Beauty Brands We Used To Love

by BR Tabatha

Up until the last five or so years, I think it's fair to say we had a very limited amount of beauty brands that we Kiwis could get our hands on. In fact, if it wasn't a standard supermarket or department store brand, such as Maybelline, Covergirl, Estée Lauder, Clinique and the like, then there wasn't much else out there. To get hold of brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills, NARS, and Too Faced, you had to use an international mail forwarding service, or know someone overseas who was happy to shop and send it to you. As for smaller overseas-based indie brands? It would have been easier to procure hen's teeth. Because of that, certain brands carried massive buzz. They were talked about incessantly on the Beauty Review forum. Members aaahed and ooohed over new releases. And if they got hold of one of those coveted brands' products? You bet the triumph was shared with fellow beauty lovers, and the response was one of sheer joy for the member's good fortune. Times have changed though. These days we can get our hands on a far greater range of brands. Not only that, we've seen brands once beloved seemingly disappear or fade into obscurity. So what was hot then that's really not now?

Lime Crime

Back in the day, Lime Crime's Velvetine Lipstick was THE liquid lippy to own. Honestly, I can't remember why, but I do know that when I finally tried it, I loved it, and treasured it. Then, Doe Deere, Lime Crime's founder, managed to get herself into hot water after saying and doing a whole bunch of seriously controversial stuff. (Actually, contronversy is going to be a reoccuring theme of this article... and you're more than welcome to do your own research if you're keen to find out more). Suffice to say, all the controversy took the shine off Lime Crime. In 2018, Lime Crime was acquired by public equity firm, Tengram. In 2020 Doe Deere and her husband stepped down from the board. As for today? The brand is regularly releasing products... that I rarely see anyone talk about. 

Jeffree Star Cosmetics

Speaking of controversy... Jeffree Star Cosmetics' releases were once hotly anticipated. The unique takes on cosmetics saw the company go from strength to strength. Then Jeffree Star himself found himself in trouble for saying some seriously gross stuff back throughout the 2000s. Then there was Dramageddon and Dramageddon 2, in which he and YouTubers, James Charles and Tati, went at it. Then there was the YouTubue documentary series he took part in with Shane Dawson (also not without his own controversy) that seemed like a PR attempt to gain control of the narrative. Then there was more drama. Then, all of a sudden, the brand was no longer raved about by the beauty community, and we rarely hear about it. But it's still going. Jeffree also sells yak meat now.

Sleek

What was it about Sleek makeup that had us all in a tizzy? I genuinely can't remember. But it was one of the most wished-for brands back in the day. I recall the eyeshadow palettes being a must. These days I never hear anyone talk about Sleek. A quick google shows they're still going. And controversy-free. My guess? With so many more brands available to us now, and with their no longer being in the New Zealand market, they lost their glow for we Kiwis.

Kat Von D

If you were into that goth gal cool look, then Kat Von D makeup was on your radar. Then there was controversy. Then more controversy. Then Kendo Brands, who worked with Kat Von D beauty, acquired her shares and rebranded it as KVD Vegan Beauty. Then, not long after the first rebrand, changed the name again; this time to KVD Beauty. Then Kat Von D went on to say in an Instagram post, "I have absolutely nothing to do with that brand, and to be honest, wish they'd change the name altogether already so I wouldn't be associated with it. ❤️". Can't imagine that would ever happen, considering doing so would confuse the brand's loyal followers and potentially/probably see a drop in profits. These days, the brand pops up on occasion in YouTuber vids - interestingly enough, most often in the videos of YouTubers who have beef with Jeffree Star, who had beef with Kat Von D (and vice versa). The tea is hot. Unlike the makeup.

Becca

Champagne Pop. If you know, you know. It was the highlighter that rocked everyone's socks off. A collaboration between the brand and Jaclyn Hill, getting your hands on the product was like finding a four leaf clover. Beauty Review's Head Pixie (aka Kellie), managed to get it in the face palette Jaclyn released with Becca, and she confirmed it was gorgeous. Since then, Becca faded into obscurity, to the point it closed down, with Smashbox taking over the production of Becca's popular products, including... you guessed it... Champagne Pop.

NYX

When NYX hit NZ, the excitement was real. A brand beloved by beauty bloggers and YouTubers; we were so excited to get our kissers on their iconic Butter Gloss products, to try out their eyeshadow formula, to just straight up dive on in. Which we did, then didn't, with the brand eventually pulling out of the New Zealand market, because - according to Reddit - it wasn't making enough profit. 

So what have I learnt. Money talks. And if it's not talking, brands are walking. And it's best to keep your nose clean if you're going into business, because your past has a way of catching up with you.

So, do tell, what brands did you used to love but have disappeared? What brands were hot, but are now not? And what little-known beauty brands are you loving right now? Get chatting below!