Opinion: SKKN’s Second Chance in Beauty Could Depend on SKIMS

SKIMS transformed shapewear from functional undergarments into a fashion statement in just three years. Kim Kardashian's brand, now valued at $4 billion, redefined an entire category through innovative designs, inclusive sizing, and masterful marketing. But as rumors of a SKIMS beauty line swirl (as SKIMS acquired SKKN by Kim), I question whether this fashion powerhouse can replicate its magic in the $600 billion beauty industry.

The challenge is fundamentally different this time.

Shapewear vs. Beauty

When SKIMS entered the shapewear market, it found a category ripe for disruption. Dominated by a few legacy players offering limited options, shapewear was essentially a blank canvas. Beauty, by contrast, is an oversaturated masterpiece with barely a spot to place a new signature.

One major issue is that the beauty industry has many celebrity competitors and innovative products already on the market compared to shapewear, so they have to differentiate somehow.

That "differentiation" may present itself as a mountain to climb. Beauty doesn't just have competition—it has entrenched players with decades of research and development, brand loyalty, and specialized expertise. The battlefield is staggeringly complex, from legacy powerhouses like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal to celebrity brands like Fenty, Rare Beauty, Rhode, Huda Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics to innovative startups capturing niche audiences.

I've analyzed dozens of beauty brand expansions throughout my retail career. The pattern is clear: succeeding in beauty requires entirely different capabilities than succeeding in fashion categories.

The 3 Beauty Barriers SKIMS Must Overcome

The first hurdle is technical expertise. Beauty products demand sophisticated formulation knowledge, extensive testing, and specialized manufacturing. SKIMS mastered fabric innovation in shapewear, but cosmetic chemistry is another universe entirely.

The second challenge is differentiation. SKIMS revolutionized shapewear through inclusive sizing, innovative silhouettes, and contemporary aesthetics. But in beauty, these exact differentiators are already standard practice. Fenty launched with 40 foundation shades. Rare Beauty built inclusivity into its DNA. Clean formulations, sustainable packaging, and inclusive marketing are now table stakes, not competitive advantages.

What would make consumers choose SKIMS over established favorites?

The third barrier is distribution complexity. Beauty retail involves navigating partnerships with specialized retailers, managing testers and samples, creating trial experiences, and building beauty-specific digital tools. The operational requirements differ significantly from apparel.

Beauty Market Setbacks

This wouldn't be the Kardashian empire's first beauty rodeo. Kim's previous venture, KKW Beauty, sold to Coty in 2020 for $200 million but never achieved the market-defining status of Kylie Cosmetics. The family's beauty business track record shows success but not dominance—and SKIMS would be entering an even more competitive landscape than existed when those brands launched.

SKIMS does have significant advantages. The brand possesses extraordinary marketing prowess, a massive social following, and the ability to generate immediate awareness. Its direct-to-consumer expertise would serve it well in beauty's digital landscape. Most importantly, SKIMS has established trust with consumers through quality products that deliver on promises.

But beauty consumers are notoriously fickle. They have existing loyalties, preferred routines, and high expectations for performance.

The Path Forward: Specialized Focus

If SKIMS aims to succeed in beauty, it must apply the same disruptive thinking that revolutionized shapewear. Instead of launching a comprehensive line competing across all categories, a focused approach targeting specific underserved needs could provide an entry point.

Body beauty—products addressing skin concerns beyond the face—would naturally align with SKIMS' existing focus on body positivity and inclusive sizing. This segment remains less crowded than color cosmetics or skincare, potentially offering SKIMS the white space it leveraged so successfully in shapewear.

Timing will also prove crucial. The beauty industry is experiencing a post-pandemic recalibration, with consumers becoming more selective about purchases. SKIMS would need to identify precisely the right moment to enter when consumers are receptive to new options but before competitors fill emerging gaps.

A Calculated Risk

SKIMS stands at a crossroads many successful brands face: leverage your equity to expand, or focus on dominating your core category. Beauty expansion represents both tremendous opportunity and significant risk.

The $600 billion beauty industry offers massive potential rewards, but also potential dilution of what makes SKIMS special. Many fashion brands have stumbled in beauty, finding that excellence in one category doesn't guarantee success in another.

I remain skeptical but curious. If SKIMS approaches beauty with the same innovative thinking it brought to shapewear—identifying genuine consumer needs and solving them unexpectedly—it could create meaningful space. However, unlike shapewear, where SKIMS wrote new rules for a sleepy category, beauty will force the brand to play in an industry where hundreds of innovative competitors constantly rewrite the rules.

The question isn't whether SKIMS can launch beauty products. The real $600 billion question is whether those products can matter in a landscape where standing out requires more than a famous name and marketing muscle.

SKIMS rewrote the shapewear story through genuine innovation. Beauty will demand nothing less—and possibly much more.