Youthforia Announces Brand Closure

Fiona Co Chan is closing the brand she founded in 2021.

Chan, founder and chief executive officer of Youthforia, announced her plan to close the brand via a 50-percent-off promotion on its website. “We’re shutting down our business — thank you so much for the past few years. We appreciate you,” the site read.

“My decision to close Youthforia was a tough one — and a heartbreaking one. No one prepares you for how much grief you feel when you decide to close down a brand,” Chan said. “But starting small businesses, running small businesses, and then deciding to close a small business… all of these different stages are tough, all in different ways. But I’m really grateful for the last four years — as hard as it was, it was a great journey and I have so many memorable experiences. I’m very appreciative of the last couple of years.”

The brand had many notable moments, from nabbing an investment on “Shark Tank” and the TikTok virality of its color-changing BYO Blush, to controversy around the shade offering of its Date Night Serum Foundation. In response to that, Chan hired Uoma Beauty product developer Oby Jemedafe.

Youthforia was founded in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic when a handful of indie brands came to market. Among them was Ami Colé, founded the same year, which announced its closure July 17. Between macroeconomic pressures and shifting retail dynamics, companies of all sizes are getting squeezed. On the other end of the spectrum, the Estée Lauder Cos., Coty Inc. and Shiseido Americas have all reduced their headcounts.