Cosmoss: Kate Moss Reimagines Wellness
Euphoria-inspired skincare for the most fabulous of party girls.
by KINSEY LEE ★ OCTOBER 30, 2022
Controversial icon and model, Kate Moss, just launched her new wellness brand Cosmoss, and it is nothing less than revolutionary. Moss, the ultimate trendsetter, is once again establishing a new status quo, this time for the wellness industry. Wellness has been stuck in the Glossier-esc, all-natural, “clean girl” aesthetic since the 2010s, and Moss is signaling a change in the beauty era with this launch.
Kate Moss, a British-born supermodel, was known just as well for her successful modeling career as her party-girl rebellious lifestyle. Moss was the “it” girl of the 90s—think the original Paris Hilton. She coined the problematic phrase, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” and often glorified drug usage. In September of 2005, Moss was pictured on the front page of the Daily Mirror, snorting lines of cocaine. Unsurprisingly, she was dropped from countless ad campaigns that she was the face of, tainting her image.
Moss has attempted to reclaim her image and has been gaining back relevancy. She made a brief appearance in the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial and began speaking out about the exploitation of young models like herself. Her family has been in the spotlight ever since her daughter Lila Moss’ modeling debut and rapid growth in popularity. The time is ripe for a Moss comeback.
It is undeniably ironic that a wellness brand “draws on the extraordinary life experience” (Cosmoss) of someone once referred to as “Cocaine Kate.” But is this type of realistic duality that consumers have been wanting to see out of the industry?
The “clean girl” aesthetic swept Tik Tok, filling girls’ rooms with mini skincare fridges and ice rollers for a morning face depuff. The most iconic clean girl is of course Hailey Bieber, who recently debuted her own skincare line, Rhode. Cosmoss and Rhode could not be more different in their ideals. Where Rhode strives for a glazed donut, Cosmoss embodies leftover glittery eyeshadow from a night of clubbing.
Since the mainstream obsession with HBO’s Euphoria, there has been somewhat of a cultural reset. Party culture is in again. Benders are in, sleeping in your makeup is in, Sunday scaries are in, being a little bit messy is in. Hot girls find a balance. Cosmoss echoes this and strives to embody a “celebration of every day exactly as it is, with all its imperfections,” (Cosmoss). The brand imagery channels Euphoria vibes with its misty glow and purple tint. The products represent a more holistic approach to wellness, ranging from an everyday moisturizer and cleanser to tea bags and body mist.
The brand explains its product, the Sacred Mist, as “a complete sensorial experience,” that “envelopes you with its hypnotic yet grounding fragrance” (Cosmoss). The brand centers around the Rituals of skincare and highlights the intangible results of wellness. Inner peace, positive energy, and relaxation are the focus, rather than flawless, airbrushed skin. Cosmoss’s products are about achieving a fantasy, not perfection.
It’s time to move away from the unrealistic expectations of the clean girl. No one actually has time to keep up with a 15-step skin-care routine, and no one actually looks like Hailey Bieber on a daily basis. Apps like BeReal are demonstrating the consumer craving to move on from perfection and onto authenticity. It’s time for more fun and less hot lemon water. What better influencer to bring us back to an elevated “teenage dirtbag” aesthetic than the OG herself?