Is Prada Beauty’s New Makeup And Skincare Launch All It's Cracked Up To Be?
After much anticipation, Prada finally stepped into the beauty world (again) on August 1 when it launched its coveted Prada Beauty line. Touted as the next generation of beauty products, Prada has brought us 26 matte shades of lipstick, 33 shades of foundation, some seriously bold eye shadow palettes, and a couple of skincare products thrown in the mix.
Honestly, I’m surprised that it took Prada this long to establish itself in the beauty landscape. After all, everyone from Chanel and Christian Dior to Tom Ford has already launched successful beauty lines following their ascent to fashion world stardom.
Having first tried its hand at beauty in 2000, more than two decades have passed since the Prada creatives took another stab. This time, they’ve asked beauty lovers to “rethink beauty” through their new products. And, the recent Prada Beauty launch received much hype and excitement in beauty circles and fans flocked to stores to grab the new products as soon as they dropped.
But, the question remains, whether Prada Beauty is bringing anything new to the heavily-saturated luxury beauty landscape, or is this just another brand capitalizing on it’s hugely-popular brand name? What is Prada actually wanting us to rethink (apart from how much we’re willing to spend on beauty products in a cost-of-living crisis)? Let’s explore what Prada is bringing to the table and whether it’s worth the excitement.
The Products
Diving into the Prada Beauty collection, it's clear that the brand isn’t afraid of making a bold statement. Lynsey Alexander, the brand’s global creative make-up artist, explained to Vogue that the aim was to “bring a touch of eccentricity to a sophisticated complexion.” And, in some ways, they’ve achieved that.
Take, for example, their new eyeshadow palettes. Inspired by classic Prada color schemes, each kit contains a mix of neutral colors and a daring “twist”, which makes this the perfect product for beauty fans that are sometimes feeling adventurous. Elsewhere, the brand’s matte lipstick range provides a great spectrum of hues and promises long-lasting wear. And, I’m loving the aesthetics of the shades they’ve chosen and the packaging of their lipsticks.
The foundations also come in a wide array of shades that meet the needs of a diverse range of skin tones, something still often overlooked by many brands in the beauty industry. The refillable glass containers hold a 24-hour-lasting foundation that promises medium coverage and a soft matte finish. What’s more, the foundation is also infused with niacinamide and vitamin E, and is marketed as “soft filtered skin in real life.”
As for the skincare products, the brand has gone minimal by focusing on quality over quantity. This is achieved through three new skincare products, which include a facial cream, serum, and skin cleanser.
The Price Point
Well, it wouldn’t be a luxury makeup brand without a price point to match, right? As expected from a high-end brand like Prada, the price point for these products is certainly in the higher-end bracket. In fact, I did a double take when I saw their 60ml face cream was retailing for $390.00 on their website. Then their foundations come in at $70, and lipstick will set you back at least $50.
Of course, Prada has a high-end rep that it needs to keep up and it seems that they’ve toed the line when it comes to their makeup. This pricing positions the brand very clearly within the luxury beauty market.
The thing is, is it worth it? Well, the brand has received some rave reviews for its products. However, these high costs will also exclude a wide spectrum of shoppers who simply can't or won't justify spending such amounts on beauty products. Given that TIB is on a mission to make beauty accessible to all, then it’s a thumbs down from us that Prada’s products cost an arm and a leg when many shoppers are struggling to pay bills. Sorry, Prada.
The Verdict
Readers, I’m on the fence. While Prada may have been late to the beauty game, they've certainly made a strong entrance. The packaging of their products is certainly high-end, heavy, and looks the part. Their makeup collection also stands out for its boldness, inclusivity, and quality. And, I do not doubt that Prada will continue expanding on its makeup products in the coming months as more people get to know this new beauty contender.
At the same time though, I’m still left asking myself whether Prada is bringing anything really innovative to the makeup landscape. Dare I say it, I’m a bit underwhelmed.
I’ll explain why. While refillable makeup products are certainly commendable, we should now expect that from all beauty brands anyway. As the climate crisis continues to unfold, it’s the least I should expect refillable from any leading brand.
Aside from that, it's quite hard to identify any groundbreaking features that set Prada Beauty apart from the hundreds of high-end beauty brands already on the market. If I’m honest, the hues, the formulas, and even the product range aren’t much different from other luxury beauty lines. The thing is, in an industry that thrives on innovation and uniqueness, I am left yearning for something more from Prada Beauty. The jury, for now, remains out.
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