These are just a few of the best small London-based beauty brands to support right now

Vanderohe
Vanderohe

These may be perilous times for our wardrobes (pyjama days have morphed into pyjama weeks), but in terms of beauty, there’s no better place to start than with a whole day spent indoors.

While it may be uncouth to slap on a sheet mask in the office, who’s to say you can’t spend your morning marinating your face in a luxuriously hydrating concoction before using your afternoon to give yourself a DIY facial? Absolutely nobody, quite frankly.

The beauty possibilities are endless, as are the brands that you can support during the time, from the skin-loving stalwarts of the industry to an array of established and well-loved brands.

But beauty is a behemoth which does more than drive results and banish blemishes, it’s a world which has created space for a bevvy of small and independent entrepreneurs to carve a seat at the table for themselves.

At a time when we’re imploring each other to support our communities, there’s no better place to start than with the flourishing arsenal of London-based beauty brands, which are practically neighbours to many.

If your favourite face oil’s running low or you’re needing a top-up of moisturiser, opt to buy them from these independent brands which are affordable, effective and home-grown. What’s not to love?

By Sarah

(By Sarah London)
(By Sarah London)

You may have heard of By Sarah's award-winning and utterly delectable Organic Facial Oil (£32, shop it here) - but if not, where have you been? Upon using it for just one week, I found it rapidly replaced the serum-moisturiser combo I was using each night. A true wonder kid of a product if ever a thing did exist.

But that’s not all; this is an organic, vegan skincare line with a heart. The brand was founded in 2017 by Sarah after her sister Lauren, who was recovering from leukaemia, struggled to find skincare which soothed her sensitive skin. Sarah took matters into her own hands and started creating organic products which were results-driven and totally natural. Lauren now serves as the board’s COO, meaning it’s a London-based family affair.

As a way of recognising the unprecedented nature of these tricky times, the brand has created a WhatsApp group, especially for its community. The group comprises By Sarah customers and Sarah herself and enables members to discuss everything from sharing at-home tips to self-care pointers.

By Sarah is also offering gift cards for all key workers and a 50 per cent discount for all NHS members of staff.

bysarahlondon.com

Vanderohe​

(Vanderohe)
(Vanderohe)

Similar to the genesis of many beauty brands, Vanderohe was born as a result of its founder Olivia Thorpe’s myriad skin complaints.

In a bid to banish the blemish-prone skin she was blighted with, Thorpe began researching plant oils, only to learn that they’re not all created equally and they’re at their most potent when grown in their native soils. And so the seed of Vanderohe was planted.

The brand, which is based in London, uses only recyclable and biodegradable products in their packaging and all of their bottles are made using recyclable Miron glass; a unique, dark violet glass that uses the science of biophotonics to maintain and prolong the potency of the ingredients.

"Fortunately we make all our products in-house, so operationally we have been fine through this period,” Olivia Thorpe, founder of Vanderohe, tells the Standard. “From a sales perspective, we have been very lucky that the online community has rallied around small businesses and we’ve seen amazing support which has mitigated any drop in sales that we anticipated.”

Vanderohe's Nourishing Face Serum (£88, shop it here) emulates the same spa-worthy feeling as Gwyneth Paltrow favourite, the Active Botanical Serum from Californian brand Vintner’s Daughter, yet is a fraction of the price.

vanderohe.com

Tandem

(Tandem)
(Tandem)

According to statistics from last year, almost 28 per cent of women reduced the number of products in their facial skincare routine, with millennials aged 20-29 most likely to have simplified their routines.

It’s this desire for a simplified skincare structure which Tandem speaks to. Its multifunctional products are designed to work symbiotically, meaning you need less in your regime. Oh, and did we mention that its packaging is also Insta-friendly catnip?

The Shepherds Bush-based brand, was founded by sister and brother duo Sophie and Sam in 2017, and, if you do one good deed this week, let it be to buy the brand's Its More Than Moisturiser (£18, shop it here), which smells like roasted marshmallows and has become a staple of my makeshift WFH desk.

tandemskincare.co.uk

Neighbourhood Botanicals

(Neighbourhood Botanicals)
(Neighbourhood Botanicals)

If it's bold, botanical, no BS beauty that you're after, then look no further than Hackney-based Neighbourhood Botanicals, which has become a firm favourite among East London’s cool kids.

The brand was founded by Byron Bay native Micaela Nisbet who, after moving to London aged 23, yearned to find an answer to the dull and lacklustre skin she’d developed as a result of her hectic job in music.

Keen to regain her Aussie glow, she threw paychecks at mainstream skincare, annoyed to find many products packed with plastic fillers or carrying hefty price tags. Intent on finding a realistic solution, Nisbet returned to blending her own raw oils and extracts, and the results were immediate.

To complement her home-grown techniques, she took an Advanced Diploma of Organic Skincare Formulation between tours - et voila! Neighbourhood Botanicals was born in 2018.

Its hero product is unequivocally its Daily Glow Facial Oil (£28, shop it here), which is light enough for daily use and protects against environmental nasties.

neighbourhoodbotanicals.com

MONTAMONTA​

(MONTAMONTA)
(MONTAMONTA)

East London-based MONTAMONTA is the capital’s answer to cult Australian brand Aesop.

The sustainable brand creates botanical hand washes, hand balms and body scrubs, all which evoke similar scents to the Ozzy fave. Its Verbena, Geranium and Cedar Hand Wash (£17.60, shop it here) is so delicious-smelling, it’ll have you happily washing those paws for twenty seconds.

The brand, which makes all of its products in East London, is a staple in the area’s hotspots and, as a result of the current pandemic, began producing hand sanitiser sprays to all of the restaurants and cafes it serves.

As if its hand and body offerings weren't already enough, the brand recently collaborated with denim brand m.i.h jeans to produce a refresh spray for its pieces, with the idea being to reduce the carbon and water offset involved in washing clothes.

montamonta.com

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The best indie beauty brands to shop right now