In an Instagram post made just last Tuesday, cult-favorite cosmetic line Bite Beauty officially announced the closure of their brand. In their statement they shared, “We’re so grateful for our BITE community and your continued support over the last 10 years. BITE Beauty is closing, but for all you beauty lovers, Lip Lab is still growing and mixing up crave-worthy lipstick.”
The announcement, though met with much sadness from the beauty community, wasn’t all bad. Bite Beauty reassured customers that their nine Lip Labs would remain open. A studio where customers could tailor-fit their own lipsticks to themselves, Bite’s creamy lipstick formula paired with their vibrant campaign visuals grew a cult following. Having drastically grown and adapted in the last 10 years, Bite’s closure comes in the wake of several other beauty brands trying to survive the post-pandemic market. In January 2020, it rebranded as a clean and vegan beauty line which in result modified their product range.
In a report by Highsnobiety that touched on the cosmetic brand’s rebranding, they shared “For its first post-rebrand release, Bite branched out into a totally new category: complexion. Its Changemaker foundation, primer, and powder worked well, but they never really caught on. The reformulated lip products fell short, too. Brand loyalists were disappointed that Bite removed lanolin (derived from sheep’s wool which was not vegan) from its Agave Lip Balm, formerly a fan favorite. And many found its Power Move lipsticks overly matte, a far cry from Bite’s beloved Amuse Bouche, a creamy yet lightweight formula.”
Over time, Bite’s range shrunk. Their previously beloved lipstick hues that boasted of bright pigments became a lot more subdued and, their loyal following slowly became a lot more alienated.
Either way, as sad as we all are to see BITE bid farewell to our vanities and make-up kits, they’re currently offering 50% off on all their products at Sephora and their website.