During her Super Bowl performance with Kendrick Lamar, SZA had a secret—and it was right on her lips. Wearing a deep cherry-red outfit (with matching curls to complete the look), her glossy nude lips hinted at something big to come. Now, the singer is ready to share the news: she’s launching her own beauty brand called Not Beauty.

“I’m not a beauty expert, but I know lips,” SZA tells Vogue. “I know what I like, and I’m serious about finding the best ingredients.” The brand’s first release is a lip gloss, available in three carefully chosen shades. “I wanted to create something I actually use every day—something that works for me. My whole life and career have been about following passion, taking risks, and trusting the process.”

While fans now realize she was teasing her beauty line during the Super Bowl, she’s actually been subtly wearing the gloss for a while. “Every time you’ve seen me with any color on my lips recently, it’s 100% Not Beauty,” she says, naming In the Flesh and Strawberry Jam as her go-to shades for a hint of color. There’s also a clear option for those who just want shine. “I love a little tint—not too much, since my lips are already full. My ideal lip combo is low effort, high impact, with major shine. Just enough to make a statement without looking like you’re trying too hard.”

As a self-proclaimed lip gloss enthusiast, SZA knew the formula was right when it passed the ultimate test: lasting for hours without needing a touch-up. “When I realized I could go all day without reapplying, that meant something. Honestly, lip gloss is 85% of feeling attractive for me—no joke. Once I’ve got liner and gloss on, I’m like, ‘Okay, who am I meeting today?’

So, why the name Not Beauty? “It’s a reminder not to try to be like other brands—or anything else, really,” she explains. “Don’t just slap your name on something because you can. My whole life is about staying pressure-free while still giving your best, and that’s what Not represents.”

This philosophy isn’t just for the brand—it’s how she lives. “I’m not following anyone else’s path. There’s so much magic in being a beginner, in that rawness. There’s power in moving through life with that energy. Everything is a constant beginning—we’ve never lived before, after all.”

(Credit: Cass Meyers)