19 Indie Cosmetics Brands You Should Try in 2019 | Volume #3 (Brands I Want to Try, Too) March 21, 2019
At this point, it should go without saying that I’m a beauty fanatic. The only thing I love more than trying a new beauty product is discovering a new beauty brand. With the proliferation of social media and influencer marketing, there are so many cool, indie brands bursting onto the scene.
What are Indie Beauty Brands?
All brands in the beauty industry are either owned by a massive beauty conglomerate (ex. L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Shiseido, etc.) or are operated independently. Popular brands that are owned by L’Oreal include NYX Cosmetics and Urban Decay.
While I love many of these corporately owned beauty brands, lately I’ve been super inspired and excited by the innovative releases from the smaller, less-known beauty brands. If you haven’t read it already, check out the first part in this series to explore indie brands that I know and love or check out the second installment to read about the indie brands I’m currently testing.
In today’s installment, I’m spreading love to brands that I’ve yet to try. Many of these brands are women-owned. Here are the brands I’m most excited to test more in 2019:
Indie Brands I Want To Try
The below indie brands are the least-known brands of those I’ve discussed in previous posts. Also, unlike those brands featured in my previous installments, these are brands that I have yet to try. Some of these brands have been on my list for some time, while others are newer editions.
Beauty Bakerie | 2011
About the brand: Founded by mother, nurse, and Breast Cancer survivor, Cashmere Nicole in 2011, Beauty Bakerie has been a rising brand in the beauty space over the last eight years. The brand began to receive more mainstream notoriety after Beyonce featured Cashmere Nicole and Beauty Bakerie on her website during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Why this brand excites me? I love Beauty Bakerie’s packaging and product names. Every element of a new release always ties back to the brand’s bakery theme, which I appreciate.
Products I want to try: Out of all the products sold by Beauty Bakerie, I’m most eager to try the Blending Egg sponges because of the adorable packaging.
Where to buy: Ulta, Beauty Bay, and the Beauty Bakerie’s online store.
Beautycounter | 2013
About the brand: Founded in 2013, by Gregg Renfrew Beautycounter is all about creating clean, high-quality cosmetics and personal care products that are free from potentially harmful ingredients. Beautycounter believes that “beauty should be good for you”. Unique to the other brands included on this list, Beautycounter is a certified B-Corp which means that the brand operates a super transparent business model that considers people and the planet as opposed to just profits. Beautycounter is cruelty-free.
Why this brand excites me? I’m HERE for EVERYTHING this brand stands for. As an avid beauty junkie, I can say that researching beauty ingredients is like opening a Pandora’s box. Lately, I’ve been questioning some commonly used ingredients, but this type of research for every product can be tedious. Moreover, most brands “clean” brands don’t exclude all potentially harmful ingredients in their products, but Beautycounter excludes more than 1,500 potentially toxic ingredients. Curious about some of the banned ingredients – check out the brand’s Never List.
Products I want to try: I am eager to try the brand’s Mattifying Powder, as this is a talc-free formula, as well as the No. 3 Balancing Facial Mask. My hesitation in buying from the brand is due to the high price points of each product.
Where to buy: Beautycounter is currently only available for sale on beautycounter.com.
Certifeye | 2016
About the brand: Founded by Aysha Ali in 2016, UK-based, Certifeye Cosmetics has been a fast-growing online beauty brand. Certifeye’s method for releasing new products is quite unique compared to other brands in the market. They actively listen to what their customers want AND will storyboard photoshopped eyeshadow palettes online in order to gauge customer sentiment.
Why this brand excites me? I’ve never seen eyeshadow palettes quite like those sold by Certifeye. Not only are the palettes shaped uniquely, but they feature a stunning array of bold matte and shimmer shadows.
Products I want to try: I’ve been eyeing the Affinity Palette for quite some time, and the yet to be released, Affinity 2 Palette. The first palette is a warm, pinky-purple palette, while the Affinity 2 is a true, blue-green palette.
Where to buy: Certifeye is currently available via the brand’s website, as well as Beauty Bay in the U.K.
Coloured Raine | 2013
About the brand: Founded by Loraine Dowdy in 2013, UK-based Coloured Raine aims to break beauty barriers and make color wearable and fun for all beauty lovers. Although the brand sells various product categories, they are most known for the vibrant and highly pigmented single eyeshadows and palettes.
Why this brand excites me? Coloured Raine creates beautiful color stories with each full size and mini palette released. Additionally, I’ve only heard rave reviews about the brand on YouTube. My trusted, fave, Stephanie Nicole, has featured many of the brand’s palettes on her channel and has only said wonderful things!
Products I want to try: The Queen of Hearts Palette is the most appealing color story. However, I go back and forth on purchasing this because I have so many similar colors already. If you own this palette AND the Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Modern Renaissance, I’d really love to know your thoughts!!
Where to buy: Coloured Raine is available on ColouredRaine.com
JD Glow Cosmetics | 2015
About the brand: Founded by best friends, Jennifer and Deandra, JD Glow Cosmetics is a US-based indie brand founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. JD Glow aims to make beauty accessible to all wearers by selling affordable, high-quality beauty products.
Why this brand excites me? JD Glow is best known for their highly pigmented and transformative shimmer and metallic eyeshadows. Fans of the brand have gone as far as to compare JD Glow’s metallic formula to Pat McGrath! Also, HAVE YOU SEEN THE MULTI-CHROME EYESHADOWS???!!
Products I want to try: I want to try some of the brand’s Galaxy shadows, particularly the Multi-Chrome shadow bundle. I was initially hesitant to spend $75.00 USD on an indie brand I’ve never tried before but ended up picking these up during the brand’s most recent restock.
Where to buy: JD Glow is available online only.
Jouer Cosmetics| 2008
About the brand: Jouer Cosmetics was founded in 2008 by Christina Zilber, Jouer aims to provide wearers with fresh, editorial makeup aimed at enhancing everyone’s natural beauty and individual style.
Why this brand excites me? Jouer’s packaging and overall aesthetic feel modern and minimal, while still retaining a classic sense of glamour. This brand has been on my radar since 2014 and I actually purchased the Essential Matte & Shimmer Palette for my sister when it launched a few years ago.
Products I want to try: Jour’s powder blushes, powder highlighters, and lip toppers look fresh and ethereal. When I finally try something from the brand, these are likely to be the first things I buy.
Where to buy: Jouer can be purchased at Sephora, Beautylish, Beauty Bay Cult Beauty, and the brand’s online store.
Ofra | 1994
About the brand: Founded by Ofra and David Gaito in 1994, OFRA Cosmetics aims to provide wearers with professional quality makeup and skincare. Although OFRA sells a wide range of products, they are most well-known for their blinding highlighters and high-quality liquid lipsticks.
Why this brand excites me? OFRA’s highlighters are some of the most immediately impactful, high shine products available.
Products I want to try: The OFRA highlighter in the shade Pillowtalk is a stunning pinkish hued highlighter that I’d love to add to my collection.
Where to buy: OFRA is available at Ulta, Beauty Bay, and the brand’s online store.
Lemonhead LA | 2016
About the brand: Lemonhead LA was founded by Megan Dunn to fulfill a niche need in the editorial beauty market for face and body glitter that would provide high shine and stay locked in place during photoshoots. The brand gained more widespread recognition in the online beauty community after it was exposed that employees at ColourPop allegedly purchased Lemonhead’s Space Paste for the purposes of copying the indie brand’s formula.
Why this brand excites me? I’m not a huge fan of loose glitter because of the mess the product creates, nor am I a fan of pressed glitter. However, Lemonhead’s Space Paste looks incredibly appealing and user-friendly. Also, the brand’s aesthetic reminds me of Pat McGrath as both brands are edgy and editorial.
Products I want to try: I want to try the Space Paste glitter paste in the shades Gunshow and Mulholland.
Where to buy: Lemonhead LA can be purchased at Muse Beauty, Cult Beauty, and the brand’s online store.
Sarazaar Cosmetics | 2016
About the brand: Sarazaar is a UK-based beauty brand known for infusing 24-carat gold into their Insta-famous highlighters. I believe the brand was founded in 2016, but I cannot confirm with absolute certainty.
Why this brand excites me? In all honesty, I don’t care that certain products are infused with gold. I am, however, always transfixed by videos of people swatching the Sarazaar loose pigments on Instagram.
Products I want to try: The pigment that always captures my attention is the vibrant blue shade, Mystique.
Where to buy: Sarazaar can be purchased exclusively via the brand’s online store.
Unicorn Cosmetics
About the brand: Unicorn Cosmetics is a UK-based beauty brand founded by Mel-Blue. The brand’s ethos is all about expressing individuality and breaking the mold in the beauty industry. Originally Unicorn Cosmetics only sold lashes and brushes, but the brand has slowly been expanding into color cosmetics.
Why this brand excites me? Unicorn Cosmetics definitely has a unique vibe when compared to some of the other well-established players in the beauty industry. I find the image of the brand to be both playful and edgy.
Products I want to try: Both of the brand’s cosmetic offerings, the Glitterskin, and Unicorn Gloss look perfect for rocking fun, festival-inspired looks. I may pick up one of these goodies as the festival season draws near.
Where to buy: Unicorn Cosmetics can be purchased via Beauty Bay and the brand’s online shop. Professional MUAs get a steep discount on products.
Honorable Mentions: Devinah Cosmetics, Looxi Beauty, Moira Beauty, Nabla Cosmetics, Smolder Cosmetics, Suva Beauty, and Sydney Grace.
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As a whole, I love that all of these brands are founded by women, and many of these indie brands are founded by women of color because diverse representation matters. Although the beauty community is diverse, many mainstream brands are still lacking when it comes to adequate representation in employment, marketing messaging, and product offerings. I hope to showcase offerings from more indie and lesser known brands on my blog over the next year!
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Have you tried any of these brands before? Which of these brands is the most appealing to you? Please let me know in the comments below.
bblogger beauty beauty blogger beauty essentials cosmetics discover new beauty indie beauty indie brands makeup
Thebeautyspyglass says
March 21, 2019 at 7:34 amI can’t say I’ve really taken the time to seek out Indie Beauty specifically, but there’s some here that look gorgeous. I’ve made notes to try them! x
Samantha | https://thebeautyspyglass.com
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 1:59 pmSame – I never used to look for indie brands specifically, but as my collection has grown over the years, I’ve been wanting to try more products from indie brands. I feel like many indie brands are truly innovative in what they offer.
Thesacredspaceap says
March 21, 2019 at 2:47 pmCan I have one of each please?! Wow all look so luxurious! Great amount of detailed information on each brand. Found a lot of new brands to try and look into.
Thank you for sharing with us!
Alyssa
THESACREDSPACEAP.COM
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 3:50 pmGlad you found some new brands – definitely let me know if you try anything! 💜
gabbyabigailll says
March 21, 2019 at 4:25 pmI’ve never heard of these brands before but they are all so lovely! I really want to check out Beauty Bakerie, Beauty Counter, and Coloured Raine! Excited for you to try them out and share your experience with these brands!
–
GABBY | http://www.gabbyabigaill.com
Lindsey says
March 21, 2019 at 5:05 pmOh my goodness! I haven’t actually heard of any of these brands but they look amazing and I’m definitely going to have to check them out. Great post.
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 9:50 pmOh good – I’m glad that I was able to showcase some new brands to you!! 😀
Lellalee says
March 21, 2019 at 5:47 pmWow! Some of these brands sound amazing! I love the shades on the certify palette and the JD Glow multi-chrome shadow is on the top of my shopping list! I can’t wait to see you try them out!xxx
Ashley
https://lellalee.com
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 9:49 pmMe too!! They’re both such unique products – I’ve ordered the JD Glow Multi Chromes when they restocked last week (now sold out again of course), but so now I’m impatiently waiting to receive my shipment lol. 🙂
molly rose says
March 21, 2019 at 6:02 pmTheres so many amazing brands on this list! The indie brand I’d probably be most excited to try is Beauty Bakery! I looooove the concept and the packaging and I’ve heard so many great stuff about the products! I also would love to get my hands on an Ofra Highlighter, they look stunning 😍 😍
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 9:47 pmAwe yay – so glad you are intrigued by Beauty Bakerie, too! The founder has such an incredible story – so it really makes me want to support the brand.
Geraldine says
March 21, 2019 at 7:53 pmAAAHH I’ve only heard of Beautycounter but I’m surprised I even recognized one hahaha!! OMG there are so many cool looking and psychedelic brands here! That multi-chrome eyeshadow looks totally insane! I bet it’s expensive too cause it looks so revolutionary HAHA! The unicorn cosmetics looks like something I’d try!! Thanks for sharing girly!
Geraldine | https://geraldinetalks.com
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 9:44 pmoh yes – i’m glad that you recognized them!! and yes the multi-chrome is SO COOL! I may or may not have snagged a few when I saw that they were restocked lol. 🙂
jennifertarheelreader says
March 21, 2019 at 7:56 pmWow, I want to try them all too! I definitely want to try the Space Paste! I mean- that picture of Priyanka Chopra- wow!!!! 😮 ♥️ Wonderful post, LP!
The Newbury Girl says
March 21, 2019 at 9:43 pmHonestly, she could sell me anything lol! She’s such a stunner 😀
katedaysaweek says
March 22, 2019 at 4:03 pmOh my god there are so many brands here that I haven’t tried or even heard of!
About Jouer: the blush powders and bronzers are out.of.this.world.
Coloured Raine eyeshadows: same
The brands you made me discover: unicorn and lemonhead.
I’m still on the fence about certifeye, but only because I’m not sure I’m creative enough to get a good use out of their super colourful palettes!
The Newbury Girl says
March 22, 2019 at 4:18 pmOmg yay – I’m glad you found some new brands here!!! 🙂 So many cool indie brands out there, I honestly had a hard time narrowing things down for the final installment.
Have you tried Jouer blush powders and bronzers??? If so, what was your fave?
And glad I’m not alone with the Coloured Raine purchase hesitation. They actually just started selling their mini palettes at Target (a big box retailer in the US), but again I struggle with the color stories b/c I own so many similar shades.
And honestly same, regarding Certifeye. But I feel like it would challenge me to bring out my inner Angelica Nyqvist lol!
Nancy says
March 24, 2019 at 12:10 pmI’ve been trying to branch off to different beauty brands lately. Lesser known brands are still great but it’s hard to find them because they’re not as heavily marketed as something like L’Oreal. Oooh, I like how Beauty Bakerie has the cutest colors. I love that Beautycounter is cruelty-free. wow, Certieye has popping with those color selections! Ooooh, the multi-chrome shadow from JD Glow looks GORGEOUS!! Sarazaar has some nice sparkles going on, hehe. Thanks for sharing these picks!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
The Newbury Girl says
March 25, 2019 at 2:38 pmAw I’m so glad that you were able to find some lesser known brands through this post. I totally agree with you that it can be difficult to find indie brands since they have small marketing budgets. Thanks for your comment, girl! <3
Hunida says
March 25, 2019 at 9:35 pmI am definitely leaning more towards indie brands these days. I have heard of & have tried a few of these before but thank you for introducing me to so much more.
The JD Multichrome Shadow looks crazy. Cannot wait to hear your thoughts on the Galaxy Shadows you picked up!
I can’t believe CP bought Lemonhead’s Space Paste to copy it. Wow. The beauty industry is so shiesty!!
The Newbury Girl says
March 25, 2019 at 11:38 pmAh I’m so glad you found some new brands – I’m still waiting for my JD Glow Shadows to arrive in the mail!!! 😀
…and I know so crazy! Like it totally happens all the time (there are actual brands who literally only do knockoff palettes from prestige brands), but in this case it was so crazy because the employees names were allegedly on the order slips!
Hunida says
March 27, 2019 at 3:24 amEee!! So exciting, cannot wait to hear your reviews on those shadows. 😀 That’s so crazy about the employees names being on the order slips, wowza!!
Nicole says
March 27, 2019 at 11:21 amI loved reading this post! I love learning about new indie brands. I also saw some of my favorites in this one, like Beauty Bakerie and Ofra! I also really want to try out certifeye, their palettes look stunning!
The Newbury Girl says
March 27, 2019 at 8:48 pmOoooh what are your favorite products from Beauty Bakerie and Ofra?
Nicole says
March 28, 2019 at 8:06 amI love all of the lip products I’ve tried from Beauty Bakerie, their flour setting powder is nice too! I really want to try out their eyeshadows and everything else really, haha. As for Ofra, I love their highlighters.