Beauty Brand Collabs: Some Make Sense—And Two That Just Don’t

Grab a coffee or water, and talk about brand collaborations. Specifically, the kind where a beauty brand pairs up with something wildly unexpected—like a video game or a cartoon mushroom—and tries to sell you lip gloss with a backstory.

Some of these collabs? Smart, fun, and on-brand. Others? I’m scratching my head, wondering who signed off on that strategy deck.

Let’s walk through four recent collabs: two that totally make sense and two that I can’t quite wrap my head around—even if they’ll probably sell out anyway.

The Two That Miss the Mark

Fenty Beauty X Smurfs

Let’s start with the buzziest one. Fenty is dropping “Blue’tiful: The Smurfette Collection Collector’s Tin,” celebrating Rihanna’s new role as the voice of Smurfette in the upcoming Smurfs movie. It features seven limited-edition products, including lavender gloss, a daisy puff, and a mini shimmer body cream with a “Smurfberry” scent.

It’s cute. The packaging is whimsical. Here's the thing: from a marketing and branding standpoint, Fenty isn’t a whimsical brand.

Fenty is a cultural force. The brand is bold, inclusive, and trendsetting. From the beginning, Rihanna built Fenty around self-expression and confidence, pushing the beauty industry forward. Whether it’s 50 shades of foundation or boundary-breaking fashion shows, the brand has always stood for something more than just pretty packaging.

So, a Smurfs collab? Even with Rihanna voicing Smurfette, it feels like a stretch.

From a pure marketing standpoint, I get the mechanics. Movie tie-in. Soundtrack tie-in. Summer merch moment. But this feels more like a brand borrowing nostalgia than building on its own story. And that’s a risk—especially for a prestige brand. Yes, it might drive sales in the short term, but it pulls Fenty into kitsch territory. And that’s not where it usually plays.

Fenty’s core customer isn’t looking for disco-ball keychains or mushroom-shaped sponges. They want elevated, expressive, cool. You can "do fun" (see Shimmer Gloss Bomb releases), but “Smurfberry Shimmer” isn’t quite the vibe we’ve come to expect.

Charlotte Tilbury x Genshin Impact

Next up: Charlotte Tilbury x Genshin Impact, a mobile fantasy RPG with anime visuals and magical characters. The collab includes two limited-edition boxes with merch inspired by characters from the game.

This one also feels off.

Charlotte Tilbury’s whole identity is old-school glam meets modern magic. The aesthetic is luxury, Hollywood red carpet, and “pillow talk” sophistication. So when do you drop a collaboration with an anime-style fantasy video game? It jars. Even with their recent Disney collab (which also didn’t land for me), it seems like the brand is trying to chase trends instead of deepening its own narrative.

Yes, Genshin Impact has a vast global audience. Yes, gaming and beauty have started to overlap, especially on TikTok. But this feels like two very different worlds colliding with no shared DNA. Nothing in Charlotte Tilbury’s past campaigns, tone, or product storytelling hints at playful fantasy or gamer culture.

Even if the boxes look sleek (and they do), the concept doesn’t align. A brand that’s built its reputation on timeless elegance shouldn’t feel like it’s pivoting to pop culture novelty to grab a new demo, especially when that demo may not be shopping $48 lipsticks.

Two that Totally Work!

ColourPop x Lilo & Stitch

This one? It makes total sense.

ColourPop has built its business on playful, fast-moving, accessible beauty. The brand has collaborated with Disney, Powerpuff Girls, Sailor Moon, Hocus Pocus, and more. The tone is always fun, nostalgic, and collector-friendly without feeling like a cash grab.

So a Stitch collab, tied to the new live-action Lilo & Stitch release, is right on brand. The packaging is bright and animated. The shades are wearable but fun. The price point is accessible. And the tie-in with a current release keeps it relevant.

Most importantly, the ColourPop customer expects this kind of collaboration. It’s what they come for. This launch adds to the brand’s personality instead of competing with it. It reinforces the idea that ColourPop is the home of pop culture-meets-beauty mashups. And when you do that consistently, customers stick around to see what’s next.

Lord of the Rings X Glamlite

This collaboration is another match that works. Glamlite has made a whole business out of ultra-specific, nostalgia-fueled collections. We’re talking Strawberry Shortcake, Betty Boop, Scooby Doo, Barbie, Chucky—even Frosted Flakes. The packaging is detailed, the concepts are clear, and the collabs feel like they were designed with love.

So, Lord of the Rings? It is totally on-brand.

Yes, the movie trilogy ended years ago. But this franchise still has a strong fan base. And Glamlite knows how to tap into fandoms in a way that feels intentional, not gimmicky. Even when they’re a little late to the party (like this one), they do their homework. The palettes match the themes. The packaging feels collectible. It hits the same sweet spot as their past launches: delightfully over-the-top but well-executed.

Unlike Fenty or Tilbury, Glamlite doesn’t pretend to be luxurious or serious. That gives them room to play. And when your whole brand is about themed collections, this kind of partnership only builds more trust with your audience.

Beauty collaborations can be smart marketing—when they make sense. Collaborations feel exciting and fresh when the product matches the brand personality, and the story supports the mission. But when the alignment is off, even the best packaging can’t fix the disconnect.

So if you’re Fenty or Charlotte Tilbury—brands known for sophistication, cultural impact, and a certain level of polish—you can’t suddenly pivot into cartoons and cosplay and expect your customer to follow without blinking. You can experiment, sure. However, brand identity is fragile, especially when your audience expects a certain standard.

If you're ColourPop or Glamlite, on the other hand? This is your playground. Your audience is already tuned in for fun, themed drops and pop culture partnerships. You’re not borrowing energy—you’re building it.

Branding matters. Consistency matters. And in beauty, where everything is emotional, visual, and deeply personal, you have to know who you are before you try to be everything to everyone.