Unless you have been living under a rock then you are well aware that indie brands are making waves on the luxury beauty scene. Artisanal ingredients, smaller more carefully crafted batch sizes, and magical brand stories all contribute to the draw of indie beauty in the world of mass-produced makeup and skin care.
In the past, the word “indie” was usually associated with “homegrown” with us often imagining Etsy-esq sellers inside of home kitchens, infusing batches of skin care products with lavender essential oil affixing them with handwritten or home-printed craft paper labels before shipping to eager customers.
Nowadays, indie beauty rivals mainstream brands oftentimes debuting with the same sleek packaging and clinical results that we rely on while many times leaving out toxic ingredients and animal testing. Radared by beauty editors worldwide, indie beauty has undoubtedly solidified its place on the cosmetic landscape.
Today we are discussing 5 beauty brands who may not seek mainstream distribution yet are strategically innovating the way that elite consumers pamper our skin and paint our faces.
Heir Atelier
Founded by pro makeup artist Kendra Richards , Heir Atelier was created when Richards met difficulty in finding makeup primers that supported her “skin first” philosophy. After the extensive testing of her formulations on celebrities and models, Richards developed a line of “anti-primer” eye, lip, and face primers that possess a unique lightweight yet smoothing finishes while offering makeup-locking technology giving the longwear result that makeup artists and photographers need for flawless editorial shots.
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Joanna Vargas
As a sought-after facialist to the stars, Joanna Vargas got her start at one of NYC’s first organic spas before creating her own lineup of signature skin care services for her privately owned New York and Los Angeles spa. Joanna’s collection of results-driven treatments, once only known to elite socialites, editors, and actresses, includes the deep cleaning skin balancing Ritual Bar, and the Forever Glow Anti-Aging Face Mask known for its wrinkle-busting ability.
Joséphine Cosmetics
According to founder Sholayide Otugalu, natural cosmetics and boring are not and should never be synonymous thus driving her to create a Hollywood glam inspired makeup line called Joséphine Cosmetics. Housing a collection of richly saturated lipstick and eyeshadow shades, Josephine Cosmetics has proven that indie makeup can be both cruelty-free and over the top luxurious at the same time.
Shiva Rose
What began as an exploration of the earth and all of its beauty, The Local Rose, a blog by Shiva Rose quickly transformed into a desire to bring beauty and luminosity to women in a nurturing and nourishing way. 100% handmade and free from harmful and toxic ingredients, Shiva Rose innovates skin care with products like her Rose Face Oil that’s hailed a favorite by the beauty editors over at Vanity Fair.
Onomie
So exclusive that it can only be found on their website, Onomie combines advanced formulas with luxury in their lineup of complexion correcting, highlighting, and color cosmetics. Right down to their carefully selected baby pink packaging, Onomie products are highly curated from concept to launch. Their patent-pending formulas like the Bright Concealing Elixir, comes in 11 inclusive shades while being clinically proven to aid in reducing fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles.