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What beauty brands do you wish you had greater access to?
SUQQU, Chikuhodo, Hakuhodo, and Zoeva!
— Christine
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Most of them. We’re starting to get more here in my country, but some of them aren’t even as accessible, in the metaphorical/non-tangible sense, because they mark up the prices quite high. Urban Decay is amazing for getting stuff over here fast and keeping the euro price about the same as the USD price, but for example Nyx brought their Element palettes over here last month–they’re 45 euros! That’s nearly the price of higher end palettes like Modern Ren, Naked, etc. (Though Modern Ren is also marked up here to 57 euros.) So in that sense, accessibility is still lacking even in terms of brands we can physically get here.
But I wish we had Bite, Kat Von D, Fenty, Laura Mercier…those are most of the brands from the States I really miss.
Japanese make-up brushes as there are difficult to buy from Europe and Beautylish is a pain with their customs duties. Also Japanese make-up brands as SUQQU, Addiction, Clé de peau, Lunasol, etc. Would also like to get easier access to limited editions from US brands.
Sleek! I’m so glad Ulta has started to carry them online, but I have not seen them in stores in my area yet. They are one of my favorite budget brands. I love their eyeshadow and would love to try their highlighters and blushes.
They are owned by Walgreens/Boots Alliance,so you can find them in some Walgreens and on Walgreens.com.
Definitely Zoeva, the number of times I have browsed that site, filled my cart and then walked away…. it’s concerning.
If you live in the US, you might find Zoeva is not quite so bad, if you do the math vs. your state’s sales tax. Zoeva’s flat rate is 9$ to the states. That equates to under $150 purchase, tax equivalent, in my state. And you might have shipping from your retailer. I wait til Black Friday, and think I made out like the proverbial bandit in 17. And it only took ~one week more than a Sephora pkg from their local laser ship hub. Admittedly, that was 3 weeks for under an hour’s drive, wtf! I do think it came before Xmas, and the carton was packed as carefully and accurately as Beautylish.
Ooo Beautylish packaging!? Definitely on my list to try in 2018!
I’ll start by saying that, despite sometimes strange price policies or delays when getting new products to our market, I’m sttill really thankful for the variety of brands we have here. I really cannot complain, cause what we have is quite sufficient to assemble a really powerful arsenal of products.
So, the brands I will mention here would only be a great bonus to what we already have. Here we go:
1. Tarte. This is the brand I would name if I had to choose only one.
2. Bite Beauty
3. Marc Jacobs
4. ABH eyeshadows and lip products (we can get hold of the brow products)
5. Paula’s Choice
6. Morphe brushes
7. Kiko
Zoeva and Sleek.
The only one that comes to mind for me is Zoeva.
Tangentially but still on access — I wish brands had more of their lines in stores; example MUFE as local Sephoras have very few of the eyeshadows on shelves, and I won’t buy anything you may not have reviewed or I can’t swatch in store. For me, Colourpop is less the case since prices are low enough that I am comfortable ordering without being able to touch. Sorry if I took this too far off-track to the topic.
I’m the same way. I don’t like buying color cosmetics without being able to see them in person, and I especially like being able to swatch them for myself to see if I like how they perform for me. Occasionally I will buy something sight-unseen if it’s on sale, but something like Pat McGrath … no way. I want to see it IRL first.
Definitely Suqqu!. Also Laura Geller, and Surratt. Big S does not seem to carry full offerings of Surratt unless my hg brow gel is now duscontinued.
Suqqu. All the Japanese brands.
Zoeva and Artdeco.
Hakuhodo; it really helps to see the brushes before buying them and I can’t go to IMATS or their store in California.
Is it weird to say e-commerce brands as well? It’s very hard to look at a brand sold online and determine if the shade is a good match or not. And more often than not, e-commerce brands have terrible return policies.
Zoeva, Illamasqua and Hakuhodo.
In general, Asian. Example: Full line Mizon, rather than 35$ markup (some amazon/eBay sellers) on a seaweed product that really costs 7. Both color cos and skincare, primarily Korean and Japanese, but also Taiwanese masks. Full lines on the Cosnova products here or US shipping from their German sites. (Catrice and Essence; there are other brands.) Many Euro brands have incredibly rich offerings that do not ship here, and their US sites offer only the bittiest fraction of their products, certainly not the most interesting. And I would love to see/have access to what they are doing in ‘developing’ countries, especially from entrepreneurs and women-owned business. But, we have to acknowledge that we here in the states have an embarrassment of riches, when it comes to beauty, comparatively speaking.
Zoeva, for sure. I’d also like to see the big retailers move toward featuring smaller and indie brands, too. Like, I would love for Ulta do a rotating portion of a gondola for the smaller brands they only carry online, so people could swatch and get a feel for the products, like Dose of Colors and Lottie London. It would theoretically be a less spendy way for brands to get on actual shelves, and would build hype for both the brand and the store.
As someone in a flyover state, I’d also like to see more k-beauty on actual shelves. I can find a little, but the pickings are slim.
Bite beauty
and tarte ! Anyone knows how to get these in Europe?
Poly, try aemon.co.uk for Tarte (they ship worldwide as far as I know).
Thank you!!
I’d also like it if Bite Beauty were available. So far I’ve not managed to find a way to get their products.
I bought Tarte from their website. I had to pay tax for them here, annoying but I did get Shape Tape and I really like it.
Good luck getting some Bite and Tarte, Poly.
I actually messaged Bite Beauty on FB but they haven’t replied ? will try the tarte website although taxes and shipping are usually too high
I know, we also have to pay tax, of course, then our post office charges $15,50 to let us pay the tax.
I sometime find it worth the huge extra cost, as with Tarte Shape Tape.
I live in the greater Los Angeles area and have easy access to so many upscale brands. Consequently, I can honestly say that I’ve never found myself saying that I wish I could get such and such. I would really love, though, to see SUQQU establish counters in the US. I love the brand’s more refined, elegant, and sophisticated approach to beauty. Whenever I go to Japan, I always make time to visit the SUQQU counter.
SUQQU!
Sleek, Ilamasqua, Zoeva and Max Factor. I do realize that Ulta now carries Sleek, but I have yet to see the line carried in-store locally? Then again, I haven’t been inside of an Ulta in over a month, so idk if that changed.
I’m one of those people who absolutely hates purchasing anything pricey without having physical access to testers! So, I really do wish that Pat McGrath, Coloured Raine, Zoeva , Ilamasqua were sold inside B&M stores with TESTERS available.
I just recently learned about SUQQU! By Terry has a fairly good selection online, but it’s not in most stores to test. They had a gorgeous eye palette that was only available at Harrods, but luckily the ship to the US. I didn’t realize Dior releases different items in Asia. Their Spring/Summer eye shadow and Blush N Blooms look beautiful, and I have no clue if there’s a way to buy to be shipped here.
Try fudejapan.com and fudejapan instagram. He usually carries the Dior Asian exclusives.
TAM Beauty (sister brand to Makeup Revolution). Illamasqua — I know they’re online, but I can’t swatch anything that way or make easy returns. Zoeva. Original Max Factor. Bourjois. I’ve always wanted to try Stargazer.
So many….Lorac, Sleek, Zoeva, Tanya Burr (I’d love to give her stuff a try – it seems “cheap and cheerful”), Bare Minerals (Sephora carries such a limited range), Gucci, Tom Ford (they are available but at a greater distance than I am willing to drive, with my terror of highway driving). And I also have to mention CARGO, which I used to be able to get with ease but now they’re no longer available in Canada!
If you have Kohls in Canada, they sell the full line of. CARGO.
We don’t have Kohls in Canada. Everytime I visit the US I have a list that I bring with me to do a shop for all the things that the US Sephora has that we don’t, same with Walmart, Target, CVS etc. Never mind Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, I could go on and on.
I do the same when I visit Canada! In particular, Shu Uemura products (from Holt’s or Sephora) and French drugstore products from Shopper’s.
Nope, no Kohls here. I know they carry Cargo as I was checking to see where in the US I could purchase it (but for the time being, travel to the US is a “no” for me).
Couldn’t agree more Christine! Although my wallet might be happy those brands are harder to access I suppose lol.
I do however wish it was easier to access a skincare brand called Atopalm, I’ve only stumbled across it while I was in Seoul, and buying online doesn’t seem worth the duties and shopping.
Lisa https://www.skinstore.com/ carries Atopalm. It is an excellent skincare brand, especially for sensitive skin. I especially love the Intensive Moisturizing Cream MLE when my skin needs soothing and extra TLC. I’ve been using it for years.
From the website:
Description
This unique, paraben free formula, containing plant derived ingredients, mimics the structure of the natural skin lipids and aids in the replenishment of the loss of natural skin lipids. This cream helps to boost the skin’s barrier function while protecting it from environmental stresses. The moisturizer leaves the skin feeling soft and supple.
Benefits:
Repairs the skin after treatments such as microdermabrasion.
Helps to seal in skin moisture to prevent dehydration.
Formula is non-greasy and easily absorbed.
Definitely Zoeva! I’d love to give their palettes a try!
I wish Jouer was available in stores. Although Nordstrom offers free shipping and return, it is frustrating to spend time online picking out colors and then they do not. work and have to go back.
Only in the past few years have we in Aus had access to UD, Tarte, Too Faced, Nars, ABH and Kat Von D.
But the prices are prohibitive – really expensive.
I would like to see more of:
Sleek
Kiko
Colour Pop.
We have Zoeva at our Sephora and their eyeshadow palettes always seems a bit lack lustre to me.
Hi Gen
You do realise Target stocks Sleek here in Aus? They have a pretty wide range of their products and colours, and regularly have 25% off, and occasionally 50% off.
Hi Lina – yes, I have seen the Sleek stock at Target Aus, and I have purchased there. But I don’t think Target is really committed to the brand as the shelves are nearly always empty.
OMG Zoeva! I love the brand (I think it may be my favorite for things like eyeshadow and brushes) but I barely buy anything from it as I can only get it online from Germany and the shipping and VAT cost make only large orders worth it.
I also wish some skincare brands were more available to test in person (example: The Ordinary). Sephora carries a lot of great skincare brands but so many are only online, and also only online on their brand website, so buying them sight unseen is the only thing to do, and having a disability makes it tough to go to places to return things.
Like many here, I am embarrassed to say that there are brands I would love to see in stores here, since we get so much here in the US. Most of the brands that I would like to see in stores here are Japanese and Korean brands. Suqqu, Mizon and Hakuhodo to name a couple. Also, Jill Stuart, Decorte, Rouge Bunny Rouge, By Terry, Max Factor and Illamasqua.
Sometimes I feel like I am living in a less makeup accessible area since I live in a small town and have to travel so far to get products and then the Sephora and Ulta near me don’t carry nearly as many brands and products as many other S and U do in larger markets. I will say this though, we already have Sleek in our Ulta and have had for at least 6 months that I can remember. I had to pick up a couple of their eye shadow palettes when they first launched and was surprised they were already in the store here.
I live in L.A. so I’m lucky to have access to lots but one that got away from me was Illmasqua. I’d like to see and touch the Suqqu brushes. I like Krylon and Hot Makeup wish others could get to test/swatch those brands live.
Inglot and Illiamansqua (sp?)
Oh, so many. MAC, YSL, Marc Jacobs, Zoeva, Burberry, Jouer, Tom Ford, La Mer, Chanel, Clarins, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Guerlain, Hourglass, Kevyn Aucoin, Koh Gen Do, Laura Mercier, Viseart, and a more extensive line of Nars. I hear you all talk about your favorites and it would be so nice to try these in person as opposed to guessing about color and having to return a purchase. Although on second thought it may be a blessing in disguise that they aren’t more readily available, LOL.??????
Oh, I forgot to mention nicer lines of brushes too.
A lot of asian brands, who may already be in the U.S. but with a much more limited range. I was just in Japan two months ago and was blown away by sheer quantity of Shiseido’s products!
I personally would like the US to have better access to AB/KB skincare. Ingredient translations would be appreciated. I have sensative skin and like to know the ingredients in my products. This can be difficult to obtain.
Zoeva, Illamasaqua and would love to have a standalone MUFE store in the D.C. area!
So I have been googling some of the brands I have been reading on here that I haven’t heard of before. It has been very interesting, now when I am in the mood for something different and I am ordering from Cult Beauty or Beautylish I think I will pop one of these brands in my basket to give them a try. That’s why I like reading these posts! Thank you!
Omg! I could not ask for more already bombarded with too much I can’t afford but perhaps like others have wished yes, Korean & Japanese brands and nicely translated into English please? I’ve seen some such as masks at TJ Max but don’t dare touch it since no translation available. I live in LA between Culver City and Mar Vista this year they have opened three Ultas that I know of around here very close, two in Santa Monica, one just recently in Brentwood, another in the Marina. I’m bombarded by makeup each route I take. No kidding! Also have CVS, Rite AIDS, Target so near by – it is insane. I wish there was a cheap way to be able to send products some of you would like to get and just have mailed right away. Would be nice! Oh! And Sephora’s also. It is just everywhere. Fun! Fun! Under the sun and added highlight. Lol!
Seconding Zoeva!
Christine, I am very interested by your personal selections. Suqqu I can understand — even Zoeva as well. But Hakuhodo even has a US website and Chikuhodo is easily available (almost its whole general market range) on Beautylish. Sure, Hakuhodo has $9 shipping and their American selections are not as diverse as their root market (I suppose you could say sort of the same for Chikuhodo) but at least they are accessible in any fashion! If we are talking Japanese brush brands, let’s get real deep and nasty: I would love more direct access to brands like Koyomo, Tanseido, Kihitsu, etc. I feel like Hakuhodo is getting better over the years in introducing more of their limited collections to the American market: they had the Hello Kitty retractable blush brush on their US website for quite a long time! (until it sold out I imagine) With that said, however, I understand what you mean. I think many brands like these maintain their safe distance to keep a firm grasp on their authenticity and maybe also to separate themselves from the terribly inundated American market. With brands like Smith, Morphe and Royal Langnickel, (and that’s barely scratching the surface) we really are spoiled with options. But, are they as good as Hakuhodo, or even Suqqu? I think we both know the answer to that question 😉
Hakuhodo’s range is massive so not being able to see/feel/touch/play in a store is unfortunate; they also do not allow returns unless damaged or completely new.
Chikuhodo is better, since their range is available through Beautylish, but again, for the price point, I think being in more stores would be great 🙂
I can see your point there. If there were any boutiques where people could touch them maybe they would be more appreciated (like if you could side-by-side them with Morphe brushes in person!) Maybe I feel the way I do because I already love them and TRUST them. I feel like for the price point people don’t want to trust that they could be better. (And trust is so crucial when you are investing big-time $$$)
Wow, reading through the wishlist makes me realize I’m lucky to live in the US, and in the LA area, as so many brands have stores here or are based here and you can visit in person (Morphe, Hakuhodo), and we also have many pro stores (Naimie’s, Nigel’s, Friend’s). There’s not much you can’t find here.
That being said, the Japanese brands especially, like RMK, Suuqu, Shu Uemura, you can’t really find in stores here. It’s easier to find the Korean brands, as we have a huge Koreatown and K-Beauty is so big right now!
Not so much an access problem, but I wish certain brands were sold at one of the big 4 stores I shop at – Ulta, Macy’s, Nordstrom, or Sephora. On their websites would be fine, since that’s where I primarily buy, but these stores give me rewards. I’d like to see Juvia’s Place (although they have had some on HauteLook), Coloured Raine…things like that.
All of them. I live on an island and here we only have 1 makeup store that only carries Wet n Wild, Catrice and Essence – they don’t sell all of their products, but there is a large selection. Although I can buy products from almost every brand online, I would love if the brands were in a store here. But online I can’t buy Bite Beauty and Smashbox, so I wish I could have easier access to these two!
Becca, Nars, Marc Jacobs, Charlotte Tilbury, Chantecaille, By Terry, Shu Uemura, BarryM, KIKO, Suqqu, Rouge Bunny Rouge, Kevyn Aucoin, Illamasqua, Ciate, Colourpop, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Bare Minerals, Stila, Face Atelier, Hourglass, Neutrogena, Paula’s Choice, CeraVe, Alpha Skincare, Jouer, Coloured Raine, Zoeva, Viseart, Yes To. Houston I have a problem!
Where I live, we don’t get a lot of youtube-ubiquitous brands but my wishlist would start with Tarte, rmk, Milani and Bite Beauty!