October 31st, 2019
Last week saw the second annual Indie Beauty Expo (IBE) to be held in London, taking place at the Old Truman Brewery. The first IBE was held in New York in 2015 and now also takes place in Los Angeles, Dallas and London and is about to launch in Berlin next year. IBE was founded to support indie brands and the entrepreneurs behind them. The expo last week served as a showcase for brands to connect with buyers, distributors, consumers, press and influencers. The international exhibitors ranged from beauty, cosmetics and aesthetics, to lifestyle and sexual health brands.
We were lucky enough to be invited, and here is the first part of our round up of the brands that should be on any makeup lover’s radar.
Depixym was launched in June this year, founded by two beauty industry insiders who had 25+ years’ experience developing some big brands (including Boots, No7, Sleek, Soap & Glory and Oil of Olay). They decided the time was right to launch the ultimate product, the Depixym Cosmetic Emulsion (£18). It comes in 20 pre-made highly pigmented, matte shades which can be blended into an infinite number of colours. It can be used on the lips, cheeks, eyes, brows, body, hair, nails, beards…. literally anywhere so it can be part of a stream-lined kit. Each recyclable tube comes with a blending stick and mini palette. Formulated without opacifiers they are perfect for every skin type and tone. The brand is already gaining traction, having been used by the Strictly Come Dancing MUA team for movie week, by Lisa Eldridge for a Vogue editorial on Dua Lipa and by the Danish Opera.
Vegan, cruelty-free, long-wearing, smudge, transfer and waterproof, sustainable and gender neutral. Available from depixym, beautybay and Guru Makeup Emporium.
EcoStardust was launched in April 2017 and is already an award-winning business. They are licenced resellers of BioGlitter®, selling two types of biodegradable glitter made from plant cellulose, along with accessories such as beauty balm and brushes. Suitable for vegetarians and allergen free, this is premium grade, cosmetic biodegradable glitter, made from plant cellulose, primarily derived from non-GMO sustainably farmed eucalyptus trees. It has been proven to biodegrade in the natural environment within weeks.
The Pure Glitter Range (6g tin £7 – 100g bag £45.50) is pearlescent shimmer glitter, perfect for more subtle looks and those committed to being plastic-free. 100% plastic and aluminium free.
The Shine Glitter Range (6g tin £6 – 100g bag £39) is high-shine, bold glitter. Currently 92% plastic-free with 90% biodegradable content. The manufacturer is working towards becoming 100% plastic-free.
Both ranges of glitter come in various sizes and colours and they will produce custom blends as well. All products are in environmentally friendly packaging made from recycled or recyclable materials. EcoStardust contains no toxic chemicals, is safe from the 14 most common allergens, is compostable and marine and wastewater safe. 10% of profits are given to environmental bodies and charities. Available from ecostardust.
British brand Shakeup Cosmetics has just launched a skincare/cosmetic hybrid range specifically for men. Shakeup is informed by recent advances in biometrology that identifies differences in men’s and women’s skin and the formulations have been created to address needs of male skin. Founded by skin-obsessed twin brothers with decades of experience in the beauty and cosmetic industry, the brand delivers easy-to-use cosmetics for men. With the growth in men’s grooming, gender fluidity and the “Asia effect” on perceptions of male beauty, they decided it was time for a shake up. The range is vegan, alcohol- and cruelty-free and currently has three products.
Let’s Face It (£25) is a BB tinted moisturiser with SPF20. In three shades it covers a wide base of skin tones and gives a natural, mattified finish. Sheer to medium coverage and 24 hour moisturisation, it will even and brighten skin tone, cover blemishes and help minimise the appearance of blocked pores. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, peppermint oil and eucalyptus.
Eye Eye Captain (£20) is an undereye concealer with SPF15. In three base shades with colour-correcting technology, it will soothe and boost micro-circulate to depuff and reduce the appearance of dark circles. The metal roller ball applicator cools and massages.
Lip Life To The Full (£12) a volumising and moisturizing lip gel with SPF15. The rich gel/balm will soothe dry, sensitive skin instantly and longer-term. It will also plump and define lips for a fuller, smoother look.
Available from thegroomingclinic, themodernman and Harvey Nichols.
The Erase Your Face Cloth (£4.99 for a single cloth, £9.99 for a pack of 4) was created to help tackle the ocean waste caused by single-use wipes that contain non-biodegradable fibres and end up in landfill or washed up on beaches. The cloth can be washed and reused repeatedly, and should last for well over a year. It can be used with just water or your cleanser to remove all traces of makeup, including waterproof mascara. Ideal for sensitive skin as it doesn’t contain any of the chemicals traditionally found in disposable wipes. The cloth comes in a variety of colours, packaged in recycled card and is large enough to be perfect to remove facepaint and bodypaint, measuring 16” x 7.5”. Available from danielle-ltd.
All Tigers is a French vegan, natural brand. They aim to celebrate the strength, courage and determination of women, while recognising the threats that impede their right to speak and act freely. The range includes:
Liquid Lipstick (€22.80) which ranges between 82% and 100% natural ingredients, depending on colour. Long-lasting and non-drying, it comes in 12 shades and has a matte finish.
Nail Polish (€12.80) comes in six shades (including multi-use clear) containing up to 82% natural ingredients. Long-wearing, the formulation includes nourishing and restoring ingredients.
Available from all-tigers. 1% of sales goes to fund the preservation of tigers in Rajasthan.
Riki Loves Riki were showcasing their illuminated mirrors, which already have garnered quite a celeb following including Jennifer Lopez. These come in a range of sizes and styles, from small portable ones to full-size vanities. Our favourite was the Riki Skinny ($195) which is a portable, super bright mirror with five stages of dimming allowing you to control the level of detail you want to see. It has customised HD daylight lighting and a rechargeable battery. The mirror is also Bluetooth-enabled allowing you to live stream or record tutorials, use Facetime with decent lighting and to take selfies of the looks you create for yourself or your clients. You can purchase accessories that attach magnetically to the mirror, including a phone clip and a smaller 3x magnification mirror. Available from rikilovesriki.
Sappho New Paradigm is a women-led, vegan and organic Canadian colour cosmetic line, designed by Emmy award nominated MUA, JoAnn Fowler. Their aim is to get greener as they grow; developing revolutionary, sustainable cosmetic packaging using lightweight metal, biodegradable plastic and truly recyclable glass, with product life cycle in mind.
The Essential Foundation (£51) was formulated to work on HD camera. It is vegan and cruelty-free with no insect by-products such as beeswax. It is formulated with a skincare-like base that works for all skin tones, but is particularly helpful for those with oily, problematic and acne-prone skin. It has a light to medium, buildable natural-looking coverage, with a weightless feel. It does not contain pore-blocking or comedogenic ingredients, such as silicon or dimethicone. Currently available in 12 global tones, with 2 more launching in 2020.
As well as face, eye and lip colour products, the range includes compacts and brushes. The brushes (from $12) are also vegan, with bristles made from Taklon, a synthethic, allergy-free vegan fibre, combined with a wooden handle and metal ferrule. Unfortunately these aren’t yet stocked in the EU so you would need to source them from another territory.
Available from gloworganic, naturisimo, niniorganics and mysappho.
Be Radiance is a French brand that was created by Aïmara Coupet, a complexion and skincare expert who had previously worked at L’Oréal, Sephora and Black Up. Passionate about complexion make up, she consciously chooses ingredients that lets the skin breathe and preserve its balance, coining the phrase “detoxmakeup”. The range is vegan and cruelty-free and doesn’t contain silicones, mineral oils, fragrance or parabens. The company strives for inclusivity in beauty, ensuring the range works for all skin tones, ages and ethnicities. The key products are:
Cucumber Water Foundation (€24) made from 85% natural ingredients and available in 20 shades. With a matt and luminous finish, the skin looks natural and is able to breathe.
Velvet Touch Primer (€22) made with 97% natural ingredients including pomegranate extract. It has a smoothing and blurring effect, appearing like silicone but is silicone-free.
Probiotic Powders and Highlighters (launching March 2020) made with 95% natural ingredients, with matching powder and highlighter in 20 shades. Microbiome-friendly to pre and probiotics.
Available from beradiancebeauty.
Comments
Related Posts
