No one is going to mitigate the love for Tom Ford or Clé de Peau, but there are a handful of brands that are starting to give the big names serious competition – little surprise mega players like Estée Lauder are already looking into buying some of the below brands. Stock up now and you can say you were ahead of the curve!
Allies of Skin
If you don’t have the time or patience to apply heaps of products checkout Allies of Skin. Fittingly the line was started by a man, Singaporean Nicolas Travis (proceeds from every product help provide scholarships for orphans in Singapore) – we all know men don’t tend to have much patience for skincare upkeep, so this is an edited range. The line, which is said to have been created as a “complexion booster,” has also been extensively tested in blind clinical trials so there’s little risk of irritating your skin whether you use these products on their own or layer one of them into your existing routine. In keeping with that you won’t find common irritants like synthetic dyes, fragrances, silicones, mineral oils, petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates or drying alcohol.
Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant offers much more than amazingly adorable packaging and a seriously catchy name. The brand founder, Tiffany Masterson, started the non-toxic range to treat her own skin, which is super-sensitive to fragrances and essential oils resulting in a vitamin and nutrient-packed range of effective skin-smoothing, anti-aging products – that won’t irritate your skin or load you with noxious chemicals and irritants. It has only been two years, but Drunk Elephant has a serious cult following and it’s one of the fastest-growing skin-care brands in Sephora’s history. The line currently has 10 products with six launching starting in early 2017.
FRE
FRE skincare is capitalizing on the whole workout craze that has been exploding these last few years. Their range, which as of now includes three products, is designed specially for women who workout. This means you can apply their products before and after your workouts and not worry about breaking out or otherwise irritating your skin. I’m obsessed with their SPF facial moisturizer because it actually feels like skincare, which is something most brands claim, but few actually deliver on. This is especially surprising given that it’s SPF 30 (the higher the SPF, the more chalky products tend to be). Their serum is also pretty great because it won’t dry out your skin. So many serums leave me feeling like I need to layer on a moisturizer afterwards – with this one you can since it’s lightweight, but you don’t need to. The cleanser rounds out their range.
Retrouvé
There is some serious pedigree behind Retrouvé; it was created by by Jami Morse Heidegger, the third generation owner of Kiehl’s and the mastermind behind many of the company’s most popular formulations. When she sold the family business to L’Oreal in 2000 she re-teamed with her chemist to create products for her own personal use and that of her husband – everything was designed using high concentrations of top-of-the-line, clinically proven active ingredients. Fast-forward a few years and you can now find her range at Bergdorf Goodman (and on their website).
Pai-Shau
I love, love love Pai-Shau. Their products not only work great (especially their hair mask which is thick, but spreads easily meaning that you just need a small schmear for silky smooth hair), but they smell AMAZING. They’re also unisex (the scent is clean, fresh, musky and long-lasting…my boyfriend is always smelling my hair!). I use their shampoo and conditioner or hair mask regularly especially when it’s frizz-prone weather.