Down the Indie Rabbit Hole

[Saphirehaze]

I love Indie makeup! I don't know why, but I never imagined it even existed until yesterday. I've see a lot of feline themes in my new Indy explorations. I just ordered from Scardy cat on Etsy. What awesome cute sample bottles! Hello waffle looks awesome too. I want their Catssic collection. I am so excited my discovery date coincided with VC subscription. I got it! Any other recommendations. I may try pressing, although powders last forever. I have 10 year old Bare Minerals eye shadows and glimmers that work great! Hopefully this is my first post on this thread. I've been all over, and it's a bit hard to navigate and find everything on my phone.

 

[Kristy_Isabelle]

@@Saphirehaze I know how you feel, I just discovered them recently too and I don't think I've been back on Sephora or Ultas site since!

I looove that rose gold on Scaredy Cat site. So so pretty!

What did you order?

 

[yousoldtheworld]

I knew about indies long before I really started to get into them. For a couple of years I bought GDE, but didn't really branch out.

Then I started really thinking about the cosmetics industry, and how the big corporations are run by old rich men getting richer by making us feel like we're not pretty enough.

Suddenly I started to feel bad about supporting that part of the industry and decided I'd much rather give my money to individuals, mostly women, doing what they love. And I don't have any plans to turn back! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[greendaisy]

I knew about indies long before I really started to get into them. For a couple of years I bought GDE, but didn't really branch out.

Then I started really thinking about the cosmetics industry, and how the big corporations are run by old rich men getting richer by making us feel like we're not pretty enough.

Suddenly I started to feel bad about supporting that part of the industry and decided I'd much rather give my money to individuals, mostly women, doing what they love. And I don't have any plans to turn back! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

To add on to that,indie brands are more willing to cater to fandoms and niche colors or styles of products. All the indies I have seen are cruelty-free and usually make an effort to offer vegan products for their clients. Most of them do it at a price that is a fraction of the cost of anything from Sephora, and I've come to really really like indie samples and mini jars because I almost never go through a whole eyeshadow. 

Also, as a crafter, (attempting) pressing your own shadows, building your own palettes, and moving baggies to jars and such is actually really appealing to me. 

 

[kawaiimeows]

I knew about indies long before I really started to get into them. For a couple of years I bought GDE, but didn't really branch out.

Then I started really thinking about the cosmetics industry, and how the big corporations are run by old rich men getting richer by making us feel like we're not pretty enough.

Suddenly I started to feel bad about supporting that part of the industry and decided I'd much rather give my money to individuals, mostly women, doing what they love. And I don't have any plans to turn back! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I really like this point, and it helps solidify for me that ~*indie makeup~* isn't just a fad of the moment (the way subscription boxes are to some extent) - because the cosmetic industry really has had a huge void in regards to makeup made by women catering to the likes and interests of women, not the minds of rich old men.

Plus buying cruelty free has been SO HARD when a lot of companies don't even take in to account/or are not up front about where their materials are purchased from in the process of making their "cruelty free" makeup.

 

[Saphirehaze]

@@Kristy_Isabelle I think Rose Gold was one of the few I didn't. I picked 15 samples and full size of the Red (I Larp do this will come in handy) and the Metamorphosis. I also got a cat named one in light pink because it had a cat on the bottle and I love cats. I should text and see if I could add more samples to my order. I am still improving my eyeshadow technique and looking for an ideal primer. I am used to Sephora so the prices seem so low. I will still use the big guys for foundation. I have oily skin and I sweat so a good foundation is a must.

 

[BSquared]

Echoing what you guys are saying, I was thinking today (while in the shower, where all good thinking occurs lol) that it has to be somewhat costly for indie companies to send out GWP eyeshadows. Like I know GDE does it, Fyrinnae does it, NM does it etc. yes they make profit but that has to cost money. When's the last time ulta or sephora threw in a free eyeshadow for me with my order? Hint: never.

Yay indies!

 

[meaganola]

And the subs with their cross-pollination of extras!  Like, innocent+twisted alchemy made a shade (clamshell samples, but Linda's clamshells are *packed*) and Black Violet made a fragrance specifically for GDE OTMs.  I've received Shiro, Hello Waffle, Scaredy Cat, and at least a dozen others in i+ta.  GDE made a special shade for the VC.  In those cases, they're not lagniappes but promo items to try to entice us into buying from the guest appearance brands, but they still can't be cheap, especially given the price of subs.

Oh!  I just realized i+ta should be shipping this week!  Yay!  I want to pick up some clamshells from the Live or Die collection, but I should wait until I get my bag.  (They include discount codes in the sub bags!)

 

[yousoldtheworld]

I really like this point, and it helps solidify for me that ~*indie makeup~* isn't just a fad of the moment (the way subscription boxes are to some extent) - because the cosmetic industry really has had a huge void in regards to makeup made by women catering to the likes and interests of women, not the minds of rich old men.

Plus buying cruelty free has been SO HARD when a lot of companies don't even take in to account/or are not up front about where their materials are purchased from in the process of making their "cruelty free" makeup.

Yes, that's a big thing, too! And there's also just something cool about knowing exactly who made the thing you're putting on your face. I've seen people talk about how they are reluctant to try indies because they don't find them trustworthy because they are usually made by an individual or a small number of people in a small setting...for me, I find that much more worthy of trust than a giant faceless company mass producing products in some lab/factory somewhere. 

Maybe it's because we've been conditioned to think that big business/corporations are trustworthy and have our best interests at heart (like how so many people tend to go with the "well they wouldn't sell this if it was harmful" route, and I am so the opposite of that! lol

 

[meaganola]

An individual or a small handful of people have *everything* to lose if they make a bad batch of something.  A big company has a flotilla of lawyers on board whose job it is to make sure they lose *nothing* if the same happens.  Like imagine if that Pop (I think it was from Pop) lip gloss that ipsy sent out -- the one that smelled like burning tires and gave someone's little boy a rash and welts when his mom kissed him while she was wearing it -- came from, say, Beauty Bar Baby (just picking a random company).  They would probably be *over*.

(Food carts are a similar thing.  I used to work with someone who thought they were filthy and that people were always getting sick from food they ate there, and she even thought that smaller restaurants were shady, so she stuck to big chains like Applebee's and McDonald's.  Uh...  A restaurant that has corporate backing can handle an e. coli outbreak.  See:  E. coli at Jack in the Box in 1993.  If that happened to a food cart, that cart would almost definitely have to shut down immediately, and it would just never recover.  The JitB location that served the burgers that killed *three* kids is still open the last time I checked in March/April.)

 

[ohsailor]

An individual or a small handful of people have *everything* to lose if they make a bad batch of something.  A big company has a flotilla of lawyers on board whose job it is to make sure they lose *nothing* if the same happens.  Like imagine if that Pop (I think it was from Pop) lip gloss that ipsy sent out -- the one that smelled like burning tires and gave someone's little boy a rash and welts when his mom kissed him while she was wearing it -- came from, say, Beauty Bar Baby (just picking a random company).  They would probably be *over*.

(Food carts are a similar thing.  I used to work with someone who thought they were filthy and that people were always getting sick from food they ate there, and she even thought that smaller restaurants were shady, so she stuck to big chains like Applebee's and McDonald's.  Uh...  A restaurant that has corporate backing can handle an e. coli outbreak.  See:  E. coli at Jack in the Box in 1993.  If that happened to a food cart, that cart would almost definitely have to shut down immediately, and it would just never recover.  The JitB location that served the burgers that killed *three* kids is still open the last time I checked in March/April.)

Not to mention places like Applebee's microwave their food! There is a chain out here called Firefly- one location had a Salmonella outbreak, and a LOT of people got really sick. Including one of my friends- he was in the hospital for almost a month and said it's the worst pain he's ever been in (and he's been hit by cars twice while riding his bike, smh)- he won $75,000 in a suit against them, but a lot of out mutual friends still eat there. !?! 

I just like supporting small businesses along with some of the bigger businesses I buy from, like Target. It makes me feel good to support women, whether I know them or not, who are just trying to make an honest living doing what they love and supporting themselves with their passion. That makes me happy. 

 

[Kristy_Isabelle]

@@Kristy_Isabelle I think Rose Gold was one of the few I didn't. I picked 15 samples and full size of the Red (I Larp do this will come in handy) and the Metamorphosis. I also got a cat named one in light pink because it had a cat on the bottle and I love cats. I should text and see if I could add more samples to my order. I am still improving my eyeshadow technique and looking for an ideal primer. I am used to Sephora so the prices seem so low. I will still use the big guys for foundation. I have oily skin and I sweat so a good foundation is a must.

I would love to see swatches when you get them in!

I feel the same way about the prices! I mean the indies are prettier, cheaper, cruelty free and the money goes into the pockets of hard working ladies??

IM IN!

 

[Bflopolska]

I am loving the color of the year Marsala. I am not loving the big-ticket price tags in major stores. Would anyone have any suggestions for some rich homemade Marsala goodness, preferably something multi-use that can work with both eyes, lips and cheeks and is sheer enough that my pasty-vanilla face can rock it? Many thanks!

 

[meaganola]

I am loving the color of the year Marsala. I am not loving the big-ticket price tags in major stores. Would anyone have any suggestions for some rich homemade Marsala goodness, preferably something multi-use that can work with both eyes, lips and cheeks and is sheer enough that my pasty-vanilla face can rock it? Many thanks!

Shiro's January COTM!  I'm not sure it would be good as a blush, but it's officially an eyeshadow, and it's lip-safe.  http://shirocosmetics.com/product/ziggy/

Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly, And the Spiders from Mars.

January’s Color of the Month is inspired by David Bowie and Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year!

Brightened, slightly metallic Marsala red with blue shimmer (difficult to photograph, much stronger in person). Suggestion by Alisha P.

 

[Kristy_Isabelle]

OK, finally have the time to upload my GDE swatches!

Let's see if I can figure this out..

First fron right to left is

Tawdry -shadow

Hollywood Affair - blush

Start a Rumor - blush

Polish my Halo - blush

Second pic from right to left

Peach is the New Blush

Baking Season - shadow

Lovelock - shadow

Taken outside, they don't look as pretty in the pictures!

Either my camera sucks or just I suck that bad at swatching!

 

[CurlyTails]

Tawdry's so pretty!

 

[Allison H]

I love start a rumor! It's one of my favorites! You picked out some great colors for your first haul! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Shalott]

Not to mention places like Applebee's microwave their food! There is a chain out here called Firefly- one location had a Salmonella outbreak, and a LOT of people got really sick. Including one of my friends- he was in the hospital for almost a month and said it's the worst pain he's ever been in (and he's been hit by cars twice while riding his bike, smh)- he won $75,000 in a suit against them, but a lot of out mutual friends still eat there. !?! 

I just like supporting small businesses along with some of the bigger businesses I buy from, like Target. It makes me feel good to support women, whether I know them or not, who are just trying to make an honest living doing what they love and supporting themselves with their passion. That makes me happy. 

Totally random but I remember that Firefly outbreak - a couple of my girlfriends used to go there all the time, but I never did even though it is pretty close to me. I didn't know they were a chain? I thought it was also a small business - like, the owners are locals, too? I think that is why people still go there - it was a genuine mistake and the owners were upset. At least, that was my take on it.

Like I said, I've never been and I don't care to go, but it wasn't like they were that dude giving people Hep B by reusing needles, if we're talking Vegas-specific incidents. He was a jackoff who deserved to get sued, and I'm only sorry it is his insurance and not him who has to pay.

Sorry, totally off-topic. I'm stressed tonight.

Edit: That came off like I thought your friend didn't have the right to sue - NOT the case at all! I was just trying to come up with a small business vs. corporation model and argh, this sounds worse the more I try to explain... I'm sorry, anyways all I mean was that I didn't know Firefly was a chain. :blush:

 

[ZeeOmega]

Lines can totally get blurred on small versus big business, especially when franchises are involved. While they do have the backing of the larger corporation for certain things, franchises are generally owned and run by locals. 

 

[SillyNoodle]

Indies are big in any industry they can be in right now. There is just something more personal and fulfilling when supporting indies, imo. I know the names of several indie owners, yet I can't name any large corporation owners at all. I think that says a lot.

I wish I had some locally owned restaurants to go to /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I have nearly 30 restaurants near me and they are chains. I'm not a chain snob, but a little variety outside of the 5 Dunkin Donuts, 3 Subways, 2 Starbucks, etc, would be nice.