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Hello, beautiful people! Today I’m sharing some of my favorite and the best European cruelty-free indie beauty brands with you. Since moving to the Netherlands in late 2025, I’ve been on a mission to discover cruelty-free and vegan beauty brands based right here in Europe, as well as the UK. As someone who has championed indie beauty since 2008, I’m thrilled to tell you that the European indie scene is absolutely flourishing.
One of the things I love most about shopping from European brands now is the lack of customs headaches. No surprise fees, no waiting weeks for international shipping, no watching a package sit in customs limbo. It’s been a game changer for me. And for those of you in the US or elsewhere, many of these brands ship internationally or are carried by retailers like Beauty Bay, Maquibeauty, and Monolith Shop (a Swiss-based retailer that specializes in bringing indie makeup brands to Europe).
All of these brands are ones I have personally purchased from and used with my own money. All opinions are my own. As someone with very fair, sensitive, dry skin with rosacea and oily deepset eyes (formerly hooded eyes), I test everything on real, reactive skin. If a product works for me, I feel confident recommending it to you. I’ve noted where I would love to explore deeper partnerships, because I genuinely believe these brands deserve more visibility in the indie beauty community.
Best European Cruelty-Free Indie Beauty Brands to Try
Shipping and Customs Quick Reference
Here’s a quick reference so you know what to expect when ordering from each brand featured in this post.
Brand
Based In
EU Customs
Also Available At
Lethal Cosmetics
Germany
No fees (EU-based)
Beauty Bay, Maquibeauty, Camera Ready Cosmetics
Nabla Cosmetics
Italy
No fees (EU-based)
Beauty Bay, Maquibeauty, Ulta (US)
VE Cosmetics
UK
Check at checkout
Brand website
Cosmic Brushes
UK
EU taxes included at checkout
Brand website
Glisten Cosmetics
UK
EU taxes included at checkout
Beauty Bay
Idun Minerals
Sweden
No fees (EU-based)
Brand website
Linda Hallberg
Sweden
No fees (EU-based)
Beauty Bay, Kicks
Kjaer Weis
Denmark
No fees (EU-based)
Brand website
If any of these brands offer affiliate or discount codes in the future, I’ll add them to my Affiliate Codes page. Shopping through my links and codes is one of the best ways to support Phyrra and keep this site active.
Lethal Cosmetics (Berlin, Germany)
Lethal Cosmetics is a Berlin-based indie brand founded in 2016 with a focus on high-quality, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan makeup. I have several magnetic stackable palettes filled with Lethal Cosmetics eyeshadows and blushes, and their formula is one I come back to constantly. Their mattes are excellent because I can build them up, and they blend out for me nicely. Lethal’s single eyeshadows, which are genuinely cool-toned, not secretly warm, are excellent for very fair neutral cool skin like mine and one of the reasons that they’re a top pick for one of the best European cruelty-free indie beauty brands.
My favorite palette that Lethal ever created was the 1UP Palette, a UV-reactive collection housed in packaging shaped like a classic 80s arcade machine. I loved it so much I wrote a full review. I’ve also created a DIY Gothic Charm School Palette with their singles, done a Dark Matter Tutorial featuring their multichrome black that shifts red, orange, and teal, filmed a Lethal Lithophyte Tutorial for purple taupe hooded eye makeup, a Lethal Sapphire Eye Makeup Look, and a Lethal Purple Makeup Look using their eyeshadows, blushes, highlighter, and contour powder. I use their face products too: Lethal Quartz is my go-to contour, Lethal Hybrid is a gorgeous blush, and Lethal Scatter is a beautiful highlighter.
I’ve never had a sensitivity issue with any Lethal Cosmetics product, which says a lot given how reactive my skin can be. Their eyeshadow formula doesn’t irritate my eyes, and the face products wear comfortably on my dry skin all day.
If you love building custom palettes with singles the way I do, Lethal is a must. They ship within the EU from Germany, so no customs fees for European customers. You can also find them on Beauty Bay, Maquibeauty, and Camera Ready Cosmetics.
My Lethal Cosmetics posts:
Lethal Cosmetics Eyeshadow Collection Swatches:
Nabla Cosmetics (Italy)
Nabla is an Italian indie brand that has quietly become one of my most repurchased brands. I am obsessed with their Cupid’s Arrow Longwear Stylo eyeliner pencils. I have purchased many of their shades because the formula is that good. They glide on smoothly, stay put on hooded or deepset eyes, and the color payoff is intense. As I wrote in my Lethal Purple Makeup Look post, “Nabla officially makes my favorite eye pencils these days. Nabla Cupid’s Arrow pencils, while having a limited shade range, are the only things creamy enough that they don’t hurt my upper waterline when I apply them. They also stay in place and last all day once set.”
The Nabla Cupid’s Arrow Stylos are also wearable as eyeshadow. I recommend working one eye at a time with them. They wear well on my waterline, too.
That last point is huge for me. I have sensitive eyes, and most eye pencils tug or sting when I apply them to my waterline. The Nabla Cupid’s Arrow Stylos are the only ones I’ve found that are creamy enough to apply comfortably while still setting and lasting all day on my oily, deepset lids and they wore well on my hooded lids. If you have similar struggles, these are worth every cent.
Beyond their eyeliners, Nabla creates gorgeous eyeshadow singles and palettes with sophisticated color stories. I purchased and reviewed the Wild Berry Palette and did a full demo and tutorial with it alongside the Cupid’s Arrow Stylos. I’ve also featured their Coral Cutie and Nude Cutie palettes with swatches, and traveled with the Wild Berry palette on my Las Vegas honeymoon. Based on the high quality and versatility of their products, they’re one of my top picks for the best European cruelty-free indie beauty brands.
They’re PETA-certified cruelty-free, and their formulas consistently perform at a level that rivals much more expensive brands. I would love to explore their range more deeply and share it with the Hex Squad, because I think Nabla is one of those brands that deserves far more hype than it gets.
My Nabla posts:
VE Cosmetics (United Kingdom)
VE Cosmetics is a UK-based indie brand that was one of the first to produce a completely vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics line with an unapologetically gothic aesthetic. Founded in 2015, VE Cosmetics is female, AuDHD, and vegan-owned. They make bold, alternative makeup for witches, rebels, and misfits, and I am here for every bit of it! Their aesthetic and attitude are why they’re one of my picks for the best European cruelty-free indie beauty brands.
What I love about VE Cosmetics is that they live the alternative lifestyle they cater to. This isn’t a corporate brand slapping a pentagram on a palette and calling it goth. The founder genuinely understands this community because she’s part of it. Their products range from black lipstick to corpse paint essentials, and everything in between. I featured VE Cosmetics in my VE OG Blood Moon Makeup Inspiration post, and they’re a brand I mentioned wanting to try in my Best Gothic Makeup Brands roundup for 2023. I’m so glad I did. If you’re in the goth, punk, or alternative beauty space, VE Cosmetics was made for you. Full disclosure, I have received PR from VE Cosmetics in the past.
They ship internationally from the UK.
My VE Cosmetics posts:
Cosmic Brushes (United Kingdom)
Cosmic Brushes by Fay is a UK indie brand that I discovered through the alternative beauty community, and I now own three of their palettes: the Gothic Palette, the Cooltrals Palette, and the Angelic Palette. All are affordable, well-pigmented, and cruelty-free.
I recently published a comparison review of the Cosmic Brushes Angelic Palette vs the Danessa Myricks Pastel Dream palette. The Cooltrals Palette is especially wonderful for those of us with neutral to cool skin who are tired of every “neutral” palette leaning orange. They include EU taxes at checkout for European customers, which makes ordering straightforward. And they ship quickly!
My Cosmic Brushes posts:
Glisten Cosmetics (United Kingdom)
Glisten Cosmetics is a UK woman-owned indie brand that specializes in colorful, creative makeup. They’re known for their water-activated liners, cosmetic paints, and duochrome pigments. If you love graphic liner looks or festival-inspired makeup, Glisten is your playground.
I purchased several of their star liquid liners and a blue mascara and I love them! The dark blue shade is especially great with my blue hair.
I appreciate that they cater to people who see makeup as art and self-expression rather than just a daily routine. Their product range encourages experimentation, which is exactly the kind of energy I love to bring to my tutorials. They’re available on their own site and through Beauty Bay, with EU taxes included at checkout.
Idun Minerals (Sweden)
Idun Minerals is a Swedish clean beauty brand that holds a special place in my heart and in my content history. Their Nordic Veil foundation in Jorunn has been one of my best foundation matches for years. It’s one of the few mineral foundations that actually matches my very fair, neutral cool skin without pulling too orange, too pink, or too yellow. I’ve featured it across so many posts that it’s practically a supporting character on Phyrra.
Idun Minerals is also one of the few foundation brands that doesn’t irritate my rosacea-prone skin. Their mineral formulas are gentle enough for my sensitive, dry skin, and the Nordic Veil gives me a natural finish without emphasizing dry patches or redness. If you struggle with similar skin concerns and haven’t been able to find a foundation match at the paler end of the spectrum, Idun Minerals should be at the top of your list.
I did a full Cruelty-Free One Brand Tutorial with Idun Minerals, and their Nordic Veil in Jorunn has appeared in my product lists for tutorials ranging from my Best Eyeshadow Brushes for Hooded Eyes to my Lethal Cosmetics Dark Matter Tutorial and countless other looks. They’ve been a brand partner in the past, and I’m proud to have worked with them. As a Scandinavian brand, Idun Minerals understands pale skin in a way that many brands simply do not.
At the Idun Minerals event in Stockholm Sweden with Angelica Nyqvist
I’m also eternally grateful that I had the opportunity to visit Stockholm Sweden with Idun Minerals in 2019 as it was a life changing trip for me. It was the first time I got to visit Scandanavia and see a beautiful way of life that is different from the USA. So clean, efficient, and gorgeous!
My Idun Minerals posts:
Linda Hallberg Cosmetics (Sweden)
Linda Hallberg Cosmetics was launched in 2016 by acclaimed Swedish makeup artist and influencer Linda Hallberg. The brand focuses on cruelty-free, multi-use products that break beauty rules. I love that philosophy because it aligns with how I approach makeup: there are no rules, only possibilities.
I reviewed the Linda Hallberg Enchanted Secrets Palette, a duochrome palette with massive pans. The shades really come to life when layered on top of other colors to create dimension and shift. Moonwake is beautiful with pinks and purples, and Orphic is stunning with teals, greys, and black. Their products are available through their own website, Beauty Bay, and the Swedish retailer Kicks.
My Linda Hallberg posts:
Kjaer Weis (Denmark)
Kjaer Weis is a Danish luxury beauty brand that I’ve had my eye on for a while. Founded by makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis, the brand has been a pioneer in sustainable luxury beauty since 2010. What makes them stand out to me, and what I think would resonate deeply with my audience, is their refillable packaging system. Their products are housed in sleek metal compacts designed to be kept and refilled, dramatically reducing packaging waste.
I know my audience cares about the environmental impact of their beauty purchases. We talk about it all the time. The beauty industry generates an enormous amount of packaging waste, and refillable systems like what Kjaer Weis offers are one of the most practical solutions. I truly wish more beauty brands offered refillable systems or that size was standardized across European brands. Kjaer Weis formulas are certified organic, cruelty-free, and they source their mica ethically from Austria. I’m especially curious about their cream products, as cream formulas tend to work best on my dry skin. I would love to try their cream blush and foundation and share a thorough review with the Hex Squad, because I think this is a brand that aligns beautifully with the values my community holds.
Brands on My Wishlist
In addition to wanting to explore Kjaer Weis more deeply, there are a couple of other European brands I’ve been curious about.
Neve Cosmetics (Turin, Italy) has been on my radar for a while. Founded in 2009, Neve means “snowflake” in Italian, and the brand creates natural mineral makeup that’s cruelty-free and mostly vegan. What intrigues me is their focus on creative, colorful shades at accessible price points. An Italian indie brand making affordable, pigmented mineral makeup with a playful color range? That sounds like it was designed for my audience. I haven’t tried them yet, but I’d love to.
Jolie Beauty (UK) is a gothic makeup and alternative cosmetics brand with some exciting collaborations, including an Ozzy Osbourne palette. They clearly understand the alternative community, and I’ve seen positive reviews from fellow goth beauty lovers. I’d love to get my hands on some of their products and review them for you.
The Pastel Roses (Bradford, UK) was founded in 2019 and makes an extensive range of colorful pressed eyeshadows, multichromes, duochromes, holographics, and loose pigments. They’re cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, and their products are manufactured in the UK. I mentioned wanting to try them in my Best Gothic Makeup Brands 2023 roundup, and their multichrome and duochrome singles look absolutely stunning. I’d love to get my hands on a selection and swatch them for you.
If you’re a European indie beauty brand I haven’t mentioned and you think your products would be a great fit for the Phyrra community, please reach out! I’m always looking for new cruelty-free brands to discover and share.
On a Personal Note
One of the most exciting parts of my move to Europe has been discovering how vibrant the indie beauty scene is on this side of the Atlantic. From Berlin to Bologna to Stockholm, independent creators are making cruelty-free, vegan, and sustainable makeup that rivals anything you’ll find in an Ulta or Sephora. And shopping from them is so much easier when you’re based in the EU.
I’ve been covering indie beauty since 2008 and I’ve seen the landscape change dramatically. What hasn’t changed is my commitment to honest reviews, cruelty-free values, and shining a spotlight on the independent brands that deserve your attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy European indie makeup brands?
Where can I buy European indie makeup brands? Many European indie brands sell directly from their websites and ship within the EU with no customs fees. Retailers like Beauty Bay, Maquibeauty, Boozyshop, and Monolith Shop also carry a growing selection of EU and UK indie brands. Monolith Shop is especially useful for European customers because they specialize in stocking indie brands that are otherwise difficult to get in Europe.
Are European indie beauty brands cruelty-free?
Are European indie beauty brands cruelty-free? The EU banned animal testing for cosmetics in 2013, so all cosmetics sold in the EU must comply. However, “cruelty-free” also means the brand and its suppliers don’t test on animals anywhere in the world. Look for Leaping Bunny or PETA certification for extra assurance. All of the brands featured in this post are cruelty-free, and most are 100% vegan.
What European indie brands are best for pale skin?
What European indie brands are best for pale skin? Idun Minerals from Sweden formulates with Nordic skin tones in mind and offers excellent foundation matches for very fair skin. Their Nordic Veil foundation in Jorunn is one of my best matches. Lethal Cosmetics from Germany and Nabla from Italy both offer cool-toned eyeshadow options that work beautifully on fair, neutral cool complexions.
What European indie brands are best for sensitive skin?
What European indie brands are best for sensitive skin? I have very fair, sensitive, dry skin with rosacea, and I test every product I feature on my own skin. Idun Minerals has been the gentlest foundation brand for my rosacea-prone skin. Nabla’s Cupid’s Arrow Stylos don’t irritate my sensitive waterline and manage to stick around for hours instead of disappearing in just a few minutes. Kjaer Weis uses certified organic ingredients, which may appeal to those who prefer to minimize synthetic ingredients in their routine.
What European indie brands have gothic or alternative makeup?
What European indie brands have gothic or alternative makeup? VE Cosmetics (UK), Cosmic Brushes (UK), and Jolie Beauty (UK) all create makeup specifically for the gothic and alternative community. Lethal Cosmetics (Germany) also offers bold, creative color stories perfect for alternative looks.
How do I avoid customs fees when buying indie makeup in Europe?
How do I avoid customs fees when buying indie makeup in Europe? The easiest way is to buy from brands or retailers that are based within the EU or that include VAT at checkout. Brands like Lethal Cosmetics (Germany), Nabla (Italy), and Neve Cosmetics (Italy) ship from within the EU with no additional fees. For UK-based brands like VE Cosmetics, Cosmic Brushes, and Glisten Cosmetics, check whether they include EU taxes at checkout. EU-based retailers like Monolith Shop, Maquibeauty, and Beauty Bay handle VAT for you.
If you’re a European indie beauty brand and you think your products would be a good fit for the Phyrra community, I’d love to hear from you. You can find my contact information and collaboration details on my Contact page.
What European indie beauty brands are you loving right now? Let me know in the comments!
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