fi person. So the Alien-Like gets my attention.

[@sarahjh4364]

​@weavesnatche lilly legit said that she wasnt a girls girl and then said that she didnt know she was on the reocord. 🙄🙄d7957

[@VikkiDixx]

Everybody wants a makeup brand just to say they have one but nobody wants to put in the time and effort to make a decent brand. She has too much going on between her film, her music, and her homewrecking, how did she think she could maintain something so big when she clearly only has time for mini side gigs atp

[@Elyse_Chu]

Not her homewrecking 😂😂💀💀

[@aphroditescomet]

love this comment

[@dynastyandrews2416]

She started rem beauty the same year she got married (in 2021), that was wayyy before her “home wrecking” and rem beauty wasn’t good then and still isn’t now

[@grizzlyalmighty2]

it's like when they list her problems n one of them is just "frankie grande"

[@alexm49066]

best comment ever

[@Tanya_V]

It looks like a copy cash grab to me from other celebrity brands. I never bought it and it never stood out to me. I don’t think Ariana is even involved in the process, she seems to be just a face of the brand.

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

Robert do you remember back in the day when eyeshadows were more often sold individually? I had so many single eyeshadows from MAC and one very small 8-ish pan palette, where the pans were skinny, tall and laid in a single row. I miss those days. I think buying single eyeshadows and maybe having one mega neutral palette makes the most sense. I see people on reddit who have like 50 palettes, for each of which they were probably only excited about a few shades. Its crazy and wasteful. I think big makeup started doing so many palettes because they can charge more 👀

[@Alex-ms9em]

Yeah I recently made a commitment to not buy another pallet. It’s much easier and more environmentally friendly to just buy want I need. Plus singles are so much easier to store lol

[@eyeballs8285]

for REAL

[@LeOhio817]

💯

[@Shirelae]

Yes individual eyeshadow that are also sold in refill form for nagnetic palettes.

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

@@Shirelae do many companies do that? Genuinely curious. I just have one Ulta brand neutral palette, which I don't use much anyway because I have been very lazy with my makeup the past decade - usually just brows and mascara (plus liner and lips if I'm feeling fancy), so I haven't actually shopped for eyeshadow in like... 8 years? Makes me kinda sad to realize that :(

[@thevioletoracle]

Just from a consumer's pov, and I can only speak for myself here, I feel like she just isn't passionate about r.e.m. I can't compare it to colourpop or a similar brand because it Has guaranteed financial backing. Rhode, Rare, and Fenty (the celebrities) all seem like they are passionate about the brand being Good, so to me, they can stand without the celebrity face. When I hear people talk about rare and fenty, it's always about how amazing the product is, not about the celebrity. I hear about fenty, not about rhianna. You know? I dont feel the same about R.e.m. It seems made just to make money. I saw her cola lip gloss ad, and it just felt low effort. I love the fragrances. It doesn't have to be perfect. Of course not. But it feels like an afterthought of a brand, and I think people reacted to that, to be honest. It feels like being handed a morphe/colourpop product and her asking me to cashapp a tip bc she's ari. I'm not paying for her face, especially not if she doesn't seem to care. Of course, I do not know her. It's how I personally feel. Maybe she lives for the brand. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Bookishbrunette]

I don’t know why but with the packaging I expected more Half Magic Beauty vibes. Fun. Colorful. Glittery. Innovative.

[@vanessaa7602]

Instead it's trash.

[@eldaberry421]

I got a bundle from her website, and while I wanted to love it I couldn’t. Felt like little kids play makeup. I gave it to my ten year old niece to wear in the house. She loves it 😂

[@MaryleenWoW]

To be honest, her products are nice but a bit expensive for what it is. I can definitely find better elsewhere so, as sad as it sounds, I guess I wouldn't miss it if the brand disappear.

[@hanywhiskey]

i can’t live without fembot eyeshadow. i will have to stock up

[@Li_Tobler]

@@hanywhiskey I had something exactly the same from lime crime years ago, I believe it was acid fairy (lol), choke, trip or something like that. I'm still sad it's gone, it was a lip topper but I used it on my eyes, it lasted all day on my greasy ahh, it was THE bomb....

[@liyahs1energy]

Ariana is more known for that ponytail she wore back then. Her perfumes are good and stand alone products. They would sale if her name wasn’t attached. I feel that way about fenty. The products are actually really good and would sale if someone else made it. Arianas makeup not so much. I’ve gone through 3 bottles of cloud. She could’ve stuck with perfume. Maybe it’s bringing in money? Not sure

[@bearscarebeauty]

Okay but after 2 years at Ulta we quite literally didn't sell a single unit or REM at my store.

[@meganmarie4541]

yikes.

[@KristenZianourry2015]

💀💀💀

[@KristenZianourry2015]

💀💀

[@reneeeve]

yikes

[@jessicajames1599]

And, they still carry it???

[@mellathewitch]

i feel like what sets rem beauty apart from other celebrity makeup brands is that it brought nothing new to the table. for example, rare beauty went SUPER viral for its long lasting liquid blushes and fenty beauty went popular because of its WIDE shade ranges in foundation that even other already big makeup brands began expanding their shade ranges after fenty and haus labs is famous for its super UNIQUE formulation in its foundation. moreover, fenty and rare beauty even reached non-celebrity fans/normal ppl like my friends and i! meanwhile rem beauty is like… ??? nothing new or exciting. ariana should have just stuck with her fragrance/perfume brand bc she’s succeeding SOO much with her fragrances and still is.

[@danielleweiss20]

I work for a retailer that sells REM, and I wish they would take it out. It does not sell at all. No one comes in asking if we carry it, if anything the teeny bops are stealing all the Femme Bot lipstick and not paying for it. The gondola is constantly a mess because even that is cheaply made and it breaks. It really just does not sell or appeal to the guests shopping my store. They love her fragrance tho! 😂 but I have seen a decline in those sales as well. Not enough for it to go away, but not nearly as popular as it was 2 years ago.

[@SM-ce1uy]

it's in Selfridges London and no one is around the counter lol

[@corilewis]

As a creative director I think your capsule collection idea is genius. I could totally see that bringing in both the fragrance crowd and the fans - it’s like limited edition merch drops.

[@Boony-Bwa]

Who knew Robert had his Bella Swan period.

[@nukhbaguloter]

HAHA i said this to my friend when i woke up screaming the other night 😭😭💗

[@CrustyUgg]

Whenever I see this brand at Ulta it reminds me of something I would have found at Walmart in the 90's. The silver plastic and clear bubble aesthetic... it just makes me think "cheap"

[@rosehipvlog7174]

It’s funny because all the brands no one buys in the US or the UK, come to my country (Chile) and here they have a massive clientele (usually wealthy people because the minimum income per month here is around 550 USD). They don’t realize those brands come here because the hype around them is ☠️ in the northern hemisphere haha

[@user-nc7ui2if4o]

You’re right. I’m from Chile too and the amount of things we have there that once I left the country I couldn’t find anymore because of “failing” and being unpopular or discontinued was huge. Even with music sometimes, I think who tf listens to this? Who still turns on the radio and lets it run? And then I remembered kiosks, stores, stands, cafeterias, and millions and millions of people live in this areas and is a huge demographic that’s easy to forget when we only consider North America and Europe as a potential audience

[@jessicamarsh9779]

24:18 I highly doubt Ulta is getting rid of REM Beauty. Ariana Grande is tied to it regardless of how much she is or isn’t involved in the brand. She also has the biggest perfume line in Ulta. Her perfume line is obviously extremely profitable for Ulta, probably one of their biggest sellers. They’re not gonna risk loosing that profit over scandal.

[@Beeslaughter]

“No one wakes up screaming in their sleep anymore” actually made me scream 😂😂

[@samanthahunter1759]

I laughed out loud at that

[@BeautybyElbi]

So for REM I love the foundation truly I was OBSESSED with it! I like to switch my foundations for fun so I haven’t used it recently but I would always get compliments on it!

[@nowyousieme]

moonlight and ari by ariana grande are my all-time favorite fragrances, and i ALWAYS get compliments when i wear them. it's so disappointing that r.e.m. didn't live up to her track record 😢

[@sweigh72]

I love her cloud perfume beautiful and reasonably priced 🩵🤍

[@laurafaehnrich4261]

ari is so nice. I got a sample as a joke from a friend and fell immediately in love. I don’t even follow this women nor do I know her songs. But I rebought the perfume 2 times already.

[@nowyousieme]

@@laurafaehnrich4261 you'll probably like moonlight too!! they're so lovely

[@hanywhiskey]

i love cloud. i work for a company that sells niche perfumes so people always scuff but idc i just love it 😭

[@sweigh72]

@@laurafaehnrich4261 I am the same I’m a middle aged woman so probably not her demographic (have to say In my head I still feel like I’m in my 30’s) but love her cloud scent for daytime wear long lasting too… xx

[@giovsgeo]

the timing i'm seeing this is so funny because i've actually been seeing a couple of r.e.m products pushed on tiktok! i remember being incredibly interested in the concealer (and brush combo deal that ulta was running) but ultimately strayed away because a more fitting concealer found its way to me instead

[@jmkcr]

Perfume addict here. I adore Cloud. I do not give a single F that it's a celeb frag. I love it and get compliments on it constantly. I also do NOT think it is a dupe for BR540, btw. And I have both.

[@literallywhy6162]

I got my nieces each one of her perfumes for Christmas last year, as their first Real perfume (they love fragrance but they can’t afford much above like a bath and body works spray). My mom got me a set of minis of all of them the same year! I agree, Cloud is bomb

[@potterhead0227]

i think her reputation plays a big factor as well, i dont want to give my money to someone who steals someones man (this isn’t to take blame away from the men who agree to cheat with her) but i will not give my money to a women who would do that to another woman, and then write a song bragging about it, and this wasn’t just one time, this is true for almost her entire dating history and it’s actually disgusting

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

You aren't joking about her fragrances. A past boyfriend wanted to be romantic and buy me a perfume for Valentine's Day, but with so many options, he wanted a hint at what to get. I told him to just go to Ulta, and sniff around and pick what HE liked most, but "hinted" that there is a special place in my heart for Juicy Couture (I'm a millennial, of course). This dude bought me Ariana Grande Moonlight. My boyfriend, who was the guitarist of a semi-famous death metal band, opening for Morbid Angel, totally counterculture and critical of the mainstream music industry, bought me an Ariana Grande fragrance. That's how good it smelled.

[@dorian417]

Oh my God, what band?? I'm a metalhead 😂

[@meganmarie4541]

you think youre bf is anti-ariana just bc he plays death metal? that would be super closed minded and immature. im not a famous musician like your bf, but I am a musician and even if I don't care for Ariana Grandes music, I respect it & i can acknowledge she's incredibly talented. I think anyone that plays music or sings would agree. if a musician said anything less I'd think they were incredibly immature, closed minded and sexist.

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

@@meganmarie4541 I'd say I knew my own boyfriend pretty well. We were together for 4 years, but alright. He never said anything about Ariana Grande in particular; I don't think he'd recognize her voice (I wouldn't, personally - I've probably heard her song in a grocery store or something but didn't know who was singing), so he wouldn't know anything about her level of talent, but he was certainly not a fan of what her type of music/celebrity represented in general. He definitely didn't have anything against her personally lmao

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

@@dorian417 for the sake of privacy I'm not going to give the exact name, but they're huge in the Oakland underground death metal scene 😊. He's an incredibly talented guitarist and a total sweetheart!

[@problem.skinnn]

@@meganmarie4541you really jumped to wild conclusions here.

[@abbieg2003]

As someone who uses a lot of R.E.M beauty, they’re superstars are the sweetener foundation and glossybalms. Everything else is good but I understand why people prefer other brands.

[@popimbisstokyo]

"Don't be dense" needs to be said more often 👌

[@lex7018]

I work at Ulta and haven’t seen anyone buy a R.E.M product in at least 3 months, and I’m register pretty often

[@Alex-fc8xn]

I bought the foundation because it was literally the first time I've found my shade (pale and cool toned, fair 4c I think it was called) in foundation that didn't have any added fragrance (or limonene/linalool), benzoates (balsam of Peru allergy), citrus, or aloe vera. It's already hard enough finding a redhead friendly shade, but to also not have anything I'm allergic to when my list of allergies is long? I normally only get drugstore makeup, but I've had no luck with foundation there. Are there any other brands that carry a similar or the same shade of foundation that you know of that are fragrance free and don't have aloe? I don't wanna support ari tbh

[@heatherduke7703]

1:07 I believe the word you want is hyperbole 😃 When you use exaggeration to communicate something different than the literal meaning

[@johannaecheverrylopez2386]

I was thinking "faux pas"

[@barneyjones6273]

@@johannaecheverrylopez2386 Faux pas is doing something in a social setting that could be considered embarrassing or awkward, like saying 'Cardiff is the best city in England', for example

[@lauraboredom2168]

i'm sorry but r.e.m products just aren't that good, they don't really stand out and the packaging itself while cute it gives cheap while the prices do not

[@TheBrightenDay]

I wish they were bolder and more magical like blend bunny pallets because Ariana makes me think of pretty shiny fantasy like her Fortnite skins are 😅💜

[@hazeldavis3176]

Yes! That would've been amazing!

[@Gna_d54]

I have a feeling the Wicked collection dropping soon is going to be just like that at least.

[@tracycieply9737]

I've tried a few R.E.M. products and it's really underwhelming. The liquid eyeliner is the worst thing I've ever tried. The eyeliner was okay and held up. The cream shadow dried up really quick. Just bleh..

[@Jennyonthehill7035]

I'm so old and out of touch that I, half listening as I tootled around doing chores, thought REM the post punk/alt rock band were, inexplicably, entering the beauty biz. Whut? 😅

[@tifinity]

Honestly if REM decided to do makeup I'd absolutely try it!

[@privatecocky8971]

​@@tifinity favourite band ever lol I'd be jumping on that shit so fast 😂

[@Emma-se5wm]

This brand is the equivalent of people unironically using "the one I love" as a wedding first dance.

[@Jennyonthehill7035]

@kyu398 actually.... in the right hands that could be really cool. Hi5!

[@lema9509]

this video is a very insightful analysis, but frankly my favorite part has to be the random tangent about you screaming in your sleep

[@anonymousperson2839]

I love the 50s/60s retro futuristic, mid-century, atomic and googie styles. So when I saw the initial launch for Rem I was disappointed as it felt more Y2K Claire's makeup than 60s sci-fi. I'm not a fan of Ariana Grande, (I do own and like two of her fragrances though) but I felt that she could have done something really interesting and unique as not a lot of brands go for a retro look, but instead it just looked really cheap and uninteresting.

[@just2lovable]

Anyone else blown away with the capsule collection matching the fragrance line idea?! Holy shit Robert

[@matheusreis9772]

Just a correction: everybody with a healthy sleep cycle reaches r.e.m, in fact not reaching it is worrysome. It's usually the last sleep stage before waking up in a healthy cicle and the period we tend to experience dreams more vividly, including nightmares. Also, just because you don't remember a dream it doesn't mean you didn't dream.

[@NostalgictotheMax]

Thank you for being respectful with your opinions. I’ve seen so many influencers shit on this just because it’s Ariana. Her products aren’t that bad, I personally love the highlighters, but I 100% agree it just doesn’t stand out and there are better products out there

[@xCindyLouWhox]

Ahh happy to see you sample a Mia Maples video. ☺️

[@tastycar]

She's the best!

[@lynettefinnigan9540]

I dont know about the make-up Robert, but you sure made me want to go check out that cloud perfume!!😂😂

[@AlfieDog4]

Not sure why, but REM never excited me from the start- it’s always been meh. Maybe the packaging

[@maryeckel9682]

I have the same feeling (or lack of feeling).

[@aprilpeach929]

​@@maryeckel9682same here, would have thought about buying sth from REM but their packaging looks so ugly to me... 😅

[@BeccasaurousRex270]

I think it’s the packaging and the stupid font rem is in. It looks super cheap and for the price, the packaging should look better ELF

[@kpearce7961]

Labour Day is at the beginning of September. "Not wearing white" indicates a switch from summer to fall wardrobe. It was like the OG "look like money" fashion hacks a few generations ago

[@marlastone17]

Worked at Ulta when it launched. Received several pieces in gratis. I was not impressed with anything in the line. I gave away my eyeshadow pallets. The eyeliner and lip stains were beyond dry. I always use black liquid liner and thought I would at least use those items. Straight to the trash can.

[@cris-amv]

Your eye make-up in this video is so, so beautiful! 😊

[@B.Harper7]

Published 20 min ago!?!?! I'm never this early for our gorgeous human to spill the tea!!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@gretalaubscher7596]

I just recently discovered all this beauty world controversies going on and I have to say the way you covered whats happening is amazing. The honest discussion along with being able to do the makeup is so funny and incredible, its like having a convo with a close friend

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

What I buy over and over as a mature woman with dry and super sensitive skin are the Pixi Hydrating Milk Mist, Byoma Moisterising Gel Cream (thanks to James!), Laura Mercier’s Hydrating primer - it creates a mesh canvas that makes the foundation look flawless! Lisa Eldridge’s BB foundation (the one that looks like a pebble) it’s INCREDIBLE as well as her lipsticks and eye products. And Benefit Gimme brows.

[@jayen5751]

@Robertwelsh, thank you so much for still covering topics of makeup and beauty in an informative and eloquent way. Your voice is greatly valued and i love listening and watching your content :)

[@Froggywitchmama]

You had night terrors, robert. Night terrors.

[@DMV8662]

Sleep paralysis

[@yukikanegawa7470]

​@@DMV8662You can have night terrors without sleep paralysis. He didn't mention he got sleep paralysis

[@anntocoda1463]

Robert, it’s so refreshing to hear you speak about product development in a way that seems to be forgotten. I’m 60 next year, I grew my love of fashion and makeup at a period when customer service was key to selling in beautiful stores.

[@anntocoda1463]

I hope brands hear you, pick up on creating desire for collections and listen. We so need to go back to seeing customers and people as individuals who love to have things that not everyone has.

[@kimmarie5610]

I don’t know why but you’re one of the only YT channels I can sit through fully nowadays my attention span is so bad

[@misspeachbeach7687]

Rem never sparked any interest to try their products. The color story and the design never spoke to me! All I remember is that purple highlighter- and who uses purple highlighter on a daily basis?

[@hannahelizabeth2883]

you were probably having night terrors! they're a kind of sleep disturbance that happens when your brain basically gets stuck between different sleep cycles, so you usually aren't fully awake when you have them, like you said. some people have episodes even more severe where it can take a while for them to come out of it. my older sister used to have really bad night terrors as a kid and would be screaming for a solid half hour and not remember it once she actually woke up. there's a link that's been discovered between them and adhd because the brain has a hard time actually fully winding down for sleep. it's super interesting!

[@May_003]

this is the first video i watch from you and you already match my energy so much. love how you switched from talking about makeup to talk about a tramatic time in your life when you used to scream at night while you were sleeping 💖💖💖💖 so demure!

[@kaytie8172]

I don’t know why, but I was never interested in the brand. Whenever I visit my local Sephora and walk by the rem display, nothing catches my eye. I also see rarely people standing in front of the display. So I‘m not sure how they are doing in Germany.

[@whelkpeopleofdoom]

The only thing that catches my eye is the lipsticks, and that's only because of the freaking adorable little space helmet packaging. Such a cute idea, but personally I'm not gonna buy a product just because of the packaging.

[@Noble-Nova]

As an Ari fan I've never actually felt the need to buy any r.e.m. products. If her team did a fragrance bundle like you mentioned that would be brilliant though, I'd be such a sucker for that.

[@judymcdougall]

So unfortunate for that brand. But there are too many fish in a crowded sea. There is no anchor product and I don’t think she has much investment except for her name. Oh well. Next. ♥️☮️🖤

[@GreenEyedGumby]

Thank you Next

[@TheJollyFatElf]

The Flower Beauty thing would make zero sense. They were in Ulta. I may be wrong, but I feel like they were phased out for Colourpop. I may have the dates wrong.

[@abbierichardson4344]

Rob I really need you to do a video on Kaleidos and where tf they went, I’m very concerned for their WELL-BEING WHERE ARE THEY I love them so much and I love watching your deep dive into brand videos, after their hair dye release (which was to appeal to the Chinese/ Asian market I think) they haven’t made a single move. I made a post on r/beauty guru and all of the comments were people sharing the same concerns I have that they will soon just disappear into the night, I miss them so much plssss come back to us, love ur videos very many 💕💕💕

[@Alex-ms9em]

I would be interested in this!

[@saiman6838]

Do you mean new products? Because their instagram is active with posts even today and this week of makeup. Maybe they don't have anything new to promote, and that's a good thing given no company needs to have multiple releases a year.

[@SpiffyPenguin]

Huh? I literally just placed like my 4th order with them. They’re still active online and selling product

[@jellyen-]

Kaleidos will def not disappear, don’t worry

[@logancarr3343]

also i think because they’re considered an indie brand they’re not gonna have product launches after the next, ive have an issue with any of their products and i like to think it’s because of the time they take between each launch to really focus on the products 😊

[@autumndennis7708]

I commented a month ago that i love your longer content im so happy you served ❤ you’ll always get watch time from me robert

[@kvarner6886]

Robert, I love you, but I'm SO glad you're not a sleep scientist! Oh, that actually gave me a fun idea for a twin channel video: you and James get science terms that Ashton has chosen and you have to try to explain them to the audience without looking them up. Think like Plate Tectonics, the female reproductive cycle, the water cycle, etc. I absolutely loved your explanation for rainbows from one of your recent-ish videos, and would love to see more!

[@barelyreal1]

I actually saw it in Sephora a few days ago and quite liked her eye shadows. They were really fun colors.

[@meganshillinger8294]

Lol "don't be dense" love it. After her homewrecking scandal she hasn't been very popular. It doesn't seem like she's been very active in her brand.

[@kunpunko]

y’all still believe that? when it’s literally been proven that ethan and his wife were already separated and he’s still in his child’s life… just embarrassing.

[@meganshillinger8294]

@kunpunko I didn't say I believed it. I just said after that scandal. True or not the scandal itself happened. I don't care about celebrity personal lives, they're first world problems are beyond my scope of caring.

[@feliixby]

​@@kunpunko His wife was posting happy birthday posts and wishing for a lifetime with him 26 days before news said he was dating Grande. They were not, in fact, separated. You're the embarrassing one

[@honeyOTU_]

@@feliixbyevery time the story comes up i find out more info that makes it even sadder wtf

[@manassaweeassawakittiporn3516]

Just because they are celebrities, doesn't mean it add value in every product line.

[@leafisactuallyaplantyk]

I got this notification while watching James' video lol

[@kristin3189]

I just love your videos so much, you have the most soothing voice and I love to listen to you when I’m winding down for bed. Destress and learn something, love it! Never stop making content for us 😊

[@avablueberry1320]

i think the main issue is that her brand is aggressively mediocre, aside from a few one-off products that are better quality. other than that it’s easily overlooked. i do love her perfumes, though.

[@Jennilynne]

Yeah, there's yet to be a really major release. I think there was a bit of hype around the concealer initially when it released but even that faded quickly.

[@bellyjewel]

“Aggressively mediocre,” I love that 😊

[@Tmae22]

I love you have Mia in this!! She’s lovely. A collab could be so funnn!

[@alexaburks]

Hi Robert! I love your videos, but I have noticed in the last few the audio seems a bit echo-y? It could just be me but it does seem different compared to the Gen Z makeup skills video you did recently.

[@victory335]

I thought the same!

[@lifeglowz]

Yes, I agree.

[@Ola74]

Exactly what I wanted to post about but went through the comments first to see whether anyone else noticed or it’s just on my end. Sounds like he didn’t record in his studio but somewhere else on the green screen, without the usual microphone(s) or lighting, and then used the background photo that would make him look like he’s in his room. Looks like a “fake Robert” video 😂😂😂

[@zarapuka4208]

Honestly she shouldn't have released a makeup line, that was the first mistake. It would have been much better if she launched a haircare line instead. That represents her brand so much better cuz when i think of Ariana i think hair, not makeup.

[@butterflygirlbeauty]

Oh, side note, there isn't really a fragrance that she has made that myself or my daughters didn't love. I have quite a few and my girls have some. I prefer God is a woman or cloud or thank you next 2.0 and my one daughter LOVES sweet like candy. They are all pretty lovely..the lip oil was ok too but the makeup is just mid. She should do a rebrand with higher quality makeup and newer packaging.

[@badlilkitty96]

VERY smart idea about the capsule collections! They should really listen to you imo.

[@glitteringmaze]

Nothing like strapping in for a Robert video on my birthday woo!

[@anitxneyugn]

Happy birthday!🎉

[@noidea4254]

Happy belated birthday 🥳

[@Mel-jl8dt]

Your idea is really really cool actually. The fragrances/makeup matching capsule collection. That would be a very smart move. There's so much room to play with if they do that

[@youraftermyrobotbee]

Her perfumes go hard. It's really a shame her cosmetics are so mid.

[@FairyOddPanda]

Haha not me seeing this video the same day I placed an order for her entire assortment of liquid shadows! The brand makes no sense in terms of name or theme to Ari. Tying it to a specific album concept seemed short-sighted. It also lacks a POV (Rare Beauty was disability friendly packaging and supporting mental health initiatives; fenty was addressing shade range in the market; rhone has a strong clean girl aesthetic etc.). I tried her balm gloss because it was on sale and liked it a LOT so ended up buying her shadow palette as well. And from what I could find of reviews of her liquid shadows they seemed fine for 50% off so I just bought them all. I'll also say I feel like they didn't spend as much money on influencers or promoting on social media. Instead the money went to custom tooling for packaging the elf level product imo. I wish she would've priced it more like rare or fenty and put the brand in the mid range with better products than trying to sell drugstore products at a markup. There's literally no sponsored videos on this product anywhere so marketing kind of dropped the ball in that sense.

[@MsDecens]

Just throwing it out there. The disability friendly packaging for rare beauty was just a rumor ppl kept spreading. The brand spoke on this.

[@FairyOddPanda]

@MsDecens I could have sworn when they launched they said the brand worked with an arthritis advocate on easier to open packages. Maybe it was something an influencer said that caught on without truth :) I did not see the brand speak on this topic!

[@FairyOddPanda]

Okay update: I've tried the liquid shadows and they're actually really good. The mattes are definitely much easier to work with and I'm thrilled with them as one and done shadows for everyday. The glitters are good but you definitely have to just lay them down where you want them vs place & blend.

[@MsDecens]

@@FairyOddPanda from what I remember an influencer assumed it and others started to pass it along until ppl said it thinking it was fact. Robert Welsh posted an email from the company saying that was not an intentional feature. I think it's something that they are trying to incorporate into the brand now tho bc of the confusion but disabled folks have different experiences with the packaging. 🤷

[@gwenn7748]

that’s so true! rem song is about dreaming in her album. even her rem perfume was confusing. the commercial for it was closer to “break free” (her song) than rem song. does she really just avoid cohesion with this whole rem thing

[@PollyW326]

The only legit celebrity brands I even touch are Fenty, Rare, and Haus Labs. They are consistent. I tried a couple things from R.E.M. and they were just not good.

[@laurielaliberte5873]

I'm not huge on celebrity makeup brands, but there are a few products I love. Flower Beauty's lip mask is a ride or die for me. I want to try, but haven't yet, Rare Beauty, but I lean more toward drugstore makeup rather than higher end. That said, a coworker of mine wears one of the Ariana Grande fragrances, and it's intoxicating. She always smells amazing.