As someone who shops online often, I take issue with overpriced “curated” celebrity shopping websites like Goop, Preserve, et. al. It’s not that difficult to visit the daily sale sites (RueLala, MyHabit and Ideel are my favorites but there are so many more) and the home decor sites or even Amazon, Etsy and Overstock to find nice things that fit your own personal style. For me that’s part of the fun of dressing and decorating: finding individual pieces. I’ll occasionally purchase something a celebrity wears or recommends but I keep in mind that they get that stuff for free and make good money promoting it.

So that’s why I’m kind of laughing at the fact that Justin Timberlake’s home design website, HomeMint.com, has closed. Timberlake opened the site with his interior designer, Estee Stanley, under the umbrella of other “Mint” sites curated by celebrities. There’s JewelMint, by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher Coulter, Stylemint by Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, and ShoeMint by Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez, among others. (I’ve never heard of any of those sites and I’m a shopping addict who runs a celebrity blog.)

In an interview last year with ElleDecor, Timberlake and Stanley explained that the BeachMint company “came to us with the opportunity” to run the site. He also said that he loves to obsess over the details of decorating and will “Literally, for hours, sit and compare hardware.” Well it looks like Timberlake’s time has opened up, since he doesn’t have to curate for Homemint any longer:

Justin Timberlake can scratch interior design guru off his resume. His decor website, HomeMint, claims to be taking a “staycation” – but according to a source, the site is kaput. “Justin is far from a decorating, and people didn’t flock to buy his designs,” the insider explains. “He’s disappointed.” One problem was the site’s membership fee – $10 a month – just for the privilege of viewing $140 throw pillows and $100 baskets curated by Justin. “Everything was overpriced,” groused one customer. “It was all stuff you could’ve found elsewhere for a lot less.”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, November 17, 2014]

$10 a month just to be able to shop does sound steep when the same items are available on other sites for cheaper. So maybe it’s not on Justin that this failed. He probably doesn’t care, he’s got his music career, a new baby on the way, and a successful fashion line with his best friend. Plus Justin really wants to act, that’s his true ambition although you know how that’s working out for him.

While I sideeye most of the celebrity shopping sites, especially the “lifestyle” sites, there are a few celebrities working in niche markets who are really killing it. Kate Hudson’s Fabletics is an athletic clothing site which offers monthly workout outfits for about $50. The prices are steep but not outrageous and the clothes are cute. Jessica Alba has The Honest Company which has monthly eco-friendly baby, home and child product deliveries. In those cases the celebrities are offering products they know and care about in a specific category. Justin Timberlake and home decorating are kind of a mismatch.

photos from WENN, FameFlynet and via Pinterest