KVD wouldn’t surprise me, given how many times they’ve rebranded and how quickly their products go on sale. It makes me wonder if Kendo (which owns KVD along with the now-defunct Bite Beauty and Marc Jacobs Beauty) is restructuring/reevaluating their business.
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KVD sounds like a good bet. For some reason, I wonder if Juvia’s Place is having issues (I stopped purchasing from them ages ago for a few reasons, the #1 being I had an adverse reaction to their eyeshadows). Also Dose of Color which recently came out with new products but are already marked down for an anniversary sale (I know this isn’t uncommon but when a brand has a special sale, the newest products are usually excluded). Coloured Raine also comes to mind, especially since I noticed that their products are now made in China, no longer in the U.S., so I don’t purchase from them anymore. Maybe Stila, too? There releases are far and few between and quite lackluster.
Stila used to be so terrific! Their single shadows were amazing (Puppy, La Douce, Grace, Diamond Lil..I could go on and on) and their “In the…” palettes – just outstanding. They really did that “shoot ourselves in the foot” thing when they got rid of their best stuff… I’d hate to see them fold but if Marc Jacobs and Becca struggled and crashed, it might be inevitable for Stila too and several (maybe many) other brands.
I would agree with you there Mariella about the fabulous ‘In the’ palettes. Having the In the Garden palette myself, I only wish I had been able to get my hands on the In the Light one…such sterling quality the brand should never have wavered from.
Juvia’s Place is struggling from their own controversy right now. They tried to keep it as brief as possible, but basically they put a video on their instagram where the person showcasing JP products is using racist Asian slurs. After that it’s my understanding they made a brief apology that was taken down shortly after and everything was brushed under the rug. Feel free to look in to it for more details. There are so many scandals now, who has the time to break them all down?? ( https://www.insider.com/juvias-place-posts-video-with-anti-asian-slur-2022-1 )
I like the couple of Dose of Colors items I have. But the issue seems to be that while they are *nice* they are not unique. I just think we’ve had such an explosion of corps coming in to the beauty space to make quick bucks that we’re drowning in a sea of mediocrity. Now’s the time when those with special, or higher quality (for real, not just a name attached), and/or their profit margins sorted out are going to come through the other side. Everybody else with all the “same same?” Guess we’ll find out who has big financial backers behind them to wait out the storm.
I agree, KVD. It’s too bad because I wanted them to succeed after Kat was fired. They had a lot of potential but their rebrand products were boring and too similar to what other brands offered.
I think in a few years it might be Too Faced, after what I imagine will be a strange, confusing and misguided rebrand post Jerrod leaving.
I think a lot of companies are restructuring ‘post-Covid’. There are sooo many sales right now (could be Memorial Day here in the US but I think it’s more than that). I think we’ll see a lot of hopefully good changes.
I never was really into bite or kvd, but I really, really miss Marc Jacobs. They had such nice products and I feel their exit from the market was unfortunate. I hate when large companies gobble small ones and then shut down the small ones. I wouldn’t be surprised if IT cosmetics is next to go since they were gobbled up a while ago and haven’t seem the same to me since.
I haven’t heard anything about Marc Jacobs Beauty since their products were liquidated, but the last I heard, they were planning to leave Kendo, reformulate the products, and return as an independent brand. I guess that leaves you and I to sit here together, crossing our fingers and hoping they’re still working on the reformulation process!
Well, that is good news for sure! Hopefully Marc jacobs can make a comeback with the same quality products. Def keeping fingers crossed!!
It cosmetics is super popular where I live. To me it seems the brand expanded with lot more products.
KVD and I think Two Face? You never read about the latter now, when a few years ago it was everywhere.
I certainly hope it’s KVD. I feel like the brand has been on life support for a long time. It never recovered from Kat’s controversies, and each rebrand has felt weaker and weaker. The cosmetics industry is already oversaturated with brands; I feel that if KVD closes, it won’t leave a void in the market.
I haven’t followed indies in a long time, but I would hope (OH, THAT SOUNDS TERRIBLY MEAN) that Jeffree Star’s brand closes sooner than later. He’s another brand head who’s impossible to separate the product from, in the same vein as KVD. I know beauty aficionados have snarked at his latest releases since his poorly-timed Cremated palette, and I know his product doesn’t sell out as it used to. Consumers are becoming wiser.
I would have to agree with you about also hoping that the next to go is Jeffree Star is next out the door, Sarah! He is the most deserving of the boot in the tush, LOL.
But, as for KVD, I literally NEED that Tattoo eyeliner because nothing out here can stand up to my horrible allergy tears quite as well. Then again, MAC Blacktrack Fluidline does, too. Just don’t feel like going back to having to use a liner brush again since going to KVD Trooper Tattoo eyeliner.
I’m sure somebody has already recommended it to you, but have you tried NYX Epic Ink? It’s the only thing I’ve used for years
I actually did buy the Nyx Epic Liner several years ago, Jacqui. It was good, but still couldn’t stay put whenever my allergies acted up with the eye tearing. I honestly believe that the PH in mine is quite off; either too acidic or too alkaline.
I think I will make you sad. Mac fluidline products totally disappeared from their website. They have something called Chromaline but no brownish shades for eyebrows (which makes me super upset). They are superior to ABH pomade.
Have you tried the Eye-Lie-ner from Haus? I was a Trooper devotee and made the switch and haven’t looked back!
Not yet, but I will give Haus Labs a try, Melissa. Because, if anyone can formulate a bulletproof/allergy tear-proof liner, I would imagine that it would be Lady Gaga!
I don’t even think Jeffree Star makes too much money from his make-up and skincare lines, they are more like his fun projects. Sometimes I event doubt they are in any form decently profitable, and that makes him uncancelable. 😆
He has multiple other investments and business, he pulls lots of smokes and mirrors with cosmetics and his yak farm in social media, but I don’t those represent more than 10-20% of his profit. His bulk money come from real estate and fulfilment centers.
If he closes the makeup brand it would be because he gets bored of it.
He’s hooked on the cosmetic and YouTube industries through multiple other ventures. His distribution centers cover tons of companies, especially merchandise. You’d be surprised how many influencers that don’t align with him or refuse to review his makeup sell their merchandise through his fulfilment centers (co-owned or fully owned).
People might not put money in his pocket by purchasing his eyeshadows, but they sure do when they buy T-shirts and pop-sockets from their favorite tiktocker or makeup from other companies.
Even Kat Von D is very successful in other ventures, even if her only known one nowadays is her shoe line.
So don’t feel terrible for thinking like that; rich people stay rich, no matter if they sell makeup or not.
Agree and agree!
Jeffree Star’s brand seems to release the same bright kind shades palette after palette and he has made some very poor business decisions too.
The path used to be more clear. The red flags were up and you saw them. The ‘old path’ (to oblivion) was start high and drop down. Cargo is the perfect example. Barney’s > Sephora > Ulta > Kohl’s or Target > over and out. The factors have changed substantially. Pressure from the indies, more discerning customers thanks to internet/presenters, the saturation in the market, the interest and accessibility of international options, the increased price of materials, etc. (I did see Cargo at Walmart.com and Amazon.) Amazon is a huge factor in EVERYTHING, including the congestion on your street. Amazon probably gives more visibility to cosmetics than the community and brand SM do. Virtual is everything. Amazon is competitively priced and no minimum shipping! Immediacy! Many brands and online stores following suit. The instant gratification model also suggests that CP was, is, and will be the death knell for many. MUG came to mind. Christine, your MBA is showing, lol.
I was just thinking about this last night, wondering if it will be a future question. 😅
The idea entered my mind when browsing some products and seeing Hourglass. I almost forgot that the brand even existing… and I used to love their Mineral Veil Primer and brow products. I rarely see anyone mention the brand… and to be honest, they put multiple nails in their coffee with the eyeshadow system that was embarrassingly expensive for what it’s worth.
Hourglass is a good guess. They need major help.
Hourglass is still very popular, especially their powders. I don’t think they’re closing anytime soon
Oh no, not Hourglass! Whilst I agree that the eye shadow system is ridiculously overpriced, along with their holiday palates, I really enjoy the brand and use many items in my daily routine.
KVD already discontinued what was (to me) their killer product, the dagger eyeliner. There isn’t another product on the market like it with a slanted applicator like that (and if there is please tell me!)
KVD does sound like a pretty obvious possibility. I’ve been wondering about Urban Decay for a while. They are stagnant creatively, they do huge launches of staple products and then discontinue the majority but their boring palettes seem to sell well. I don’t hear a lot about Smashbox these days and they have a habit of revamping the same products over and over again, I can’t believe that strategy is going to be repeatable forever. And Stila. Poor Stila. I dont see anyone use or talk about their products anymore, even their glitter liquid shadows I dont see used much anymore. I know that the general consumer of cosmetics is not really part of this “community” as it exists on the internet/social media and a lot of sales are driven by foot traffic in stores so not seeing brands talked about/used a lot on social media isnt necessarily the most important indicator of a brands health and sales but… I think more long time brands are probably closer to danger than we even realize.
It Cosmetics immediately comes to mind. They seem to be stagnant and stalled when it comes to producing anything new and exciting for quite some time now. Of course, they do have their CC creams, which is the one thing that I do still see people continuing to buy and love. But, is this enough to keep them afloat? And, especially now when many are either going ultra natural with serum foundations or the reverse with waterproof, very long-lasting foundations?
Stila strikes me as endangered. So does Urban Decay.
Yes, well Urban Decay has been on a downward slide for quite awhile now and their ‘new’ formulas aren’t exactly hitting the spot like they use to.
KVD seems to have been on life support for a long time. Just prior to the Sephora in JCP, which is my nearest Sephora, (and still 3 hours away), closed its doors, the KVD shelves were literally bare. Now mind you, they may have known they were going to be closed and just didn’t restock, but it had looked like that for quite a while. I think a lot of makeup brands have lost the innovation that made them so big and popular back in the day. COVID and shutdown changed the dynamic of retail and many brick and mortar stores have discovered that they don’t need that presence to succeed. I had always thought that I would never buy if I couldn’t see the product first but when the ability to do that was no longer there, and I had made a few purchases I found that I really did know what products would work for me and what shades were “my shades”. I expect to see a lot of brands closing.
I think a lot of major brands are seriously suffering at the moment – with strains of covid still echoing in our communities – people are still getting very sick and many are still passing away from this insidious disease.
Lots of brands (apart from CP, some indie brands and Dior) are just not releasing any new products at all as we all take stock in these uncertain times.
The brands I think will fold next are: KVD, Hourglass, It Cosmetics and probably Stila.
It Cosmetics and Juvia seem to be hanging on a thread. Lorac seems lost. I mean is Lorac even around ? They had terrific highlighters ages ago. Laura Geller is what? Only on QVC? It seems the entire industry has become cyclical. Odd.
Oh! Apologies for zipping back but NARS? what are you doing ? You used to be so cutting edge so chic…NARS to me has the rumblings of how Marc Jacobs fell off the makeup planet.
Stila has been on life support for a while now. I recently purchased 2 of their liquid liners during the Ulta 21 days of beauty. I returned both, they dried out immediately.
That happened to me too, with their liner.
I’m betting on KVD too. As controversial as Kat Von D was, the brand hasn’t been the same since the rebrand. Good Apple went viral, but a foundation will not keep you afloat
Ofra and KVD would be ones I could see going. A lot of brands tend to fly under the radar a lot but those two just give off a real struggle bus kind of vibe. Brands like UD make a lot of really questionable decisions but they have a core of stuff that sells well enough they will stay afloat. Then again every time I am in Ulta I am amazed at how long Smashbox has managed to stay in business when I rarely hear anything positive about their stuff at all.
KVD.
Atrocious, ATROCIOUS “rebrand.” I *like* that someone bought out the anti-vaxx nazi; but c’mon, you guys, get someone in there to really fix things up. It’s a joke brand now and I can’t find anything I want to buy.
Elizabeth Arden, lorac and Clinique
Totally agree about Arden. I see it one day being a tiny brand selling only Blue Grass perfume and a few 8 Hour creams. I think Clinique being the cheaper little sister to Lauder that Lauder will always keep it. But maybe that too will desolve into Lauder. L
Some many could! Sadly, KVD is a brand with which I had a like-dislike relationship : liked quality for most things (at first) and then a little later (like with Smashbox) and really enjoyed the color schemes! But, didn’t care for the entire “goth”, “sinner-saint” theme of the brand. I didn’t buy certain things quite a bit due to naming conventions etc. But something in me would have a bit of sadness for it to go away, perhaps also Smashbox, who’s products I don’t ever see anymore (or purchase online) in YEARS.
KVD is the only brand that I have found (in Australia) that has purple eyebrow pomade in a pot.. and I can’t even get that anymore because Sephora Australia I like the mean girl little sister to the US one and has no customer service and has been out of stock for around 8 months.
Does anyone know of another brand that does bright coloured eyebrow pomade in a pot?? I have been using various eyeliners but compared to something made for brows, they are pretty poor.