Beyond Rare Beauty: Fresh Takes on Clean, Modern Makeup

When Fiona Co Chan created Youthforia in 2021, she tackled a common beauty dilemma: the midnight makeup removal routine. Her solution? A line of products that actually nourish your skin while you wear them – even if you doze off before washing your face.

The brand's BYO Blush stands as their most intriguing innovation. This green-to-pink color-changing formula adapts to your skin's pH level, creating a customized flush. What catches our attention is the development process – every product undergoes months of sleep testing by Chan and her husband before launch. The formulas lean heavily on plant-based ingredients with USDA BioPreferred certification, suggesting a future where makeup and skincare aren't just compatible but complementary.

In a world of complicated beauty routines, Milk Makeup zigs where others zag. Their stick-format products, particularly the Matte Bronzer, reflect a philosophy that beauty should fit into life – not the other way around.

We're intrigued by how Milk's product development seems driven by real-world scenarios. Their stick formats eliminate the need for brushes, making them ideal for on-the-go application. The brand's clean beauty stance feels refreshingly practical – it's less about following trends and more about creating effective products that slot seamlessly into busy lives.

Sunnies Face brings a fresh perspective to the beauty conversation by drawing from Filipino beauty traditions while speaking to a global audience. Their Fluffmatte Lipstick collection demonstrates an sophisticated understanding of how colors perform across different skin tones.

The brand's approach to product development involves extensive shade testing across diverse skin tones – a process that shows in their universally flattering results. Their editing philosophy particularly interests us: rather than endless options, they focus on creating perfectly calibrated selections that work for everyone.

Saie's Sun Melt bronzer embodies what we find fascinating about the brand: it delivers the finish of conventional makeup while maintaining strict environmental standards. Their approach to clean beauty extends beyond ingredients to encompass packaging and business practices.

The brand's development process particularly interests us. Rather than chasing trends, they seem to start with community feedback and environmental considerations, then work backward to create products that meet both needs. This holistic approach to responsibility suggests a promising direction for the future of beauty.

REFY's laser focus on specific beauty challenges yields impressive results. Their Brow Pomade exemplifies this approach – it's a product that aims to perfect one specific aspect of makeup rather than trying to be all things to all people.

We're drawn to REFY's patient approach to expansion. Instead of rushing to cover every makeup category, they take time to perfect individual products. This methodical development process results in a tightly edited collection where each item serves a clear purpose.

Tower 28's BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm emerged from founder Amy Liu's struggle with eczema-prone skin. The result is a collection that meets the National Eczema Association's strict guidelines while delivering professional-grade performance.

Their innovation process fascinates us because it starts with skin health rather than color or trends. This medical-minded approach to makeup development suggests a future where beauty products actively support skin health rather than potentially compromising it.

Merit's Day Glow highlighter captures the essence of their philosophy: sophisticated results without complicated techniques. Their products aim to enhance rather than transform, creating a subtle but noticeable improvement in appearance.

We're intrigued by Merit's ingredient strategy, which focuses not just on clean formulations but on active skincare benefits. Their approach suggests a future where the line between makeup and skincare continues to blur, potentially simplifying our beauty routines while improving their effectiveness.