If you’re a fan of Beauty Bakerie, you might have seen plenty of rumors flying around about the brand closing its doors. It’s not just gossip—there really was a big change this spring. But this story has more layers than you’d expect. Here’s what actually happened to Beauty Bakerie this year, why it seemed to vanish overnight, and what’s going on with the brand right now.
Beauty Bakerie’s Sudden Closure: What Went Down
In late March 2024, Beauty Bakerie founder Cashmere Nicole took to social media and the brand’s mailing list to share a personal update. She announced the company was shutting down “effective immediately,” with a heartfelt farewell titled “My Taste Buds Have Changed.” Nicole cited a need to spend time with her family and her faith, after over a decade of what she described as nonstop hustle. For longtime followers, her message was surprisingly candid.
She told customers that this wasn’t about finances or a business scandal. It was mainly a shift in her priorities—a decision tied to her own mental health and her desire to step back from constant entrepreneurship. At the same time, she mentioned she was moving to Thailand and aiming to focus on spiritual growth.
The announcement spread fast, mostly on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. Suddenly, fans wondered if their favorite vegan and cruelty-free lipsticks and highlighters were about to disappear forever.
Where Could You Still Get Beauty Bakerie Products?
After the announcement, Nicole directed loyal customers where to find any remaining Beauty Bakerie stock. The products were still available at a bunch of big retailers: Ulta Beauty, Target, CVS, Boots, Lookfantastic, and Amazon.
Many of these stores marked down Beauty Bakerie items—sometimes by quite a bit. Shoppers scrambled to pick up their favorite Lip Whips, translucent flour setting powders, and brow gels before shelves were cleared. Some fans reported trouble finding shades or full sets, while others grabbed what they could, hoping their go-to formulas would last a while.
By late April, the official website was down and most new inventory had stopped shipping. But stores with leftover products still sold out slowly and some items stayed on shelves into the summer.
The Beauty Bakerie Story: How It Started and Grew
For people who followed indie beauty brands, Beauty Bakerie always stood out. Cashmere Nicole launched the company in 2011, years before “clean beauty” was a marketing buzzword. Her inspiration was personal: after surviving breast cancer, Nicole wanted makeup that was vegan, non-toxic, and safe for sensitive skin—but also fun and creative.
She built the brand around a bakery theme, with products like Lip Whips, Cake Mix foundation, and Flour Setting Powder. Names, packaging, and marketing all leaned into sweet treats. This quirky approach, plus Nicole’s refusal to compromise on quality, helped Beauty Bakerie win over a loyal following. The mission: makeup that’s good for you and for the world.
What really set it apart was how Nicole led the brand. She bootstrapped at first, then raised about $14.7 million from major backers like Unilever Ventures. Her story was an inspiration for other Black women founders. By 2019, Beauty Bakerie was selling in over 2,000 retail stores worldwide and pulling in up to $15 million a year by some accounts.
Media and celebs took notice. Cardi B and Beyoncé gave the brand shout-outs on social media. The products racked up beauty awards. By 2020, Beauty Bakerie had a dedicated fanbase and millions of Instagram followers—plus plenty of calls for more diversity across mainstream beauty.
Tough Times for Beauty Bakerie—and for Indie Beauty
Even as the brand grew, the beauty industry wasn’t getting any easier. Many fast-growing, venture-capital-backed brands faced big expectations: investors wanted faster growth, higher profits, and bold product launches every season. For Beauty Bakerie, that brought real pressure.
After the rush of support for Black-owned brands in 2020, buyer demand started to soften. Viral makeup trends began shifting away from bold, “Instagram glam” looks. Competition exploded with new clean beauty upstarts hitting shelves all the time. Staying visible, profitable, and relevant got a lot harder.
Behind the scenes, Nicole herself faced a lot, too. Fighting health problems, balancing mom life, fielding social media drama, and trying to expand into new stores took a toll. That context made the sudden closure this spring make more sense to some industry watchers.
New Owners Step In: West Lane Capital Partners Buys Beauty Bakerie
The story didn’t end with that farewell post. Less than two months after the closure, Nicole posted an update: Beauty Bakerie had been acquired and would relaunch after all.
Private equity firm West Lane Capital Partners bought the brand, planning to operate it through a company called Blooming Brands. (That’s not to be confused with Bloomin’ Brands, the restaurant group behind Outback Steakhouse—the names are similar, but this is a different Blooming Brands focused on beauty.)
According to Nicole, the new owners were long-time customers and fans of the makeup. She framed the deal not just as a lifeline but as an opportunity to revive and refresh the company. They promised to keep the core of the brand—the inclusive, vegan, bakery-inspired products—while rebooting operations to fit today’s beauty market.
Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed, but the move was enough to make retailers, bloggers, and fans breathe a bit easier.
Will Cashmere Nicole Still Be Involved?
Nicole isn’t fading away entirely. While stepping back from the day-to-day of running Beauty Bakerie, she’s staying involved as a brand advisor. In interviews and in a second round of Instagram updates, she talked about being there for a “smooth transition” and supporting the relaunch however she can.
She’s made clear she supports the acquisition and is genuinely rooting for the next chapter. Longtime fans picked up on the fact that Nicole wanted to see her bakery-inspired brand survive—even if she needed to move on personally.
Industry Headwinds and Changing Trends
To understand why this brand changed hands now, it helps to look at what’s going on across beauty. Venture-backed beauty startups have faced an uphill climb for months. Sales of “glam” or Instagram-inspired looks tapered off, and even big names found it tough to hang onto market share.
Interest in Black-owned brands—and the extra attention given during 2020—receded as buyers moved on to the next viral thing. Plus, inflation and shifting consumer budgets hit beauty as hard as fashion or accessories.
Cashmere Nicole pointed to a personal decision, but it’s clear the business environment played a role too.
What’s Happening on Social Media—and in Stores?
If you’re scrolling past Beauty Bakerie’s Instagram page, you’ll see the closure announcement is still pinned up top. There are more heartfelt notes from Nicole, as well as a few newer hints about “an evolution” and “something sweet baking soon.” Some fans have mixed feelings, but most just want to know when their favorite formulas are coming back.
Across Reddit and beauty forums, customers have posted screenshots of their last Ulta or Target hauls, sometimes with entire carts of sale items. Others are waiting for word on what the new owners will change (and hoping nothing too major gets lost in translation).
Will Beauty Bakerie Products Still Be Available?
Right now, you can still find Beauty Bakerie in select stores. The online shop is closed, but Ulta, Target, and some international retailers have inventory while it lasts. Some newer products have disappeared, but the signature Lip Whip and Flour Setting Powder are still floating around.
Blooming Brands says it plans to relaunch the website and bring back top products, with some tweaks based on shopper input. They’ve started making noise about upcoming launches, though a firm date hasn’t dropped as of this update.
What’s Next for Beauty Bakerie?
Plenty of fans are cheering for a strong comeback. With new investment behind it, the company has a chance to adapt to where makeup is heading now. That might mean more hybrid skincare/makeup releases, simpler everyday shades, or expanded distribution in drugstores and abroad.
The big test is whether Beauty Bakerie crosses over from cult favorite to mass-market staple. Its identity as a fun, bakery-themed, vegan beauty brand is still unusual. But it’ll need to stand out, not just blend in, as it tries to grab new shoppers. Existing fans are likely to return for the products they love, but the real growth will come from reaching people who haven’t tried Lip Whips yet.
Over the next year, keep an eye on Beauty Bakerie’s Instagram and updates from Blooming Brands. If you want more detailed breakdowns of how indie brands survive rough patches, you might also find some resources at eveofbusiness.com.
Wrapping Up: Closure, Comeback, and a Watch-and-Wait
So is Beauty Bakerie out of business? Not anymore. The brand did close up shop this spring—for real—and a lot of people worried it was over. But the quick acquisition turned things around fast.
Now Beauty Bakerie is heading into its next phase with new owners, ongoing support from its founder, and a community rooting for its return. There will almost definitely be changes, and the full relaunch hasn’t happened quite yet. But for now, you haven’t seen the last of Beauty Bakerie—or its colorful, bakery-inspired makeup.
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