Indie makeup brands create some of the most exciting, fun, imaginative, and unique products on the market. Driven by passion and a desire to make waves in the makeup industry, these brands often fill a gap in the market and deliver some of the best and most inspired formulations.
This post highlights 9 of the best indie makeup brands to check out right now, including Tower 28, Danessa Myricks Beauty, Half Magic, and Saie.
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What is an indie makeup brand?
An indie makeup brand (short for independent makeup brand) is a beauty company that operates without the backing of a major parent corporation. Instead of being owned by conglomerates like Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, or Coty, indie brands are typically founded and run by individuals or small teams with a strong creative vision.
Indie beauty companies often start small, building loyal followings through social media, artistry, or word of mouth. Many are founded by makeup artists, influencers, or entrepreneurs who want to bring something different to the industry. Indie brands typically champion individuality, creativity, and a direct connection with their customers. They’re known for listening closely to their communities, innovating, and shaping beauty trends rather than simply following them.
The best indie makeup brands
1. Danessa Myricks Beauty
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Danessa Myricks Beauty was founded by self-taught makeup artist Danessa Myricks, whose early frustrations with makeup that didn’t work for deeper or textured skin inspired her to build her own line. Starting in 2015, Danessa leveraged her experience as a makeup artist and educator to create products that empower creative expression and inclusivity, especially for underrepresented skin tones.
The brand quickly became known for multi-functional, unique, and highly pigmented formulations, such as the Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder, a TikTok sensation that can be used as a primer, foundation, or finishing powder to blur pores, reduce excess oiliness and shine, and leave skin with a smooth and soft matte finish. Danessa Myricks Beauty’s eyeshadow palettes are also well known for offering insane colour payoff, the most gorgeous sparkly duochromes, and shades you won’t find anywhere else.
The Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint is one of my fave skin tints, as it blends the benefits of skincare with glowy makeup for a buildable, natural, and sheer base.
2. Half Magic
Half Magic comes from makeup artist Doniella “Donni” Davy, best known for her Emmy-winning work designing the expressive makeup aesthetic on Euphoria. Launched in 2022, Half Magic encapsulates the show’s bold, glitter-infused looks but is built as a standalone beauty brand for anyone who wants to explore makeup playfully. The brand’s ethos is about self-expression and “wearing your heart on your face,” attracting devotees of statement colour and whimsical beauty. If you adore shimmery, playful, and out-there makeup looks, Half Magic is a must-try!
Wing Magician is one of the brand’s most inventive products: a silicone, star-shaped tool that enables you to draw a perfect and symmetrical eyeliner wing, every single time. Glitterpuck is a viral glitter that can be used on your eyes, face, and body, giving a wet-looking and multidimensional sparkle.
The brand’s Eyeshadow Single in Blushing Lizard is one of the best duochromes in my collection, which shifts from mauve taupe to blue.
3. Saie
Saie was founded in 2019 by Laney Crowell, a beauty blogger and former Estée Lauder and StyleCaster communicator who saw a gap for clean, effective makeup that also supports skin health. Pronounced “say,” Saie blends makeup with skincare benefits. Cult favourites include the Glowy Super Gel, a fluid gel highlighter that provides lit-from-within luminosity, and Dew Blush, a dewy and seamlessly blendable blush that moisturises and provides a flush of colour.
Saie’s minimal, effortless aesthetic reflects its mission to make beauty feel intuitive and skin-friendly without sacrificing performance. I’m a huge fan of the Glowy Super Gel and frequently mix it with my foundation for a radiant – but never greasy – complexion boost.
4. Tower 28
Tower 28 was created by Amy Liu, a beauty industry veteran and eczema sufferer who wanted makeup that truly worked on sensitive skin. The brand’s name nods to a Santa Monica lifeguard tower — representing inclusivity, community, and care. From its 2019 launch, Tower 28 has emphasised non-irritating formulas that adhere to the National Eczema Association’s strict guidelines, making it a go-to for those with sensitive skin.
Its best-known products — Swipe Serum Concealer, MakeWaves Mascara, and LipSoftie Tinted Lip Treatment — blur the lines between makeup and skincare with nourishing, easy-to-wear finishes. The overall style is fresh and subtly radiant, perfect for minimalistic beauty with skin-first performance.
Tower 28’s ShineOn Lip Jelly blends a shiny lip gloss with the pigmentation of a lipstick for a nourished, non-sticky lip colour that’s wearable. I love it!
5. Made by Mitchell
Made by Mitchell was founded in 2020 by British makeup artist Mitchell Halliday, who built the brand around bold, vibrant products that resonate with a digitally native beauty community. The brand gained massive traction through TikTok, where its viral releases — particularly the cult-favorite Blursh Liquid Blusher — helped it rapidly grow into a breakout indie sensation.
Made by Mitchell’s ethos centres on creativity, inclusivity, and expressive colour, offering affordable palettes, blushes, highlighters, and beauty cases that channel the founder’s dynamic, theatrical makeup approach. Its community-driven content and bold aesthetic have defined it as a youthful, trend-forward indie makeup brand.
The Curve Case is hailed as a must-have product for makeup artists, as its compact, travel-friendly design and multi-purpose cream colours can be used on the eyes, lips, and face to sculpt and add a pop of healthy colour to any makeup look.
6. Kaleidos
Kaleidos was founded by beauty blogger Zoey Pu alongside Tony Chen and Mark Henry, driven by a shared desire to make makeup celebrate individuality and creative self-expression. Frustrated with mainstream beauty’s conformity, they built a brand rooted in playful, bold colour and fearless experimentation. Kaleidos champions authenticity and eccentricity — its name evokes the shifting mosaic of a kaleidoscope, reflecting ever-evolving beauty and diverse identities. The brand’s lineup features vibrant eyeshadow palettes, distinctive multichrome highlighters, and formulations that encourage users to define beauty on their own terms.
If you love multichrome products and out-of-this-world shades, Kaleidos is exceptional. The Space Age Highlighter offers otherworldly shifts that look mystical, while the brand’s Eyeliner delivers saturated melt-on multichromes for disruptive and bold makeup looks.
7. Kulfi
Kulfi was launched in 2021 by Priyanka Ganjoo, a former corporate beauty executive who felt South Asian consumers were underrepresented in beauty. The brand’s name nods to the colourful South Asian frozen dessert, symbolising joy and cultural pride. Kulfi focuses on inclusive shade ranges and culturally inspired products such as kajal eyeliners, long-wear concealers, and richly pigmented blushes — all crafted to honour diverse undertones and expressive play. Its aesthetic blends heritage and modern fun, aiming to make beauty feel accessible, joyful, and reflective of varied cultural identities.
The Badi Lash Mascara, a tubing mascara that supports lash health and doesn’t flake; Underlined Kajal Liner, a smudge-proof pencil liner that offers intense, long-lasting colour; and Lassi Lips Staining Lip Oil, a unique formula that applies as a lip oil but leaves behind a matte lip tint, are some of Kulfi’s bestsellers.
8. EM Cosmetics
EM Cosmetics is the makeup brand of beauty pioneer Michelle Phan, one of the earliest and most influential beauty vloggers on YouTube. Built with Michelle’s community in mind, EM Cosmetics focuses on empowering users at any skill level with standout basics and innovative formulations. Its philosophy emphasises dermatologist-tested products designed to enhance natural features. EM Cosmetics helps people tell their own beauty stories confidently, blending artistry with accessible, everyday makeup formulas.
Among the brand’s staples are the Color Drops Serum Blush, which gives the most gorgeous dewy flush of colour while feeling hydrating, and the Daydream Cushion Foundation SPF, a buildable cloud-like cushion foundation that smooths imperfections and blemishes but still looks like skin.
9. Karla Cosmetics
Karla Cosmetics is a UK-based indie makeup brand focused on rich pigments crafted to inspire confidence and creative expression. Founded by Karla, the brand prides itself on insanely shimmery eyeshadow pigments and whimsical colour stories. The style is bold and expressive, with an emphasis on individuality and standout eye looks, particularly with stunning duochromes and multichromes. Handmade elements and a commitment to safety and compliance reflect Karla’s dedication to quality.
Want to try a one-of-a-kind pastel rainbow multichrome eyeshadow? Check out the Velvet Dreams Opal Multichrome Pressed Eyeshadow. Looking for your duochrome and multichrome shadows to pop? Try the Eclipse Shadow Potion Paint with a black base.
Sarah Sarsby is the owner of A Woman's Confidence. With over 7 years' experience of writing in the fields of beauty and lifestyle, Sarah is passionate about all things content, makeup, skincare, wellness, and lifestyle. She has combination skin, is obsessed with lip gloss, and loves cookie dough.
I love some of these brands! Danessa Myricks, Tower 28, Made by Mitchell and EM Cosmetics are ones I see a lot of in particular. It’s great to support indie brands too.