Beauty products have always found a way of capturing our hearts, and there is nothing more heartbreaking than when a favourite stops being stocked.
But a boom in relaunches for discontinued items, such as Glossier, Urban Decay and The Ordinary got the Cosmetics Business team thinking about the beauty goods they would like see make a return.
Read on to find out which products left their mark, and why they should to come back to the market.
Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes
“I need this make-up item back in my life for many reasons. Not only does it remind me of fun nights out during my college and university days (oh, to be young again), leaning heavily into the joy and emerging trend of nostalgia, but this crayon really was a time-poor person’s saving grace.
One simple swipe of this creamy crayon, blended out quickly with a sweep of a finger, was all that was needed to achieve a crease-free and subtle pop of eyeshadow colour that lasted all day.
Best of all, it came in an array of fun hues – such as pale Big Blue, mauve Lavish Lilac and khaki Whopping Willow – so you could go more bold with your look without much effort. I love the care-free but foolproof nature of this product.”
Amanda May, Acting Editor, CosmeticsBusiness.com and Pure Beauty
The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Body Butter
“With The Body Shop poised to make its grand comeback, I think this would be the perfect time to relaunch its original Wild Argan Oil Body Butter.
Not, I must stress, the reformulated vegan version, but the OG which is still my absolute favourite cream scent of all time.
There is nothing else like it and it is one of the most comforting and unique scents I can think of.
I still have one tub stashed away as I simply can’t let it go, and tapping into these original unsung heroes of the brand will only help The Body Shop’s road to recovery.”
Alessandro Carrara, Acting News Editor, CosmeticsBusiness.com and Pure Beauty
Dior Addict Shade 763 Pink Lust
“This bright blue-based pink shade was the ultimate night-out lipstick for my cool-toned complexion.
Launched by Dior as part of its Addict lipstick line around 16 years ago, it was the first very bold pink I'd worn, and, as a young mum at the time, applying this dramatic shade for a rare evening out with friends provided an extra thrill of excitement!
The glitter particles with blue shimmer accents, along with the moisturising formula, were the icing on the cake.
I have never been able to find an exact replica of the shade. When I found out that Dior had discontinued it, I even looked into finding a company to custom-make the shade for me. It would be much easier if Dior could just bring back Pink Lust!”
Jo Allen, Editor, Cosmetics Business Trend Report
Maybelline Baby Lips
"Maybelline’s Baby Lips balm instantly transports me back to my secondary school days. The vibrant packaging and sleek tube design oozed coolness, and it seemed like everyone and their mum wanted to have the secret to soft, supple ‘baby’ like lips.
The formula lived up to its promise, and what truly makes this product stick with me is the bold, eye-catching colours, especially the striking contrast of yellow and pink in the Pink Punch edition.
Even now, when I see a photo of Baby Lips, I’m immediately swept back to the carefree, wholesome days spent at my all-girls secondary school. It brings to mind those simple beauty rituals we used to indulge in during class, where the little things felt like such a special part of our everyday lives.
Nyima Jobe, Copywriter/Editor CosmeticsBusiness.com and Pure Beauty
Cacharel LouLou Blue
"Launched in 1995, I first spotted adverts for Cacharel’s Lou Lou Blue nestled between the pages of Just Seventeen magazine (also sadly now defunct).
Amid the boyband and britpop interviews was a striking model wearing a bob and red lipstick just like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. To a newly minted teen there was nothing cooler.
An offshoot of Cacharel’s 80s fragrance LouLou (itself a play on the iconic Anais Anais) LouLou Blue had lighter floral notes and was aimed at a younger audience.
Quietly falling out of favour, by the early 2000s remaining stock of the perfume started to become hard to get hold of.
As my last bottle ran out a fresh wave of fragrances aimed at teens were hitting the shelves, from Britney Spears’ Curious and Vera Wang’s Princess to Marc Jacobs Daisy.
We’ve already had the return of Impulse’s iconic 90s bodyspray O2. The campaign for bringing back LouLou Blue starts here."
Lynsey Barber, Science Writer
Prescriptives All Skins Mineral Makeup
“How does one orchestrate a comeback for a product when the brand no longer exists?
"As a baby beauty journalist back in the day, All Skins Mineral Makeup from then Estée Lauder Companies-owned brand Prescriptives was my first introduction to mineral make-up. It offered lightweight matte coverage that worked a treat with my 20-something skin, which erred on the side of greasy.
ELC announced it would be shuttering the brand in 2010 – at which point I hauled myself to Selfridges and bought three. It was the most I could afford without slipping into the red!
Of course, formulation expertise has evolved since then and my skin’s needs are certainly different to 15 years ago, but I have fond memories of the first foundation that really ‘worked’ for me.”
Julia Wray, Head of Editorial, HPCi Media