Cis-gender, white, young, and female. Those were the standards that were long instilled in our beauty industry by brands and marketers alike. However, thanks to the new wave of gender-inclusive brands emerging in conjunction with Gen Z and Millennials being at the forefront of social activism, this outdated concept is continually being challenged. Brands that once got away with a limited amount of foundation shades and non-diverse campaigns are now seeing that the way forward is to welcome all.
With the industry being hit by a newfound wave of inclusivity, brands are even going beyond optics and supporting the communities at the source. Brands such as We Are Fluide and Milk donate a percentage of their proceeds toward LGBTQIA+ causes and other non-profit organizations. Likewise, Fenty Skin and Aesop ignore restrictive labels such as “grooming,” “for him,” and “for her” when marketing their products.
Regardless of your age, gender, or sexuality, L’OFFICIEL rounds up 10 gender-neutral and inclusive beauty brands you should check out.
Trixie Cosmetics
Founded by Trixie Mattel, winner of the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars, Trixie Cosmetics is all about providing fun, vibrant makeup for regular makeup fans and drag queens alike. Thanks to Mattel’s experience as a makeup artist and drag queen, the products are formulated with the utmost care in quality—all while having adorable packaging.
Jecca Blac
Jecca Blac was founded by London-based makeup artist Jessica, who had experience working behind the scenes in the film industry. She opened Jecca Blac studio as a safe space for trans women to experiment with makeup. Today, the brand strives to cater its products to all genders, identities, skin tones, expressions, pronouns, and sizes.
Youth to the People
Youth to the People emphasizes clean and vegan beauty, sustainability, and activism. Already donating a percentage of its sales toward a variety of non-profit organizations, ranging from philanthropic to environmental causes, Youth to the People is a firm believer in skincare for all. For its Pride Dream Mask, 100 percent of its sales will be going toward non-profit organizations working to empower LGBTQIA+ communities.
Noto Botanics
Noto Botanics is a gender-fluid beauty brand that carries both skincare and makeup products. The brand focuses on multi-functional and simple products.
We Are Fluide
Priding itself in being inclusive throughout its packaging, casting, and team, We Are Fluide offers unique products for those seeking fun and experimental makeup (while being cruelty-free and vegan). In addition, the brand donates 5 percent of its sales toward LGBTQ health and advocacy organizations.
Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin
Created by the one and only Rihanna, Fenty Beauty strays from gender restrictive labels and emphasizes makeup for all. Likewise, Fenty Skin prioritizes clean yet effective skincare. She quotes, “Fenty Skin is everything I wish I had back then, I wanted it to feel approachable, easy, and to take the pressure off choosing a routine, so I created one for everyone.”
Aesop
Aesop takes a modern and luxurious approach to skin and hair care, soaps, and fragrances. Aesop focuses on elegant, yet effective products for everyone with genderless labels, specifically for its shaving products.
Ursa Major
Inspired by the adventurous aspects of nature, Ursa Major incorporates all-natural ingredients to achieve a “healthy mountain glow.” From skincare to deodorant, Ursa Major markets its products with no gender restrictions.
Milk
Founded by Milk Studios, Milk Makeup is sustainable, clean, and fun overall. For Pride (and throughout the year), Milk Makeup donates 1 percent of its sales toward The Center, a safe space made for LGBTQIA+ communities.
Malin + Goetz
Made in New York, Malin + Goetz has a lineup of genderless face, body, and fragrance products that have become cult favorites. The queer-owned brand was founded by partners Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz in 2004, and has always focused on natural, high-performing ingredients.
