Archived Post
What brand do you think has lost ground to competitors?
What brand do you think has lost ground to competitors? Share!
MAC and Estee Lauder. I think there are too many alternatives to mid-to-high-end, and more people shop online so the heavy physical store distribution network that MAC has may not be as advantageous as it used to be (plus, Sephora). I feel like the emergence of more of true luxury brands have made some reach higher (e.g. Tom Ford) while better access has created more niche, but high-end, brands like Hourglass.
Thanks to Kate for today’s questions! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
I agree, there have been many great brands that have emerged over the last few years. MAC’s presence in the fashion world and in the makeup artist industry is crazy though! you can’t find a single makeup artist that does makeup application for a living without mac products in their kit. everytime i’ve gotten my makeup done for events, half of the artists’ kit or more is mac products. they’re basic, but they work. and amazing discount for people in the industry too
Andrea, I agree with what you said 100%! I frequent 2 standalone MAC stores here in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, and they are ALWAYS super busy. When people do come there, most are serious buyers, and do not leave empty handed! However, another thing I’ve been noticing is that most of the purchases are for their permanent line. I do believe they need to scale back the amount of LE collections and make each one high quality.
My first thought was Estee Lauder. It used to be one of THE brands in the early 70’s for me. Nothing there interests me anymore and the products were so perfumed when I did buy them. I think Elizabeth Arden has followed the same path. I was always curious about MAC but never purchased it. I’ve never been impressed with the makeup look of someone wearing it and there seems to be a very low rating on the products reviewed.
I do think MAC overall is still a great brand, the quality-particularly in the permanent line- is generally pretty good and the price point is on target- especially if you go for eyeshadow and blushes by the pan and back-2-mac for lipsticks and glosses. However, they really aren’t the be all end all brand they used to be at one point, but maybe the competition will push them to step up. I think scaling back the LE collections would be a smart move.
That said, my answer is STILA. I loved loved loved them, terrible cardboard packaging be damned. The products were so good and a joy to use and I used to get really excited to find out what their next collection would be. Around 2007 or so the business changed hands and really dropped the ball, I can’t see myself really being all that into them again without remembering how awesome they used to be, sigh.
I so agree! My mom plays in a golf tournament every year and in her swag bag is usually 5-6 full Stila palettes and other Stila. She gives it to me for free and I give to my niece for play makeup. Even with primer, their shadows are weak.
From what I’ve seen recently, anything that involves individuals selling for a parent company on their own, ie; Avon, Mary Kay and the like. I believe their day has come and gone. Those are now rather passe.
Most people would much rather go and peruse the aisles of an actual store so they can readily view and swatch various products from different brands because that’s more interesting and fun than looking at pics in a little booklet! Or being high pressured at a “party”!
My daughter has to wear Mary Kay for her high school dance team and she hates it. She says it low quality, eyeshadow that doesn’t blend and lipstick that feathers and bleeds.
I agree! I love MK skin care products so much but their makeup is terrible and lasts for 5 minutes. Not to brag, but I’m amazing with makeup and don’t have a license but I always feel like I look like an old lady when I wear Mary Kay and I’m in my 20’s.
I agree, Nancy, I think that Avon and the sort of door-to-door style brands are just *done*. They’ve become redundant; if we want something in our homes to order then and there, we’ll go online, and minimize the pressure of not having to talk to a representative that’s selling for the brand!
I agree that MAC used to be the go-to but now it isn’t anymore. For a brand that’s famous for its lip products, it seems out of touch in light of everyone else’s balm stains and sheer sticks and whatnot. Lots of us aren’t wearing normal, traditional lipsticks anymore.
I think Urban Decay is losing hold on its corner of the eye shadow market. If you want amazing color, you go for ColourPop, and if you want a stunning formulation, MUFE has you covered.
Hmmm, maybe Smashbox. I think Smashbox is everyone’s first primer, but after you finish the first tube, you downgrade to a drugstore dupe or you go for something more niche.
Is Benefit dwindling or am I just getting too old to know anyone who still uses it?
Couldn’t agree more about Smashbox. The quality of the last few items I bought from them over the last few years was terrible. Even when something from them looks interesting now I pass. They’ve lost my trust.
Smashbox just isn’t interesting nowadays, is it? I got a gloss recently from them (I won it, actually), and it felt like something a twelve year old might buy to play with makeup Very disappointing, and all of their products seem replaceable with more reliable alternatives.
Exactly! As far as Benefit, I have a few staples that I use and repurchase religiously, but other than that, I think they are dwindling. For some who are new and just now discovering Benefit, too many other brands are stealing their spotlight! But, I will admit, when I discovered them about 7-8 years ago, I was blown away with their formula, great products, and so cute packaging!
I tried the smashbox primer and don’t think its worth the hype. I prefer the hourglass mineral viel or the benefit porefessional. I used to use the Lancome one but is really heavy and oily for my oily skin.
I hate to say it, but tarte (my once favorite) and Too Faced. The quality seems to be slipping and the repetitiveness. If anything kills those two brands that’ll be what does it. There’s only so many times you can rename the exact same shade of beige, stick it in a new palette, and get away with it. I’m moving more into Urban Decay and Marc Jacobs and loving them. Marc Jacobs didn’t come out with five different shadow palettes of so so quality and split them between retailers to try and get people to buy more. He came out with a single, solid, high quality palette and people have happily spent $100 on just that one item (I was one of those people). Tarte and Too Faced should be taking notes…
I agree. Tarte used to be one of my all time favorites but the quality of the eyeshadows lately have been poor in my opinion (powdery, having dust “fly-ups”), I got the MJ holiday palette and it has been my go-to palette for the past two weeks. I’m so amazed that I can wear these shadows for over 12 hours without any visible creasing and I have oily, hooded lids and almost EVERY shadow creases on me.
Oh, so many!
Prescriptives – They were my go to brand for foundation because of their innovative matching system. I had no idea what “undertones” were until I went to their counter and got matched. I think they were also one the first brands to dip their foot in to highlighters/illuminators arena with their Magic range. They fell far by the way side when high end brands expanded their foundation range and formulas.
Origins & Philosophy – Kitchy named products, gourmand scented body washes and “natural” products are now a dime a dozen.
Clinique – Still a good brand with solid products but kind of an overall snoozefest.
Oh my goodness! Yes, the Prescriptives Magic line! I still have their compact that you apply all over before fountadion to give you a glow! I also loved their toner that was blue and Flight cream-can’t remember the name exactly, but it was a super hydrating face cream! I also loved their foundation and foundation brush as well!
You’re absolutely right. Philosophy and Clinique were the surprises for me because not long ago they were on top.
I’m surprised Clinique has become so boring although they do have some standout products, like their chubby sticks and the balm for removing makeup. Although that horrible yellow lotion has got to go!
Wow, I’d forgotten all about Prescriptives. My mom swore by their foundation back in the early 90s. After the Base Exchange stopped carrying it she would go out of her way to get it at Dillard’s makeup counter since that was seemingly the only other place that had it. And then at some point, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. Once Bare Minerals got big she was all over that, and now she doesn’t wear makeup at all, so…
Speaking of Bare Minerals, I rather think they’re on the way out too. That was the first foundation I wore on a regular basis, but I switched to BB/CC creams and later to pressed powder foundation due to my particular skin issues. It was the trendy thing in the mid-2000s, but after the market got saturated with imitators and then the K-beauty stuff took off it really lost its luster.
Definitely MAC–I think they are being squeezed by both the DS and ME brands, and by their own mis-management. Their products and collections are so-hit-or-miss, and their horrible website will drive people away even more. They really need a makeover bad. And some brands are so under-the-radar (Almay, Elizabeth Arden, Avon, Mary Kay), I don’t even know how they survive
You should try Elizabeth Arden for their matte lipsticks and their skin products, they are amazing.
Lancome, estee lauder and guerlain
My knee-jerk reaction was also MAC. Reasons include: the general decline of product quality, the ridiculous LE frenzies, stories of so many bad customer service experiences and their return to animal testing. Also, so many smaller companies (such as Makeup Geek) have been able to duplicate or improve upon MAC products for much better prices. I think the only pluses that MAC still has are their Viva Glam charity and the Back to MAC recycling program.
Definitely MAC. They use to be the one brand that everyone looked up to, everyone wanted their products because they were so good. I think over the last few years they’ve lost their crown. Too many new collections have overwhelmed people and the hit and miss quality have left people a bit disheartened with the brand. And all the while competitors have been upping their game and bringing out rival products with much better quality. It’s sad that MAC use to be so good but now I do think they’ve fell by the wayside a bit.
Clinique. I think, in the past they were one of the only focused on hypoallergenic and sensitive skin friendly products. Now, majority of brands are concerned about what’s in the products and how’s they are made and/or tested. There are lots more great options for us with wider color ranges too.
I agree about Estee Lauder (it’s such a long time since I’ve bought anything from them but in the 80’s, they were my go to brand) and also Dior because for a luxury brand they have too many misses, so they don’t have the luxury lure of quality and they’re also not really on the cutting edge either so they don’t have that lure either. The same applies to Lancome – another company from which I’ve not purchased in decades and yet way back, much of what I had was from Lancome!
MAC for sure.
Anastasia had a quick start with the contour pallette trend but has definitely lost it’s position to Kat Von D and others. The KVD in particular, from my Youtube and online research, is higher reviewed and more loved.
Definitely MAC. They release way too many collections, and with too many products in one collection. The quality has taken a nosedive and I have just lost interest. Their holiday collection is a huge disappointment this year. The packaging isn’t what you’d expect for a holiday collection…very boring and minimalist. I pass. To survive in the makeup business, you have to focus on quality, not on how many teeny bopper collections you can toss out there every year. I prefer the sophisticated quality of Guerlain, Chanel, Dior, Lancôme, etc. BTW…. I HATE Disney collections lol.
I bought my first and last Disney Collection. I was very disappointed. The color pay off for lipstick and compact r Horrible. I thought being Mac there want a reason to question. Put a bad taste in my mouth for Mac. I like the eyeshadow pallet. The lip gloss is a little sticky. WNW has too many Dupes for their lipsticks. Everybody has as good eyeshadows. Mac has lost it.
I think for sure MAC. I use to be a die hard MAC fan but, the last several items I bought from them were so disappointing. I can get better items for less money and I don’t need the MAC name I love morphe and NYX but, I also buy a lot of Tarte, Urban Decay, IT cosmetics, Nars and Make up forever. Some of those brands are expensive but, at least they work well and are worth it!
Ok why am I the only one on here that loves Estee Lauder? Lol. Their pure color lip line and blushes are great! Their ads is what makes them look so dated. The blonde lady with brushed back hair, who wants to look like that? All she’s missing is huge shoulder pads.
Their stay all day foundation is also great. I am a fan for the foundation!
I would agree with MAC. They still have a lot of great stuff in the permanent line, and a huge presence with professional MUAs. Now there are so many mid-range priced brands out there, though. Not to mention drug-store products are getting better and better. I think MAC has put out too many mediocre collections instead of focusing on updating their older formulas.
Stila has gotten boring, changed eyeshadow formulas, and isn’t doing very big releases. I know I haven’t bought from them in ages. I don’t think the re-vamp they started last year was for the better.
Tarte, maybe. After Tarte was sold, it started getting repetitive and added talc to products. Eyeshadow quality seems to have really gone downhill this past year. If they haven’t lost ground, I think they soon will be. On the other hand, natural/neutral shades are huge, and they have expanded the marajuca items, and have done pretty well with foundations, concealers, etc. So, maybe it’s not as bad as I think.
Benefit and Smashbox have some classic products, but they don’t seem to be innovating a lot or coming out with many new items or collections. Maybe they’re just not on my radar, IDK. They just don’t seem as popular to me as MAC, UD, and Too Faced.
I thought Too Faced was losing ground a little bit, but they’ve really been coming out with new — and really good — stuff lately. I think they’re turning things around again.
Mary Kay got really bad when MK died and her son took over. I stopped buying from them completely. Avon has added so many non-beauty items over the years, that I believe they must not be selling beauty products as well. I was never impressed with their Mark stuff. I stopped buying from them years ago as well. I think there are too many better options out there in internet-land.
I think it depends a little on how we’re interpreting the question. Like… losing actual product performance ground? Losing public opinion points? Losing market share? These don’t necessarily line up neatly.
But okay, in general:
* Bare Minerals — the trend is somewhat away from mineral foundation, and although they’ve expanded somewhat (I actually like their Ready eyeshadows a lot), foundation is still their bread and butter.
* Lancome — much as I love Rouge in Love lipstick and the original Hypnose mascara, it used to be that they were THE go-to for mascara / eye products in general. Both mascara and eyeliner markets are far busier now (and as lovely as it is, Artliner isn’t the easiest to use)… and what’s up with their eyeshadow selection lately? Yeah, I get a little nervous, looking at the Sephora website’s Lancome cosmetic offerings (note: not sure this carries over to skincare, but their fragrance also just doesn’t seem hyped the way it once did).
* Benefit — what I get from their product releases and marketing: desperation. You know it’s hard out here for a pi– I mean, uh, kitschy company. Others have climbed onto your life boat of kitsch, and I’ll bet the waters feel choppy.
From a pure product quality standpoint: Tarte! Even five years ago, I would have suggested that going to anybody else (for >90% of people’s needs) for blush is just silly. Buuuut it looks like not only has their own product suffered, other companies (many of them!) cottoned on and now at the very least match Tarte in the product quality offered. I don’t think they’ve ever been known for particularly good eyeshadows or anything else — but they must be doing well enough as a brand to continue to expand, at least for now.
Lastly:
Cover Girl! What the gum doodle has HAPPENED, my friends?! Oh. My.
Hmmm I don’t really agree. I personally think Estée Lauder is gaining more fans rather than losing them and MAC still seems to be as popular as ever, especially in the fashion industry. That’s just my point of view though.
Seems like it here where I am too (Norway).
I agree with you about mid-level brands!
In Australia drugstore products are a lot more expensive then in the U.S. We pay around $25 – $35 AUD for a L’oreal foundation. We pay a lot of money. Personally I think that L’oreal and Revlon have been beaten by high-end brands. See in Australia we pay $36 AUD for a M.A.C lipstick. So now most people gravitate towards either the cheaper drugstore makeup such as Rimmel, Australis and Face of Australia or they gravitate towards high-end, because you are only paying a little more money for a better product.
I think Clinique has been upstaged by at least a dozen other comparable brands in their price range. Their eyeshadows have very little pigmentation and staying power. The Color Pop line is a breath of fresh air. The skincare, for the most part, is overpriced and of poor to average quality. I wore nothing but Clinique for over 20 years but they have lost my interest over the past several years.
I think MAC will always have its prescence, although I agree that it has competition. I think Clinique has lost a lot of ground to the competition. Thier eye shadows are not pigmented and overall thier makeup isn’t anything unique in my opinion. I do use thier skin care line.
Clinique was my first thought too… And Lauder! I don’t use enough of the products to say as to whether quality has declined, but I think consumers have gotten much wiser about the Gift With Purchase fishhook that both of those lines hung their hats on. The GWP seemed to be such a big deal when they first started and now they’re so commonplace that it doesn’t give a brand as much of an edge. I don’t even look at the Clinque and Lauder ‘free’ promos and I used to think of things to buy so i could get one!
I think MAC and Estee Lauder have lost business to the many other cosmetic competitors but it is hard to judge because those of us who post here are really into cosmetics and use the unique and hard to find products. For example, my last two lip purchases were Louboutin rouge du Louboutin satin lipstick and Georgio Armani #401 ecstasy lip lacquer neither of which are sold where I live and both would be unknown to most of the people I know. I live in a college town and the college girls still flock to MAC; the older women flock to Estee Lauder and its various brands. I guess you need to check stock reports, annual earnings etc. to see who is up and who is down.
Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Lancome and Dior. At most malls I’ve visited the counters are not busy. People seem more excited about MUFE, UD, Hourglass and even Tarte.
I think some of the high end brands have lost their competitive edge by bringing out substandard products: Dior, EL, YSL and Guerlain with their last few eye shadow palettes; Tarte with their repetitive palettes and Too Faced as well.
With the emergence of Colour Pop – they are giving these brands a run for their money.
I would have added Lanc̫me Рbut recently they seemed to have improved with their new products.
MAC and Bobbi Brown have always been hard to get in Australia – with MAC at some Myer Stores and Bobbi Brown only at selected David Jones stores. No competition there.
I miss Prescriptives. I still order Custom Blend Foundation. I miss the cosmetics counter with pencils, lipsticks and Oil Free Comfort Lotion.
Agree with others who have said Origins and Stila. These were brands that seem to have lost their “focus” in the market many years ago. Clarins and Shiseido only because they don’t advertise their lines; both have very good products, but seem to get overlooked more often than not.
As for drugstore, Cover Girl is definitely a rung below the rest, and I’m shocked they still make Almay & Neutrogena, frankly. Almay seems to do these mini revamps every few years that don’t really go anywhere, and when was the last time Neutrogena introduced new products?
I agree with your comments about Almay and Neutrogena, but don’t think they answer the question, since you can’t really lose to competitors if you haven’t been competing at all! lol
I think they must be trying to pull a “Physician’s Formula” and be the high-end at the drugstore brand, except PF is always updating their brand and bringing in new products to get some interest going, they also have fantastic sales (at least at my CVS). There is nothing new with Almay and Neutrogena, no sales worth mentioning, and high prices comparatively, so not worth giving it a shot. I’m just thinking sometimes I see something from Wet n Wild, NYX, ELF, NYC, or Rimmel that I haven’t heard much about, but the price is cheap enough that I’m like, what the heck, I’ll give it a try. So they get a sale just for keeping prices low.
MAC just need to stop so much with limited edition it’s getting old and people are tired of struggling to hurry and buy things. I do think that their permanent t items are way better than limited edition. I ride hard for their permanent items. My go to brand for my basic things that other companies can’t get rite, especially with shades for my skin tone. I don’t check for Stila or Tarte. And lord Avon and Mary K has had they day and it’s over. I haven’t gotten into some of the brands that become big thru YouTube. I’m slow lol. But we will see.
I think brands like Estée Lauder are old school,MAC tries but too many seasonal releases.brands like by Terry , Hourglass and Kat Von Dee just have superb quality and a sensible price point .
I know everyone says MAC, and while I agree it’s not the same as it used to be, I think it can be fixed. I think everyone is frustrated because of the LE collections, the rude MUA’s, and let’s be real because everyone has at least one story about a rude MAC employee, and their website. I’m really upset that they completely downgraded an already terrible website and the worst part is that they got rid of the goodbyes section. Or I can’t find it at least…
Anyway I don’t have much experience with any companies since I’ve been shopping at mac since I first started with makeup. I used Mary Kay for a little. I love their skin care products, but not their makeup. The way they do business needs to change also. MK hasn’t gotten worse, the times are just different.
I think the day of the traditional cosmetics giants is fading. Yes, they all have products they excel at, but there are so many choices out there for good quality well-priced cosmetics. Not cheap but worth the expense. Also a lot of smaller brands and/or less glamorous brands such as Vasanti and Lise Watier will grow and become more popular. It is a cyclic business and will continue as such with trends that come and go.
MAC. I was so obsessed with MAC a few years back and now I think their quality has slipped, their customer service is terrible and I am just not wowed by any of the packages they have introduced.
Dior definitivt.
Except for their skincare and their foundation, the makeup is shit. Not worth the money at all.
Elizabeth Arden (It just registers to people as 90s or earlier nowadays, I think), Lancome… I think the trouble with this question is that we often forget these brands, so it’s hard to think of them off the top of our heads, but there are many!
I think Estee Lauder has done some good collections recently, but I do think it just isn’t the same as it was in the 90s and earlier. It’s the same with Clinique, which while it has its new Chubby Sticks, just isn’t *the* brand it was anymore – I remember when black honey and their eyeshadows, lipsticks and blushes used to be so in!