There are few things as frustrating as finding a beauty product that works well for your skin or hair — or that “holy grail” cosmetic that perfectly matches your coloring and skin tone — only to discover the next time you go to buy your new favorite product, it’s been discontinued.
When a product is popular, sells well and wins beauty editor awards, it doesn’t seem to make sense that a company would stop manufacturing it. Beauty companies rely on getting more coverage than their competitors in magazines and online, so they need to be constantly introducing new products to create a buzz and attract new customers. When something is discontinued, sometimes the issue is an ingredient that can no longer be used for legal reasons. It’s banned or must be below a certain percentage, so products have to be reformulated or replaced.
Discontinued items may still be available for sale on sites such as Overstock.com or Discontinuedbeauty.com, allowing for limited hoarding. The website MakeUpAlley.com, where consumers share beauty advice, helps people find replacement products. For the truly inconsolable, Giella Makeup or Three Custom Color Specialists can create customized color-matched lipsticks, foundation or nail polish to match any shade.
And, remember, gone for now doesn’t have to mean gone for good. Consumers can use social media channels to demand favorites be brought back. Beauty companies are listening and bringing back popular products due to customer pressure, often with new formulations to embrace more plant-based ethics or a wider range of color choices for a more diversified market.
Here are beauty products that were loved, iconic, discontinued, mourned by many and, in some cases, reintroduced.
Aveda Sap Moss Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner
Aveda’s Sap Moss shampoo and conditioner were part of the salon haircare company’s range for dry hair. The company discontinued the Sap Moss products over a decade ago, but customers who loved the brand still miss it.
According to Aveda, fans filled the company’s social media channels with requests to bring the line back ever since it was discontinued. As a result, in 2019, Aveda relaunched the Sap Moss Range.
The line, in keeping with a changing world, is now made with more plant-based ingredients, produced with 100 percent wind power and uses 60 percent recycled packaging. But for some fans, there’s no beating the original formulation.
Urban Decay Naked Palette
Urban Decay’s Naked Palettes may be the most popular eyeshadows ever sold, according to Glamour Magazine, and won numerous beauty awards.
In 2010, Urban Decay launched its now-iconic Naked Palette — the perfect balance of warm and neutral shades — selling 30 million of them and earning $1 billion on the product in eight years.
It quickly became a cult and celebrity favorite. However, in 2018, the company decided to discontinue the product, even going so far as to make a funeral video using well-known makeup artists.
Due to overwhelming feedback from customers, Urban Decay launched a Naked Ultimate Basics in 2019, incorporating many of the discontinued colors.
