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The more I get into makeup, the more I challenge myself by playing with different looks. One of my favorites things to do is to add that touch of shimmer with my index finger in the inner corner of my eyes and the middle of my eyelid to make my eyes pop and brighten my face. Unfortunately, except for Pat McGrath, I never really reached for my other palettes to achieve this effect. I think we all can agree on the fact that the makeup market is oversaturated and palette releases aren’t what they used to be anymore.
Little did I know, there’s a whole world of indie brands that specialize in glitter eyeshadows and stunning multi-chromes that will make anyone do a double-take. I went down the rabbit hole of indie brands on Instagram, Youtube, Etsy and Reddit. I was shocked by the plethora of under-the-radar indie brands that are completely unbeknownst to the average makeup consumer. Additionally, there are Youtube micro-influencers in the indie makeup scene, which is like stepping into a different realm from the mainstream beauty influencers.
The danger of building your own palette with eyeshadow singles from different indie brands is that it can turn into an addiction since there are endless indie websites to choose from. Most single eyeshadows are under the $11 price tag. Before going ham on your shopping cart, watch the swatches on Instagram and look them up on Youtube.
The process of formulating makeup from scratch is cheap. So, what makes an eyeshadow to retail for $42 at Sephora? Multiple factors. In this video, Youtuber Abby Williamson gives a very in-depth explanation of this process. Most of the population however, is unaware that there are multiple indie brands that perform on the same level as Pat McGrath or Natasha Denona for a fraction of the price.
When Pat McGrath popped up in Sephora, people were at a loss for words, myself included. I had never seen eyeshadows so pigmented and sparkly before. The truth is though, indie brands did it first. I love Pat McGrath, don’t get me wrong! She’s been in the makeup game forever, but after dipping my toes into the indie sphere and seeing the overwhelming amount of sparkly swatches with such stunning payoffs, it now takes a lot for my jaw to drop to the floor. Multichrome eyeshadows are difficult to formulate, which is why you will see on indie websites that they are more expensive than a shimmer or glitter eyeshadow.
There are a few cons when it comes to indie brands, like the infamous shipping costs and painfully slow turnaround times. Most indie brands are based in the US and don’t ship internationally. Furthermore, since indie brands are small operations, it can take a month to deliver a single eyeshadow and the returns are extremely limited, almost non-existent. The majority of indie brands are developed in the US, which is a first-world country, which means higher wages. Many indie brand owners may have other day jobs or other occupations. The Canadian-based indie brand Clionadh Cosmetics, has impressive iridescent eyeshadows. Unfortunately, it can take up to two months to receive your order.
It also may take months for an indie brand to restock an eyeshadow, but don’t fret! The beauty of indie brands is that if a specific eyeshadow is sold out, 99% of the time, you will be able to easily find almost an identical shade from a different brand. There is no shortage of gold glitters or multi-chromes. It’s like an à la carte menu.
I highly recommend watching Amy Loves Makeup if you’re just getting started. Her descriptions are so thorough and she’s so eloquent in her reviews and swatches.
Many of the indie brands listed here are minority-owned businesses. JD Glow Cosmetics, which has become my newest obsession, is Black-owned by two lovely ladies who also happen to be best friends in Louisiana. This has also made me more selective in deciding where I want my money to go when it comes to makeup. Furthermore, most indie brands make their own eyeshadows by hand, even their own palettes! I’m not surprised because many eyeshadow colors are truly one-of-a-kind.
Indie brands are so ahead of the trends — the brands listed here are only the tip of the iceberg! With this being said, if you want to take the plunge into the indie makeup world and support smaller businesses, keep reading!
Note: just because an indie brands is sold at Ulta or Sephora, doesn’t mean the brand automatically stops from being independently owned. E.g: Juvia’s Place, Melt Cosmetics.
Not all the brands listed here are vegan, but all of them are cruelty-free. 🐰
Unfortunately, this cult-indie 15-year old vegan brand was discontinued unexpectedly in April of this year, so there isn’t a lot of information online. From the information I could find online, Sephora carried it a long time ago and it even had its own flagship store in NYC. When I went to my favorite beauty-store in the world, Riley Rose in Glendale last week, I unexpectedly saw a pile of OCC makeup sitting on the display shelf alongside lip liners and matte lipsticks: $15 buy one get one free. I couldn’t believe such a sight and immediately started swatching their glitter and shimmer eyeshadows like crazy. The pigmentation of their shimmer eyeshadows is insane. The salesgirl told me that sadly, they are going through a rebranding period because they were bought by an investor. As I was covering my arm with swatches, two girls happily came up next to me and raved about their about the lip liner: “Oh my God this is the best lip liner in the entire world”, she said enthusiastically as if it was the apocalypse and it was last lip liner in the world. The packaging feels like I’m holding a makeup product from the 90’s. If you live in LA, Riley Rose is the best location to stock up on OCC! It’s also available at other retailers like Bloomingdale’s or Revolve, but they don’t have the wide color range as they do at Riley Rose!
Another brand I had no idea existed. Lit Cosmetics is every glitter lover’s dream. The swatches done on Youtube videos are incredibly satisfying. There are at least 100 different colors to choose from. To further prove that they’re really in the game, there’s a Power Point presentation on their outdated website, where you’ll learn the history of the brand and see that it’s so popular among beauty gurus and celebrities.
I was surprised because Kesha, who I think marked every teenager’s year in 2010 with Tik Tok, heavily used Lit Cosmetics when she was in her notorious “disheveled glitter phase”. I also had no idea that the queen of all Youtube makeup videos, Tati, reviewed the brand on her channel a few years ago and gave it her seal of approval. Lit Cosmetics is available at Bloomingdale’s, but their stock is very limited, so your best bet will be buying it online where they’ll give you a promo code for first-timers. The website will make you crazy with all the different colors to choose from. You will lose your mind trying to pick just one! If it’s your first time ordering, they gift you three other different colors!! They will also send you a handwritten thank you letter with specks of glitter!
Visit the Website here
ColourPop might as well be the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics counterpart for millennials: e-commerce brand, high-quality glitter and shimmer eyeshadows and prices as low as $12 for a single eyeshadow palette. It’s no wonder this brand has taken the beauty world by storm with Youtube make gurus as the only form of promotion. Can you believe how this would have been in the 90’s or early 2000’s? Rewind 15-20 years and try to imagine the struggle of a small unknown makeup brand, and then fast-forward to now where influencer marketing is so ubiquitous thanks to the power of social media. It’s truly mind-blowing how times have changed. The simple font of the brand logo is also very reminiscent of the early 2000’s.
Visit the website here
Lemonhead is a vegan brand that was created in LA by Megan Dugan in 2016. Their tagline is genius: “Glitter for adults. By Artists, For Artists. Only tested on celebrities”. Lemonhead prides themselves on making bio-degradable glitter. Since it’s a gel-based formula, there’s no need to apply glue first and they wash off super easily with water. I’ve tried their glitters before and they don’t budge. Whether you decide to apply it with a brush or your fingertips, the gel glides on effortlessly and is really easy to manipulate
Lemonhead uses a special formula that makes it safe to use on your body, hair and everywhere!
The swatches are simply stunning. My favorite is Mulholland, a breathtaking beautiful rose gold (see the picture above).
Since Lemonhead was created in LA, it goes without saying that they have a large loyal celebrity and influencer following — Beyonce and Priyanka Chopra are only a few!
For Beyonce’s legendary Coachella performance in 2018, Sir John, Beyonce’s makeup artist, used Dirty Spacetaste and Houdini Highlite Spacetaste.
This is Houdini Highlighter Spacetaste! Magic!!
You can also see the impressive number of celebrities that have fallen head over heels for this indie brand.
Visit the website here
This vegan makeup brand handcrafted and made in Texas is truly unique. Believe me when I tell you the pigments of this brand are mesmerizing and easily comparable to the mother of pigments in the makeup industry, Pat McGrath. Celebrities like Cardi B and Dua Lipa, or shall I say, their makeup artists, love using Chaos Makeup. This brand specializes in multi-chrome pigments, not glitters, however, it is definitely worthy of a mention here! In addition, the story of the owner, Megan Martinez, is truly inspiring. She went from being a homeless teen in Texas to producing this truly unique brand of rainbow highlighters and multi-colored chromes. Another standout is the fact that Chaos Makeup is not mass-produced like the brands you see at Sephora. Chaos Makeup is currently looking for ways to reach more people without compromising the quality. The winning multi-loose pigments for me are Aqua Sky and Rebel Girl. The price tags are high, but take into account that this is not Colourpop and is also handcrafted. After my purchase, I felt good knowing that I was supporting an indie brand!
You know your makeup brand is good when it’s a hit in the drag queens community. Sugarpill Cosmetics was founded in 2003 by Amy Doan. Her unapologetic approach to makeup by using intensely hued colors has gained cult status in the indie world and among drag makeup brands. The color payoff is crazy. If you’re looking for a subtle, natural eyeshadow color, you’re barking up the wrong tree here.
This LA-based company creates bold and innovative pigmented eyeshadows for those who want to stand out from the crowd. Sugarpill Cosmetics can also be seen multiple times in RuPaul Drag’s Race. Their formula is truly one of the best in the market.
Don’t forget to check out their Youtube Channel!
and Instagram!
Ruby May Cosmetics was founded by Nicole Rhodes Galusha and it specializes in high-quality affordable glitter and colorful eyeshadows. Since they are based in Palm Desert (Indio, California), the popular annual festival Coachella was a genius way to get noticed by hundreds of thousands of festival goers. Although they don’t have a big presence on Youtube, the few video reviews that are out there are very detailed and instructional. On Instagram, they rack up over 180,000 followers.
JD Glow Cosmetics was created in Louisiana by Jennifer and Leandra in 2015. From multi-chrome eyeshadows, to pastel liners, the level of pigmentation of this brand is far superior to any other shimmer eyeshadow I have tried at Sephora. The swatches speak for themselves. I found out about JD Glow Cosmetics because a Youtuber mentioned she was wearing it and I couldn’t stop looking at her eyes throughout the entire video. I had to find out what on earth she was wearing on her eyelids. No wonder most of their eyeshadow singles are sold out on their website! The singles aren’t exactly cheap, but the pan is big and you get a lot of product. Recommended eyeshadows: Prismatic, Bora Bora, Good Gawd. It all depends on what colors you’re into! If you love green, Prismatic will blow your mind.
Note: JD Glow Cosmetics also makes their own glitter tubes, beaming highlighters and popping lip glosses.
Midas Cosmetics is a Dominican-owned indie brand founded in 2018 by Rocio Nunez. This makes me so proud because I’m half Dominican 🇩🇴!! The fact that the brand focuses on inclusivity and diversity by giving aspiring makeup artists a chance to collaborate on their palette releases, make Midas a one-of-a-kind brand in the indie makeup sphere.
If you’re looking for a colorful palette to add to your collection, do yourself a favor and get the Flower Bomb palette! Moreover, Midas offers a wide selection of beautiful multichrome pressed glitters, loose fine glitters and eye pigments that will earn you a few double takes.
This Latina-owned company based in Miami specializes in jaw-dropping shimmer and duochrome eyeshadows. Despite being a new indie brand, they have gained a loyal following among the indie makeup enthusiasts in a short amount of time. Just look at the swatches! Recommended eyeshadow: Martian.
I found this brand through Violette’s youtube channel.
In one of her video collabs, Delina Medhin, a gorgeous black makeup artist, pulled out this beauty: the MFMG Glitter Palette. You can also buy their single glitter pods if you don’t want to commit to a full-sized palette. MFMG’s glitter formula isn’t chunky and there is zero fallout! The best part? The miraculous color payoff without having to apply glue. They’re so rich in colour that a primer/glue will make them crease. Additionally, since it is pressed glitter, it already has adhesive properties. MFMG is black-owned.
This Canadian indie brand, which can be considered the Pat McGrath of indie brands, was created by two sisters. Their eyeshadows are pretty pricey and they have strong cult following in the indie makeup community. On top of selling eyeshadows, Clionadh Cosmetics also sells earrings, brushes and a beautiful regal magnetic palette. Their whole theme is very ethereal and otherworldly. Another reason why Clionadh Cosmetics stands out from other indie brands, is that they will create a special highlighter or eyeshadow and donate a portion of the proceeds to specific charities.
Touch Of Glam Beauty
This indie brand based in LA is also available through Etsy. The swatches and positive reviews speak for themselves. In addition to the impressive handmade eyeshadows, the owner is a mother to a little boy and she operates the business herself! My hat goes off to her! I got the shade “Play Nice”. There was only one left! If you go on the website and there’s one eyeshadow that catches your eye, get it! Her eyeshadows sell out pretty fast. The turnaround times of Touch Of Glam beauty are very slow. Shipping may take up to three weeks but don’t let that stop you from ordering. Amy, the owner, is super sweet and will reply to you in regards to the status of your order no matter what. Remember, this is a one-person business, so be patient. Her eyeshadows are surely worth the wait.
Devinah Cosmetics
This Latina-owned indie brand based in Oregon makes duochrome, matte, neon, glitter and shimmer eyeshadows. Additionally, Devinah also sells bronzers, highlighters and palettes. If you’re going to order one eyeshadow, order Celesta. It’s the most unique shade I have in my collection. It’s not your typical gold as it has olive green in it. Just gorgeous. Don’t forget to tag her in your stories! Business owners love when their happy clients show them love!
If there’s a takeaway from this post, is that glitter and shimmers are such a nice way to spice up your makeup! Don’t be afraid to go over the top and play with bolder and brighter colors, but most importantly, have fun!
Like I said before, you won’t find all of these brands at regular beauty retailers.
Check out my post “Where Pro Makeup Artists Buy Makeup In LA” here.
Do you know any of these brands? Are you intimidated by glitter? Don’t be shy and comment below!
If you want swatches before making a purchase, here are other micro-influencers which helped me make up my mind when it came to JD Glow Cosmetics.
