Estee Lauder to Close Prescriptives
OH MY GOODNESS! I can’t believe it!
In a long-anticipated move, the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. said Thursday it will shut down wholesale distribution of its 30-year-old Prescriptives brand by Jan. 31. Products will continue to be available through the brand’s Web site for consumers needing replenishment, until supplies run out.
“A core component of the Estée Lauder Companies’ corporate strategy is to evaluate, and where possible, turn around underperforming brands with the goal of improving return on investment. After a thorough analysis of the Prescriptives brand, management concluded that the brand’s long-term business model is no longer viable given the current market environment. We believe that the difficult decision relating to Prescriptives will allow us to redirect our resources to key strategic imperatives where we see the highest growth potential,” said Freda.
– Read entire article at WWD
Rae
Thursday, September 17, 2009Aww, that sucks :( *hugs* It won’t really affect us in Canada, though, because as far as I know it was never up here anyways x.x
Either way, it’s a little frightening just how many cosmetic companies are filing for bankruptcy, being downsized, or just plain ‘ol getting shut down by their parent company.
Sheila
Thursday, September 17, 2009nope, it was here. You can get it at Holt Renfrew, or previously, at the Bay.
It won’t affect me very much though, because I was never a huge fan of it.
Rae
Thursday, September 17, 2009ZOMG, really?! Argh — the HR in my city is a good half hour away, so I didn’t even *think* of checking there!!
That majorly sucks :(
amy
Thursday, September 17, 2009You can find Prescriptives at Holt Renfrew in Canada. Up until 2-3 years ago you can find them at The Bay. I love Prescriptives’ Moonbeam glosses as well as their foundations. Now I will need to stop by the Prescriptives counter to buy myself some stuff!
Christina
Thursday, September 17, 2009thats sooo crazy!
CedriCeCCentriC
Thursday, September 17, 2009I’m sorry for all the people who worked for Prescriptives.
Though Presciptives made good quality products nothing really exciting happened with this brand for years, I feel a bit the same with Origins and Aramis frankly. Anyway I hope they will keep making Calyx, its concept and packaging would suit Clinique best out of all the Lauder brands.
I wonder what EL will replace the Presciptive counters with.
Meta
Thursday, September 17, 2009Prescriptives has pulled out of Asia for a few years now. Here in Australia, it’s only available at Mecca Cosmetica. Even then they only sell skincare, foundation (custom and premade), concealers, pressed and loose powders (custom and premade). I’ll be going to London in late Oct/Nov and am looking forward in getting lipgloss custom made!
carriespooner
Thursday, September 17, 2009Yikes. I haven’t used them for a while but it was a lovely brand.
Alexis
Thursday, September 17, 2009Wow – that’s just crazy! I remember getting swatched for my customized foundation many years ago…it was a good brand.
Christy
Thursday, September 17, 2009Aww, that’s too bad. Prescriptives was one of my first foundations that I used. They were one of the 1st with such a huge range of color availabilities for foundations.
CharmedWonder
Thursday, September 17, 2009Since Estee Lauder is consolidating, is there any danger for MAC?
Christine
Thursday, September 17, 2009I do believe Prescriptives has been flailing for awhile. I doubt MAC is in danger. I do believe they’re one of their big earners.
Amy
Thursday, September 17, 2009Crap, where am I going to get my custom-blended foundation? That was the only way to get the right shade for me… Anyone know how long foundation will last (can I bulk-buy now?).
Christine
Thursday, September 17, 2009I believe shelf life is 2 years when it’s opened, and maybe 4-6 years unopened.
sugarcrumb
Friday, September 18, 2009I dunno how true this is but my MAC MA told me that foundation can oxidise and change colour in the bottle even without opening, if kept for more than 3 years …
yeah, really sorry for those who relied solely on Px – i dunno what i would do if MAC folded up or worse still, discontinue my shade =(
Diana
Wednesday, September 23, 2009I am working for Prescriptives. As an answer to your question, the foundations are good for 24 months after they are opened, the concealers for 6 months and the powder for more than 3 years. I hope this helps.
Nepenthe
Thursday, September 17, 2009Sad. :[
I never got around to trying the brand, but I know a lot of people are going to miss the custom matched foundations.
jojoba (My Make Up Reviews)
Thursday, September 17, 2009Prescriptive left Malaysia long ago as the sale was bad, Now it’s completely out. that’s sad.
Tizzy
Thursday, September 17, 2009NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! They are one of the few brands that have foundation pale enough for the likes of me. I get the feeling they don’t bring the really pale shades of other brands to Australia because we’re all supposed to be bronzed. This is really sad news. RIP Custom Blend.
Thank goodness we got Bourjois back. Oh, and Becca’s alright too.
Kat
Thursday, September 17, 2009Im not suprised at all…Mac is fine…not going anywhere. it is one brand that is still doing very well. I see Origins going next…
AndreaMarie
Thursday, September 17, 2009I am really sad to hear it. Their foundations work wonders for me. Bummer!
Fari
Thursday, September 17, 2009this blowsssss….. i loveee my customized powder from here. its one of the few brands that actually fits my skin color just right ! sadness.
nm
Thursday, September 17, 2009Do you think there will be some sales to get rid of stock in the stores that sell Prescriptives?
Also, can we get a blog post on the must have products to buy before they’re no longer available? Thanks!
Christine
Friday, September 18, 2009To be honest, I really don’t know. I haven’t seen a brand this large get shut down. I’m leaning towards probably, but I haven’t heard anything.
Jackie
Thursday, September 17, 2009Well, I guess I will have to find another HG foundation, concealer, and setting powder. Great. There is no foundation pale enough for me from any other brand.
And that sucks for the SA’s because the lady that works at my local counter has been there forever and knows the brand so well. I have always bought from her too.
Oh well. All good things must come to an end.
Caitlin!
Friday, September 18, 2009You should try Aromaleigh, though their stuff is only available online.
http://www.aromaleigh.com/
Meredith
Thursday, September 17, 2009It is so sad.
All products will be available online once the counters close next year. At least until supplies last. All counters will send extra stock to online warehouse to sell on website. I don’t know how long they will be online, and I don’t know if they will still be able to customize (I would assume so, they will have the supplies available).
Amy
Thursday, September 17, 2009Commenting again to say – maybe us super fair girls should band together to find replacement foundation and powder. Looks like we’re the people who are speaking up about how we’re going to miss the custom blend foundation.
Suzanne
Friday, September 18, 2009Illamasqua has a wide range of shades, even close to white!
Bridgette
Thursday, September 17, 2009This is sad for Prescriptives. I have always wanted to try the brand out but never got a chance. I could tell though that they werent doing so well because every time i would go to the mall nobody would be at the Prescriptives counter besides the sales lady.
Tattoo Girl
Friday, September 18, 2009It is sad. The last three times I went by the Prescriptives counter there was not even a sales person :(
Daphnee
Friday, September 18, 2009They should ax Clinique instead. Clinique really sucks. At least Prescriptives have nice foundations and mascaras. I cant think of anything outside of the Take Off the Day makeup remover thats good in the Clinique line.
kat
Friday, September 18, 2009I actually agree with this! They must be doing something right because they have so many followers, but I am actually nothing short of COMPLETELY SHOCKED that its a brand known for its skincare. I have the TOUGHEST, most acne-free and evenly balanced skin ever and I can use ANY PRODUCT I have ever tried from any company EXCEPT Clinique. It just turns my face into a mess and is the only thing to give me pimples-eww!!
Bananarchy
Friday, September 18, 2009Clinique is doing great,particularly in the recession, due to their lower price point.
Rebecca Garcia
Friday, September 18, 2009I am sad to see Prescriptives go. I used to be the counter manager for Prescriptives and now I’m counter manager for Clinique. I wouldnt at all mind giving complimentary free make-up lessons. Here at the Holyoke Mall at Massachusetts we do Free services. There are so many different formula’s and skin care. If you need any advice or help with cosmetics please contact Rebecca (counter Manager) of Clinique.
Lisa
Friday, September 18, 2009Wow, this really makes me sad. I worked for Prescriptives back from about 1993-1995. I was one of their national artists and I was able to travel all over the country with them. I think they have some of the most amazing products available. Their e/s are extremely pigmented, they can match any skin tone with foundation, and their eyeliner with the smudger on the end is the ONLY e/l that will stay on my waterline. They were somehow underrated and I just never understood why. :-(
MsEclectic
Friday, September 18, 2009Their eyeliner is AMAZING. Im gonna miss my fave eyeliner in Jet. Youre right about it staying put on the waterline also. Oh well :(
erica
Friday, September 18, 2009I work for the line. and I was told the devastating news today. I think i can cry! the foundations and the skincare have worked miracles for me. I’ve tried every line. prescriptives by far my favorite! and I am really going to miss the mascara too. It sucks that they are discontinuing the line, considering the fact we just launched a 16 hour wear liquid mineral foundation. and the new comfort creams… this really really sucks, im more pissed about the line being discontinued than losing my job.. of course losing my job will suck, however, I REALLY love this line. Its worked miracles, not just for me, but for all of my customers. they are going to be PISSED. i cant find a foundation match anywhere else, I dont wear custom blend because I get a good enough match with our shades, however, no other line has anything light enough for me.
KaylaK
Friday, September 18, 2009To Erica-Good luck to you! This really does blow I really enjoyed Px even though I work for Clinique (which we’re not going anywhere since our numbers are very well off which is good because I can’t lose my job!) I really liked the new liquid foundation they just launched, and yeah I agree with everyone and being pale, this was one of the few brands I could wear without mixing shades!
Alix
Saturday, September 19, 2009It’s sad to see the line end, but it seemed that EL just didn’t put much effort into it anymore. When was the last time you saw a print ad for the line in a major mag? When was the last time it had a recognizable ‘face’ for the the brand? Unfortunately, no matter how good the product line was, the brand itself has been allowed to languish. It’s like when the networks cancel a show and cite ‘poor performance’ — not the fact that they moved the show into umpteen different days and timeslots, so no one even knew when it aired.
Same with Origins, which I think will be the next to go. It was a trendsetter in its day, but the packaging, color scheme, everything about it is tired now. And not for nothin’, when I go into a shop looking for something to make me feel pretty, the face of Dr. Andrew Weil is not what I’m looking for!
Kat
Saturday, September 19, 2009@alix I agree with you Origins is next…sad to see PX go…I will have to send some customers to Fresh because I know they have some lighter foundations.
Diana
Wednesday, September 23, 2009Foundations are good for 2 years after they are opened, concealers for 6 months and powders for more than 3 years.
cher
Sunday, January 10, 2010i love prescriptives too!! wonder if its possible to start a petition to get estee lauder to continue selling prescriptives foundations, at least online.. out of all the brands under EL why did they have to close down prescriptives. it has really good products, especially foundations. i would definitely prefer them to shutdown clinique instead. i tried clinique foundation and it was really lousy for me
alice
Thursday, January 28, 2010NO NEED TO PANIC! After doing some searching I found ColorLab Cosmetics and I like them even better! They custom blend anything and everything. They matched my skin perfectly liquid and mineral powder. They also added peptides that my skin type would benefit from. So they can also creat a makeup that is a treatment. My skin looks amazing and there just isnt anything out there like it. its also so cool to see them make a lipstick right infront of you!
Here is there info I will paste it.
Colorlab Cosmetics
857 w. Armitage
Chicago IL 60614
773-525-9086
angie
Sunday, February 21, 2010I am SO upset that Prescriptives is closing- they had a really good skincare line that I use and I don’t think I can get it anywhere else! What am I gonna do now? Nothing even comes close to Prescriptives!