Glaminatrix – I think they have really lovely products and more interesting color stories for their palettes that are still a mix of wearable but original. I know their shipping is quite high for US buyers, so I’m not surprised that they aren’t one on more folks’ radars!
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Clinique — I especially love their skin care products and blushes. I also have a couple lipsticks that I like a lot and an eyeshadow that got a bad rating here on Temptalia, but somehow it works for me and I love it!
Seraphine, I have a few of their e/s palettes (Jenna’s Essentials – discontinued, OF COURSE, really stands out) and duos and, like you, I really like them. What I find irritating is that even though they’ve got some new and excellent skin care products (actually, one I really liked was – of course – discontinued), they still tell you to use their 3-step original “system” (from the early 70’s) before using any of these better, more advanced or just plain pleasing products…
I don’t listen to them when they try to sell me their whole system. I just buy the products I like and that work for me. I especially love their mild liquid facial soap. It is excellent at taking off all of my makeup and leaving my skin soft. I’ve been using that soap for many years. I’m disappointed every time I try something different, and always go back to Clinique. But I hate their new cheap-looking packaging on these bottles.
I think there is a lot of low key disdain for indie brands in general from “mainstream” consumers for multiple reasons. Most not terribly reasonable but a few a bit understandable. There is a lot of desire in general for conformity and you see it a lot in influencer/follower culture. If it’s not at Sephora and your favorite with tons of followers isnt talking about it it can’t possibly be that good and no one is going to be impressed seeing you use it. I think capitalism and consumer culture has also given the average consumer an unreasonable amount of entitlement that is not conducive to shopping indie for a lot of reasons. A good example of this going totally wrong is the Shroud x Battybean Its Freakin Bats palette. A lot of non indie shoppers hopped on that train after Trendmood posted the palette and people fell for the unusual color story. That entire fiasco really highlighted the way a lot of people just don’t get how small indie brands operate and what they are actually capable of in comparison to huge brands and retailers. On the flip side I think its completely understandable to not want to purchase cosmetics sight unseen without the ability to swatch. I know you asked for specific brands but I see a lot of low key and at times high key disdain for indie brands in general when they get attention in more mainstream spaces. And I think across the board they are severely under appreciated.
Well said, Brian.
Bingo. Tell it like it is. (Aaron Neville, 1966)
Didn’t hear about this fiasco, but my takeaway from your post is consumers need to be realistic (a hard thing, as you say, when they (we) believe we are king or queen and should have whatever we want whenever we want, however, we want). Patience, understanding, and humility aren’t touted enough. And I speak from my experience as someone (still) learning to be less critical (and if so, with helping in mind) and more appreciative, and that not only as a customer but in every area of my life.
NARS. They seem to get a lot of harsh criticism for the quality of their eyeshadows and e/s palettes, which I love, and a lot of their other products. They make (or used to make) a really lovely facial cleanser (no longer at Sephora; I don’t know if it’s available from NARS’s website but I dislike having to pay for shipping). Now, bear in mind that “in store availability” is a big issue for me so I know little to nothing about “online only” brands.
Moira Beauty has really good, affordable products for a variety of skin tones, but the only time anyone talked about them was when their ombre blushes came out. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone mainstream talk about them.
What are some of your favorite products from them, Rachel?
I apologize for my late reply, Christine. I fell behind on my emails during my trip.
The above mentioned Ombré Blushes are fabulous, but insanely pigmented. A good thing for deeper skin tones. I have to use a very fluffy brush and a very light hand, and I purposely went with lighter shades.
I really love their lip oils.
I have several of their palettes, and the eyeshadows and blushes are lovely and perform solidly.
Wasn’t too late! Thank you 🙂
I’m so glad! I’m happy to see you’re trying them out. 🙂
Jen Phelps reviews them quite regularly, but I agree, I feel like they need more recognition.
I haven’t watched her in a while. I’ll have to start checking her regularly. Thanks!
I agree w most already mentioned. I would agree Clinique, NARS, a lot of indie brands are under appreciated overall. I’d add MAC to a degree, Dose of Colors, Victoria Beckham beauty. I’d use those brands way more than the more popular if not highly overrated Charlotte Tilbury, Colourpop, and elf cosmetics!!
Rachel, I’ve actually seen RoseandBen use/talk about Moira a fair bit! Though that could be down to it being a sponsorship or paid partnership (I’m really not sure).
I think Brian made so many great points about indie brands in general. For decades I never even considered indie! I finally made the leap with juvias place, which although indie, are one of the more seemingly established brands who rarely run into the same issues a one person brand might.
A newer fav for me has been electrum cosmetics (I mostly only buy indie at this point & have for the past 2yrs). Almost everything I’ve gotten from the brand has been beautiful & I find myself reaching for them again & again. Though I did see them run into some issues (as most newer indies do!) surrounding pr/content creation/drama with creators feeling some kind of way. I hope it’s growing pains because I’d love to see the brand thrive!
I’m not familiar with RoseandBen, but I’ll definitely check them out. Thank you!
Melt Cosmetics is one of my favorite indy brands. I know they’ve gotten a reputation of being hit-or-miss, but I almost never hesitate to purchase their new palettes because they are so unique and I mostly have had good experiences with them.
Also, I don’t often hear anyone talk about Lunar Beauty. I have all their eyeshadow palettes and think they are great.
Finally, and I know they have gone out of business, but I used to really like Marc Jacobs Beauty although it didn’t appear to be universally popular…I guess that’s why they went out of business. 🙂
Have to echo what many who commented before me said; indie brands. And this is because everything they said, especially Brian, is 100% true. Over the past several years, I have fallen in love with Devinah, Lethal, Clionadh, and so especially Menagerie and Sydney Grace. Hoping to place a Terra Moons order soon, too. And, I’m set to receive a simply stunning Costa Rica Rainforest inspired palette from Nomad Cosmetics tomorrow! Totally excited for it since my dear friend Rachel already received hers and loves it!
It seems that indie brands are more likely to be cruelty-free and have clean(ish) ingredients. Very big plusses for me.
I have to say I haven’t purchased from Glaminatrix as yet, as I don’t tend to use multichromes or duochromes on my hooded eyes, but the brand is excellent and Australian.
However here in Aus we rarely get the opportunity to see indie brands in store and must always order online, sight unseen. If it wasn’t for you Christine, I wouldn’t know about most brands, indie or otherwise, apart from the DS brands and HE brands found in dept. stores – that are hideously expensive.
Girlactik. Once carried at Sephora, the brand is now near-forgotten. During the matte liquid lip craze, it was rediscovered, but forgotten again. The CEO remains active in her brand and still designs new products every year. The powder eye shadows are buttery.
Lancome is underappreciated in my opinion. I think that they have good skin care and makeup.
Karla Cosmetics (UK) for their foils and multichromes, which are very much like Clionadh and Terra Moon, but different in texture, similar to the smooth ColourPop Super Shock Shadows (at least the few I have, like Moonwalk). Also, in Europe, Kiko, though they can be hit or miss, often has well-performing products for reasonable prices (though they are rising).
Suqqu. Nobody really talks about them except for Alicia Archer. Their eyeshadow and blushes are just so nice to apply. They are super smooth and have this easy/effortless look. I wish they were easier to get a hold of in the US, that might make more people willing to talk about it.
Concrete Minerals! Indies in general were there for me when I developed allergies before everyone started hopping on the clean makeup train. Their shadows are not irritating and in every vibrant color you could want. Napalm and West Coast are my favorites.
If a brand is trashed or unappreciated within the greater beauty community I kind of give them a closer look, because typically those brands are the ones I would be interested in. For everyone who labels a brand as overrated because their products are “underwhelming” then you have my attention, because I appreciate that there are brands out there that still put out more subtle makeup outside of the drugstore.