Becca Cosmetics is shutting down for good later this year
R.I.P. Becca Cosmetics, 2001-2021. Your bright, shining highlighters will be missed.
It was announced today, February 24, 2021, that iconic makeup brand Becca Cosmetics will be shutting down its operations for good after 20 years of highlighting the faces of beauty lovers around the globe. Becca notes in a recent announcement that due to the many implications brought on by COVID-19, “ [it’s] sadly been more than our business can withstand.” The brand plans to be laid to rest in late November 2021.
Like many beauty brands available today, Becca Cosmetics was founded by a makeup artist frustrated by the lack of inclusivity available in foundation ranges. After launching in Australia, Becca quickly popped up in luxury retailers in New York including Bergdorf Goodmans. After being acquired by Estee Lauder in 2016, the brand relaunched with a wide shade range influenced by the brand’s core message of being diverse and inclusive.
On the Becca Cosmetics website, the beauty brand released a longer statement crediting their core fan base for being the central part of the brand’s success. Becca also credits the strong partnerships with celebrities, influencers, and makeup artists for helping the brand skyrocket to success in the last decade.
One of the most notable collaborations was with Jaclyn Hill in 2015. The two partnered up to create the notorious Champagne Pop collection, featuring a lustrous range of shimmering highlights for the cheeks and eyes. The collection sold over 25,000 units at Sephora in the first 20 minutes. Becca Cosmetics truly pioneered and advanced the marketing strategy of influencer collaborations by creating some of the most iconic collabs, including partnerships with Barbie Ferreira, Chrissy Teigen, among others.
With its show-stopping highlights and inclusive shade ranges, Becca was a staple on every beauty lover’s vanity and makeup artist’s kits. We spoke with a makeup artist and frequent user of Becca Cosmetics, Adrian Rios (@arartistry) to get his thoughts on the news.
“I feel that the founder’s dream and vision was to offer products that were non-binary and inclusive of everyone,” says Adrian. “This was a significant step forward—to bring light and visibility to the male beauty market, which is why this news today is so saddening.” Adrian worked with Becca for several years, adding, “I found myself comfortable in how they portrayed my masculinity wearing makeup and makeup not wearing me.”
If you scroll the feed of Becca’s Instagram, you will certainly find Adrians works and even photos of himself. “It is my hope that those that truly love Becca will continue spreading the message that beauty isn’t a face – it’s a feeling of inclusivity,” adds Adrian. The makeup artist says he will especially miss the bronzer and glaze sticks, noting “this was part of my everyday manly glow.”
Not only will Becca Cosmetics be missed by makeup artists, but influencers are also mourning the great loss. Saleam Singleton (@themethodmale), says “I am shocked to learn this news,” adding, “this is one of the first beauty brands I purchased for myself.” Saleam notes that he will miss the iconic skin perfecters, especially the shade Topaz.
The shuttering of Becca Cosmetics is a major loss to the beauty community, and certainly marks a major turning point in the business of beauty as a whole. As COVID continues to impact businesses from every industry, this news could be something that we might be seeing a lot more often as brands continue to consolidate and reorganize, proving that no business is safe.
As a final goodbye, Becca continues to stand by its core values of inclusivity and raising awareness of underrepresented communities and will continue to do so through its commitment to The Trevor Project this coming June.