18 Indie Makeup Brands You Have To Try in 2021!

Indie makeup and beauty is trending and it’s for a good reason. You can find products that are totally original while also supporting a small business, which is supporting someones dream!

Check out the updated version of this post: 22 of The Best Indie Makeup Brands to Try in 2022!

What is indie makeup? Indie makeup brands are independently owned cosmetics companies. They can be big or small, and you can (and should!) support Black-Owned, Indigenous-Owned, LGBTQ+ Owned, Latinx-Owned, AAPI-owned, and Women-Owned indie brands. Your dollar has power, and by purchasing amazing products from small businesses you’re contributing to the redistribution of wealth that is needed in the US and the world today.

We’ve tried hundreds of indie brands, it’s in our name! After lots of trials, here are some of our favorite indie makeup and beauty brands that you must try in 2021!

Kailav Beauty

Kailav is a WOC-owned makeup brand founded in 2020. Their beautiful products are inspired by fine art, with stunning eyeshadow palettes inspired by Impressionism and Vincent Van Gogh. Their new Rococo Collection is so dreamy and beautiful, we reviewed it here. They also have cream blushes, highlighters, and eyeshadows so you can paint a soft and beautiful look like an artist. For 10% off Kailav, use code INDIEMOOD, which is affiliated!

Shine By SD Cosmetics

Shine by SD Cosmetics is a Black-owned brand located in Canada. They make stunning eyeshadows, palettes, and highlighters. All their products are hand-made and hand-pressed. They have some of the most gorgeous multichrome and duochrome eyeshadows I’ve ever seen! They’re also cruelty-free and vegan.

You can use code INDIEMOOD for 20% off Shine by SD Cosmetics, which is affiliated!

Pseudo Labs

The faux-freckles trend has arrived, and I’m totally here for it. Indie makeup brand Pseudo Labs is, too. They have created the best faux-freckle product I’ve ever used. Their unique formula is distributed with a spoolie applicator and pick that flicks the freckles on your face and dries rapidly, giving the most natural-looking freckles you could ever get! They also offer three shades of their freckle product for every skin tone and undertone.

Their product comes with a case that holds the tube and the pick. You can purchase refills to reduce waste and packaging, which is amazing!

PYT Beauty

If you couldn’t find indie alternatives to your favorite primers, PYT’s Baby’s Got Base line is about to change your makeup game. Their makeup primer, eyeshadow primer, and setting spray are unbeatable when it comes to making your makeup last all day while still looking fresh and dewy. Their new Brow Goals pencils are also a cult favorite thanks to the incredible formula and hidden sharpener. Did we mention PYT makes sustainability a priority? Their products are made with recycled plastic and some are made with a sugar cane plastic alternative, and most of their components are recyclable. Sustainable, effective, and totally cute? Sign me up! Use code THEINDIEMOOD for 15% off PYT Beauty!

Kaleidos Cosmetics

Kaleidos Cosmetics has exploded in popularity this past year. They won 5 Indie Mood Awards, 4 of which were voted on by our audience! Their popularity is not surprising. They have some of the most unique concepts and beautiful packaging in the world of indie makeup.

Their newest palette, the Club Nebula Palette is a huge hit. It’s a collaboration with youtuber Angelica Nyqvist who is known for her bold and colorful makeup looks using indie makeup brands.

Meera Beauty Co.

Meera Beauty was founded on the principles of inclusivity and diversity, not just in beauty but across any industry! Their Bloodline collection is comprised of 3 palettes, each dedicated to showcasing the rich cultures, colors, and diasporas of 3 members of the Meera Beauty team and the homelands they come from: India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and China. With every sale, they donate 10% of profits to organizations dedicated to supporting and uplifting marginalized and disenfranchised communities.

The palettes are stunning, colorful, and high quality. The formula is super pigmented and buttery. The artwork on the palettes is also beautiful and representative of the culture it represents.

The code INDIEMOOD will take 15% off your order with Meera Beauty! We will receive a small commission and 10% of profits with our code will go to a charity of our choice that supports marginalized people.

Copacetic Cosmetics

Copacetic Cosmetics offers beautiful eyeshadows, nail polishes, lippies, and more. Every month, they introduce a new quad as a part of their subscription box, and the colors are always so beautifully curated.

Copacetic Cosmetics is a Black and Latinx Owned brand that is cruelty-free and vegan!

Necromancy Cosmetica

Necromancy Cosmetica is an indie makeup brand based in Puerto Rico. They’re well known for their stunning matte lipsticks in the most wonderfully unique array of colors.

They’re launching their first eyeshadow palette ever in March 2021. Sneak peeks make it obvious that this palette will be just as incredible as their lipsticks.

Necromancy Cosmetica is Latinx-Owned. They’re also Vegan and Cruelty-Free!

Propa Beauty

Propa Beauty is a new indie makeup brand formed in 2020. Their first collection was a stunning array of nude lipstick shades for every skin tone. The lipsticks are creamy and hydrating, a refreshing departure from drying liquid mattes. Their Power Pout Nude Lipsticks blew up instantly which is not a surprise – they’re beautiful!

Propa is a Black-owned brand. They’re also cruelty-free and vegan!

Use code INDIEMOOD for 15% off (affiliated)

Folly Fire

Folly Fire is an indie makeup brand that amps up the color. Their Syncope palette is a stunning color story of teals and golds that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Their blushes and highlighters are some of the best ever. Don’t forget their synthetic brushes which are amazing!

Folly Fire is an LGBTQ+ owned brand that is cruelty-free and vegan.

Use code INDIEMOOD for 15% off Folly Fire! (affiliated)

Axiology Beauty

Axiology beauty is a WOC-owned, vegan, and cruelty-free brand that’s taken innovation to the next level when it comes to their dedication to be low-waste. Their line of balmies, which are multi-use crayons, come in all paper packaging! They can be used on the lips and cheeks as lipstick, blush, and highlighters. They’re one of my favorite products out there. Axiology is definitely an amazing indie brand you have to try!

Devinah Cosmetics

Enter the multichromatic queen of indie makeup: Devinah Cosmetics. Their collections continue to push the envelope of bright, colorful, and unique. From Candy Cakes to Aurora Flares, they never stop innovating with single shadows that shift, shine, and sparkle.

If you need a shade of single shadow, they have it. They have every shade under the sun and then some, including shades you couldn’t come up with in your wildest dreams. That must be why the call themselves the Eyeshadow Emporium!

Devinah Cosmetics is a Latinx-Owned brand. They’re also cruelty free!

Use code INDIEMOOD for 20% off Devinah Cosmetics. (affiliated)

Double Down Cosmetics

We had to include one of our favorite brands ever – Double Down Cosmetics. This indie makeup and skincare brand does incredible work for domestic violence organizations. They collab with amazing creators, and their products are so good. Double Down’s highlighters will make your glow seen from space without any glitter or heaviness. Their single shadows are so colorful and intense, too.

Double Down Cosmetics is a Black-Owned brand. They’re also Vegan and Cruelty free!

Use code INDIEMOOD for 15% off Double Down! (affiliated)

Eunique Beauty

Eunique Beauty is a brand based in the UK. They have some of the cutest concepts with unique packaging. They have the best eyeshadows I’ve ever tried. Their shimmers are so metallic and foiled, and their mattes are ultra-pigmented and buttery.

They have single shadows and lippies, but are most known for their fun, unique seasonal collections like their Egg Hunt Collection and their Gelateria Collection.

Eunique Beauty is a Black-owned brand. They’re Vegan and Cruelty-Free!

You can use code THEINDIEMOOD for 10% off your order at Eunique Beauty. (affiliated)

Kjar Weis

If you’re searching for a higher-end indie makeup brand, Kjar Weis is a great choice! Their packaging is refillable, and sustainability is one of the main pillars of the brand. Minimalism is also another big aspect of the brand, so many of their products are multi-functional. The brand was founded by a makeup artist, who prioritizes color and clean formulation in her beautiful products.

Hipdot

Hipdot is a fun and colorful brand that has had amazing collaborations with Tapatío, Spongebob, Kesha, My Chemical Romance, Meatball, and more! Their eyeshadows and pressed glitters are super high quality.

I can’t wait to see what exciting products and collaborations they come out with in 2021!

Glisten Cosmetics

Glisten Cosmetics is a UK-based indie brand with tons of colorful wet liners, glosses, and palettes. Their wet liners really took off, and they even have split pan liners. They also collaborated with 15 beauty creators to create a lip gloss collection that was truly original.

Use code INDIEMOOD20 for 20% off Glisten Cosmetics! (affiliated)

Game Beauty

Gaming lovers, Game Beauty is for you! Their beautifully curated eyeshadow palettes are all inspired by gaming, with names like the Adventure Palette and the Fantasy Palette. The Adventure Palette has a beautiful green color story, while Fantasy is all about blues! Their 2021 palette release, the Victory Palette (pictured below), is a fiery palette with a pop of cooling blues. The campaign pictures – so stunning! – show just how versatile their palettes can be!

Of course, there are hundreds more indie makeup brands to try that are not on this list. Feel free to check out our instagram page or website for more reviews and roundups of the best in indie. Sign up for our email list to get indie straight to your inbox once a month.

The Game Beauty section of this post is sponsored. Some links and codes are affiliated. If you would like to support us, consider joining our Patreon for exclusive content.

Become a Patron!