This is a very very old article dated almost 3 yrs back but needs a really revamp and update especially because of the latest happenings around. There are some brands that met dirt while others that were resurrected and they need to be told too. I am resurrecting some of the nicest articles on Beauty Traveller and updating them to create a link and cross link between the old and new.
- Prescriptives - a magical brand owned by Estee Lauder Companies had gone into severe internal issues and that led to an end of this brand somewhere in 2009. I could never imagine that this brand would come back again. Although I hadn't used anything from this brand, I used to always be fascinated with the cult favorite and cutting edge products that they had. In 2011 with a million or rather billions of requests PRESCRIPTIVES have started again and relaunched their beautiful brand. Their custom made foundations, fast forward mascaras and so many beautiful products ruled people's hearts and the brand is back and I am sure women who use it are rejoicing.
- Smashbox cosmetics - it is a brand developed by grandchildren of the makeup GOD named Max Factor. Estee Lauder companies took that decision to buy the brand and run them to give them a global presence. I am really praying that this brand comes to India as there are many many many products that I use and buy them consistently. Right from the Fusion Softlights (in all colors) to their iconic Photofinish Light primer, I rave everything and would be dancing when I see this brand here.
- Did you all know, Stila and MUFE were once upon a time owned by Estee Lauder? Not any more. Today Stila cosmetics is hail and hearty and run by an independent firm while if I am not wrong MUFE is owned by LVMH again.
- There existed designer brands like Nina Ricci and they had an entire line of makeup and skin care. Its just that wrong distribution and unethical marketing practices made them withdraw their amazing lines and disappear. These brands were Versace (I don't know whether their makeup line still exists, at least not in India), Carolina Herrera ( this brand with 212 perfume also had skin care and makeup) and not to mention but Prada also had skin care and makeup line. Unfortunately they failed to woo and got lost in time. There was this fascinating brand called Rochas which met its doom too, although they resurrected the clothing line.
- Scott Barnes - The famous brand of this famous artist who created the 'glow' JLo is known for shut down shutters and stopped operations due to manufacturing conflicts and distribution tribulations. What a brand it was? Strawberrynet.com took away a major of their discontinued stocks from the warehouse and made it possible for some lucky customers like me to have his iconic and most coveted makeup brushes. I treat them as piece de resistance and only use it to create looks for the blog.
- Cult makeup brands like Jemma Kidd and Becca cosmetics also plan to shut doors and although the news is not confirmed it could be a shock to most of the users. The only hailing makeup brand that has never ceased to impress and always been a heartthrob in our hearts is Bobbi Brown and may it grow stronger than ever and launch themselves in India someday.
- Did you know Calvin Klein had a makeup line? It has been revamped 3 times and resurrected 3 times too. First when they launched it did not seem to work. So they relaunched as ck Calvin klein beauty and discontinued and now they have again risen like phoenixes with CK One color that has the most futuristic products ever. I am eyeing their eye makeup and of course not to forget, the mascaras.
- Brands like Shu Uemura, Bourjois and Max Factor (who originally started the brand in US) stopped selling their wares in US market and can be heavily relied on online shopping and the gift to online shopping these days. I can't imagine Max Factor ceasing operations, but P&G was duplicating every invention of theirs and selling it in the name of CoverGirl that is operational today as well.
Its so sad that so many brands like these go and come and some of them really leave a lasting impression in our hearts. Right from the demise of iconic brands of the early times like Biba to some of the most favorited brands now, I hope we always get the products that we love the most.
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OLD ARTICLE
Its not only us that die or maybe the stars or galaxies or everything else. Even the retail industry sees a lot of death. Death of retail brands. Cosmetic brands have come in and stopped at some point of time due to economic instabilities and issues within the company. This post is in the memory of these fantastic brands that couldn't make it in the deadly world of competition. I would call them incompetent; I would call them less strong. Sometimes the management and board of directors of such companies take harsh decisions that unknowingly break hearts of so many people who have been buying cosmetics from them and now have to switch to some other brand. Sometimes its like first love, the next that follows cannot take its place.
If you were a makeup junkie you'd understand this. How it feels when a certain shade of lipstick that you have been using for more than 5 yrs have just got discontinued to make in space for a better color or better formulation. You feel heartbroken and find alternatives. Something like this has happened with these amazing brands.
- Tony&Tina was an inspirational brand with cutting edge cosmetics treated with the power of crystals and reiki before they came into the market. Tony and Tina were the husband-wife behind this brand and they made some really good cosmetics. They had eye pencils in the most amazing colors and so were their eye shadows and lipsticks. This brand made so many girls and makeup artists addicted to them that when the day they announced quitting people really lay hands on whatever they could grab so that they could say adieu to this brand with some memories of theirs. I believe the reason was the splitting of the founders and economic crisis the company underwent.
- Stephane Marias, a Shiseido brand that made the most out of the world products any company would ever see. Stephane, an ace makeup artist who has donned the faces of Sarah Jessica Parker, a name related to countless photo shoots and fashion shows, founded this brand to give his insight to common people. His foundations were a ground breaking invention, his eye shadow shades came in a million colors and his packaging started the trend of having caricatures and cartoons to give a feel of excitement. Stephane Marias brand could not make it for a long time due to the diversified interests of the founder and the Shiseido management. I was so hooked on a lavender-magenta lipstick from the brand but this is where my dreams and most of people's dreams were shattered. Stephane designed for another Shiseido brand Cle De Peau, another high end cosmetic brand but now Lucia Pieroni designs for it.
- Nina Ricci wasn't far behind to bring in the current trends not only in fashion and perfumes but also in makeup. It was a tough decision for them to discontinue the makeup part of it but they did it in 2005. The main interest of the brand focused on apparels and ready-to-wear collections and iconic fragrances they offer. They had lovely lipsticks, blushers and eye shadows in their collections and one could see some really unusual colors Nina Ricci used to offer, liked Pewter, Amethyst, Teal, Olive green which sounds so common now but they were the ones who started the trend. Nina Ricci also had an amazing skin care line that was performing really well in India compared to rest of the world. Was sad to see them depart.
- Pupa, an Italian brand that made waves with their iridescent textures seems to have withdrawn their line from here in India. Other brands that withdrew their makeup lines from India were Gosh Cosmetics, Red Earth Cosmetics, Onyx Cosmetics, Carolina Herrera makeup, Studio color cosmetics and so on.
It's a sad demise for these cutting edge brands but we have started to love with the fact that they are dead and continue our makeup lifestyles looking for other options and sometime better ones.
Newer brands that have got in their makeup ranges are Inouvi, Inglot, ColorBar, Golden Rose cosmetics, NYX Cosmetics, Faces Stockholm, Be Yu cosmetics, Makeup Factory (from Germany) and the list goes on and on. I loved some of the innovative stuff that these brands have brought in and looking forward to buy them sometime.
Do share any experiences of yours with an brand that has discontinued or any shade that you raved for and ranting now. After all, some makeup does go beyond the skin's barriers………
Till then,
Ciao