Trailblazing Beauty Brands Changing The Skincare & Makeup Game
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With the influx of exciting new makeup and skincare drops flying down the beauty chute on the reg, it can be tricky to keep up or know where to throw your coin. When in doubt, look for the trailblazers that rise above the rest – AKA the beauty brands that dare to do something bold and different. From reframing the way we think about skincare to making makeup more accessible for those with physical challenges, these beauty brands are changing the course of history.
1. Guide Beauty
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If anyone knows exactly how much precision is required when applying makeup, it’s celebrity makeup artist Terri Bryant. At the height of her illustrious career, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after slowly losing dexterity in her hands over the years. Undeterred, she thought outside the box and eventually launched Guide Beauty, a luxury beauty brand developed specifically for people with physical challenges.
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Selma Blair, who’s been outspoken about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, is the brand’s chief creative officer. Together, Bryant and Blair are changing the game with their collection of universally designed products, which range from brow gel to makeup brushes to eyeliner. We love that Guide Beauty is also challenging the beauty industry at large to think about accessibility in the makeup space.
2. Self-Made
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Any beauty lover will tell you that the ritual of applying makeup and skincare is downright therapeutic. It’s a moment all your own, and one that encourages self-love, and creativity. Self-Made, founded by Stephanie Lee, has taken things one step further.
“While working at the epicenter of the beauty world and reckoning with a mental health crisis, I questioned the current societal standards that make it nearly impossible for us to recognize and appreciate our inherent human value,” she states.
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Dubbed “the first emotionally intelligent personal care brand,” the curated lineup zeroes in on the intersection of emotional wellness and beauty. Each product features text that encourages you to apply your skincare with a little more intention – for example, the Secure Attachment Comfort Serum+, $36, reads “What does loving myself look like in action?” The collection is also linked to online resources and a proprietary “wellbeing app,” a community and resource that aims to foster more awareness and self-evolution.
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3. Ami Colé
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Only within the last five-ish years have makeup brands truly expanded their offerings to accommodate a more diverse range of shades for people of color. While progress is progress, the reality is that the industry has a long way to go and a lot to make up for. That said, industry veteran Diarrha N’Diaye was hyper-aware of one glaring gap in the beauty world: clean, “no-makeup makeup” for melanin-rich skin.
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Cue her brand, Ami Colé. Not only does it harness the power of clean, nourishing ingredients, but the line is ripe with products that celebrates the beauty of rich skin tones. Think soft-focus tints that offer a gorgeous, real skin finish, lip treatment oils that offer a hydrated “my lips by better” hue, and a barely-there, light-catching highlighter.
4. Neen
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If the name Jeanine Lobell sounds familiar, it could be because she started this lil brand you might have heard of called Stila. Lobell sold the brand to Estée Lauder in 1994 and went on her merry way. Fast forward all these years later, and she’s officially launched Neen, a beauty brand unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
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Neen – which has the tag line “Makeup You Can’t F*** Up” – is focused on experimentation, having fun with makeup, and creating your own narrative. But the delivery method is where things get really innovative. Every month, you get a makeup card sent to your home with just enough makeup (hidden underneath peel-back tabs) to create a look once or twice. The card also has a QR code, which you can scan for a quick and easy video tutorial.
You can stop there if you like, but if you like the makeup you have the option of purchasing a full-size version housed in sustainable packaging. Not only does this approach to makeup encourage freedom of expression, but it also helps cut back on waste.
Ready to discover even more industry-disrupting beauty brands? Check out these five new-ish indie beauty brands we’re obsessed with.
Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. Although some brands allow affiliate links, we never take payment to review products, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.
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