What Happened to Beautycounter? (From an insider)

What happened to Beautycounter? And are they out of business? Here’s everything I know as a former leader, and what led to the downfall of the billion dollar brand.

Beautycounter as we know it is gone.

That’s a statement I don’t think anyone expected to hear. Not the hundreds of employees who were unexpectedly let go. Not the tens of thousands of consultants who have built businesses with the company. And certainly not the millions of customers who use their products.

I was with Beautycounter for over six years, and as a former top leader, I never could have predicted it would end like this.

So, what happened to Beautycounter? While there are many unanswered questions, here’s exactly what I know, what I experienced, and the steps that led to the downfall of a billion dollar brand.

What Happened to Beautycounter?

Beautycounter was founded in 2011 by Gregg Renfrew and experienced rapid growth, largely because it was one of the first companies to sell clean beauty cosmetics free of known harmful ingredients.

At the start, Beautycounter began selling makeup and skin care on its website and through a network of consultants through a direct sales model. It also opened a number of retail locations, and had partnerships with large retailers, including Target, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty. In 2018, the company was valued at $400 million.

In 2020, as the world hunkered down at home, Beautycounter saw explosive growth. Many people joined as consultants in order to make up for the lost income because they couldn’t go into work. Also, I personally saw a shift in consumer behavior. People became much more aware of what they were putting on their skin, and made the switch to clean beauty. Sales, for the company and consultants, were at an all-time high.

Less than a year later, a bombshell announcement was made to the field. Gregg Renfrew had sold the company to private equity firm, The Carlyle Group, who had now acquired a majority stake in Beautycounter. It was a groundbreaking deal that valued Beautycounter at over $1 billion. To me, this was the biggest mistake, and the beginning of the end.

Beautycounter Controversy

While the sale of Beautycounter was celebrated by the company, it left many of us involved with the brand confused and uneasy. Carlyle’s history of failed investments is well known, and much of what people valued about the business was gone. It quickly became apparent that Carlyle didn’t understand the needs of the business or the clean beauty industry as a whole. Products were discontinued, pay structures were abruptly changed, and turnover rate skyrocketed. To be frank, the culture was very cutthroat and not collaborative. The company would sometimes put the blame on consultants, asking “Why aren’t you selling more?” Complaints and concerns were brushed off and ignored. New hires would be celebrated and invited to team calls one week, and be gone without explanation the next.

Then, at the end 2022, Renfrew was forced out by Carlyle. This was posed as a “much needed sabbatical” for Refrew, which was a big red flag. Even with new leadership, Beautycounter wasn’t performing to Carlyle’s standards, and they ultimately stopped funding the business. Most companies would change how they operate financially, but Carlyle opted to let it implode.

Renfrew was brought back on as CEO in February 2024 as a last-ditch effort to save the business, but much to her surprise, the exit plan was already in motion. As a result, the holding company Counter Brands, LLC ran out of money and went bankrupt.

In April 2024, Renfrew struct a deal to buy back Beautycounter. While Counter Brands is being liquidated, certain Beautycounter assets—including the name, products, and mission—was purchased through the foreclosure sale. All of this happened without warning to anyone involved with the brand, including consultants and employees.

What Happened to Consultants?

All Beautycounter consultants lost their jobs, teams, and income on April 18th, 2024. The majority of the employees at Beautycounter were let go immediately, and consultants were given only hours notice before the website and business was shut down.

A small group of employees remained on board and spent the following year rebuilding from the ground up. This included developing new technology systems, curating the product lineup, and reestablishing fulfillment operations to support the relaunch of the brand.

G2G’s kept communication with consultants to a minimum, and made it clear that all aspects of the company’s community structure, product assortment, and earning opportunities would change. All previous teams and consultants were dissolved and not included in the new company.

While I had ultimately decided to pull back from Beautycounter in 2022, this is truly a devastating turn of events. Even though I could see the red flags, mismanagement, and felt the toxicity all throughout the company, it was surreal to watch it all come crashing down. At its core, I absolutely love Beautycounter products. The formulations are phenomenal, and the teams that developed the products are top notch.

Is Beautycounter Going Out of Business?

Beautycounter assets were purchased through foreclosure sale by G2G, a new company owned by Gregg Renfrew. Beautycounter’s former holding company, Counter Brands, LLC went into bankruptcy. As a result, the company’s operations were shut down. Beautycounter relaunched in June 2025 as Counter, bringing back several fan-favorite formulas along with a range of brand-new products.

Can I Still Purchase Beautycounter Products?

While Beautycounter is no longer in operation, some of its most popular products have returned with the launch of Counter. While Counter carries the legacy of Beautycounter in name, it’s a brand new company with a renewed mission, updated product selection, and simplified approach to clean beauty.

After shutting down, Beautycounter returned for a warehouse sale in late 2024, selling the product that remained at 60-80% off. With the short term sale, returns were not accepted and support was limited.

Will Beautycounter Products Come Back?

Beautycounter officially returned in June 2025 as Counter. The core formulations of the products were retained through the sale, so many of Beautycounter’s best-selling products were launched under the Counter name. Counter also released some upgraded and brand new product formulations, with more coming down the line.

Here’s a complete review of Counter, including a look at the new products and how it compares to Beautycounter.

What Should I Do Now?

If you loved and used Beautycounter products in the past and you’re looking for comparable swaps, I’ve got you covered! Join my Clean Beauty Community and check out my Beautycounter swaps. I’ve also written a full, honest review of Counter’s skincare and makeup line and tested nearly every new product. Having been part of the brand’s relaunch, I can say with confidence: there’s been progress, but not everything is different.

Also, I’ve done a number of reviews for alternative brands, including Crunchi, Dime Beauty, and Rowe Casa Organics. I prefer Crunchi over most of my favorite Beautycounter products, and I love using Frownies to help stop forehead wrinkles.

The lessons we learn in business are tough. But, I’ve learned so much through this process. If you have any questions or need advice, reach out in the comments below!

More Resources

• Best Clean Beauty Brands: Where to Start and What to Avoid
• 10 Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare and Makeup Products
• Honest Oliveda Review: What’s Worth It & What’s Not
• Honest Dime Beauty Review: Best and Worst Products
• Frownies Review: My Honest Thoughts (After 1 Year)