Remember when Etsy seller Bitter Lace Beauty released the rainbow highlighter that broke the internet? The unicorn-inspired illuminator was the glow heard round the world and spurned a rainbow-highlighter frenzy, which included interpretations by Wet n Wild and Forever 21 Beauty.
We've always loved Etsy for its small-batch sellers touting unique, custom goods sold directly to the consumer, but before Bitter Lace, Etsy didn't get a ton of credit in the mainstream cosmetics sphere. Knit goods and letterpress stationery? Sure. But not makeup, skin care, or hair products. But recent buzz has us wondering, What other hidden gems live on the DIY e-comm site?
Right now, there are over 1.5 million bath-and-beauty items sold on Etsy from around the world. Everything from sparkly black bath bombs to Harry Potter-inspired eyeshadow palettes and small-batch liquid lippies are available for order. Since we're always on the lookout for the beauty's next best and brightest, we decided to test a few of the site's most well-reviewed finds.
Ahead, we've outlined some of our favorites that have been tested and approved by our beauty editors and given the R29 stamp of approval. Read on for some serious makeup inspiration. Here's hoping you find your next holy grail product!
Coming from a strictly solid eye shadow background, we were skeptical about the practicality of a loose pigment. But we're happy to report that we were seriously blown away after sampling the Borne Cosmetics Mineral Silk Eye Shadow.
The pigment felt almost velvety, without veering into the cream sphere, and the color payoff was just right — perfectly buildable, but not too sheer. We did an entire eye look with Latte, a light brown with pearlescent shimmer, and Cocoa Bean, a deeper brown that we used to darken up the crease.
They blended like a dream on the lid, which we chalked up to their au naturel formula of jojoba oil, clay, and shea butter. The shadow lasted all damn day, even without a base or primer, but if you've got oily eyelids, we'd definitely recommend prepping the lids to avoid creasing.
Borne Cosmetics Mineral Silk Shadow, $6.99, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of Borne Cosmetics.
We'd known about Brooklyn's Mullein & Sparrow long before Etsy revealed its top seller status. So it made sense that the Rose & Vetiver Hair Serum, a favorite of beauty editor Maria Del Russo's, was a standout star. In her own words:
"There's this delicate balance that exists when it comes to lived-in hair. You want it to look like you just rolled out of bed looking fabulous, but you also need your mane to look healthy and shiny. That's where this serum comes in."
Her routine? "Before bed, I brush my hair with a Mason Pearson brush and hit the sack. In the morning, I finger-comb any snarled curls and then work a few drops of this serum through my strands. The argan and meadowfoam seed hydrate and add major shine, while sealing up my damaged cuticles for the day. And don't let the teeny bottle size fool you — a little goes a long way."
Mullein & Sparrow Rose & Vetiver Hair Serum, $38, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of Mullein & Sparrow.
BaronessX is one of Etsy's most unique shops, specializing in "Microchrome Flake Polish," that shifts color during wear and has a stunning duochrome sheen.
We were stoked to try its polish Glimro, a moody purple/pink/blue with holographic pigment and mini holographic shards. Needless to say, it was love at first swipe.
Because of the shimmer, it took us two coats to get a fully opaque application, but once the polish dried, it was absolutely gorgeous. The best part? Because of its shifting color, it basically matched with anything and everything.
BaronessX Multichrome Flakie Polish, $12, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of BaronessX.
Ragged winter cuticles got you down? Fear not. This matte cuticle balm will rescue your nails in 30 seconds flat, without any sticky or slippery residue.
R29 beauty writer (and perennial guinea pig) Mi-Anne Chan tested the balm on her cuticles, which she'd just freed from Sailor Moon-inspired acrylic nails. "Most cuticle oils I've tried veer greasy — a texture I do not appreciate on my fingers. This one, to my surprise, soaked in super fast and left dry skin immediately supple."
We also love that this product comes in a variety of balanced scents, from zippy Yuzu to dreamy Sakura Matsuri (Japanese cherry blossom) and Unscented for those sensitive to smell.
BaronessX Matte Balm, $4.75+, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of BaronessX.
This lippie was a surprise hit with the beauty team. Our writers loved the formula and the thin-but-velvety consistency.
Mi-Anne tested this one, too. The verdict? "I'm picky when it comes to liquid lipsticks. They have to be non-drying, lightweight, and wear evenly throughout the day. I was surprised by this one's comfortable, weightless texture. I'd 100% wear it again. The only downside? I did notice it getting a tad crusty after a few hours. Nothing that couldn't be fixed with a quick blot with a napkin, but definitely worth noting."
The lippies also come in a crazy range of 35 colors, many of which you couldn't find at your local drugstore, from a bright pigmented lavender to a vibrant gold and classic caramel-toned nude.
Aromi Matte Liquid Lipstick, $17, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of Aromi.
Beauty editors, we're just like you...in that we hate cleaning our brushes. So when we saw Urban Oreganics solid brush cleaner, we were intrigued with both the formula and self-contained packaging. (It's a little like those jars of nail polish remover you dip your fingertips into.) After one use, we were hooked and dubbed it our new favorite way to clean small-to-medium tools like crease brushes, stippling ones, or concealer versions.
The product itself is a coconut oil-based solid and insanely easy to use. All you do is wet the bristles and swirl the fibers around the perimeter of the jar. Any clingy pigment dissolved quickly and easily, and with one swipe of a paper towel, the solid is good to go for the next use.
The only downside is that, because of the tub's small size, this cleaner won't work for large foundation brushes or powder brushes. Don't let the size fool you, though, this product will last you a LONG time.
Urban Oreganics Brush Cleaner, $22, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of Urban Oreganics.
Another top seller? Urban Orenanics all-natural dry shampoo, which the shop sells in blonde and brunette varieties. We appreciate the color selection, because there is nothing worse than a splotchy white cast of dry shampoo on dark hair.
That being said, we tested the blonde version, which is made with only two ingredients: kaolin clay and arrowroot powder. Seeing as most aerosol dry shampoos have upwards of 20 ingredients, the product's simplicity was very refreshing. The only potential downside to the all-natural formula is that is has no scent — which could be a good or bad thing, depending on preference.
When we used it after a workout, the product absorbed oil well, didn't leave residue, and left our hair feeling volumized. Application was one of our only major pain points, as it's tricky to scoop out of the jar and comb through hair.
Urban Oreganics Dry Shampoo, $14, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of Urban Oreganics.
FormularyFiftyFive, a cruelty-free luxury bath and body shop out of Colorado, has five-star status with nearly 10,000 reviews on Etsy. A fan favorite? This Rosehip & Clay facial mask, made with geranium and comfrey. Our beauty intern, Caitlin, took this loose powder mask for a (slightly messy) test drive.
"I have to admit, getting this mask from the world wide web made me paranoid. But all of my worries were put to rest when I mixed this rose-scented pink powder with water. I loved the color, I loved the smell, and I loved mixing it myself. A word of warning, though: The major player in this mask is clay and it dries pretty rigid. I wouldn't have noticed it, had I not been passing the time by scrolling through internet memes on my phone and found I couldn't move my face enough to laugh."
FormularyFiftyFive, Rosehip & Clay Facial Mask, $8, Etsy.
Photo: courtesy of FormularyFiftyFive.
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