Brad Pitt’s new skincare line Le Domaine is very expensive and now a group of skincare entrepreneurs has penned an open letter slamming the actor.
Bradd Pitt’s new skincare line Le Domaine is here. It’s almost comically pricy and some critics are also saying it’s nothing more than “another buzzy but ineffectual celebrity beauty brand.”
The “Fight Club” star was famously a Kiehls guy, but with the launch of Le Domaine, Pitt told Vogue he was borrowing a page from his ex, Gwenyth Paltrow, of Goop. It’s not clear what he meant by that but Goop is definitely another brand known for eye-popping price points.
Pitt’s new skincare line features a serum that runs $385. If you want Pitt’s face cream to match, that’ll be a whopping $320.
But does Brad Pitt’s new skincare line Le Domaine actually work?
The secret ingredient in Pitt’s new skincare line is a molecule called GSM10. It’s touted to be the “next big thing” according to Vogue, but it’s basically an antioxidant.
The other key ingredient is called ProGr3. It’s derived from the once equally-buzzy antioxidant found in red wine, resveratrol.
But does any of this actually fight the signs of aging? The Le Domaine website makes lots of scientific-sounding claims, touting all the research that went into developing this pricy product. What the site does not do is link to any actual studies.
There’s an old saying that claims made without any evidence can be dismissed the same way. And when a celebrity skincare product costs nearly $400 to test for yourself, buyer beware.
However, the editors at Page Six gave Le Domaine a day in court and liked it overall. “I definitely felt dewy after using it,” noted writer Brian Faas. Faas though couldn’t quite get past the sticker shock.
“For that price, I think Brad Pitt should come to your house and apply it to your face.”
Brian Faas, Page Six
Brad Pitt’s new skincare line has a telling typo
The ad campaign for Pitt’s new skincare line also ran into a funny faux pas. Le Domaine is being marketed as “genderless.” (editor’s note: basically all topical skincare is clinically genderless, regardless of branding.) Anyway, the marketing is all very progressive, which made this Freudian slip even more amusing.
Le Domaine was attempting to list “preservatives” banned from their pricy product, but accidentally shared this “blacklist” of banned ingredients that reads: “no conservatives.” Whoops.
Do Brad Pitt’s Le Domaine critics have a point?
A group of skincare entrepreneurs got together to pen this open letter to Pitt. The letter says in part, “we love you,” but then adds, “please stop.”
It goes on to question whether Pitt has put in the work to actually deserve respect in the skincare game, noting, “showing up for a photo shoot does not count as an experience.”
Let me translate a bit here. The full text of the argument amounts to, “wah. We were here first and now you’re getting attention we want.”
What the letter does not contain is any actual substantive criticism of the product.
This feels like a missed opportunity but it speaks to an industry that takes much more issue with competition than it does with misleading claims about product efficacy.
As ever, good skincare is about keeping it simple. I’d recommend more affordable products that utilize proven ingredients and actually list the respective concentrations.
This $13 vitamin C cream along with this affordable C serum pack from The Ordinary are among my favorites. Vitamin C is backed by reams of research and won’t break the bank for a single bottle.
