Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Gregg Renfrew Is Purchasing Beautycounter Out of Foreclosure

The founder, who was ousted and recently came back to the line as CEO, will regain control of the company.
The deal values Beautycounter at $1 billion.
Beautycounter was previously valued at $1 billion. (Beautycounter)

Gregg Renfrew, founder and chief executive of Beautycounter, bought back the clean beauty line out of foreclosure on April 18, The Business of Beauty has learned. According to the company, she will retain the brand’s name and assets; products and formulations will stay the same. Beautycounter will retain the vast majority of its direct sales associates.

Counter Brands LLC, the parent company of Beautycounter, is winding down; Renfrew and other private investors have secured the label from investment firm Carlyle Group for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 2013, Beautycounter was an early disruptor in the market for its clean positioning. The line eschews more than 2,800 ingredients in its products. That first-mover advantage led to an acquisition by Carlyle Group for $1 billion in 2021. In 2022, Marc Rey, former chief executive of Shiseido Americas, was appointed CEO. In February, Renfrew returned Beautycounter to replace him.

The Carlyle Group’s beauty fundraising has dwindled following a slew of executive departures, including former head of its consumer and retail group Jay Sammons. He notably left in September 2022 to join Kim Kardashian’s newly formed private equity firm, Skky Partners.

Operations will be paused for two weeks, and Beautycounter will officially relaunch on May 1; existing retail partnerships, like those with Ulta Beauty, will remain intact.

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Beauty
Analysis and advice on the fast-evolving beauty business.

L’Occitane Is Going Private. Here’s Why.

Going public is usually a pivotal moment in a company’s history, cementing its heavyweight status and setting it up for expansion. In L’Occitane’s case, delisting might be a bigger conduit for growth.


view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
The Business of Beauty Global Awards - Deadline 30 April 2024
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
The Business of Beauty Global Awards - Deadline 30 April 2024