I’m back with another article devoted to indie brands!! (cue applause) Since I got a few responses from the last article, I figured a sequel was in order. Now most of these were either recommended to me through comments/emails or through my random Instagram scrolls. One thing to note: Tattoo Junkee is included but the brand can be found at select Target, Walmart, and Walgreens stores.
Geek Chic
This indie brand was started in 2010 by a couple living in Hillsboro, Oregon. Chantel founded Geek Chic and formulates the products, plans the launches, etc. Her husband Phil runs the site and helps with shipping orders. All products are handmade and crafted after an order is placed. Before I forget, Geek Chic is 100% vegan and is cruelty, paraben, and gluten-free!
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| Earl Grey |
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| Princess of Jurai |
Geek Chic has been a hit with those who know about it; the brand celebrated 10,000 orders in November 2015. There is a full range of products available but the most popular are the eyeshadows. You can find the eyeshadows in collections or, if you are searching for a specific color, there’s a search option for that as well. Want to try a color out? The samples are only $1.25. If you are in love with the quality and pigmentation, a full-size product is only $6 for 5gram jars.
Tattoo Junkee
If you love a bold lip color and don’t want to spend lavishly, might I recommend Tattoo Junkee? Mostly known for their lip kits, Tattoo Junkee also dabbles in eye and face products but back to the lippies. There are lip sets, effects, and kits. The sets have 5 lip products, lip kits are travel-size products, and effects are the “full-size version” of the kits (effects have more of the shimmer powder).
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| Lip Set |
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| Rebel Lip Kit |
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| Past Curfew (Lip Effects) |
The brand is cruelty-free and working towards a completely vegan line so if you are into vegan cosmetics, but you are interested in one of the products, check to see if it is one of the vegan products. Lip effects are $7, kits are $4, and the sets are $13.
Rude Cosmetics
Finding success after just two years, Rude Cosmetics is perfect for sassy personalities. As mentioned earlier, their new Whatever Forever palette contains references to the 90’s and the movie Clueless. You have to love a brand that delivers palettes with attitude and puts out high-quality products. There are also themed palettes like the No Regrets! 28 Excuses palettes which remind me of Morphe’s but much better.
Finding success after just two years, Rude Cosmetics is perfect for sassy personalities. As mentioned earlier, their new Whatever Forever palette contains references to the 90’s and the movie Clueless. You have to love a brand that delivers palettes with attitude and puts out high-quality products. There are also themed palettes like the No Regrets! 28 Excuses palettes which remind me of Morphe’s but much better.
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| 28 Excuses Scorpio |
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| Good Night Rose Face mask |
In addition to makeup, Rude also releases skincare products so honestly, it’s like a one-stop shop for all your cosmetic needs. The skincare line includes face masks, lip exfoliators, cleansers, and primers.
Aboni Cosmetics
Affordable, unique, and bold color liquid lipsticks are Aboni Cosmetics niche. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland by Ebony Tyson in 2011, Aboni creates lipsticks that challenge the norm; have you ever seen a woman truly rock a mustard yellow lip color? The brand has been praised by Allure magazine so… There’s that.
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| Frenchie |
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| Sitting Pretty |
I personally love the shades suit all skin tones and are super affordable. Each lipstick is $10 but certain shades are on sale at any given time so you have to keep an eye on the exact shade you want. My favorite shade? Sitting Pretty!
Winky Lux
New York City brand Winky Lux uses irritant-free ingredients for their products. Also cruelty-free, this indie brand specializes in products that work for all skin types and work for sensitive skin as well. *Note: beeswax is an ingredient used in some of the products so make sure to read the ingredient list when browsing*
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| Coffee Palette |
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| Flower Lip Balm set |
Fans of the brand love the lip products and eyeshadow palettes, like the Coffee palette. Prices are a little higher than the other brands ($25 eyeshadow palettes) but if you don’t mind paying for good quality, by all means try Winky Lux!
Shiro Cosmetics
Last but certainly not least is a brand from my hometown, Portland, Oregon! Shiro Cosmetics was founded in 2010 and pride themselves on handcrafting their products. The makeup is cruelty-free and vegan. Any purchase you make is rewarded with free samples and candy.
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| The Complete Algebraic Collection |
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| Darth Side of the Moon lip gloss |
Some of the products are bundled into collections with names that require consumers to have a sense of humor and creativity. Example: The Algebraic Collection. Math lovers will laugh while the rest of us may cringe, remembering the days of suffering the subject. Anyways… Most of the individual products are less than $10 and the full collections can cost up to $60 but there is a lot of product included so your money will be well spent. Plus the packaging is cute and vintage. Cheers!
Indie brands are so fun to explore because there is a special quality that you don’t find in major brands. Each indie brand’s founder works tirelessly to produce high quality products but just need the exposure. This is why I’ve written this series. If you want creative products for great prices and quality, I encourage you to try an indie brand and then let me know what you think.
Which brand have you tried or is on your list to try? Which brands did I miss? Share your favorites in the comments and make sure to follow this blog for future articles from Indie Clique and also check out my social media (links in the sidebar).
Photo credits:
Geek Chic (website and Facebook)
Tattoo Junkee (website)
Rude Cosmetics (website)
Aboni Cosmetics (website)
Winky Lux (website)
Shiro Cosmetics (website)
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