We’re all in need of new skincare and makeup staples. While the big beauty players such as Dior, Chanel and Clarins may live up to brand clout, there are many newcomers on the market that merit a try. 

The joy of niche brands not only includes being ahead of the curve but also creating your own unique vanity ensemble with original creations to boost your skincare game. 

Saie is a totally clean makeup brand with sustainable packaging and all-around, good-for-you ingredients. When you “saie” it, they create it, according to Founder and CEO Laney Crowell. All formulas are consciously researched and do not sacrifice that feeling of luxurious texture, or efficacy, to obtain an eco-friendlier product. 

Hailing from the Netherlands, The Grey creates something with men in mind. Founded in 2018, The Grey may not be brand new, but it certainly brings new products to the market for active, modern gentlemen. Complete and compact, Gregor Jaspers, founder, wanted something busy men could travel with, and thus, The Grey was born. Aiming to have effective and innovative products that are straightforward and convenient, their fine textures also won’t cling to facial hair. In addition to skincare, they have an advanced line of supplements to keep men feeling and looking their best from the inside out. The Gua Sha, featured, has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries for tissue healing and scraping the skin to combat redness (sha). While originally used for the entire body, today it is most commonly used on our face and neck areas. 

“I make products that make you feel good with ingredients that I care about,” states May Lindstrom, founder of May Lindstrom Skin. Founded in 2011, this small batch, reactive, organic skincare is focused on results — and is on a mission to cure eczema, rashes and related issues. Using pure plant oils, minerals and herbs, the line is designed to help women reconnect with their wellness routine. Their goal is to create beautiful skin care experiences with luxurious sensations. The Blue Cocoon Solid Facial Oil is one of their standouts, a balmy blue product used to hydrate and prevent inflammation. 

Furtuna Skin is hailed as “wildly potent natural skincare.” The Furtuna Farm in Italy is where the magic happens: 865 acres of over 12,000 olive trees and thousands of botanicals create this small-batch brand. Furtuna Skin believes in reinstating the power of our ecosystems, creating products through regenerative agriculture. Instead of being solely anti-aging, this collection focuses on holistic skin health — why their regenerative farm is setting a new standard for the future of the beauty business. They use sound Soundbath™ extraction, a combination of sound energies and lower temperatures to preserve the full potency of vitamins, resulting in a higher concentration of bioactives. 

True Botanicals is another label boasting botanical skincare. With patented bioholistic skin science, this dermatologist-recommended brand aims to keep skin looking better — even Jessica Chastain is a fan, believing that skincare is connected to mind, body, and the environment. By choosing plants that are biocompatible with the epidermis, results are guaranteed. The California brand is also known for being the first skincare product in the world to use Peptilium. Proven to work better than traditional retinol, you’ll find it in their Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum. 

Gezeiten is a German brand created in a world-leading laboratory that uses bio tech and cellular rhythms, crafting an otherworldly range that works in tune with the body’s circadian rhythm, focusing on the skin’s microbiome. The skin is completely reprogrammed, thanks to their “Earth Marine CellTech Complex,” which combines marine extracts with water concentrate. The nourishing day cream restores the skin’s barrier while adding moisture to its deepest layers, releasing actives for the longer lasting comfort, hydration, and fullness worthy of a high-tech niche beauty brand.