Samantha Ravndahl’s Beauty Brand Auric Shuts Down After Five Years

Auric, the cosmetics brand founded by Canadian beauty influencer Samantha Ravndahl, is shutting down after five years in business.

The closure underscores how difficult it can be to turn a large online audience into an enduring business, a challenge that continues to reshape the playbook for creator-led beauty brands across the industry. Ravndahl, better known as ssssamanthaa on social media, commands nearly 2 million Instagram followers and 923,000 YouTube subscribers.

Ravndahl announced the decision in a YouTube video and Instagram Story, telling followers, “Unfortunately, we have made the decision to close Auric. It really sucks. I’m very sad about it.” Auric is holding a 40% off closing sale while supplies last. In a separate Instagram post, the brand cited “ever-changing market conditions, unstable tariffs, and rising costs of production and shipping” as key factors that made continuing operations unsustainable.

Although the official brand post pointed to broader economic factors, Ravndahl indicated in her video that the decision was more complex. “I could do an entire separate video on just like a quarter of the reasons we made this decision,” she said. “All things considered, I wouldn’t change any of my decisions… In terms of the product itself, I will always be so proud of what we created.”

Ravndahl developed the brand alongside Magic Dusk, the incubator led by Tarte Cosmetics alumni Daniel Kiyoi and Melanie Hutchinson that also collaborated with influencer Desi Perkins on Dezi Skin. Magic Dusk transitioned Auric to an internal team a few years ago and is no longer involved in its operations.

Thanking Kiyoi and Hutchinson in her video, Ravndahl noted, “They trusted me enough to not try and reshape my vision or make me do things in a way that was cheaper and more profitable because they knew that I didn’t want to ever have to cut corners... I wanted to see it being put out exactly how I wanted it.”

Ravndahl launched Auric in 2021 with two items—the $45 Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer and $39 Smoke Reflect Cream + Powder Eye Shadow Duo—positioning it as a modern luxury brand focused on high-end formulations, glass packaging, and multifunctional products. Over five years, Auric expanded to an eight-product makeup lineup spanning complexion, lip care, and eye makeup, with prices ranging from $26 for Crème Cheek Refill Pans to $96 for the Mirage Shift Crème Cheek Palette. In addition to its direct-to-consumer store, the line was distributed through beauty e-tailer Beautylish.

At launch, Ravndahl outlined her vision for the line: “I want this brand to be reflective of all of the things I loved about luxury products and leave behind the things that I didn’t love about those brands and their choices. Luxury, especially within the cosmetic industry, is oftentimes synonymous with compromise. Unfortunately, lack of inclusivity and animal testing and outrageously high price points that don’t necessarily reflect really high-quality products is something that is rampant with a lot of these luxury brands.”

“I wouldn’t change any of my decisions.”

The name "Auric" means relating to or derived from gold, a title Ravndahl intentionally selected to distance the line from her personal social persona. “I wanted to create a brand that could stand on its own without my name attached to it,” she explained, “something that whether or not you know who I am, you’re still going to look at and be excited about.”

Auric deliberately resisted the cosmetics industry’s rapid release cycle. While that strategy reinforced its commitment to formulation quality, it also constrained how quickly the company could scale or respond to consumer demand.

In a 2024 Beauty Independent interview, Kiyoi noted that Auric typically introduced only one or two products per year because “speed lends itself to not having as good of quality.” He added: “Once people fall in love with the product that we’re making, they are adamant that we make more. The community is demanding so much more, and we for many reasons, whether it be quality or whether it be funding, can’t launch at the speed that necessarily they want.”

Since establishing her YouTube channel in 2013, Ravndahl built an audience through candid reviews and discussions on topics ranging from acne to creator burnout. In 2018, amid growing criticism of influencer gifting, she publicly condemned excessive cosmetics packaging and stopped accepting PR packages. In recent years, her posting schedule became intermittent as she focused on Auric and personal life milestones.

Despite a reduced social media cadence, Ravndahl and Auric retained a passionate consumer community. Following the closure news, industry peers including Desi Perkins, Dose of Colors founder Anna Petrosian, and RawBeautyKristi shared tributes. Fans lamented the loss of hero SKUs like Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer and Plush Ritual Ceramide Lip Treatment, praising the formulas as unmatched in their beauty routines.

Instagram user Iman Najeeb reflected customer sentiment, writing, “I was so ready for the brand to become big and a known name in the beauty world but am so upset that it’s come to an end. It really is such a terrible economic time.” While some quiet beauty giants hit nine-figure sales without heavy social hype, Auric’s exit highlights the severe financial headwinds facing boutique creator-led beauty brands.