How Pat McGrath’s $1B Beauty Empire Ended in Bankruptcy

When the most legendary makeup artist in the world, Pat McGrath, finally launched her own beauty brand, her hero product sold out in minutes.  Within three years, Pat McGrath Labs was valued at $1 billion. Today, it’s in bankruptcy court.

Today, Sammi dives into the dramatic rise and unraveling of Pat McGrath Labs. Valued at roughly 25 times revenue, the brand was suddenly operating under hypergrowth expectations that clashed with its luxury positioning and deliberately controlled expansion. As sales slowed, distribution widened, and investor pressure intensified, what began as a cash flow squeeze spiraled into something much bigger.

Sammi breaks down the aggressive private equity deal that set the tone, the strategic tension between artistry and scale, and the $17.5 million bridge loan that ballooned into a $43 million claim—ultimately triggering a last-minute Chapter 11 filing to stop a forced auction. It’s a case study in valuation psychology, capital structure, and what happens when the wrong money meets the right founder at exactly the wrong time.

Follow Sammi Cohen on Instagram 

Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter 

00:00 The Rise of Pat McGrath Labs 

02:51 The Billion Dollar Valuation Problem 

04:17 The Sales Strategy Challenges

08:00 The Predatory Loan 

08:59 The Bankruptcy Filing 

10:26 Lessons and Cautionary Tale

13:10 Pat McGrath’s Personal Liability

15:29 Takeaways From Pat McGrath Labs 

16:22 How to Show Social Currency Some Love 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices