Irish beauty brands are sprouting up all the time. This week I thought I’d mention a few that I think are top class and producing grade-A products. Indulge and you’ll reap the benefits while supporting Irish entrepreneurs. It’s a win win!
Beauty
Maggie Gibbons
Jenny Glow
This gorgeous perfume collection was founded in 2015 by Mayo-born sisters Katie and Jane O’Connor, who came up with the idea of providing quality fragrances at affordable prices.
They sell a wide range of scents that are great dupes for fragrances by the likes of Jo Malone and Giorgio Arman at fabulous prices – usually all under €20. In 2017 they launched a unisex range, Just Jack. They also sell body lotions, hand wash, hand lotion and shower creams in matching scents. So if you find one scent you love you can enhance it by using the other matching products. I’ve checked and they’re available in my local pharmacy, Staunton’s in Louisburgh, and lots of other pharmacies around Mayo.
Pestle & Mortar
Founded by Kildare-based husband and wife duo Sonia and Padraic Deasy seven years ago. Sonia, was inspired by her Indian heritage to create simple solutions for beautiful skin. Their hyaluronic serum has been a cult favourite for years now. Their range now includes Glow Drops, which creates a natural tanned appearance without drying out the skin. You’ll be able to find their products in Mayo pharmacies.
Sculpted By Aimee
Irish brand Sculpted By Aimee was founded by Aimee Connolly, who started her business in 2016 with her much-loved Sculpted beauty palette. She has since expanded her product range to include foundations, primers, lipsticks and brushes. Her Second Skin foundation remains one of the most popular foundations on the market, and deservedly so. The Beauty Balm serves as both a blusher and lip tint. Check out her bundles – I recently bought the travel heroes bundle, three mini products for €30, and I love it! Again, check your local pharmacy.
Ella & Jo
Makeup artist Charlene Flanagan and skin therapist Niamh Ryan created Ella & Jo Cosmetics in 2017 to develop products that tackle the main skin conditions that women experience – aging skin and dehydration. Their multi-award-winning Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum is supercharged with collagen and can be applied both day and night for glowing skin.
BiaBelle Beauty
BiaBelle Beauty was launched in December 2017 by sisters Aoibh and Bláthnaid Murphy, who wanted to create luxury high-quality products at affordable prices. They started off with a range of luxury false eyelashes and now offer cosmetics, including contour and eye-shadow palettes and a range of fake tans, including the beautiful Golden Filter face tanning spray.
SoSu Cosmetics
Blogger-turned-business-woman Suzanne Jackson (aka SoSueMe) started her beauty empire just six years ago, yet her brand is so popular it’s now stocked in most major stores, including Penneys. Whatever you want, from lips and lashes to makeup brushes, she’s guaranteed to have it. Good products at fabulous prices, what’s not to love! Her Dripping Gold tan is amazing.
Ayu
Kildare make-up artist Suzie O’Neill launched Ayu Cosmetics with a range of premium quality and affordable makeup brushes in 2015. Since then, she’s expanded to radiance cream, blush and bronzers, eyeshadow palettes and lip kits. Her concealer (€18 and worth every penny) is the only one I use now, having been gifted it for Christmas two years ago. It has a little sponge tip applicator, which is brilliant for getting into the dark skin at the inside eye. Watch out for her special offers on ayu.ie – I got two concealers for €18 in a special post-Christmas deal, as well as her lip kit of three products (lipstick, pencil and gloss) for €10. Suzie also does fantastic tutorials on Facebook.
Maggie Gibbons is an Image/Style Consultant based in Louisburgh. She can be contacted at living@mayonews.ie.