Only the other day I was raving about B’s scent sampler… and now it seems I may have to find a replacement for my new favourites.

In a memo circulating Lush today, B Never Too Busy to be Beautiful is announced to be closing. Staff at the Covent Garden store, where it’s very much business as usual, couldn’t shed any light on the situation, but stocking up on your B favourites is probably a very good idea.

The recession may be apparently drawing to a close, but it seems the knock-on effects are still ravaging the boutique beauty sector.

Jelly Pong Pong has closed its Shorts Gardens store in Central London, while news is all over the blogs about Prescriptives’ demise.

As I wistfully sniff my vial of “Dear John” and flip through the B Never catalogue, I wish the industry a speedy recovery and hope this rumour proves to be untrue.

Just a quick bulletin from the news desk (i.e. the picnic table in my garden, shaded by billowing Ikea sheets on the washing line). Colin aka Beauty Scientist flagged up this article on Twitter this morning -

Estee Lauder and other mega-corporations are looking to shift their buyer targets and incorporate cheaper items to their ranges

Estee Lauder owns Clinique, and also MAC, so this could be very good news indeed! Apparently this is a strategic move rather than a sale, so it won’t be a dramatic thing. But we might expect products in smaller, more affordable package sizes, as well as more basic products being added to high end ranges.

Tesco Value Luxury French Moisturiser, anyone?