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‘This is the new cash cow for them’: Popular skincare TikToker’s video on Harry Styles’ new line sparks debate about celeb skincare lines

‘Harry is really giving us capitalist core.’

Photo of Clara Wang

Clara Wang

A man talking into camera.

A popular skincare TikToker breaks down the cost versus benefits of Harry Styles’s new skincare line in viral TikTok video.

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Javon Ford, @javonford16, is a popular TikTok creator with over 80,000 followers. He regularly posts videos analyzing various skincare products.

On Monday, the “cosmetic chemist” posted a video breaking down the cost-benefit analysis of the Pearlescent Illuminating Serum from Harry Styles’ skincare line, which is available for pre-order. The 56-second video got over 248,400 views and 37,700 likes since being posted Monday.

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“Harry Styles has a new skincare line coming out,” Ford says. “Should you pre-order it? Let’s discuss.”

He starts off by noting the high price.

“First off, the presentation is lovely. It has a quasi-lux feel, which is good because this product is $35 for half an ounce. For perspective, most serums are one ounce so you’re basically paying $70 for this. Is it worth the money? Let’s look at the ingredients.”

Then, he proceeds to analyze the ingredient list.

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“This formula contains vitamin B5 (aka panthenol), antioxidants, amino acids, as well as lab-grown mica,” he says.

Lab-grown mica, also known as synthetic fluorphlogopite, is not dependent on child labor like a lot of mica since it’s lab-grown, he notes.

“A+ for ethics, but the praise kind of stops there,” Ford says.

“Nothing in the formula is special enough to justify the $70 price point, especially when the actives are very common and below the 1% line. At best, this can be used as a hydrating, water-based primer. But beyond that definitely not worth $70 for 1 ounce.”

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Many of the 560 comments mock how many celebrities have recently started their own skincare lines.

“This is the new cash cow for them like perfume was 10years ago and makeup 5 years ago,” @lunanqiwa said.

“lol all celebrities coming out with skin care,” another said.

Others poked fun at Styles directly.

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“Harry is really giving us capitalist core,” @iluvlaurynhill said.

“Harry gots to afford his feather boas y’all,” @suspicioushamster quipped.

The Daily Dot reached out to Ford for comment.

Editor’s note: Due to a technical error, our original message to this TikToker may not have been delivered.

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The Daily Dot