Urban Decay (cosmetics)

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Urban Decay Cosmetics
Industry Personal care
Founded 1996; 28 years ago (1996)
Founder Pat Holmes, Sandy Lerner, Wende Zomnir, David Soward
Headquarters Newport Beach, California, United States
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Wende Zomnir (Chief Creative Officer), Tim Warner (Chief Executive Officer)
Products Cosmetics and beauty products

Urban Decay is an American cosmetics brand headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The company was founded in 1996 by Sandy Lerner, a co-founder of Cisco Systems, Pat Holmes, Wende Zomnir, and David Soward. It was later acquired in 2012 by cosmetics company L'Oréal.[2] Products include lip, eye, and nail colors, as well as other face and body products.[3] Urban Decay's target market is young consumers.

History

Urban Decay shop inside the Mexico City international airport

Pink, red, and beige tones dominated the beauty industry palette until the mid-1990's.[4] In 1995, Sandy Lerner and Pat Holmes were at Lerner's mansion outside London when Holmes mixed raspberry and black to form a new color, which they named Urban Decay. Then they decided to form a cosmetics company.[5] Launched in January 1996, Urban Decay offered a line of ten lipsticks and 12 nail polishes. Their color palette was inspired by the urban landscape, with names such as Roach, Smog, Rust, Oil Slick, and Acid Rain.[6]

Ownership

  • In 2000, Moet-Hennessy Louis Vuitton (a diversified luxury goods group) purchased Urban Decay.
  • In 2002, the Falic Group (owners of the Perry Ellis fragrance lines) purchased Urban Decay.
  • In 2009, Castanea Partners (a private equity firm) acquired Urban Decay.[7]
  • On November 26, 2012, L'Oréal announced it would purchase Urban Decay Cosmetics.[8] L'Oréal acquired the company in 2013. L'Oréal paid an estimated amount of $350 million for Urban Decay.[9]

Operations

Wende Zomnir acts as Chief Creative Officer for Urban Decay. Tim Warner is Chief Executive Officer.[4] Urban Decay continues its expansion in the international prestige beauty market with retailers in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Singapore, and the Middle East.

In Spring 2015, Urban Decay expanded its social media presence with a Tumblr site, The Violet Underground. It features collaborations with young artists such as Baron Von Fancy.[10]

Products

Urban Decay is known for experimental shades and unique products. These include the 24/7 Primer Potion, 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils, All Nighter long-lasting makeup setting sprays, and one of the largest varieties of eyeshadows. Their three best-selling eyeshadow palettes are Naked, Naked2, and Naked3.[11]

Best Sellers

Urban Decay's best selling products include their 24/7 Primer Potion which is available in six different varieties, the Naked collection (eyeshadow palettes lip gloss, blush, and skin products), Electric pressed pigment palette, Smoked palette, Amo palette Perversion mascara, 24/7 glide-on eye pencils, Shadow Box eyeshadow palette, Badass Lip Set, 24/7 waterproof liquid eyeliner, Moondust eyeshadow, B6 vitamin-infused complexion prep spray, All Nighter Overnighter makeup setting spray, De-Slick makeup setting spray and powder, Revolution lipsticks, and Ultimate Ozone multipurpose priming pencil. [12]

Prices

[13]Urban Decay offers a wide range of products with varying prices:

Product Price
Naked Palette (original, 2, 3, Smokey) $54
Single eyeshadow $19
Primer Potion (10 ml/0.33 fl oz) $20
24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil $20
Perversion mascara $22
Revolution lipstick $22
Naked Skin powder foundation/liquid makeup $36/$40
Afterglow blush $26

Suppliers

Urban Decay is sold at large department stores in the United States such as Macy's, Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, and from the official website which ships internationally. [14] [15]

Animal testing

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. In 2009, Urban Decay received approval by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics,[16] and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) awarded the company with the fifth annual Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Line award.[17]

PETA removed Urban Decay from their list of cruelty-free companies following Urban Decay's announcement on June 6, 2012 that they would begin selling products in China, a country known to conduct animal testing on products before releasing them to the public. A month later, on July 6th, 2012, Urban Decay announced that it would not sell its products in China.[18]

Urban Decay does not employ animal testing in the creation of its products. PETA and The Leaping Bunny Program (CCIC) certify the brand as cruelty-free.[19] Urban Decay assured PETA in writing that its animal-testing policy will not change, and that the company will remain cruelty-free.[20] Urban Decay offers 100% synthetic fiber makeup brushes made from taklon, an alternative to typical brushes constructed from animal hair.[21] Vegan products are denoted on the website by a paw print, which means it is "Marley Approved." Marley is a dog that belongs to an Urban Decay executive.[citation needed]

As of 2012, L'Oréal continued to regularly conduct animal testing.[citation needed] Critics argue that profits from the sale of Urban Decay products directly fund animal testing done on other L'Oréal products at L'Oréal labs.

When asked why PETA supports a L'Oréal brand, they stated they wanted to show L'Oréal that cosmetics not tested on animals could still make a profit. It was pointed out that L'Oréal already knew that when they bought Urban Decay, and that the only way to effectively speak to a company that tortures animals for profit is through money (lower sales volume), which could be done by PETA revoking Urban Decay's certification of being cruelty free. PETA did not respond.[citation needed]

Most animal rights advocates believe that L'Oréal and other western companies should have pulled their products from China instead of agreeing to test on animals. Because of L'Oréal's new policies regarding animal testing, there was a great deal of concern that Urban Decay would follow suit and abandon their cruelty free principals. They considered doing so when they announced they would enter China, but public outcry prevented Urban Decay from entering the Chinese market and subsequently, testing their products on animals.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Holmes v. Lerner, 74 Cal. App. 4th 442 (1999)
  6. ↑ "ABOUT US." Our History. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
  7. ↑ Castanea Partners Announces Investment in Urban Decay. Reuters (2009-03-30). Retrieved on 2011-09-28
  8. ↑ "L'Oréal: News Release: "L'Oréal signs an agreement to acquire Urban Decay"". EuroInvestor. Retrieved 26 November 2012
  9. ↑ L'Oréal Buys Beauty Brand Urban Decay in a Deal Estimated at $300 to $400 Million." NY Daily News. N.p., 26 Nov. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ "Urban Decay: Makeup, Cosmetics - L'Oreal Group." Urban Decay: Makeup, Cosmetics - L'Oreal Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Cruelty Free Nail Care Products. LeapingBunny.org. Retrieved on 2011-09-28
  17. ↑ ETA's Sixth Annual Proggy Awards December 2008. PETA.org. Retrieved on 2011-09-28
  18. ↑ "[Urban Decay] Animal Testing Policy". Retrieved 26 July 2012
  19. ↑ "Commitments." Urban Decay Cosmetics for Eyes, Lips, Face, Body and Nails. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
  20. ↑ PETA. "Beautiful News: Urban Decay to Remain Cruelty-Free!" PETA Beautiful News Urban Decay to Remain CrueltyFree Comments. N.p., 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
  21. ↑ Is There a Squirrel in Your Makeup Bag?. PETA.org. Retrieved on 2011-09-28

External links

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