- Millie Bobby Brown said she launched her brand Florence by Mills to learn more about the beauty industry.
- The actress told Allure she wants to take her fans on a "journey" to master makeup and skincare.
Millie Bobby Brown revealed that she started her brand Florence by Mills because she doesn't know anything about the beauty industry and wanted to learn as she goes.
The "Stranger Things" star spoke with Allure's Emily Zemler for the magazine's September cover story, which was published Wednesday. Brown said that when she started her beauty brand in 2019, it began as a pastime. However, the brand grew in popularity in recent years and became a learning experience for her.
"I don't know anything about beauty and skin care," Brown told the outlet. "That's why I created this. I'm going to take you on this journey with me, so we can learn more about botanicals, serums, fruit and vegetable extracts, enzymes. Things that are so important for your skin, but we don't know about because we're young."
The 18-year-old actress told Allure that many young people (including herself) don't connect with beauty terms like "anti-aging" and "depuffing," adding that her generation "needs to know more."
Brown's learning experience became public when she was accused of faking her skincare routine in a video months after Florence by Mills launched. Entertainment Tonight reported in September 2019 that the star appeared to be pretending to use her products without putting any on her face or turning her faucet on.
In a now-deleted apology shared on Instagram, Brown responded to the backlash and explained that she was trying to simulate her actual beauty routine.
"I'm still learning the best way to share my routines as I get to know this space better — I'm not an expert," she wrote, according to ET. "I thought doing a quick video replicating my personal process for that night was okay, but that's not what was conveyed. I understand, I appreciate all of your feedback on this journey, please keep sharing your thoughts and I will too!"
Brown told Allure she's continued to struggle with online hate and removed social media apps on her phone. She said she only communicates with her fans through blog posts on her beauty brand's website, but she still sees her influence on young people as a positive thing.
"Of course, people can look at it as pressure or scary, but I think that's the most exciting part of my job," she said, adding that she wants to tell fans to "be the people that you want to be and achieve the dreams that you want to achieve."