Indie Beauty Expo NYC 2019

Last week, I went to my first ever Indie Beauty Expo in NYC. I had an amazing time and got to meet with so many innovative and unique Indie Brands that are bringing diversity and excitement to the beauty space. Because of my work schedule, I unfortunately could only go one of the two days, so I didn’t get to meet with all the brands I wanted to, but I still got to talk with a bunch of cool brand owners. Here’s a list of every brand I got to meet.

Ethique

I was excited to see that they we’re going to be at the expo, because I’ve been loving their conditioner bar and have been wanting to try more of their products. Zero Waste and Sustainability has been my focus in 2019, and I’ve made a lot of small changes, including zero waste shampoo and conditioner. This Australian brand has tons of beauty products in bar form, including haircare, skincare, scrubs, lotions, and deodorants. One thing I can say about them is every single product I’ve tried smells amazing, so their scent game is strong. They were kind enough to give me some bars, including their Pinkalicious Shampoo Bar, which the brand creator made of her favorite scent, which is Grapefruit and Vanilla – the most simple and heavenly combination ever.

True North Beauty

I had the pleasure of sitting down with True North and learning about what makes them special. They’re the only skincare brand that uses Chaga, a super nutrient dense mushroom that grows in cold climates (Their’s is sourced from Maine). They have luxurious skincare and body care products for everyone. One thing I loved is that they have an entire unscented collection of their bestselling products for people who are sensitive or allergic to fragrance. I’ve been trying out their Beauty Ritual Mini Set, which includes their solid cleanser, face polish, hydration cream, and cleansing oil, and loving everything so far! I have a more in-depth review coming soon.

Knours.

Knours is short for Know Your Skin Period. This brand really stood out to me for a number of reasons, the biggest one being the multi-functionality of their products. Their double duty mist, for example, has two layers. The bottom is Aloe, with a layer of Jojoba oil on top. If you want a lighter, more refreshing mist, don’t shake the bottle and you’ll get hydrating but lightweight Aloe. If you need deeper hydration, shake up the bottle before spraying to add the hydration of Jojoba oil. Their ‘Your Only Cleanser’ is both an oil cleanser and a foaming cleanser. It starts as oil to remove makeup and impurities from the skin, and as you massage it into your skin, it foams up to clean deep. This brand was founded by two women to simplify clean and effective skincare. I can’t wait to try more of their products and get to know their brand more.

Velvette Organics

So… trying this brands products has been pretty life changing. I’ve always enjoyed incorporating oils into my skin and haircare routines, but I’ve never had them be as effective as these. I love how oils make my hair so much shinier and healthier but always feel like I’m playing with fire – if I used just a drop too much, my hair would be stringy and oily. When I use literally 2 drops of the Velvette Organics Hair Oil changes my hair completely. It’s so soft and lightweight, but doesn’t frizz at all. The first day I used it, I had multiple friends and coworkers ask me if I did something different to my hair because it looked so good. Their body oil smells delicious, like citrus, and absorbs into the skin so well. Both the day and night face oils for dry skin have been amazing. I’ve even been mixing a drop or 2 of the day face oil into my foundation in the morning to make it extra dewy. I’ve never been able to use an oil during the day under makeup because it would makeup patchy and weird, but this face oil absorbs quickly, leaving my skin soft and hydrated. You need so little product for each use that a bottle of product will last forever. I’m so happy I found this brand and their beautiful products. The brand is founded by two women, Joyce + Jenny Tse, one of which comes from a chemical engineering background which helps them use plant based oils for their maximum benefits. Also, the bottles are really beautiful and luxe looking glass.

Snow Fox Skincare

I’ve seen this brand before on Instagram because the beautiful design of their products caught my eye. They really got me when they started talking about their sheet masks. I always wondered about sheet masks that are scented, colorful, and full of artificial fragrances and ingredients. The owner of Snow Fox Skincare explained how when Sheet Masks have irritants, they’re extra irritating because the point of the sheet mask is to help the ingredients really sink in and get absorbed by the skin, so irritants would be… extra irritating. Snow Fox has 3 different kinds of sheet masks, all for different results, but the thing they have in common is that they’re completely botanical with no artificial ingredients, and the sheets themselves are organic cotton. I’ve been using them and loving them, especially the Cherry Blossom and White Tea mask that is smoothing for skin texture and gives you the ‘glass skin’ effect. All their products are created by someone with Rosacea and sensitive skin, so they’re made with that in mind.

Ace Beaute

I already know and love this brand – their Flair Palette is one of my all time favorite palettes. They have stunning, colorful, pigmented, and well curated eyeshadow palettes. The formula is really beautiful, and for shadows so bright, they blend extremely well. The shimmer shades are super metallic and creamy. I had the opportunity to meet their owner, who was wonderful. It’s awesome to see a woman owned, black owned brand on the rise creating stunning products and quickly growing. Giulia is also a huge fan of the brand – she has the entire paradise collection, and she was the one who got me the flair palette for Christmas!

I also got the chance to meet Jackie Johnson from my favorite podcast – Natch Beaute. I was actually sad I didn’t see her as I was leaving the show. When I went to the bathroom on the way out, I ended up washing my hands next to her. She was as adorable and funny in person as she is on the podcast. If you haven’t heard it – check it out. She talks about indie brands, especially women owned brands, all the time, and she has really awesome guests on the show. In her newest episode, she talks all about her experience at Indie Beauty Expo. Check it out here.

Overall, I had an amazing time at Indie Beauty Expo and wish I could’ve spent the full 2 days there, because there were dozens more brands that looked so interesting. I wish I could’ve gotten to know them all!

Indie Beauty Expo’s next stop is London in October! They also have shows in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Berlin. #Goals is going to every Indie Beauty Expo and getting to check out Indie Brands all over the US and Europe.