Indigo Clarke joined Cult Beauty as Brand Director five months ago with a mission to revitalise the brand's essence and re-establish its connection with today's beauty consumers. Read on to discover how they leveraged their 16-year heritage to usher in a new era for Cult Beauty.

I joined Cult Beauty as Brand Director five months ago with a clear mission: to reinvigorate the brand and rebuild its connection with today’s beauty consumers. Throughout my career, one constant has been a deep focus on meaningfully connecting with audiences—by reflecting their values, as well as the values of the brands I represent. This has been a central focus in shaping the new era of Cult Beauty.

Cult Beauty has a storied past with a loyal following, but over time it lost its unique identity. Originally launched by a passionate founder, it was acquired by THG two years ago. Without the founder at the helm, the brand became more focused on last-click and growth marketing, leading to a disconnect with the customer and their needs. While revenue remained strong, we saw significant churn and a loss of returning customers. A big change was needed to bring Cult into the present while reconnecting with its roots. We proposed a full rebrand, delving into its 16-year heritage to reignite its original purpose and create new storytelling avenues, while also tapping into potential new audiences. This was more than a visual refresh—it was about re-establishing Cult Beauty as a brand with a clear purpose and distinct values. 

When Cult Beauty launched 16 years ago, it was an innovative online beauty retailer with a curated selection that stood out in the landscape. Since then, the beauty industry has dramatically changed, with countless online and offline options available. In this crowded market, a brand must differentiate itself—not just by product, but by living its values. A brand needs purpose beyond product to inspire love and loyalty. For Cult Beauty, the rebrand was about reclaiming its legacy, reconnecting with its purpose, and evolving to meet the expectations of today’s beauty consumers.

In just four months, we launched a full rebrand: a new logo, palette, mission, and vision—all grounded in Cult Beauty’s heritage. This wouldn’t have been possible without the full support of the brand and cross-functional teams. I worked closely with long-standing Cult team members who had seen the brand lose its footing. They were thrilled to see its original purpose and identity come back to life with an fresh, new optimistic spin. With a larger budget now supporting more above-the-line campaigns, we’re going beyond conversion metrics and investing in partnerships with non-profits and value-led initiatives to deepen our community impact. The rebrand campaign, including an evergreen video, seasonal activations, and a record-breaking pop-up event, has reintroduced Cult Beauty to the world—and set the stage for its next chapter.