Brand Graveyard 2025: Who Left Us, Who Ghosted Us, and Who Came Back from the Dead?

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Brand Graveyard 2025: Who Left Us, Who Ghosted Us, and Who Came Back from the Dead?
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson & Sara Tan
Date: October 30, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this special Halloween-themed episode, beauty journalists Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan take listeners on a reflective and entertaining journey through the "Brand Graveyard" of 2025. The pair discuss which beloved beauty brands said their goodbyes, which have disappeared without explanation, and which have miraculously come back to life. Along the way, they weave in discussion on party etiquette, mask-wearing adventures, spooky TikTok discoveries, and the realities of celebrity-backed beauty brands.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Halloween Festivities and Beauty Transformations (02:37–16:44)

• Wicked-Inspired Costumes: Kirbie and Sara embrace the Halloween spirit with Wicked-inspired costumes—Sara as Elphaba and Kirbie as Glinda. They chat about the impact of the upcoming Wicked movie, makeup trials, and their admiration for the musical.
  • “Let me tell y’all, I am changed for good.” – Kirbie (03:55)
• Makeup Challenges & Respect for Artists: Both hosts have newfound respect for special effects and prosthetics makeup after spending hours in makeup chairs for elaborate looks. Kirbie details her Dolly Parton transformation:
  • “I was in makeup for four hours and the party. So I was done by 6:30 so I could make content with Jovi. And then the party didn’t start till 7:30. So by 8:30, I was already dying.” (09:21)
  • They also highlight the professionals behind their looks and discuss the difficulty of maintaining heavy wigs and prosthetics.
• Party Recap: Kirbie recaps her Halloween party, thanking sponsors and friends (e.g., Baby G’s Burgers, Lush, Inky List), and gives a shoutout to tarot reader Alicia Taro, reflecting on her father's experience with tarot.
  • “If you’re in LA and you’re looking for…even virtually, [Alicia Taro] does it…Sometimes you’re like—even if you don’t believe in stuff like that, I always take it with a grain of salt. Right. I don’t want it to dictate my life.” – Kirbie (15:26)

2. Spooky & Modern-Day Reflections (16:44–27:00)

• Robots in Hospitals: Sara shares a TikTok of a glammed-up robot delivering medications in a hospital, sparking discussion on technology’s creep into everyday life and the possible implications for the workforce.
  • “That was definitely the spooky part, that it was just all alone going down an empty hospital hallway. But it also had full glam on. And that made me feel, I don’t know, uneasy, but I was also impressed.” – Sara (17:21)
• RSVP Culture & Event Etiquette: Kirbie vents about the increasingly “spooky” culture around event RSVPs, particularly when hosting large (and costly) gatherings.
  • “The RSVP culture in this country…If you say you’re going to show up, show up.” – Kirbie (19:20)
  • Both outline their preferred RSVP protocols and lament the ghosting of hosts, especially for intimate dinner parties.

3. The Brand Graveyard: Farewells, Ghosts & Resurrections (27:06–44:42)

Brands That Have Closed (RIP)

• Ami Colé (Late September 2025)
  • Hopes for a future revival; praise for founder Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye’s continued influence.
• Youthforia (August 4, 2025)
  • Closure was anticipated due to prior industry issues.
• Flower Beauty (Late September 2025)
  • Surprise at closure despite Drew Barrymore’s cultural relevance.
  • “What happens when your founder feels overextended and just over it?” – Kirbie (29:41)
• REN Clean Skincare (End of Q3, 2025)
  • Commentary on how being acquired by a conglomerate can diminish a brand’s presence:
  • “I think that’s the curse of being acquired by these larger companies…the magic’s gone.” – Kirbie (32:47)
• SKKN by Kim (June 2025)
  • Quiet shutdown; speculation about Kim Kardashian’s next move with Skims Beauty and press-on nails.

Back from the Dead

• Counter (formerly BeautyCounter) (Relaunched Summer 2025)
  • New business model after founder re-acquisition; hosts express skepticism toward its MLM structure and are not eager to jump back in.
  • “MLMs are for the most part predatory. So I’ve never been a fan of it.” – Kirbie (35:59)

Ghosted Brands (Unexplained Absence or Silence)

• Õm by Ciara
  • Instagram inactivity, minimal mentions by Ciara herself.
  • “People keep hiring her for beauty events and stuff like that. So it seems pretty clear that…the writing’s on the wall.” – Kirbie (37:46)
• GXVE by Gwen Stefani
  • “Kaput.” Noted for strong mascara/blush but mismatched aesthetic and apparent loss of founder interest.
  • "If you are a celebrity founder, if you are not passionate about it, it is very obvious..." – Sarah (38:37)
• WYN Beauty (Serena Williams)
  • Massive clearance sales, low social engagement, and lack of founder promotion suggest an imminent end; skepticism about sports/active positioning as a sustainable angle.
• Ciaté London
  • Inactive Instagram; hosts intend to get more info from insiders.
• CoverFX
  • Products on deep clearance, repeated customer confusion about inventory, and no formal closure.
  • "[CoverFX] created, like, the bronzing drop. And I used to love their stuff... It's not looking good." – Kirbie (42:45)

Industry Insights

• Why do brands "ghost"?: Lack of transparency is common when new owners or shifting priorities mean brands quietly clear inventory without public announcement.
• Legacy challenges: Selling to larger corporations or losing founder involvement often leads to diminished attention and eventual downfall.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Halloween Makeup:
  • “I just have so much more of an appreciation for like face paint artists or just makeup artists in general. I’m like, this is hard.” – Sarah (08:29)
• On Brand Acquisitions:
  • “Once you sell your brand, how does it actually become a legacy brand…versus dies?” – Kirby (33:08)
• On MLMs and Brand Revivals:
  • “There's not one thing I think right now that could get me back on this train.” – Kirbie on Counter (35:59)
• On Brand Silence:
  • “If you’re not posting regularly every single day, that’s not a good sign.” – Sarah (36:54)
• On Founder Interest:
  • “If you are a celebrity founder, if you are not passionate about it, it is very obvious.” – Sarah (38:37)

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Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |--------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 02:37 | Wicked costumes & new Wicked movie discussion | | 07:39 | Makeup trial tales & product recommendations | | 08:56 | Kirbie’s Dolly Parton transformation recap | | 12:14 | Party sponsors shoutouts & tarot reading stories | | 16:44 | Spooky TikTok: Robots delivering meds in hospitals | | 19:18 | RSVP etiquette & event hosting woes | | 27:06 | Introduction to Brand Graveyard segment | | 28:36 | RIP to Ami Colé | | 29:18 | RIP to Youthforia | | 29:30 | RIP to Flower Beauty | | 31:46 | RIP to REN Clean Skincare | | 33:08 | RIP to SKKN by Kim | | 34:25 | Back from the Dead: Counter/BeautyCounter | | 36:54 | Ghosted Brands Check-in | | 37:03 | Õm by Ciara ghosted discussion | | 38:18 | GXVE closure & celebrity passion | | 39:21 | WYN Beauty (Serena) hangups | | 41:37 | Ciaté London eerie silence | | 42:09 | CoverFX fadeout | | 44:42 | Reflections on the “horrors” of the beauty industry|

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Final Thoughts & Tone

The episode blends sharp industry insights with the hosts’ signature wit, empathy, and love for beauty pop culture. Kirbie and Sara don’t shy away from tough truths—especially regarding celebrity brand ventures and the realities of staying relevant in an oversaturated market. Their candor, mixed with their evident enjoyment of Halloween and respect for artistry, makes this a can’t-miss listen for beauty insiders and casual fans alike.

High Note:
The episode closes with a playful nod to Wicked and celebratory Halloween wishes:

• “Happy Wickedween, everyone. I hope you’re happy in the end. I hope you’re happy, my friends.” – Kirbie (44:49)

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For more updates and beauty breakdowns, catch all Gloss Angeles episodes with Kirbie and Sara, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Transcript

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[Kirby]

The holidays are basically here and if you know me, you know I like to get ahead of the madness.

[Sarah]

Me too. Or at least I want to. That's why Macy's Friends and family sale is clutch. It's the best time to treat yourself and start holiday shopping. You get an extra 30% off with code FRIEND plus 15% off BEAUTY.

[Kirby]

I'm stocking up on gifts early. I even sent my mom a full size Prada Paradox from Macy's. Y' all can look at the receipt. I actually did this this past week. She was thrilled cuz now it's her favorite.

[Sarah]

That's so sweet.

[Kirby]

Also, Macy's has 100% cashmere sweaters for under $100 in every color. Honestly, I'm buying a few for friends, a few for me, few for my mother.

[Sarah]

Buy one for me too, thanks. Okay. Also shoes. You can take 30 off brands like Steve Madden and Vince Camuto. I already found a slouchy Steve Madden pair that I am planning on wearing on Thanksgiving.

[Kirby]

My most bought pair of brand designer for shoes, Steve Madden. That man keeps me.

[Sarah]

He knows what he's doing.

[Kirby]

He clearly does. And for holiday parties or work trips, Macy's has 30 off dresses from Avec Lafi. I love saying I wanna my name, my child's name will soon be Carl Lagerfeld, Paris, Calvin Klein and more. Done and done.

[Sarah]

And don't forget the boys. Levi's are 30 off. Suits, blazers, overcoats from from Michael Kors are also 50 to 60 off.

[Kirby]

And if you want your home holiday ready, Macy's has Ninja appliances for 15 to 25 off luggage, 40 to 50 off and 55 off selected cookware. Sign me up babes.

[Sarah]

I know, I'm really. I think I'm gonna buy that Ninja Creamy. I've been like, no, don't.

[Kirby]

I can get it for you for the holidays.

[Sarah]

Okay, I'll put it on my wish list. All right. Macy's Friends and family sale runs October 27th through November 3rd.

[Kirby]

Shop in store or at Macy's.com and don't forget to use Code Friend at checkout. G L A M Los Angeles.

[Sarah]

Hi Kirby.

[Kirby]

Hi Sarah.

[Sarah]

Welcome to Los Angeles.

[Kirby]

Unlimited Together we're unlimited.

[Sarah]

It's extra long, so you can. It is.

[Kirby]

I can grab your. I can grab your. So Sarah and I figured for Halloween this year, we had to really embrace our relationship. She being this wicked witch of the west that people fear. Yeah. There's propaganda against her.

[Sarah]

Everyone's against me.

[Kirby]

And then me. Perfection. Popular. Just a ball of joy. Comedic relief.

[Sarah]

It's so good to see you, isn't it?

[Kirby]

Yes. It's so great to see me. But really, we can't even talk about it yet still, because it won't have come out by the time this airs. But Sarah and I went to one wonderful night for Wicked late last month, early this month. I can't remember when it was.

[Sarah]

It was in September. It was in September because I thought that it was going to be released October 6th, but it was November 6th.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And so I was like, so excited to relive it. But we have to. We had to wait another month.

[Kirby]

Yes. And we still have to wait a week. And let me tell y', all, I am changed for good. I am also changed for good. I was mentally unwell after watching that.

[Sarah]

I feel like.

[Kirby]

And the previews don't even do it justice.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

They don't even show the best moment.

[Sarah]

We didn't get to see them sing that for good. For good.

[Kirby]

They didn't sing for good. They did it. I believe in New York. Yes. And we can't reveal where or how or whatever, but it was a pre taped thing.

[Sarah]

Yeah. But I saw like a quick preview of it.

[Kirby]

I was like, I know we'll be crying. We were crying. I mean, Ariana Grande came on stage and started singing. We were both crying.

[Sarah]

No, I literally didn't see her. I'm not going to say what she does because I would violate. NBC might never.

[Kirby]

We do not want to piss off NBC Universal.

[Sarah]

Never invite us to anything again in the future. So I will just say when she appears. It was. Yeah. Very emotional for the both of us.

[Kirby]

We were both crying. And then there's another moment that they didn't even show in the previews that I'm like, people are not ready. No, people are absolutely not ready. And I can't wait till we can talk about it.

[Sarah]

Yeah. And then the reviews for the movie have started to roll out because there was a screening for, like, press and media. All of them are positive. All of them are great.

[Kirby]

If you know anything about the musical, you know what's coming. But I'm really eager to see how it's changed for the big Screen.

[Sarah]

Me too. Especially now with all the, you know, CGI and all that, you know, amazing technology. And Colman Domingo, as I know, the cowardly Liewardly.

[Kirby]

They actually revealed that because John M. Chu said he would walk on to a red carpet and it would shock everybody.

[Sarah]

Yeah, right, right, right.

[Kirby]

But I think they were probably worried about a leak.

[Sarah]

Totally. They're like, let's just release it. Yeah.

[Kirby]

But this is the thing about the wizard of Oz and Wicked. The whole animal. This is spooky. Okay. Halloween episode. This is spooky. The monkeys transforming with their wings.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

It makes me upset.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

I get really upset at that part.

[Sarah]

Which we heard that they have toned down the, like, scariness of the animals because this is. They want it to be a family.

[Kirby]

It's a family film. But that. Honestly, when I watched it at the screening last year, I don't even have to cover my eyes.

[Sarah]

I don't think I've even seen, like, the whole scene.

[Kirby]

I did not like it. Any type of animal cruelty, abuse, pain. I'm not happy about it. I'm not happy about it. And then the whole storyline is obviously that the animals aren't getting rights.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Which is very upsetting to me. And I never really thought twice about the cowardly lion, because when I think of the cowardly lion, I think of the wizard of Oz, and he's just like this little bashful, like, scared guy. He's cade. But I was like, I think in this second film, I don't know how much he'll be featured. Actual lion be scared.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna like it.

[Kirby]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna. I mean, not that I'm not gonna like the film, but I just feel that part is gonna be very upsetting, too.

[Sarah]

I also wonder how big his part's gonna be, because they don't really have. I mean, they must have written it in for him. But no, I'm really, really excited. But it was really fun to do the Alphabet makeup.

[Kirby]

I know. So this is Sarah taking one for the team. Last year, we were going to be Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga. Why?

[Sarah]

Because Bruno Mars, famously a small Filipino man, and I am a woman, but famously the same.

[Kirby]

And then Sarah goes, I don't want to do it. And I'm like, oh, my God. I was going to finally be able to be Gaga and be cute, and honestly, I cannot be a Filipino man.

[Sarah]

Yeah, you can't.

[Kirby]

So we had to scrap the whole thing.

[Sarah]

We should have done it, though, because that's Kade's favorite song.

[Kirby]

I know he would have loved it. He would have loved it.

[Sarah]

We'll do it again.

[Kirby]

So then this year we were like, what are we going to do? Obviously Wicked is going to be huge. Then we went to one wonderful night and we were like, okay, we absolutely have to do it. And then Sarah's like, I'll be Elphaba.

[Sarah]

Yeah. I will take one for the team. Kirby already has done her full prosthetics post. Kirbyween, you couldn't do another full glam moment? I was like, let me do it. And it was so much fun. I used hung Van Gogh's green palette, which I didn't think I would ever use, but it was actually so perfect for Elphaba. So if you are dressing up as Elphaba for Halloween or parties or whatever, it may be wicked viewing parties, pick up that palette. Perfect contouring shades. Perfect little glitter eyeshadow to top off your eyelid. It's, it's, it's beautiful.

[Kirby]

That's what I used when I went to one wonderful night.

[Sarah]

Oh, yeah.

[Kirby]

I did a little bit of like a pink green moment.

[Sarah]

It's really so.

[Kirby]

It's a very beautiful palette. Yeah, it's beautiful. I love it.

[Sarah]

I love it.

[Kirby]

Yes. Sarah has a little contour. She's the fre. She has the shiz glasses going. Look at her.

[Sarah]

I tried my best. I love this. For me personally, after all of it and then me doing my Labubu makeup this weekend, I just have so much more of an appreciation for like face paint artists or just makeup artists in general. I'm like, this is hard.

[Kirby]

No, it's very hard. And I also was thinking about this too this weekend because I was Dolly Parton, 79 year old Dolly. I had a full face of prosthesis on with a special effects makeup artist.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

I had my hair wrapped by Sarah Henskell, who is famously the hair designer for Stranger Things. And she did that incredible Millie Bobby Brown wig. So I asked her, can you please wrap my hair so my hair will just be laid really nicely underneath this dolly wig that Clayton Hawkins was making for me. I truly felt like a celebrity. So I was like Sarah Clayton, Meg, like all doing. Yes, all the best people. But I got that done at 1pm and then had to drive to Smashbox where Kir was and then had my makeup done there. And I was in makeup for four hours and four hours and the party. So I was done by 6:30 so I could make content with Jovi. And then the party didn't start. Till 7:30. So by 8:30, I was already dying. I was like, get this wig off of me. Undo my hair. My face hurts.

[Sarah]

Oh, gosh.

[Kirby]

Because I had prosthetic cheeks. I had a prosthetic neck. I had old age, like stippling to like make me look like I had more wrinkles.

[Sarah]

It wasn't like you were. I mean, you looked great, but it was like you needed to look like a 79 year old woman.

[Kirby]

Right. And granted, Dolly Parton, she looks great too. Obviously, she is not indicative of what a 79 year old woman traditionally looks like. She has work done. And I say that positively.

[Sarah]

Yes.

[Kirby]

But I was in pain. And when I finally took my hair down that night, I just kept thinking to myself, actors have to go into this stuff.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Sit and get it done. And then go and work. Actually work. Remember lines, Remember blocking, sing, dance, redo scenes over and over. I mean, Ariana Grande, I think about her wig. And Cynthia, I mean, Cynthia, she was doing freaking twirls. Right? So like all of these things come together and you're just like, I have so much more respect for actors, everyone involved. I've always respected actors. But on this level, when I see somebody that's in prosthetics or wigs of any kind, I'm like, how are you working?

[Sarah]

Totally. Didn't they say in the Jacob Elordi, was it. Is it for Frankenstein?

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

That he was in the chair for like 10 hours or something like that.

[Kirby]

Something crazy. And he had like 42 prosthetics.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Demi Moore.

[Sarah]

Oh, right.

[Kirby]

Even just having to sit there for that long, you do not realize how long. Like, and then you do it. Hour three. You're just like, please.

[Sarah]

Oh my gosh.

[Kirby]

It's pulling on your head. It's just.

[Sarah]

And then your skin is probably just so mad after. Oh, my gosh. So much respect for both sides.

[Kirby]

So much respect. But yes. So I am very glad that Sarah let me be Glinda.

[Sarah]

But you look like an amazing Glinda. The hair is. It is perfect. Maybe you should be.

[Kirby]

No, literally, I'm like the blonde. My mom looked at me and was like, miss the blonde.

[Sarah]

Like, does your mom like you as a blonde?

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Oh, she does.

[Kirby]

She does. She loves me as a blonde. And I have mom issues where I'm like, I always got to please my mom.

[Sarah]

And then you were also Dolly blonde this weekend. You were having a lot of blonde.

[Kirby]

I really do. I almost feel like I need to like, ask Matt Rez to just give me some more blonde around the Face.

[Sarah]

This blonde, though, because it's like.

[Kirby]

It's not warm. Yeah, it's a warm blonde. And I normally don't like warm blonde, but I think for you, it's working for me, and I'm loving it. Clayton made this, and he had it in a stash, and he so kindly let me use it. He also created the dolly wig that I wore this weekend, and that's why.

[Sarah]

He'S doing so freaking well, because he's a really amazing, nice man.

[Kirby]

He is an amazing, nice man also. I just have to shout out a few people for Kirby, if I may. Baby g's burgers, los Angeles.

[Sarah]

So good.

[Kirby]

They. They. Los Angeles. They hooked us up with burgers. Sarah gave me the okay. Sarah said, why don't you. Why don't we just pay for the burgers? Burgers by baby g's. They were hit.

[Sarah]

They were best.

[Kirby]

People love them. Lush had a whole bath bomb set up so you could go home with bath bombs and you could make bath bombs. And initially I was like, are people gonna do this? It was a hit. Yeah. People freaking loved it. They made bath bombs. They took them home. They took them to their kids.

[Sarah]

It looked like such a cute setup, too, with all the little gift sets. Yeah.

[Kirby]

Yeah, it was fun.

[Sarah]

And the team was really sweet, too.

[Kirby]

Yes. That whole team is incredible. Inky list took over the bar. So we had a fun little inky list, like libation, if you will. That was purplish black, which was a lot of fun.

[Sarah]

And then the curbarita, the curb burrito.

[Kirby]

That was me. I was just like, please give me a pineapple margarita. Yeah. That's all I care about.

[Sarah]

It's great.

[Kirby]

And I literally have bottles of alcohol left over, so you and your family will each be getting a bottle.

[Sarah]

Perfect.

[Kirby]

Have fun drinking so much. Save it till you're 21. And then I have to shout out, ask Alicia taro if you guys are in l. A. And you're looking for or even you can. Anywhere virtually does it. I met her through zoom because Sarah gifted me for my birthday, a reading with Alicia. She's incredible. I was always asking her about my career, so she was like, I feel.

[Sarah]

Like that's mostly what everyone asked her about.

[Workday Go Announcer]

Totally.

[Sarah]

I mean, it's l. A. Everyone's like, or love. Or love. It's either your or career. Mia asked about, like, her daughter, which was so cute.

[Kirby]

I was like, I wonder if Alicia.

[Sarah]

Gets asked about, like, her, like, kids a lot.

[Kirby]

Well, what was funny is.

[Sarah]

Or pets maybe.

[Kirby]

Oh, pets. My dad did this, and My dad is. He's a military guy. Okay.

[Sarah]

I saw him coming down, and I was like, was it good? And he was like, nothing good.

[Kirby]

He was just joking. He was just joking. Yeah. He was dressed as the scarecrow. My mom was the wicked witch of.

[Sarah]

The west, who, by the way, her makeup was incredible. And she did it herself.

[Kirby]

She did a fake nose and a fake chick.

[Sarah]

She came up to me, and she was like, sarah. And I was like, who are you? I literally said, who are you?

[Kirby]

She's like, sarah didn't know who I was. But we. My mom said, kirby, I was looking for your father everywhere. He was upstairs getting his tarot read, and I'm. This is a military, like, very straight lace, like, obviously, like, very funny. Like, yeah. Not a guy I think would dabble in tarot. And then he said that he told Alicia that, like, she wasn't spot on about, like, anything.

[Sarah]

Oh.

[Kirby]

And I go, dad, why did you say that? And my mom's like, honey, I'm have to go up there and tell her that we're so sorry. And so at the end of the night, I told Alicia, I'm like, I'm sorry if my dad, like, made you uncomfortable by saying, like, none of that, like, worked. And she was like, okay, first of all, there's plenty of times where things don't resonate with people currently. And then later down the line, they're like, oh, that's what she was talking about. But he was so nice. And we even hugged at the end. So you and your mom have to back off your dad. And then she posted on her Instagram, kirby, thank you so much for having me at Kir Halloween. Give Mr. Randy a big hug for me. So then my dad is now, like, alicia liked me, and y' all were ganging up on me.

[Sarah]

That's so funny.

[Kirby]

It was really cute. But Alicia is so good. So if you do have a. If you just want to have a fun moment at an event or. Or if you just want for your own personal. Like, sometimes you're like. Even if you don't believe in stuff like that, I always take it with a grain of salt. Right. I don't want it to dictate my life. No, I do think it's helpful.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And it really was when I had my virtual with her earlier this year. So I was glad she was able to come to the party, I think.

[Sarah]

I mean, I think she's very spot on with everything.

[Kirby]

Agreed.

[Sarah]

I don't know how she does parties, because it's like, she can only Spend three to five minutes with each person and people are like coming to her with such serious questions. But she does it so well.

[Kirby]

It's because she wants it. She told me she wants it to be a conversation, but it really has to be something where she basically just tells people, like, what's your one question? You tell her, you hug, you leave.

[Sarah]

Yep, exactly.

[Kirby]

I think how it has to go.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I also want to shout out Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch because they donated a ton of pumpkins.

[Sarah]

Oh, my gosh.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And then Sarah and our friend Jenny took home a ton of them. Our friend Vanessa took home a ton of them and their kids enjoyed them. Oh, I love Mr. Bones pumpkin patch.

[Sarah]

The best. LA Pumpkin Patch tradition.

[Kirby]

And Smashbox hosted it at their Lightbox studio. So I just gotta not to, like, you know, make it all about me for this episode. But no, it truly was like the Halloween party of my dreams. It was in my dreams. And I'm so glad everybody was there and able to.

[Sarah]

I mean, I know how much work it was.

[Kirby]

So participate. Okay. You have a spooky video. You want to share a spooky video.

[Sarah]

So I don't usually go on TikTok, but I felt like I really needed to share this moment with everyone. So Mia, as you know, my bff, she is a doctor and she sent a video of this robot going down an empty hallway at a hospital. And this. That was definitely the spooky part that it was just all alone going down an empty hospital hallway. But it also had full glam on. And that made me feel, I don't know, uneasy. But I was also impressed.

[Kirby]

It had big, juicy lips. Big juicy lashes. Lashes Looks like Rosie from the Jetsons.

[Sarah]

It literally looked like Rosie from the Jetsons. So many people left a comment saying that and I was like, we are living in the Jetsons time.

[Kirby]

Which is so crazy.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Like, that's just so wild.

[Kirby]

I didn't think it would look like this, but apparently we are. I thought it'd be a little bit more forward thinking.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Metallic. Yeah. We'd be flying in cars at this point. Yeah.

[Sarah]

We're still. We have driverless cars, but we are not flying in cars yet.

[Kirby]

Waymos have taken over la. I see them everywhere.

[Sarah]

I know. I. They don't service my area yet because.

[Kirby]

I think they can't get on the highway.

[Sarah]

They can't get on the highway. And also we're so close to the airport that. Can you imagine Waymo's at the airport? That would just cause like too much. Yeah, it's Just too much anyways. So that was really, I think, spooky for me to realize that we have come to this time in our lives where we are living in the future. But also not saying they.

[Kirby]

It delivers medication.

[Sarah]

So it does, I think, a number of things, and I think obviously it's a robot and you can program it to do different things. So people were leaving comments saying, like, oh, with the moxie at our, you know, hospital, like, does this and this. Or the moxie at our hospital gets stuck in the corner sometimes.

[Kirby]

Oh, my God. And yeah, they're. They have these.

[Sarah]

So I don't think we're interacting with patients yet. Perhaps they might help with, like, note taking. Maybe they are listening. But I think it's probably primary job is to, like, help deliver things from, like, room to room. So maybe it's medication. Maybe it's like, you know, whatever it is, I think, you know, you can program it to do whatever you want. But it's crazy to me, like, that these are just taking over hospitals. Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like taking jobs from human beings that can be doing that.

[Sarah]

That's definitely the spookiest part of all.

[Kirby]

I don't want to go to the doctor in 20 years and be talking to a robot.

[Sarah]

I know.

[Kirby]

I don't need the actual person.

[Sarah]

I hope that. That. I don't think that that will change, but I'm. I don't know.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

I don't know.

[Kirby]

I didn't. We'd have driverless cars, but here we are.

[Sarah]

Do you have any spooky things to share?

[Kirby]

No. But maybe perhaps just a sentiment that I think is spooky. And that is the RSVP culture in this country. If you say you're going to show up, show up.

[Sarah]

I think it's in this, like, the state. State, not California country. Well, no, I think just in this Internet age.

[Kirby]

Oh, okay.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Fair. Fair. As y' all have previously heard, I hosted a big old party this weekend. It was a lot of work, and it cost me a ton of money.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

To be quite frank. And I threw this party because I wanted everyone to come together and have a good time. Yeah. I'm not throwing a party to just throw a party. Yeah. Or to inconvenience anyone. I want people to come have fun. Yeah. So people waiting till the last minute to rsvp.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Absolutely not.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

You got to tell the people.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

We got. You got to accommodate for food.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

I had to think about things that I've never thought about before. Like a fire marshal. Totally. Too many people show up how many gift bags we were gonna have?

[Sarah]

Did you have to have, like, security too? Right?

[Kirby]

I was like, no. So we were able to like.

[Sarah]

Okay, good, good. Okay.

[Kirby]

Bare minimum.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Great.

[Kirby]

Okay. And it was a.

[Sarah]

You had, like, only party.

[Kirby]

Yeah. We had valet. We had all these things that you have to think about. And you have to know an estimate of the amount of people.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

I would say there was like a 30% drop off.

[Sarah]

30.

[Kirby]

In terms of people that said they were coming and didn't show up. And that was on top of, like, I feel like a 50% drop off of who I invited and who could actually come, which was really interesting.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But my point being is I have a very specific set of rules. Yeah. When it comes to events. This is not for work events, because Sarah and I are working professionals. We get invited to events all the time. We say we're gonna go and then something happens, and then the priority is getting the work done, not attending the event. So that does not stand for this.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

It also doesn't stand for just, like, random events. This is like your friend is hosting a party and you're invited. There's a whole other set of rules for dinner parties. Okay.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Big party. If you get invited, you need to RSCP within the first week.

[Workday Go Announcer]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Don't wait till the last minute to decide if you're going to come.

[Sarah]

I know.

[Kirby]

It's just say yes or no.

[Sarah]

If it's.

[Kirby]

If it's not a hell yes, it's no. And if there's maybe option, you can put that.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But you need to commit and make a decision.

[Sarah]

And if you do, maybe, like, update it. Like, as soon as you know.

[Kirby]

Right.

[Sarah]

As soon as you find out if it's a yes or no.

[Kirby]

It's also on the host to make sure that they send out the invite in a timely manner but not too early. Yeah. Anything before a month, that's a save the date wedding situation.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And if it's not an actual wedding, then you don't need to be sending it out.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Because then basically you're forcing people to decide if they want to spend that time with you. And there could be something else that happens that they want to attend. Okay, okay, okay. That's my perspective. But I would say you give a minimum of two weeks, maximum of four weeks, and you need to respond within the first week. Okay. Just saying. Yeah. If you want to change your RSVP from no to yes, great. But, like, do that as soon as you can.

[Sarah]

Exactly.

[Kirby]

If you RSVP yes and the day of you decide that you do not want to travel to this event, that is fine. That is your prerogative. Under no circumstance reach out to the host to say, I'm sorry I can't come. This happened. The holidays are basically here. And if you know me, you know I like to get ahead of the madness.

[Sarah]

Me too. Or at least I want to. That's why Macy's friends and family sale is clutch. It's the the best time to treat yourself and start holiday shopping. You get an extra 30% off with code FRIEND plus 15% off BEAUTY.

[Kirby]

I'm stocking up on gifts early. I even sent my mom a full size Prada Paradox from Macy's. Y' all can look at the receipt. I actually did this this past week. She was thrilled cuz now it's her favorite.

[Sarah]

That's so sweet.

[Kirby]

Also, Macy's has 100% cashmere sweaters for under $100 in every color. Honestly, I'm buying a few for friends, few for me, few for my mother.

[Sarah]

Buy one for me too, thanks. Okay. Also shoes. You can take 30% off brands like Steve Madden and Vince Camuto. I already found a slouchy Steve Madden pair that I am planning on wearing on Thanksgiving.

[Kirby]

My most bought pair, brand designer for shoes, Steve Madden. That man keeps me in business.

[Sarah]

He knows what he's doing.

[Kirby]

He clearly does. And for holiday parties or work trips, Macy's has 30% off dresses from Avec La Fille. I love saying I want to. My name, my child's name will soon be Karl Lagerfeld, Paris, Calvin Klein and more. Done and done.

[Sarah]

And don't forget the boys. Levi's are 30 off. Suits, blazers, overcoats from Michael Kors are also 50 to 60% off.

[Kirby]

And if you want your home holiday ready, Macy's has Ninja appliances for 15 to 25 off luggage, 40 to 50% off and 55 off selected cookware. Sign me up, babes.

[Sarah]

I know. I'm really. I think I'm gonna buy that Ninja Creamy. I've been like, no, don't.

[Kirby]

I can get it for you for the holidays.

[Sarah]

Okay, I'll put it on my wish list. All right. Macy's friends and family sale runs October 27th through November 3rd.

[Kirby]

Shop in store or at Macy's dot com. And don't forget to use Code Friend at checkout number one. We don't care. We're too busy thinking about other things. I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings, but we are too busy thinking about other things and trying to accommodate the People that will show up a B. It's rude.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Because the likelihood that you actually are sick or that you had a true, true emergency.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

They're really low. Let's be real. We got to be real about this, guys.

[Sarah]

Also, you could be taking someone's spot.

[Kirby]

100%. That was another thing.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I had people reaching out to me going, hey, Yeah. I didn't get confirmation for this. And I was like, how did you get the invite? This was a closed invite. Oh, interesting. Unfortunately, we have a capacity limit because this is not a. This wasn't a house party this year. It's like an actual event space. Yeah. So think about those things. And if you are close with the person and you don't show up, you had asked me like, oh, well, what should we. What should the people do?

[Sarah]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kirby]

If we're not reaching out day of day after, say, hey, it looks like an amazing party. I'm so sorry I was unable to make it. I would love to see you soon. Yeah. And make plans to see that person. Especially if you're a close friend or someone that you're in communication with all the time.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

If you're an acquaintance or you're not that close, I'll see you when I see you. It's not a big deal.

[Sarah]

Not a big deal.

[Kirby]

But under no circumstances contact the host the day of. If it's a dinner party and you RSVP Yes. And the day of you back out. Jail time.

[Sarah]

Yeah. That you should. You need to tell them.

[Kirby]

Absolutely. Unacceptable.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like you literally need to be contagious or there is a life altering event.

[Sarah]

I feel like I am confident with my friends that they would never do.

[Kirby]

That, but I'm also confident with my friends that they would never do that for a dinner party.

[Sarah]

You never know.

[Kirby]

But I also had friends who I am close with.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

That didn't show up on Saturday and then have not reached out.

[Sarah]

Coming for you. I'm just saying.

[Kirby]

Just saying.

[Sarah]

Sending a flying monkey.

[Kirby]

We do have this really weird, spooky, if you will, RSVP culture in the Internet age.

[Sarah]

We do.

[Kirby]

And I've seen this discussed a lot on TikTok actually, where it's like you're not protecting your piece by flaking on a friend.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I know.

[Kirby]

Commit and go. Yeah. I'm sorry that you decided that day you didn't feel like it, but you said you would do it. So, like be a stand up friend and do it.

[Sarah]

Go for a little bit.

[Kirby]

I'm not actually referring to my own party. No, no, no, no.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

It was a huge party. There were more than enough people there. We had a great time.

[Sarah]

Yeah. It was so.

[Kirby]

I'm not even upset.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

But, like, also, there's etiquette. Totally etiquette that we. We are forgetting.

[Sarah]

I agree.

[Kirby]

Okay. So that those are our two spooky moments. AI robots and hospitals and RSVP culture.

[Sarah]

Yep.

[Kirby]

Unfortunately, we also have some more spooky news, so we figured we'd make this episode a little trip down memory lane of 2025. The brands that we've lost, the brains that have been revived from the dead, and the brands that have ghosted us. Yeah.

[Sarah]

We don't know where they stand.

[Kirby]

This is. This is. This was Sarah's idea.

[Sarah]

It was sad to do this, but I think it's good to just sort of reflect on the state of beauty at the moment, because I feel like we have this conversation all the time too, and we get asked all the time, like, whatever happened to, you know, so and so brand?

[Kirby]

Yes. Sarah and I, our DMs are constantly inundated with what's going on with this brand.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

They're this much off.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

And, like, or they're not available on this one site that I used to buy it on anymore.

[Sarah]

And our listeners are so savvy and they are paying attention, especially when we get tips from people that are like, oh, you know, it's on clearance on Sephora, or, like, whatever it is, or.

[Kirby]

They haven't posted in six months. And I'm like, oh, I didn't even, like, keep up with that, you know?

[Sarah]

So I think we've pretty much, in terms of the rips from the past year, I think we have covered it before on previous episodes. So we'll just go through and send our condolences.

[Kirby]

Okay.

[Sarah]

And we say this with, like, love and respect. Like, I know this seems like kind of like we're having fun, but, like, obviously we were all very sad about a lot of these brands closing.

[Kirby]

Totally.

[Sarah]

The first one being Ami Kole.

[Kirby]

Yep.

[Sarah]

Which ended in late September. I am hoping that this is one that if we do this episode next year, it will be on the Back from the Dead list.

[Kirby]

I would love that. But you know what, Giada, she is killing it. I see her. She was on Emma Greed's podcast.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

She's doing a lot still. It's not that she ended this brand and then just went away.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

She is being very vocal about it, and she is still out there.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

And I think there's a lot that people can Learn from her.

[Sarah]

I absolutely agree. I'm very, very happy for her. But I do miss her products. Yes. Youthphoria. They shut down August 4, 2025. I think that one we all saw coming.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And that was just a matter of time. It was a matter of time when they were no longer going to be doing business.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And y' all know that situation.

[Sarah]

I don't think we don't need to.

[Kirby]

Go back deeper into that flower beauty. I was actually surprised about this one, because even though I don't think people were obsessed with this brand, it did feel like a staple at places like Walmart.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Where, you know, Drew Barrymore is a TV show host now. She's, like, very relevant to the culture, and I would think that there would be ways for her to work with it more. But what happens when your founder feels overextended and just over it.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

You know, I think maybe perhaps she's like, I got a TV show.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Like, this is not my priority. And I can't. And maybe she couldn't compete either with the other brands. Also, it's just. It's expensive.

[Kirby]

Yeah. And it says, reported, slash, confirmed closure in late September 2025, as incubator Mesa exits color cosmetics. This is from Business of Fashion. I actually didn't see this story, Sarah.

[Sarah]

Yeah. So maybe it was a Mesa decision versus Drew, and maybe she'll buy it back one day.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Because Mesa, it's a brand. So Mesa, in this story, it says that the focus is likely hair care and fragrance. They manufacture the namesake hair care line by stylist Kristen S. And actress Ashley Tisdale's hair and body line being Frenchy. And then there's a fragrance line called Finery. They're very big in Target stores. Although one day, I want Kristen S. On this podcast because I am pretty sure she is no longer affiliated with that brand.

[Sarah]

Oh.

[Kirby]

I think that she has nothing to do with it, which is such a bummer because she truly. When I think of early arts hair tutorials, hair pins, Lauren Conrad and, like, the.

[Sarah]

Also, like, just like, the beautiful esthetic. Like, she made hair, like, really pretty for the Internet. For the Internet. Like, on social media.

[Kirby]

Yes. Yeah. I have the utmost respect for her and love her, and I would really love to hear what happened. Yep. And talk to her.

[Sarah]

And, like, we should add that on maybe not the ghosted, but just.

[Kirby]

No. Because the brand is still thriving at Target.

[Sarah]

It is.

[Kirby]

You know, but just with.

[Sarah]

She never talks about it anymore. No.

[Kirby]

Yeah, I. I don't. And I remember reading, like, she had posted something like, I am no longer. Like, this is a really upsetting thing for me.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So I would love to know more from her firsthand.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

This is hard.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

But Ren Clean Skin Care, which was acquired by Unilever, it said that it would cease trading by end of Q3 of 2025.

[Sarah]

So I feel like. Yeah, that's. It's just a bummer because great formulations, they were kind of ahead of their time in terms of like using, like being clean. You know, it was like clean before. Clean was like a marketing term and they. Do you remember, like, was it their. Was it their toner or their tonic? The like, orange one.

[Kirby]

Yeah, tonic.

[Sarah]

So good.

[Kirby]

So many of their products I loved. But then I do feel that it fell off once it was acquired because I just stopped hearing about it. And I think that's honestly the curse of being acquired by some of these larger companies. Yeah, it's really, really hard for them to bounce back. The founder essentially becomes non existent. Or they bounce and they, they leave. And then what people fell in love with from the brand just kind of disappears altogether. The magic's gone.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So we gotta, we gotta figure that out. I think if, you know, obviously these brand founders want these big exits and they want to be, you know, they want to sustain. But I also think too, you've got to figure out like, okay, once you sell your brand, how does it actually become a legacy brand?

[Sarah]

Yeah, exactly.

[Kirby]

Versus dies.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

And then y' all are aware of this Skin by Kim closed in June 2025, pretty quietly, actually. But have you been seeing Kim's vlogs?

[Sarah]

Oh, no, I just heard her talking about it on. Call her daddy.

[Kirby]

She's been making these vlogs. Whoever is running her social now is absolutely killing it. There are these really fast paced, fun vlogs on TikTok and Instagram.

[Sarah]

Oh, really?

[Kirby]

And so right now she's in her press tour for All's Fair. That Ryan Murphy show that she's headlining, that.

[Sarah]

Did that show start yet?

[Kirby]

No. Okay, November.

[Sarah]

Okay, November.

[Kirby]

But everybody is going to these press tour events. Turned out to the nines, like amazing fashion. In one of the blogs she was showing vlogs. Yes, vlogs. Not vlogs. Vlogs. So thank you. She talks about her. She's changing her nails because she uses press ons and they're custom. She's like third press ons of the day and she's like, yes, skims. Beauty will be getting into press ons. Oh, so she may be the big Celeb beauty brand that, like, really.

[Sarah]

Oh, wow.

[Kirby]

Yep.

[Sarah]

Interesting.

[Kirby]

I know.

[Sarah]

Oh, my gosh. Crazy. Okay, well, we will see her on the Back from the Dead list next year. Moving on to our Back from the Dead list, we really only have one. I couldn't think of more than one. I was going to put KVD on here because it's now under Teresa Lowe. But KVD still exists.

[Kirby]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

It's not really. They didn't die. So Back from the Dead, I have Counter, which was formerly Beauty Counter, and so they relaunched in the summer. Greg Renfrew, their founder, bought the business back after it shuttered and they changed the model. I don't quite understand how I know that. Okay. For lack of a better term, I know that it's still like MLM and that they have sellers, but it's like a different structure in terms of like, commission and stuff. And so that is what they were are rolling out now. It is called Counter. And I think that so far what I have heard is all positive things. You know, as you know, Kirby Beauty Counter had like a huge, huge following. Yeah. And so I think a lot of those fans of the brand are really excited to have them back. They have scaled back in terms of their offerings because they used to do like makeup and fragrance and kids, and now I think they're just focusing on skin care. So. Yeah. So they are trying to revive themselves.

[Kirby]

This is interesting to me if it's still an MLM situation. I mean, I think the nail in the coffin for the original Beauty Counter was they started selling it at Ulta. Yeah.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So then why would anybody need to buy from a seller?

[Sarah]

Right.

[Kirby]

It's like, I'll be honest, this is a, was a huge you to all the people that built that brand up.

[Sarah]

Right, Right.

[Kirby]

And I already know my thoughts on Beauty Counter.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like, I, I think I've had some very strong words about it in the past. I was not happy with how Greg ran that company. I did not understand any of that. And I also think that MLMs are for the most part predatory. So I've never been a fan of it. Yeah, I, I, there's not one thing I think right now that could get me back on this train. Sorry.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

But Greg, if you want to come on and we can talk about it, we will come and sell me. Otherwise, I'd love to hear from you. Okay. So Counters Back from the Dead. Do we have any indication? Is it doing well? Like, what does it do?

[Sarah]

No, because I think it's still a slow rollout. I think 2026 is going to be a big year for them, but I think they're still trying to just figure things out. Okay, so now we have ghosted and this is honestly a working list because I just kept popping brands on here and here's how I determined whether or not they made the list. I checked their Instagram to see the last time they posted.

[Kirby]

Love that.

[Sarah]

And all of the. Because let's be honest, if you are not posting regularly every single day, that's not a good sign.

[Kirby]

No.

[Sarah]

That's not a good sign.

[Kirby]

No.

[Sarah]

So the first one we have is Ohm by Sierra, which we had the amazing opportunity to have her on the podcast. She was lovely, beautiful, but it doesn't seem like she's really talking about it very much. And the brand has not posted on Instagram in many, many weeks.

[Kirby]

Okay. Yeah. Because when we talked about our celebrity beauty State of the Union, I also looked into this and they had not posted in months.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Kirby]

And then I don't know if somebody on her team overheard us talking about because then there was like she threw them a bone and then somebody posted. I hear nothing about this brand.

[Sarah]

And she's also the face of like every other single beauty brand.

[Kirby]

Yeah. People keep hiring her for like beauty events and stuff like that. So it seems pretty clear that like she's the writings on the wall.

[Sarah]

She's moved on.

[Kirby]

We don't know. I mean, I think, I think the last time we discussed it, you could buy product.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Like gift sets somewhere. But there wasn't much else to offer.

[Sarah]

No.

[Kirby]

Let us know if that that's changed. Yes, we know of this for. Okay, so it's been ghosted, but like not formally announced that it's been shut down. But it is shut down. Give Beauty is kaput.

[Sarah]

Also another former guest of the pod.

[Kirby]

Listen. Can't stop staring. Mascara is that girl. And the blushes were incredible.

[Sarah]

And she really is a beauty girl through and through. Gwen Stefani.

[Kirby]

But I just think she stopped caring. And as y', know, we've discussed, we felt the aesthetic of this brand did not match the aesthetic of how people think of Gwen when it comes to beauty.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So.

[Sarah]

And again, we say this every time, but if you are a celebrity founder, if you are not passionate about it, it is very obvious if you've just like pushed it on the side as like another endeavor of yours. Like the consumers can tell and. Yeah. Unfortunate. Unfortunate.

[Kirby]

Sorry, I just skipped ahead to the next one. Okay.

[Sarah]

Yes. So, well, this one I am not sure. They did post an instagram story, like as of yesterday when I checked. But on the feed, Win Beauty, Serena Williams brand, which is maybe a year old, a year and a half at this point, they haven't posted in weeks on their feed, which to me is not a good sign.

[Kirby]

So the first thread on Reddit that pops up when you search Win Beauty is y is when 75% off. And that was a month ago because I went to Ulta originally to look and it's their concealer. Normally $25 is $6.25. That is, that's not a sale.

[Sarah]

That's like clearance.

[Kirby]

And I was like, is there an Ulta sale that I missed? So yeah, there I said, then there is this report from Erica la Sala from September 8 that says fate of Serena Williams is makeup brand When Beauty uncertain after strategic partner collapses. The future of when Beauty, the makeup brand from retires, blah, blah, blah. After its strategic partner, the Good Glam group shuddered in July, it says. According to data from market research and analytics firm YIP Data, the brand share of the makeup category at ulta decreased to 0.04% in December last year from a peak of about 0.24% at launch. It registered a modest uptick at 0.07 in April as it lapped its one year anniversary, but otherwise has remained down. Geez. I never see Serena talking about this. No, she, she's. She's currently promoting GLP1.

[Sarah]

Yes. Right.

[Kirby]

Which.

[Sarah]

Good for you. Do what you need to do for you. It's amazing.

[Kirby]

Yes.

[Sarah]

I did go to that one Win Beauty event. I want to say it was, I want to say it was earlier this year.

[Kirby]

No, it was at launch, right?

[Sarah]

No, it wasn't at launch. This was like earlier this year or maybe late last year because I brought my sister because she's a big fan and we got to meet her. Very, very brief, briefly. It was in Venice. She did a master class. And I was like, kind of salty because I wasn't invited to the masterclass, but I was invited to the happy hour. And then she wasn't even like, she didn't really even address anyone at the happy hour. It was very strange all to all that to say it was a very strange event. And I was like, I'm just so confused. Like the strategy of this brand.

[Kirby]

Yeah. I think they were counting too much on her being an athlete. And like promoting the products is like great for people that like active, interactive and like, I don't know if necessarily that's a strong angle for a brand.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Or just the Fact again, that, like, she doesn't talk about the brand that much.

[Kirby]

Yeah, Totally not invested.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

Okay. This one's crazy. Ciate London.

[Sarah]

I was actually very, very surprised to put this on the list. I saw someone talking about it on Reddit, and then I was like, wait a second. I thought that I received a Ciate London mailer recently, but they haven't been updating.

[Kirby]

I mean, if you go down three rows on their Instagram, it says, wishing you a very merry Christmas. I mean, it's not looking good.

[Sarah]

Sad.

[Kirby]

I actually know somebody that works there, so I'll reach out and be like, yo, what's going on here?

[Sarah]

Okay. Last, last. So sad. This one's, like, makes me kind of really, really bummed. Cover fx.

[Kirby]

Yeah, it is a bummer because I. They have a million followers on Instagram, which is crazy.

[Sarah]

And if you go into the comments on their Instagram, which they have not updated, people are like, I'm trying to buy my shade. And, like, it's not being restocked.

[Kirby]

Where are you?

[Sarah]

I use cover effects in my kit. I can't find this product.

[Kirby]

Blah, blah, blah.

[Sarah]

And then you go to their website and it's. Literally, everything is on clearance.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Because I've had a couple of people very consistently reach out to me to be like, do you know anything about this?

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And they're following up, and I'm like, I haven't heard anything. And honestly, I haven't used a Cover F product in maybe a decade.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

I'm not kidding.

[Sarah]

No, literally. I mean, they created, like, the bronzing drop.

[Kirby]

Yeah. Yeah. And I used to love their stuff. I really did. But I. I mean, they have. I'm looking. It's like.

[Sarah]

It's not looking good.

[Kirby]

It's not looking good. I. I think this is definitely a ghosted moment where there's no official announcement.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

And that's usually what happens with brands shutting down. Unless, like, somebody gets a scoop and then they announce it, or they're just like, okay, we need to, like, see, sell off as much stock as possible.

[Sarah]

Right. If there's no, like, founder that needs to, like, make a statement that people are waiting for, then I feel like it usually sort of just like, fades in the background, unfortunately.

[Kirby]

Okay. This is crazy, though. So the company was acquired in 2022. Did we talk about this? It says it's by a company called AS Beauty. And that led to a temporary withdrawal from major retailers like Sephora and Ulta to reevaluate and relaunch. Maybe this is a similar thing. Where. But also maybe similar to give in that it was like, okay, give was trying to like get rid of all of its stock. So then maybe it could like relaunch. But then Gwen was just like, I'm done here. Maybe it's a similar situation. And that's why they haven't announced anything. They're just trying to get rid of stock because they can't. That's a huge expense to have stock and not be able to get rid of it.

[Sarah]

Totally.

[Kirby]

Especially if you're trying to do something new.

[Sarah]

Yeah.

[Kirby]

So that's rather unfortunate. Spooky. And I know. It is spooky. And just one thing I want to mention as Beauty is also the company that owns Laura Geller, Malley Beauty and Julep Beauty.

[Sarah]

Julep ghosted. I haven't heard from them.

[Kirby]

I haven't heard. And also it says last year, look, Cover FX kicks off a rebrand with a tick tock campaign about hickeys. And that was last year in February. And then that clearly didn't do anything. I don't know. This sucks.

[Sarah]

Sucks.

[Kirby]

Spooky. The horrors of the beauty industry.

[Sarah]

There's many.

[Kirby]

They don't even cease. Every day. A new one every day. Okay, so, Sarah, Happy Halloween.

[Sarah]

Happy Hallow. Wicked ween, everyone.

[Kirby]

I hope you're happy in the end. I hope you're happy, my friends. So let's hit the high note.

[Workday Go Announcer]

Good news.

[Sarah]

Okay? I'm gonna sing that.

[Kirby]

No one wants the wickedness.

[Sarah]

Oh, my God.

[Kirby]

Okay, Hit your defying gravity and then we're out. Okay, that's a wrap.

[Workday Go Announcer]

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