BH Cosmetics

BH Cosmetics is an American colour-cosmetics brand founded in Los Angeles in 2009 [2]. Built as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer label aimed at younger makeup buyers, it became known for affordable, brightly pigmented eyeshadow palettes and influencer collaborations. The initials stand for "Badass with Heart." After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2022, the brand was acquired out of insolvency by the British group Revolution Beauty and now trades as one of its sub-brands [6].

The company launched in 2009 in Los Angeles, where it kept its headquarters in the downtown district. Sources differ slightly on its founding team. A 2018 MidOcean Partners press release and the editorial review site HonestBrandReviews both name three founders: Fred Sadovskiy, Kirill Trachtenberg and Robert Sefaradi, holding the roles of chief executive, chief strategy officer and chief operating officer respectively [3][5]. Some search-result summaries list only two of the three, Trachtenberg and Sadovskiy; the three-founder account is used here because it appears in the most authoritative corporate source as well as an editorial one.

From the outset the brand positioned itself as an online-first business selling colour cosmetics for the face, lips, eyes and brows, alongside brushes and accessories. It targeted Millennial and Generation Z shoppers and leaned on an e-commerce model rather than a traditional retail rollout.

BH Cosmetics has changed hands twice. The private-equity firm MidOcean Partners took a controlling stake; the firm states it made the investment in December 2017, while trade outlets such as CosmeticsDesign reported the deal in January 2018 [3][8]. The founders retained partial ownership at that stage, and the company pursued expansion into wholesale and international markets.

The second change came after financial trouble. In February 2022 Revolution Beauty Group completed its purchase of the BH brand, its social-media accounts, customer database and certain inventory for GBP 2.9 million, equivalent to about USD 3.9 million [6]. On its brand page, Revolution Beauty describes BH Cosmetics as part of "the Revolution Beauty family" and the "official home" for its products. It sits in the same portfolio as Makeup Revolution and the group's other labels.

BH Cosmetics presents a youthful, playful identity and an invitation to "experiment with makeup while not breaking the bank," in the words of one editorial review [5]. Pricing sits at the affordable end of the market, and the brand has historically run frequent promotions and discounts. According to the company, its products are vegan and cruelty-free, a claim repeated in editorial coverage; no formal third-party certification could be verified from the available sources [2].

The brand's range centres on eyeshadow palettes, often built around bold colour stories. Frequently cited examples include the Take Me Back to Brazil palette, the Zodiac palette and the BFF Shadow Palette. Its best-known product is the Carli Bybel palette, an influencer collaboration with the YouTube and Instagram creator Carli Bybel that was repeatedly described as a cornerstone, best-selling item and that spawned a 21-shade Deluxe Edition [7]. The brand has also been linked in press coverage to the musicians Iggy Azalea and Doja Cat [6].

Coverage of BH Cosmetics has come largely through trade and beauty media reporting on its ownership changes, including CosmeticsDesign on the 2018 MidOcean deal and Cosmetics Business and TheIndustry.beauty on the 2022 bankruptcy and sale. Announcing the acquisition, Revolution Beauty chief executive Adam Minto called BH "an iconic US born brand with a loyal fan base ... loved by celebs and make-up artists everywhere" [6].

In January 2022 BH Cosmetics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States [2]. Cosmetics Business attributed the filing to a series of unsuccessful product launches and the impact of Covid-19, reporting that annual revenue had fallen from USD 55.8 million before the pandemic to USD 33.7 million in 2020 [6]. The bankruptcy led directly to the sale of the brand to Revolution Beauty the following month.

BH Cosmetics is an acquired brand that continues to trade. Following the 2022 acquisition it was relaunched under Revolution Beauty with updated lines, and it is actively sold through its own direct-to-consumer channel and several retailers across the United States and Germany [2]. Revolution Beauty maintains it as a live sub-brand within its wider stable of makeup labels.