Top 5 Best Minimalist Makeup Brands to Shop

What exactly is minimalist makeup? What are the best minimalist makeup brands to shop? Keep reading to find out!

It took me several years to truly understand my own beauty style but then one day it finally clicked when I realized the makeup products I reached for every day are simple, easy to use, can double in usage, and help achieve a natural makeup look. Minimalist makeup is all about a core collection of beauty essentials that enhance your natural features without hiding behind heavily filtered makeup. For the record, I’ve been a beauty minimalist before Gen Z made it cool, OK?

That’s not to say I don’t love a glam makeup look every now and then but for me, less is more. There are tons of minimalist makeup brands to shop from but I wanted to narrow down the list to the best tried and true favorites I use daily and accessible for every budget.

The Best Minimalist Makeup Brands to Shop

Glossier

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog then you already know how much I love this brand. This is the epitome of minimalist makeup. The products are easy to use, gives you that dewy glow and overall a great starting place if you love a minimalist makeup look. I really love that they don’t launch new products every week because that can be excessive and overwhelming to any makeup minimalist. Most of the makeup they produce are part of my everyday essentials. The top makeup products I always recommend always include Stretch Concealer, Boy Brow and Cloud Paint. You can check out more of the best and worst Glossier products here and get 10% off your purchase.

Tower 28 Beauty

This is a new-to-me clean makeup brand that I recently started using more often because it’s made for sensitive skin. The collection is small (seriously, just a few SKUs) but that’s what I love about this brand. I have the Tinted Balm (something can double as blush and lip color), illuminating bronzer and two lip gloss shades. The Tinted Balm is my favorite of the bunch. The product packaging has a cool California beach vibe, all the formulas feel lightweight and fresh, making it a must-have for the summer season. I’m a fan!

Undone Beauty

I like this brand because it’s accessible, affordable and if I’m being honest—a great dupe to some other high-end minimalist makeup brands. The Water Bronzer is my absolute favorite product. I also like the Lip to Cheek Palette (one compact, three finishes) so you can decide the level of opacity. This brand is especially great for makeup beginners. Here are reviews of all the products I’ve tried here.

Subtl Beauty

Here’s what’s unique about Subtl Beauty – every makeup product fits in the palm of your hand in a single stack! If you’re constantly on-the-go or like quick and easy makeup application, then you need a Subtl portable makeup stack. The stack essentials include a lip and cheek tint, a creamy concealer, highlighter, bronzer, and pressed powder (you get to choose your shades). The brand recently launched Eyeshadow Duos in a variety of shades and a dual-ended eyeshadow brush to make application easy peasy. They have also expanded their bronzer shade range. You can read my in-depth review here. Get 10% off any purchase with code KARA10 

Nudestix

Nudestix is one of those brands I didn’t start paying attention to until earlier this year after attending a digital beauty event. I think some products are a little pricey but the quality is definitely there and you can apply almost everything with just your fingers. I have the Smokey Nude Glow Kit, which is a pretty versatile set if you ask me. The Magnetic Nude Glimmer in 24K Goddess feels like a second skin. I also love the Magnetic Plush Paints, which work great for eyes, lips and face. I love that they produce portable, multi-tasking products and that comes with a small tin/compact mirror.

There are other minimalist makeup brands out there I’d love to try but at the core of minimalism is using what you have so I’ll stay focused on what I already own. Let me know your favorite minimalist makeup brands in the comments!