MOST WANTED
ByJoseph Wright
Although LGBTQIA+ Pride is celebrated all year around at Space NK, this Pride Month we wanted to shine a spotlight on our LGBTQIA+ brand founders that continue to innovate and inspire the beauty community. From Tan-Luxe’s bestselling tanning drops to Allies of Skin’s hard-hitting overnight mask, you might be surprised by how many of your favourite products are included in our roundup.
We’re supporting Switchboard LGBT+ throughout June for the second year running. Switchboard LGBT+ is the national LGBTQIA+ support line that helps individuals explore, talk and be heard at any point in their journey. You can get involved by donating just £5 here. As a little thank you, in return you’ll receive an exclusive 20% off code to spend at Space NK.
To help inspire your next beauty haul, here are the LGBTQIA+ founded beauty brands…
01
Tan-Luxe
Super Glow Face Serum SPF 30, £40.00
Tan-Luxe is a skincare-meets-tanning brand, responsible for Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Tan Drops, £36.00 and Tan-Luxe The Gradual Tan Lotion, £14.00, and more recently collaborating with Paris Hilton on the Tan-Luxe The Future, £39.00. Tan-Luxe was founded by Marc Elrick, who started in the beauty space with hair, running a hair salon alongside his husband. Marc spotted a gap in the market for customisable tan after noticing his clients had in-depth skincare, makeup and hair routines, but tanning was neglected. Tan-Luxe was then born, giving you that sun-kissed glow all year round.
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02
BYOMA
Moisturising Gel Cream, £12.00
Once he’d conquered tanning, Marc Elrick then went on to establish BYOMA, which he began developing in 2020. BYOMA strips back skincare to offer a non-complicated routine to boost, repair and restore your skin barrier – so if you’re looking for healthy and glowing skin, BYOMA is the brand for you! Plus, their bright and fun packaging looks great on your skincare shelf too!
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03
JVN Hair
Nurture Intense Hydration Mask, £29.00
Founded by Jonathan Van Ness, JVN Hair was established to empower people to love their hair and ultimately embrace more joy, love and confidence in their selves and their community. Jonathan has always been an inclusivity champion, from revolutionising people’s confidence on his role in Queer Eye, to establishing JVN Hair an inclusive, gender-neutral beauty line. I highly recommend checking out the new moisture-boosting hair treatment.
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04
Isle of Paradise
Self-Tanning Drops, £21.95
Isle Of Paradise is built on a philosophy of building a more inclusive beauty industry and empowering you to feel your best self, which aligns with founder Jules Von Hep’s advice to his younger self: “Be the person you were born to be, follow what feels good and glow from the inside out.” Isle Of Paradise focuses on a colour-correcting approach to tanning, whereby their innovative and vegan formulas create a natural and long-lasting glow.
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05
Kevyn Aucoin
The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation, £50.00
Founded in 2001, Kevyn Aucoin was one of the most established makeup artists of his time – particularly when it came to sculping and contouring. Growing up, Kevyn took interest in fashion and makeup from age 11, particularly drawing inspiration from fashion/beauty magazines such as Vogue – this shaped Kevyn’s career path and led to him working at New York Fashion Week and alongside 90s icons including Kate Moss & Naomi Campbell. Subsequently, Kevyn launched his brand in 2001, with products to enhance your natural features and illuminate the skin. Sadly, Kevyn passed in 2002, but left behind a legacy of bestselling products.
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06
Allies of Skin
Promise Keeper Nightly Blemish Treatment, £129.00
Allies Of Skin, founded by Nicolas Travis, is a brand creating a minimalist yet supercharged skincare routine to maintain healthy skin and diminish skincare concerns. At age 19, Nicolas had an accident which left his face wounded and in need of reconstructive surgery. However, after his first microsurgery, unfortunately his face was left with infections and dents, and after a further 5 operations to try and rectify this Nicolas was left with self-confidence issues and subsequently an ongoing battle with depression. It was then, where he set himself a goal of launching a skincare line to take control back of his skin – figuring if they had confidence issues with their skin, then no doubt others will be in similar situations.
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07
Malin + Goetz
Eucalyptus Deodorant, £14.00
Founded by partners Matthew Malin & Andrew Goetz in 2004, MALIN+GOETZ combine natural ingredients with advanced technology to create a head-to-toe regime, as well as fragrance to suit any mood. Established in New York, Malin & Goetz took inspiration from the diversity & inclusivity from the city to birth a brand designed for all skin types, tones and genders. My personal favourite is the Eucalyptus Deodorant, but you also can’t go wrong with any of their products!
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08
Boy Smells
Kush Scented Candle, £44.00
Boy Smells was founded by partners Matthew Herman & David Kien. Both establishing their careers in the fashion industry in design & product development, they utilised their skills to develop a brand which challenges the gender binary with packaging that embraces both masculine & feminine qualities simultaneously. But moreover, their scents, which originally began as an experiment in their kitchen in Los Angeles, are phenomenal!
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Posted: Monday, 03 June 2024
