The Lebanese man behind Selena Gomez’s multi-billion-dollar beauty brand

Note: The interview took place on Sept. 13, 2024. 8:30 a.m. LA time. On Sept. 17 the pager attacks happened, and then less than a week later, the war escalated to new heights. Now, a precarious 60-day cease-fire is in effect.It’s the beauty brand that elevated American actress and pop mega-star Selena Gomez to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index earlier this year. Rare Beauty has been a staggering success. Since launching in September 2020, it has become one of the fastest-growing makeup brands in the world. Available in 36 countries and counting, its sales grew by 100 percent between 2021-2022, and 200 percent the year after. Less known, however, is the Lebanese connection to Gomez’s company and its ever-expanding success: Mehdi Mehdi, the company’s COO, and one of its founding and formative members. He was a part of the three-person team —...