A prominent British beauty brand that grew rapidly on the back of TikTok fame has collapsed into liquidation, leaving its founder devastated and its entire workforce redundant.
From Kitchen Table to Multi-Million Pound Collapse
Mallows Beauty, a Welsh business founded by Laura Mallows in 2019, has entered voluntary liquidation after months of mounting financial difficulties. The company, which started with just £600 on a parent's credit card, soared from humble kitchen-table beginnings to become a wholesaler of body scrubs, lotions, and shave butter, capturing a significant audience during the TikTok boom.
At its peak, the firm was generating annual sales close to £5 million and employed a team of 25 people. However, the early hype and rapid growth were not enough to secure its future, and it ultimately met a fate similar to many high street retailers.
The Financial Fallout and Creditor List
This week, the company formally ceased trading. According to reports, the collapse leaves 57 creditors owed a combined total of approximately £1.9 million. Major creditors include:
- The Development Bank of Wales, which is owed an undisclosed sum.
- HMRC, owed around £150,000.
- HSBC£140,000 through asset finance agreements.
- Even social media platform TikTok is listed as a creditor, owed £74,000.
Prior to the liquidation, the brand's intellectual property, including its name and logo, was sold to fashion label Skinnydip London. Laura Mallows has since taken up a new role as creative director with Skinnydip, where she will oversee the Mallows Beauty brand.
Founder's Devastation and Online Abuse
Founder Laura Mallows expressed her heartbreak at the company's failure. She revealed the immense personal toll, citing online abuse and bullying as factors that affected her mental health and decision-making.
"This year has been especially tough," Mallows said. "I've really struggled with online abuse and bullying... I've been back-stabbed and betrayed by so many people and it's really affected me mentally, my decision-making, and belief in Mallows Beauty." She added that she had underestimated the sheer difficulty of both running and scaling a business.
The accountancy firm Menzies has been appointed as joint liquidator. In a statement, they confirmed that trading had ceased and all remaining employees were made redundant. Bethan Evans and John Cullen of Menzies were appointed joint liquidators on November 27. Their role is to realise the company's assets for the benefit of creditors and to investigate the reasons behind the business's failure.
