Discontinued? Out Of Business?- Ask The Non-Blonde

There's only one issue that gets me more comments, emails and direct messages on Twitter than mascara: Brands and products that disappear from the market. The last few years have been brutal for many companies, resulting in a lot of confusion among customers. Let's try to make heads and tails out of this mess.

Has Prescriptives gone out of business?
Yes. The brand was shut down by the owner, the Lauder Group. Their fragrance, Calyx is still made, though. You can read more here and here.

Is Estee Lauder going out of business?
A world of NO.
Some of their less successful brands aren't safe, though.

What happened to Fendi perfume(s)?
All of them, including the original Fendi and Palazzo have been discontinued. Some online retailers still have a limited stock, but the prices have been climbing up.

What's the story with Crabtree & Evelyn?
While the company has filed for Chapter 11 (bankruptcy protection) it is still alive and producing its products. I might not be all that thrilled with the quality of its lotions and soaps lately, but many staples like the hand creams and scrubs are the same.

Is Annick Goutal going out of business?
No. The company has actually just released a new scent. There have been some distribution issues in the US, but things have gotten back to normal. It looks like the new distributor is going to keep a tighter control, so don't expect to see many Goutal products at discounters once they sell their current inventory.

Is MPG (Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier) a goner?
Even though for a while it certainly seemed dire with boutiques closing and the bottles disappeared from stockists all around North America, it was another case of a distributor going belly up. As of now Henri Bendel in NYC is carrying the line again.

Is it true that Chanel Hydrabase lipsticks are being phased out?
Yes. As is often the case when a company introduces a new spiffy line, they get rid of older formulas. The new Rouge Coco is fabulous (I'll review and show photos later this week). The same goes for the older Dior single eye shadows, by the way. They've been replaced with the new 1-Color Extreme.

Is Le Metier de Beaute exiting Liberty London?
No. The counter is moving, but Le Metier de Beaute is going strong and expanding. You will soon be able to find their products in a couple of other prestigious London locations and also in Paris.

Do you have more questions about discontinuations and product availability? Let me know and I'll do my best to find out.