Unilever has begun the process to shut down its REN Skincare brand, following a formal announcement on its website.
Unilever posted the announcement on their website on 1st May. It states that following the conclusion of a collective consultation period, the company has taken the difficult decision to begin formal steps to close the REN business.
“A combination of internal factors, compounded by market challenges in recent years has left the brand unable to sustain success in the long term. We are proud of the REN team for all they have accomplished during 25 years of business, putting clean skincare on the agenda and creating positive change for both people and planet and thank them as they continue to support us through this closure,” the announcement said.
There is no fixed date for final closure. However, it is likely that Unilever will cease trading by the end of Q3 2025. Unilever bought REN Skincare a decade ago from its founders Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft.
In a LinkedIn post, American Creative Strategist and Brand Architect, Kimberly Jane L wrote that REN did not ‘die’ because it was irrelevant. “It died because no one knew how to evolve it with integrity.”
She pointed out that although REN was one of the first ‘clean’ beauty brands, it lost its edge over time. “Clean beauty is no longer a moat. It’s not even a compelling message. The consumer has evolved, but the category hasn’t. You can’t sell 2005 values in a 2025 world, even if you were once category defining.”
She also added: “This is what happens when legacy conglomerates buy niche brands and expect them to perform like mass-market giants. They dilute the point of view; they change out the original team. They try to scale nuance, and end up with nothing, losing the founders’ spark along the way.”
Looking at the bigger picture
Other business experts in the field have also questioned Unilever’s inability to sell REN Skincare. This is especially after the successful sale of brands such as Suave, Q-tips and Caress to Yellow Wood Partners. Failure to scale up and inability to sell has resulted in the ultimate shut down of REN Skincare.
While parallels were drawn with the iconic skincare brand Decléor that once belonged to L’Oréal, which is now being revived by Cospal, a French company, it is yet to be seen if REN will find a willing investor in the future. It is to be noted that in 2015 Unilever bought Dermalogica, a professional skincare brand, which was founded by Jane Wurwand in 1986.