How Affordable Are BH Cosmetics Products?
A deep dive into the brand that made professional-quality makeup accessible to everyone
BH Cosmetics started in Los Angeles in 2009, and affordability has always been their main selling point.
Eyeshadow Palettes
Eyeshadow palettes are the brand's signature product. The Take Me Back to Brazil palette contains 35 colors and retails for $20, dropping to as low as $12 during sales. That works out to less than a dollar per shade.
Take Me Back to Brazil
35 Colors • Shimmers, Satins & Mattes
$20 (Sale: $12)
36-Color Mega Palette
36 Colors • Full Spectrum
$16.60
Passion in Paris
16 Colors • Romantic Tones
$17.00
Hangin' In Hawaii
16 Colors • Tropical Vibes
$12.74At just a few dollars to around fifteen dollars, these are in a completely different world from department store brands.
Single Eyeshadow Price Comparison
Urban Decay
Single Eyeshadow
$22
MAC
Single Eyeshadow
$18
Charlotte Tilbury
4-Color Palette
$53
Makeup Brushes
The brushes follow the same strategy.
That $9.99 smoky eye brush set costs less than a single eyebrow brush at a department store counter.
For comparison: Sigma Beauty's 12-piece set retails for $169. A single MAC 217 brush sells for $27.
The Crisis Year
Things went wrong in 2022.
BH Cosmetics filed for bankruptcy protection on January 14. Revenue was $55.8 million in 2019, but dropped to $33.7 million in 2020 with losses of $22.5 million. Operating costs during the pandemic were simply too high to sustain.
2019
$55.8M
Net Revenue
2020
$33.7M
Net Revenue
2020
-$22.5M
Net Loss
January 14, 2022
BH Cosmetics files for bankruptcy protection
February 18, 2022
Court approves acquisition
Deal Complete
Revolution Beauty acquires BH for $3.9 million
A New Chapter
UK-based Revolution Beauty purchased the brand, social media accounts, customer data, and partial inventory for $3.9 million. On February 18, the court approved the deal, and the transaction was completed.
BH is now a subsidiary brand under Revolution Beauty. The product line remains intact, and the pricing strategy hasn't changed. Revolution itself also operates in the affordable beauty space, so the two brands are a natural fit.
The Quality Debate
Quality controversies have always existed around the brand.
Concerns Raised
Some MakeupAlley reviews mention that color payoff isn't strong enough, and the product fades within an hour of application.
User Solutions
Other users report that using a wet brush to pick up the product significantly improves results. Opinions on brush softness are polarized—some find them scratchy while others say they perform better than department store brushes.
The Real Value Proposition
This brand is fundamentally designed for experimentation.
Spend $12 on 35 colors, try them out, and if you discover makeup isn't for you, the loss is acceptable. An Urban Decay Naked palette costs $54—the trial-and-error cost is much higher. The same logic applies to brushes: spend a few dozen dollars on a complete set and gradually figure out which shapes and bristle types you prefer.
Where to Buy
Available at Ulta, Amazon, and the official website which frequently offers free shipping on orders over $45. eBay has even cheaper secondhand palettes from people destashing their collections. The German market had significant distribution before the bankruptcy—the US and Germany were the two main sales channels.
Ethics & Certifications
These two points are attractive to a certain segment of consumers.
Price Ranges at a Glance
Eyeshadow Palettes
$7 – $35
Brush Sets
$6 – $40
Single Brushes
$3 – $8
Competing in the same tier as e.l.f., Wet n Wild, and ColourPop—all drugstore brands. 60% to 80% cheaper than department store prices.
Celebrity Collaborations
In 2019, BH partnered with Doja Cat and Iggy Azalea for collaboration collections. Social media exposure was massive during that period. These collaborations naturally ended after the bankruptcy.
Current Status
Buying BH products now costs about the same as before. Revolution hasn't raised prices since the acquisition. Website prices are generally consistent with third-party retailers. Promotional discounts are actually more aggressive than pre-bankruptcy—40% to 50% off sales happen frequently.