After 13 years on the shelves of Walmart, Ulta Beauty, and CVS, Drew Barrymore’s pioneering color cosmetics brand, Flower Beauty, has officially closed its doors. The news, first reported by Cosmetics Business, comes as brand incubator Maesa exits the color cosmetics category, reflecting a major shift in the dynamics of celebrity-led beauty and U.S. mass market makeup.
Why Did Flower Beauty Shut Down?
The closure comes after months of digital and retail warning signs. The official Flower Beauty website has gone inactive, while its Instagram last posted on December 17, 2024. Products have been steeply discounted at Ulta Beauty and are no longer stocked at CVS, intensifying industry speculation that something big was coming.
“As part of our strategic evolution, Maesa has decided to exit the colour cosmetics category,” the company said in a statement. “We have been fortunate to have Drew Barrymore as a great founder partner, and we…
are grateful for the incredible journey we have shared,” adds the company. The move comes as Maesa pivots to focus on higher-growth segments—skincare, body care, fragrance, and hair care—and away from the increasingly saturated and competitive color cosmetics market.
The Flower Beauty Legacy: From Startup to Mainstream Disruptor Launched in 2012, Flower Beauty quickly stood out as one of the earliest and most successful celebrity-backed mass-market beauty brands.
The affordable, cruelty-free range was lauded for its colorful, inclusive products and partnership with Maesa, one of the first independent brands to challenge large heritage CPG incumbents in the mass channel, Maesa noted. At its peak, Flower Beauty was generating millions in annual retail sales.
Yet as the makeup category matured, new challengers, especially direct-to-consumer disruptors and other celebrity/influencer-founded brands, nibbled away at market share. Why Now?…
Discussion
0 Comments
No comments yet
Start the conversation
Share your take on this story and help shape the discussion.
Sign in to join the discussion.