Italian beauty and make-up brands that (maybe) you don't know about

Not only big giants like L’Oreal and Puig. Accelerated by the pandemic, the beauty universe has begun to be populated more and more by small local realities, often independent brands deeply rooted in the territory, both in terms of production and inspiration for creams, lipsticks, serums, and all other cosmetics. In Italy too, new and interesting projects are born that embrace a concept of beauty that is more nuanced and inclusive, attentive to sustainability and more eco-conscious, with zero-kilometer supply chains, natural formulations, and support for local communities. These are the secrets of success for an indie brand, along with the ability to create engagement, transforming their customers into a community with whom to share in real time through social media the story, the making of who sells, and the opinions and needs of who buys. It's an open and constant dialogue that, combined with the effectiveness of mascara and serums, blush and creams, gives birth to small cults. What will be the made in Italy brands that we will fall in love with? Here is a list of names waiting to be discovered.

Nina Smith

Just a glance, a blink of an eye to feel strong or to attract the attention of our crush. It is on this magnetic part of the face that Nina Smith focuses, a brand based in Naples founded by Chiara Cubicciotto. The must-have products are two: Primerose, a primer that nourishes and strengthens the eyelashes, reducing their fall and improving their health; Everyday, a volumizing mascara with a comb brush that guarantees exceptional performance and thick and well-defined lashes, for an intense and captivating look in just a few strokes. The plus? A dispenser with different sizes, to grasp even the smallest lashes. Both are vegan and not tested on animals. They stand out for their delicate formulations, with natural and high-quality ingredients, free from parabens, silicones, or petroleum products.

BGGTH

The lips express our thoughts, emotions. They are vehicles of dialogue and seduction. This is why painting them with lipstick is an act of feminine empowerment. It's no coincidence that Silvana Bruce and Giovanna Gramuglio, mother and daughter, decided to focus on lips for Bad Girls Go To Heaven. Born in December 2023, the Made in Italy brand is an intergenerational project designed for bad girls, women who take risks, who are not afraid to challenge expectations and conventions to find their own personal paradise. At the center of BGGTH are three lines of emblematic products: Icon, Extreme True Mat, and Extreme Mat Illusion. Lipsticks and glosses produced in Bergamo, all to be collected. In common, in addition to hotness, they have bright colors and vegan-certified formulas. A curiosity: during the Sanremo Festival 2024, Angela of Ricchi e Poveri flaunted red lips from BGGTH.

Le Lumie

In Sicilian, Le Lumie means lemons and it is also the chosen name by Tina Lombardi and Valeria Ferrara, business lawyers experienced in the pharmaceutical field, for their start-up that combines nature, research, and innovation according to a sustainable production model. Born in 2020, the beauty brand is inspired by the unique beauty of our country and, for this reason, employs more than 83% natural ingredients, of which 50% is grown in Italy. Like organic grape skins from the Po Valley in Emilia-Romagna, olive oil, and prickly pear plant extract from Sicily. Among the products, all 100% vegan, free from silicones, phthalates, and not tested on animals, stand out the firming serum with vitamin E that prevents dehydration and fights damage caused by free radicals, keeping the skin elastic; the vegan face cleansing mousse with blueberry and red vine; and the plumping face cream that leaves the skin luminous and toned thanks to resveratrol.

Taba Skincare

The products from Taba Skincare harness the beneficial effects of CBD oil to moisturize and protect the epidermis. In fact, this ingredient possesses prominent anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, even being more potent than vitamin C and E. The result is cleansers, face masks, creams, serums, eye patches, glosses, and even gadgets not only aesthetically cute but also suitable for all skin types and effective. A curiosity: the name means cannabis in the Yoruba language and is also an acronym for Treatment, All skin types, Botanicals, and Advanced.

Tensei

Tensei embraces the Japanese concept of transformation, understood as a philosophy to make us always feel our best. From this unique approach, based on fun, dynamism, balance, surprises, and innovation, come hybrid products, which blend lightweight makeup and skincare. Some examples? The peptide plus lifting ampoule with immediate filler effect; the lip pencil enriched with hyaluronic acid; the multifunctional lip oil for super hydrated and extra shiny lips and the extra volumizing technical mascara that makes lashes long, voluminous, and light.

Insium

Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the far northeast of Italy, is the homeland of Francesca di Lenardo, the creator of Insium. This pristine territory and its landscapes have inspired the idea of pure beauty, translated into cosmetics with clean, vegan, and cruelty-free formulas, capable of providing an anti-aging effect, thanks to a mix of biotechnological/high-tech scientifically advanced ingredients and natural actives. Among the must-haves are the nourishing and moisturizing lip treatment that gives shine and instantly plumps fine lines; the fluid foundation with powerful anti-aging actives that instantly reduces the appearance of spots, pores, wrinkles, redness, and uneven skin tone; and the firming and moisturizing body cream that, by stimulating circulation, makes the skin firmer and more elastic.