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? Market Saturation, Shifting Trends, and Intense Competition
Industry analysts cite multiple pressures:
- Oversaturation: With the rise of dozens of celebrity brands. “And saturation is the key issue in all of this, said Robin Russell, CEO of First Natural Brands.
- Dwindling Retail, Digital Visibility: Sales on Ulta.com dropped across face oils, color-correcting, and lip stains. Search visibility plummeted, and there were no sponsored placements for years.
Some industry observers wondered if Flower Beauty was simply prepping for a rebrand, but steep discounting and Maesa’s statement dispelled that hope.
A Year of Closures: Not Just Flower Beauty
2025 is on pace to become one of beauty’s most tumultuous years, with other shutdowns including:
- Ren Clean Skincare
- Youthforia
- Ami Colé
- Jecca Blac
- Lottie London
Analysts point out the trend, warning that company size does not seem to matter… from small but mighty players like Ami Colé and Youthforia to ‘clean’ giant REN Clean Skincare shuttering—few are being spared from a vastly more competitive industry.
What’s Next for Drew Barrymore and Maesa?
It’s worth noting that Barrymore’s Flower brands continue in other categories. Barrymore has a family of Flower brands not associated with Maesa that includes Flower Hair Tools, Flower Eyewear, and Flower Home, all sold by Walmart and still listed on its site.
Maesa is recharging its strategy to double down on skin, body, fragrance, and hair products. As Maesa said in an e-mail, “This shift allows us to focus on areas with greater growth potential and align our resources with our core strengths and consumer demands.”
They have already launched new Target-exclusive brands, including Fine’ry and Mix: Bar, and have been tapped for Gap’s new Old Navy beauty line.
