Top 3 Indie Alternative Makeup Brands

Have you ever been on the hunt for an eye shadow palette or lipstick shade that would take your beautifully spooky look to the next level? Large scale makeup companies have neutrals galore but not much in the way of pastels or beautiful dark, rich shades to achieve the quintessential vampy/witchy look. Independent small businesses are where it’s at for the alternative crowd; here are my top 3 favorite indie alternative makeup brands*.

*In no particular order. Article contains affiliate links & discount codes.*

Wicked Sisters Cosmetics

Created by best friends Lisa and Wendi in the fall of 2017. They offer vegan, cruelty free products (all made in California). Wicked Sisters Cosmetics offers everything from eye shadow palettes, foundations, perfumes and accessories. Many of their palettes are movie themed.

Website: wickedsisterscosmetics.com

Instagram: @wickedsisterscosmetics

Curst Kosmetics

Curst Kosmetics was established in 2018. They offer a beautiful range of cruelty free eye and lip products. Code MELISSAT at checkout will save you a little $$$.

Website: curstkosmetics.com

Instagram: @curstkosmetics

Medusa’s Make-Up

Medusa’s Make-Up is vegan and cruelty free. They offer everything from eye and lip products to hair dye. If you’re looking for a monthly subscription box that offers 5 premium products that will suit your vampy needs, Medusa’s Make-Up has you covered. The Beauty Box starts at $18.95 per month (depending on country). Code lipstickandgore will get you 10% off.

Website: medusasmakeup.com

Instagram: @medusasmakeup

Be sure to check into these beautiful companies. I will be expanding this list as I try more brands.

Product Review: Wicked Sisters Cosmetics’ Shining Inspired ‘237 Palette’

Two of my biggest passions are makeup and horror, and when they combine the world is so much better. An independent company called Wicked Sisters Cosmetics is combining wonderful quality makeup with some of horror’s biggest classics; one of their newest additions is the Shining inspired 237 Palette.

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The 237 Palette includes 9 gorgeous shadows:

• Twins- a beautiful frosty blue shimmer
• 1921- a rich, deep brown shade
• Wendy- an orange/brown shimmer
• Shining- a stunning, rich gold shimmer
• Care Taker- a plum/black matte
• Hotel- vibrant orange mate (like the shade that can be found in the iconic Overlook carpet)
• Doc- light brown/taupe matte
• Dull Boy- off-white/cream matte
• REDRUM- a stunning red glitter

To accurately review the palette, I had to try it out of course. For the look below, I used the following:

• Hotel: crease/transition/inner corner of lid
• Care Taker: socket/blended through crease/outer lid
• Dull Boy: brow bone/diffuse crease color/under bottom lash line
• Wendy: center lid
• Shining: lower lash line
• 1921: outer lash line

This is hands down my new favorite palette, and I own quite a few, including big brands. The colors are highly pigmented, so you don’t have to keep adding more product to achieve the desired look. The formula is INCREDIBLE, it is silky and blends effortlessly on the eyes. The colors all compliment each other so well, so if you wanted to really go in and add all 9 for a super bold look, it could be done flawlessly.

Shimmer shadows are really difficult to work with sometimes; they are usually far less pigmented, hard to blend and tend to create a lot of fallout, but the ones in the 237 palette are perfect. None of the shades produce much fallout at all which is really impressive for a palette that only costs $24, I have paid a lot more for other brands and have had to do a lot of cleanup.

As previously mentioned, the 237 palette is $24, and if you are a makeup junkie, you know how pricey palettes can be. For 9 shades, including the combination of matte, shimmer and glitter with a formula as good as this one, $24 is a steal.

Bonus mini review: to finish the look, I also used their 3D Fiber Waterproof Mascara-Lasher. I have very stubborn eyelashes, so I struggle to find mascaras that actually do what the packaging promises, but this one is AMAZING. One coat and my lashes were fuller and longer, it looked like I had just applied falsies.

I am going to have to highly recommend both of these products. Wicked Sisters Cosmetics is a win for the makeup obsessed for sure. If anything in this review strikes love in your wicked little heart, or you just want to browse the extensive list of products offered on the site, visit wickedsisterscosmtics.com.

Be sure to also show some social media love by liking Wicked Sisters Cosmetics on Facebook and by following them on Instagram (@wickedsisterscosmetics).

Smell Like Your Favorite Horror Film with Lathyrus Soaps on Etsy (with Mini Product Review & Discount Code)

Have you ever wondered what the scent in a particular horror film or of a specific character would be (besides blood, fear and rotting flesh) or wanted to smell like you had just fallen out of the film itself? Now thanks to Lathyrus Soaps on Etsy, you can; the store offers a range of bath products such as bath bombs, body butters, wax melts, face masks, shower gels, makeup brush cleaners, lip scrubs, soaps, body mists, body lotions, body scrubs and mystery boxes, all of which are inspired by some of the most prolific genre films and characters.

Lathyrus Soaps is out of Bloomington, Indiana. All of the products are made from natural material and are super affordable for the quality you receive (more on that later, mini product review further down). Prices range from $4 to $20 with an average price of $8 which when compared to big store names is more than a decent price range.

A new body butter scent was announced via the store’s social media inspired by everyone’s favorite bioexorcist called “The Ghost With The Most” (scented with coconut and lime with a hint of vanilla). I for one cannot wait for my order to arrive.

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Mini Product Reviews

I have personally tried 5 products from Lathyrus Soaps (still have a face mask to try and another body butter on the way) and have loved every single one of them. Below is a small review of each product I have tried as well as a discount code if you would like to try any of them or any of the other amazing products offered.

*Disclaimer*: Some of these products were sent to me to test out and I am a brand representative, but all reviews are 100% my true opinions of the products as I would not back products I truly did not feel were of quality.

You’ll Float Too Body Butter 

Inspired by: Stephen King’s IT

Scented with: Cotton Candy, Caramel Apples and Funnel Cakes

Review: Scent is strong and long lasting without being overbearing (when applying in the morning, it lasts the majority of the day and when applying at night, I can still smell it in the morning). Smell given is true to the scent description (while wearing it, on more than one occasion I had people say “what smells so good” and “I smell caramel/maple syrup, I don’t know what it is but it smells really good” as I’ve walked by them). After applying it, my skin has a beautiful glow (not Twilight vampire shimmer but healthy looking glow) and it feels soft all day.

Buy: You’ll Float Too Body Butter

Cabin In The Woods Body Butter

Inspired by: The Cabin in the Woods

Scented with: Crisp Leaves, Musk, Bergamot, Clove and Vanilla

Review: Scent lasting power and effect are the same as above. All of the elements blend together nicely and give almost a lily of the valley scent. This is my personal favorite so far.

Buy: Cabin In The Woods Body Butter

The Teen Dream Body Butter

Inspired by: Jawbreaker (Courtney more specifically)

Scented with: Cherry Blossom and Peach (dupe for VS Love Spell)

Review: Scent is listed as being a dupe for VS’ Love Spell, it truly is, but I personally feel that it smells a bit better than Love Spell and is literally half the price (it also lasts longer). The green and pink/purple color swirl makes the product look as beautiful as it smells (a lot like candy).

Buy: Teen Dream Body Butter

Camp Blood Body Butter

Inspired by: Friday the 13th franchise

Scented with: Patchouli, lavender, lily and lime

Review: Patchouli can be a little overbearing, but not in this case, it blends so well with the other scents that it is hardly noticeable. It has a clean scent while smelling like a refreshing day at the lake running for your life (without the sweat and fear smells).

Buy: Camp Blood Body Butter

Rules of Halloween Lip Scrub

This is one of the products I was sent and is not currently listed on the store page, so I cannot say what it is scented with or link it for purchase. It smells a bit like candy corn and while using it, it tastes a bit like candy at first with a hint of cinnamon that lasts on the lips. My lips are super soft and the color is even improved after using.

Discount:

If you are interested in trying any of the above products or something else in the store catches your fancy, save 10% off the already great prices with code MELISSA10

Lathyrus Soaps Links:

Store

Facebook

Instagram: @lathyrussoaps

 

 

 

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs Introduces Graveyard Glamour with ‘Vampira’ Palette

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs is a makeup company known for their coffin shaped palettes and uniquely themed products. They previously released a palette inspired by the Mistress of the Dark, Elvira, and as of today has added to their collection of creepy beauties with the release of their stunning Vampira palette as part of their Graveyard Glamour.

The Vampira palette is made up of five beautiful shades, Velvet Moon, Untarnished, Astro Vamp, Necromancer and Nefarious. The palette retails for $35. Like all of their other products, this palette is 100% vegan, cruelty free, talc free, paraben free and is approved by Logical Harmony and PETA.

Lunatick Cosmetic Labs took to Instagram with this video to announce the arrival of their new spooky baby.

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You can pick ours up at LunatickLabs.com. Be sure to never miss another stunningly creepy release and like them on Facebook, follow @LunatiCK_Labs on twitter and @lunatickcosmeticlabs on Instagram.

Glamour Ghoul Box: A Subscription Service for the Spooky

There seems to be a subscription service for everything nowadays, movies, video games, makeup; you name it, there’s probably a box for it. Most of these boxes cater to mainstream brands and people, but thanks to Glamour Ghoul Box, there is now a subscription service for the spooky.

Not only is the box unique in its spookiness, it is also a way to discover new, independent brands. The Glamour Ghoul Box features all handmade products from Etsy sellers and every product is guaranteed to be cruelty free. Each box has a clever theme; past boxes include a Labyrinth theme and future boxes include The Addams Family and Cthulhu. Boxes are $30 plus shipping.

The theme for the February box is “The Truth Is Out There”; a mix of extraterrestrials and the X-Files. A sneak peak was already given to one of the products that will be found inside this box, a face hugger soap from Sick Soaps. Pre-order for this box will close on January 16th and it will ship out at the end of February.

Not only is the Glamour Ghoul Box cruelty free and supports small business, they are also against bullying. They are a proud sponsor of the nonprofit organization Don’t Be A Monster which emphasizes on bullying prevention.

To learn more about the Glamour Ghoul Box, be sure to give them a like on Facebook.

 

 

Makeup Review: Medusa’s Make-Up Triple X Lipstick

The makeup world is one that is thoroughly saturated by companies that promise their products are the next best thing and often times are not what they advertise. Big industry makeup companies over charge and frequently offer repackaged versions of older products that they promise are cruelty free and or vegan (many times they are not), but there are a host of independent companies popping up to offer better products for a much better price, and one of those companies is Medusa’s Make-Up. The makeup that they offer is 100% vegan AND cruelty free. Medusa’s Make-Up offers 12 vibrant lipstick shades; the shade in the spotlight is Triple X– a super bright pink shade.

Packaging is a major selling point for any product, but the makeup industry leaves a great deal more room for design creativity. Medusa’s Make-Up offers sleek black packaging with their logo in gold. The artwork on the lipstick tube is simplistic yet unique.

Bright pink lip shades can be a hard craft to master; they turn out either gaudy and overly pigmented or too opaque, there never seems to be a happy medium. Triple X however has the balance that is frequently missing. It is a vibrant bright, borderline neon pink, but it is still everyday wearable. In terms of comparison, it is an affordable dupe for MAC’s Candy Yum-Yum (Triple X is cruelty free and vegan whereas MAC products are not, so added bonus).

Nothing is worse than stick lipstick that applies greasy looking or makes your lips look like they are dry and cracking. The finish after application is neither matte or gloss, it is a nice combination of the two. Triple X is smooth and creamy without the greasy, sticky aftermath. It seems to have conditioning properties leaving lips feeling smoother after removable than before application; likely due to the vegan ingredients.

There is only minor transfer after application; it leaves a small trace but won’t come off completely or leave you looking like Pennywise or someone’s crazy grandma. Wear time, depending on whether lips are primed and the lipstick is set with other products and how much eating and drinking you are doing, is roughly a couple hours without reapplication (it will last longer obviously if set).

Anyone who has ever purchased makeup, lip products in particular, knows just how expensive they can be. It is not uncommon to walk in and drop $25 or more on a single lipstick. Triple X is only $12, roughly half the cost of most high-end brands.

All in all, Triple X by Medusa’s Make-Up is a solid product that is well worth the mere $12 you’d pay. Great quality for a great price is nothing to complain about.