If you’ve walked into a CVS or Walgreens recently and noticed the Rimmel shelf is completely empty, you’re not imagining things. The products are gone. And for a lot of shoppers, that feels like a brand shutting down.
But that’s not what’s happening. Here’s a clear breakdown of what actually changed, where Rimmel went, and what the brand’s big rebrand really means for you as a customer.
Rimmel Is Not Going Out of Business — Here Is What Changed
Let’s answer the main question first: Rimmel London is still an active, operating brand. It has not closed. It has not gone bankrupt. It is not being wound down.
Rimmel is owned by Coty, one of the largest beauty companies in the world. Coty still lists Rimmel on its official consumer brands page and describes it as a brand “at the forefront of creating innovative beauty products with mass appeal.” That’s not language a company uses for a brand it plans to shut down.
Rimmel’s official website is also live, updated, and showing current product lines and campaigns. The confusion comes from real changes in how and where the brand sells — not from the brand going under.
Why Rimmel Disappeared From US Drugstore Shelves
This is the part that triggered most of the concern, especially for US shoppers.
According to consumer reports shared on Reddit’s r/drugstoreMUA community, Rimmel removed its products from physical retail shelves in the US. The plan, based on what shoppers are reporting, is to reintroduce the brand online only, with new packaging.
So the products still exist. The brand is still operating. You just can’t pick up a Rimmel concealer at your local drugstore the way you used to.
Think of it like a clothing brand closing its mall locations but keeping a full online store. The brand didn’t disappear — it moved. If you only shopped in-store, it feels like it’s gone. But it’s just in a different place now.
This type of shift is called a channel strategy change. Brands make this move for a few reasons: better profit margins online, more control over how products are presented, and lower costs from not maintaining physical shelf space across thousands of stores.
It’s a real business decision, but it’s not the same as closing down.
What Rimmel’s 2024–2025 Rebrand Actually Means
Here’s the clearest signal that Rimmel is not going away: the brand just launched what has been called the biggest rebrand in its 190-year history.
Companies don’t spend money on major global rebrands if they’re planning to shut a brand down. That’s not how it works. A rebrand at this scale reflects investment, strategy, and a push for long-term relevance.
The most visible change is the tagline. Rimmel’s old tagline was “Live The London Look.” The new one is “Live YOUR London Look.” That one word — “your” — signals a major shift in how the brand wants to talk to its customers.
Instead of presenting one version of a London-inspired look, Rimmel is now positioning itself around individuality and self-expression. The rebrand is aimed at younger, more diverse audiences who are less interested in being told what beauty looks like and more interested in defining it themselves.
This move makes sense when you look at the wider beauty market. Newer, viral brands have grabbed a lot of attention from Gen Z shoppers. Legacy drugstore brands like Rimmel have had to rethink how they show up — not just in stores, but in their messaging, visuals, and products.
A rebrand this large is Rimmel’s answer to that challenge. It’s a forward-looking move, not a farewell.
Some Rimmel Products Are Discontinued — That Is Not the Same as the Brand Closing
This is an important distinction to understand.
When a brand goes through a rebrand or refreshes its product lineup, it almost always cuts some products. Shades get retired. Old formulas get replaced. Slower-selling SKUs get dropped. This is completely normal in the beauty industry and happens across every major cosmetics company.
Rimmel is no different. Some specific products and shades are discontinued. Third-party sites now carry discontinued Rimmel items for shoppers looking for older favorites. But that’s a product-level decision — not a brand-level closure.
Here’s a simple way to think about it:
- Product discontinued: A specific lipstick shade or foundation formula has been retired. The brand is still open.
- Brand closed: The company stops operating entirely. This would be announced by Coty, the products would be removed from Coty’s brand roster, and the official website would go dark.
None of those brand-closure signals are present with Rimmel right now. If your favorite Rimmel product is gone, it’s very likely a line discontinuation tied to the rebrand — not a sign the whole company is shutting down.
If you’re hunting for a discontinued shade, check third-party beauty retailers that specialize in hard-to-find and discontinued makeup. Some of them stock a large selection of older Rimmel products.
How to Tell the Difference Between a Rebrand and a Brand Closing
It’s easy to mistake a brand pulling back from shelves as a brand going out of business. Here’s how to read the situation more clearly.
Signs a brand is closing down
- The parent company makes an official announcement
- The brand is removed from the parent company’s website and brand portfolio
- The official brand website goes offline
- Social media accounts go dark and stop posting
- No new products are being launched or reviewed
Signs a brand is changing strategy (not closing)
- The parent company still lists the brand as active
- The official website is live and updated
- The brand is launching new marketing campaigns
- A rebrand or new positioning is announced
- Products are still available, just through different channels
Rimmel checks every box in the second list. Coty’s brand page is active. The Rimmel website is running. A global rebrand was announced. New products are being tested by beauty creators on YouTube in 2025. There is no credible evidence of a shutdown.
For more breakdowns of how companies navigate brand strategy changes, The Business Reads covers these topics in a practical, straightforward way.
Where to Find Rimmel Products Now
If you’re looking for Rimmel products today, here are your best options:
- Rimmel’s official website — The most direct source. Check rimmellondon.com for current products and new launches.
- Major e-commerce platforms — Look on Amazon and similar sites. Rimmel products are listed and sold through these channels.
- Third-party beauty retailers — Some carry current and discontinued Rimmel products, useful if you’re looking for older favorites.
- Physical stores in other markets — The US retail pullback does not necessarily mean every country has done the same. If you’re outside the US, your local retailer may still carry Rimmel in store.
If you’re specifically looking for a discontinued product, check sites that specialize in hard-to-find beauty items. Some stock a wide range of older Rimmel shades and formulas.
The Bottom Line
Rimmel is not going out of business. What it is doing is changing — its distribution, its look, and how it talks to customers.
The brand pulled back from US drugstore shelves and shifted toward online sales. It launched the biggest rebrand in its nearly two-century history. Some older products have been discontinued as part of that refresh. All of this is a brand repositioning itself for the future, not winding down.
If you can’t find Rimmel in your local store, head online. If your favorite product is gone, check third-party retailers for discontinued stock. And if someone tells you Rimmel is shutting down, now you know exactly why that’s not accurate.
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