4 indie beauty brands standout at The Makeup Show NYC

The Makeup Show, an educational event and tradeshow for aspiring and professional makeup artists, opened this weekend at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City (and closes later today). The show has been running in cities across the US for over ten years and has always included founder-led brands. It’s not uncommon for makeup artists to launch their own brands and develop products and palettes that make their artistry more effective and more efficient.

“Indie brands are the future,”​ Shelly Taggar co-owner of The Makeup Show, tells Cosmetics Design, emphasizing that there’s “so much innovation right now”​ from indie beauty brands, and noting that The Makeup Show “loves supporting the moms and pops.”​

A recently launched example of artist-led innovation is Cassandra McClure’s deceptively simple Lash Binder​ tool for applying false eyelashes. It’s a tool she designed out of her own experience applying lashes for countless clients, and one that makes lash application easier for makeup artists and everyday lash wearers alike. While McClure isn’t at The Makeup Show NYC this year, many other MUA indie brands are, including the 4 detailed below.

1. Danessa Myricks Beauty ​

Danessa Myricks Beauty​ is a color and complexion brand with a portfolio of products that lets Myricks and other artists create the bold color, glossy eye, skin-forward looks she’s come to be known for.

In conversation with Cosmetics Design, Myricks explains why exhibiting at an event like The Makeup Show is valuable to beauty brand leaders: “This show attracts every level of artistry, from people just getting started [as makeup artists] to [pros like] Daniel Martin, who works with every major celebrity; To get feedback on all those levels is gold for an entrepreneur developing product.”​

2. CHRŌM​

The tooth polish (think, nail polish for the teeth) brand David Silverstein launched late last year chose to exhibit at The Makeup Show NYC. The brand’s polishes come in an array of colors and metallics and are meant to be used as any other makeup or accent accessory would be. According to the CHRŌM site​, the polish “can be applied and removed in a matter of seconds, and lasts for up to 24 hours at a time. It doesn’t smudge when you're eating and has no taste, so it won’t mess up your brunch plans. We’ve got lots of different colors and we want you to experiment, so don’t be afraid to mix-and-match. After all, makeup isn’t for fitting in, it’s for standing out.”​

3. LippieBook​

Racheal Adetayo’s brand Rachael A Artistry is known for its makeup storage / organizer folio called the LippieBook​. The folio comes in pro, medium, and small sizes; and is designed to accommodate makeup that’s packaged and sold for professionals, like Temptu tools and colors as well as more conventional sticks, pencils, a mixing palette, etc.

4. B3 Brush Beauty Balm​

Makeup artist Julia Dalton-Brush’s skin care brand B3 Brush Beauty Balm​ highlights the growing importance of skin care in the professional space. As cameras, phones, and social media imagery gets more sophisticated, skin care can make all the difference, James Vincent noted during his remarks at The Makeup Show NYC press preview over the weekend. The B3 product portfolio comprises oils, balms, lotions, scrubs, toners, and more to help MUAs cleanse and treat clients’ skin; and in the end, put their best work forward.

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.