COUNTER: Relaunching a Clean Beauty Icon
The Challenge
In 2021, clean beauty pioneer Beautycounter sold to private equity giant Carlyle Group in a deal valued at $1 billion. What followed was a cautionary tale of corporate mismanagement: founder Gregg Renfrew was removed as CEO, the sales force dispersed, revenue plummeted, and by March 2024, Carlyle surrendered the business to foreclosure—a complete loss of their $700 million investment.
But Renfrew wasn't done. In April 2024, she bought back the assets and announced plans to relaunch as COUNTER. The challenge was monumental: rebuild trust with a community that had been through the wringer, establish a completely new brand identity, and prove the comeback was real—not another false promise.
By late 2024, the relaunch had already been announced and delayed. Skepticism was growing. People who had anxiously awaited the brand's return began questioning its legitimacy. The market needed proof. COUNTER needed to launch—and fast.
The timeline was brutal. The stakes were existential. Failure was not an option.
Our Role
New York design agency Established was brought in to reimagine the brand from the ground up. Where the original Beautycounter had become visually disjointed—many colors, finishes and inconsistent touchpoints—Established took a 30,000-foot view of every angle, component, color and finish to create a clean, unified, modern minimalist aesthetic.
We were brought in at the end of 2024 as the production partner to execute Established's vision across the entire product line. With an aggressive June 2025 launch deadline, we had mere months to coordinate, produce, and deliver hundreds of packaging components for a brand relaunch the entire clean beauty community was watching.
This wasn't a "nice to have" project. Perfect execution was mandatory to bring Established's cohesive design vision to life and signal to the world that COUNTER was back—for real, and for good.
The Work
We produced the complete packaging system for COUNTER's Phase 1 launch:
163+ Secondary Cartons
54+ Primary Packs
115+ Base Labels
7 Holiday Gift Box Sets
Multiple Miscellaneous Components (PR Kits, Gregg's Personal Note Cards, Vanity Vault, Stickers, and more)
Total: 330+ individual packaging components
The minimalist design direction demanded flawless production. Unlike complex, busy packaging where small imperfections can hide, clean modern design reveals everything. Every color had to be precise. Every registration had to be perfect. Every finish had to be consistent across the entire line.
We coordinated vendors across multiple substrates—glass, plastic, corrugate, and specialty materials—ensuring each component met exacting standards. We set up precise artwork files across the entire line, working within technical dielines and inserting all legal mandatories. We collaborated directly with printers to select the right papers and inks, managing printability concerns and maintaining color consistency across hundreds of SKUs.
The challenge wasn't just technical—it was orchestrating a massive, complex production on an unforgiving timeline. Every vendor, every proof, every approval had to hit its mark. There was no room for delays, no margin for error, and no second chances.
We made the launch.
The Result
On June 25, 2025, COUNTER officially relaunched. The clean, cohesive packaging system brought Established's brand vision to life and signaled to the market that this wasn't Beautycounter 2.0—it was something new, something better, something built to last.
The response was immediate. The brand that many had feared was gone forever was back, with a clear identity, beautiful packaging, and a founder whose conviction never wavered.
We came in when the pressure was highest, delivered when it mattered most and helped give one of beauty's most beloved brands the relaunch it deserved.
