While purchasing a limited-edition Pride Month product means that a percentage of sales are donated to LGBTQIA charities, shopping directly with businesses that are owned by LGBTQ+ founders is an even better way to show your support.
Much like shopping with Black and Indigenous Australian-owned businesses, this ensures that the wealth is being disrupted more equally — rather than the majority ending up with white, cisgender business owners.
Below, we’ve curated a handful of LGBTQIA beauty businesses that you need to know about. Consider browsing the below brands for your next beauty purchase.
— W3LL PEOPLE
Co-founded by lesbian makeup artist Shirley Pinkson, W3LL PEOPLE is an all-natural makeup brand based in the United States. Using only the best ingredients, the products in the W3LL PEOPLE range adhere to three core principles: “advanced performance, premium 100% natural/organic ingredients, and sustainability,” Pinkson told Nourished Life.
The W3LL PEOPLE range is perfect for those no-makeup makeup products that make you look glowy but never cakey. You can shop W3LL PEOPLE online and in-store at Mecca.
— Sigil Scent
Founded in 2015 by Patrick Kelly, Sigil Scent is a line of premium fragrances that use a combination of handmade tinctures and essential oils to create long-wearing and nuanced fragrances that are 100% natural.
Sigil Scent is described as a “slow perfume” company as everything is made by hand. While Sigil Scent is based in the United States, it does offer international shipping to Australia and you can shop via the Sigil Scent website.
— Dragun Beauty
Created by Nikita Dragun, a makeup artist and YouTuber, makeup brand Dragun Beauty aims to empower “beauty lovers of all shapes, skin tones and sexualities as we journey along the road to self-discovery.”
Dragun Beauty does offer international shipping but this is temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. Continue to check the Dragun Beauty website for shipping updates if you’re keen to purchase a palate, colour corrector or face powder.
— NOTO
Created by makeup artist, editor and magazine founder, Gloria Noto, NOTO is a natural, fluid in gender, multi-use cosmetic line. It’s made from uncomplicated but high performing natural and organic ingredients.
There are a plethora of serums, oils, mists and creams to shop at NOTO, which are all vegan and cruelty-free. The brand also puts an emphasis on giving back and a percentage of sales of NOTO’s Agender Oil is donated to a number of organisations including Planned Parenthood, LA LGBT Youth Centre and Black Mama’s Matter. So far, $22,000 has been raised in donations.
“As a small business owner and queer womxn, it’s important for me to connect with my community through my work,” Noto said on the brand’s website. “Agender Oil is conduit to pursuing and cultivating that connection.”
While NOTO doesn’t currently ship to Australia, you can purchase NOTO products via a number of stockists including Clean Beauty Market and Kowtow.
— MANTL
Co-founded by Karamo Brown, the ‘Culture’ expert on Netflix’s Queer Eye, MANTL aims to empower those who are bald and help them feel confident in their skin, as balding can often to leave people feeling “shame and self-doubt”.
“You made the decision to take up the mantle and move towards acceptance and self-love. Because, balding is not a choice, but being bald is,” reads the MANTL website.
Here you can shop for skincare products like cleanser, SPF and moisturiser. While MANTL doesn’t currently ship to Australia, you can buy MANTL products online at Huckberry, which offers international shipping Down Under.
— Hi Wildflower
Inspired by the beauty of wildflowers, writer and novelist Tanaïs launched the independent beauty and fragrance house, Hi Wildflower.
There is an emphasis on the environment when it comes to the production of Hi Wildflower products and all botanicals used in the fragrance are sustainably and ethically sourced, while all packaging is also made from ecologically sound paper and biodegradable materials.
Shop perfumes, makeup and candles via the Hi Wildflower website.
— Boy Smells
Created in 2016 by co-founders and real-life partners, Matthew Herman and David Kien, Boy Smells originally started as an experiment in candle-making. These days, the Boy Smells candle range is extremely popular and includes over 16 gender-fluid scents to suit all tastes.
You can browse the Boy Smells range in-store and online at Mecca.
— Malin + Goetz
Partners Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz opened the doors on their New York apothecary store in 2004. Since then, Malin + Goetz has turned into an internationally recognised brand that is the epitome of uncomplicated luxury skincare.
Formulated with sensitive skin in mind, all of the Malin + Goetz products are suitable for all skin types and genders. You can shop Malin + Goetz products at Mecca in Australia.