Lawton’s Cosmetic Specialty Labs to close

The end of an era has come for a long-time Lawton business.

Cosmetic Specialty Labs, which was founded 50 years ago by longtime Lawton businesswoman Edna Hennessee, is in the process of closing.

Jennifer Krebs-Ellis, who has been with the company for 27 years and is Hennessee’s granddaughter, said the closing is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The post-COVID environment for manufacturing has been very difficult,” she said in an interview with The Lawton Constitution last week.

Ellis cited higher costs across the board, notably in wages and supplies.

“For us, after COVID, it became more difficult for us to meet our margins to be successful,” she said.

Ellis said the decision to close was especially difficult because Cosmetic Specialty Labs was a family business. The factory specialized in developing and producing a wide range of skin care, hair and personal care items.

“Our family decided it was a good time to explore other options. It was the most difficult decision we have ever made in our lives,” she said. “I grew up here. My kids grew up here.”

Ellis said recent events have brought about changes in the manufacturing business.

“Business models change, manufacturing models change,” she said. “What you need to do for your customers change. Manufacturing is just an inherently difficult business to be in.”

Another factor in the closing of CSL was that some of CSL’s customers didn’t survive the pandemic. The Lab is in the process of shipping out its last remaining inventory to some of those customers.

Cosmetic Specialty Labs employed about 30 people, many of them family members, Ellis said.

“We had great employees,” Ellis said. “Some posted they had jobs the same day (CSL closed).”

The closing of CSL has given Ellis the opportunity to pursue other interests. She recently passed her test to become a licensed real estate agent. With her career change, she still is following in her grandmother’s footsteps.

“My grandmother was a real estate broker, too,” she said.

Ellis said she also has the opportunity to teach at the collegiate level and is going to pursue her doctorate.