Yesterday, I watched a Tiktok featured the relaunched Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette. She talked about all the key selling points like how iconic it was, how groundbreaking the release was, etc…etc…! But not once did she mention Urban Decay’s formula change. I think we all know Urban Decay is simply not what it once was sadly. I absolutely loved the brand and owned every single shade of eyeshadow. When L’Oreal took the wheel things fell apart and now we’re left with a shell of what the brand was. Is Urban Decay in it’s flop era? Yes, I believe it is. I’m actually somewhat surprised they are still around considering their releases have gotten slower and slower and slower….! I want to say this is because they are taking time to create new and exciting beauty but that’s really not the case at all. The launches are mediocre and spaced very far apart. They still have a huge fanbase and hell, that even includes me because I want this bring to succeed but I’m old enough to remember what it was like which gives me the entitlement to be sad when I see what its become.
Urban Decay isn’t the only brand headed in a poor direction sadly a lot of beauty brands in their flop era at the moment. Here are some I’m surprised are still around.
Smashbox, Bare Minerals, Stila, and Benefit are just a few that come to my mind and I’ll tell you why.
Smashbox is still a solid brand of products but they just fail at releasing anything of interest and items they do come out with are normally very uneventful nudes. Does BECCA’s Highlighter keep them in business? Who knows but I find it interesting that Estee Lauder keeps it in their porfolio.
Bare Minerals is another interesting brand that fails at releasing anything of interest lately. Their releases are very spaced apart and their QVC footprint isn’t as great as it once was. I mean, who remembers the brilliant Today’s Special Value Sets during the Holidays on QVC? And how they had autoship options with different shade selections. Those were so fun! I noticed they are trying to break hard into the skincare part of their collection but I’m not sure how well it’s doing. I do appreciate some of their releases like the Gen Nude Blonzer Blush + Bronzer but a lot of what they are currently doing isn’t really of interest to me. I do think they have a very sold fanbase with people in that are 40 plus years old just because it’s a brand that’s been used and well loved for many, many years with this demographic. People have found their holy grail foundation in the Bare Minerals line and even though it makes me itchy as hell it still manages to be a top seller.
Stila, how I love you and how I miss your glory days? Who remembers the Stila Girl Palettes? Who remembers Stila’s iconic Creme Bouquet Perfume? Bring it back, Stila, bring it back! Who remembers the paint cans? This is vintage makeup right? Stila has gone through a lot in recent years with Jeanine Lobell’s leaving, Estee Lauder picking up the brand, and later in unsure future with Lynn Tilton and her company Patriarch Partners swooping in to literally save the day around 2009. Stila remains on the market to this day but I do question how they do it. Some of their star products like the Glitter and Glow Eyeshadows fail to get any new shade launches (Remember there was a shade being releases like every month a few years ago?) I’d KILL for new shades! It’s one of my favorite eyeshadows and nothing on the market matches the formula. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened and they do a small release here and there which includes mostly highlighters. I keep wishing for more from Stila but things are just slow going.
Benefit, ah, Benefit! Benefit is one of my first real big girl beauty brands. I remember purchasing Benetint over 20 years ago and thinking how amazing it was. Benefit surprised me when they released the WANDERful Collection as it’s been a while since they really did something big. Sadly, they continue to churn put Porefessional products that I don’t think anyone really wants…! Or maybe people do want it and I just don’t. I dunno. I found the endless brow products and Porefessioanl Primers a complete snore and I miss the excitement of releases like Coralista and let’s not forget Bathtina and the Benefit Kitten.
Sadly, some of these beauty brands are in their flop era for me. I just don’t find the joy in what they are releasing. I’m sure others might disagree and adore what is happening with these brands but personally, I’m surprised they’re still around with the lack of releases and innovation.
Which brands do you think are in their flop era?
