Whether you're beauty obsessed or not, it's pretty likely your makeup bag is filled to bursting with tens of different products, from eyeshadow palettes to lipsticks, in the exact same shade. When it comes to applying, we're creatures of habit, with most of us reluctant to waver from our failsafe makeup shades. But one new beauty brand aims to change all that, doing away with the faff of carrying around multiple products while encouraging us to try something new. Enter: Depixym.
Dreamed up by Victoria Feebery and Alice Rhodes, whose backgrounds are in product development (most recently Boots), the burgeoning Instagram-worthy brand consists of a handful of simple cosmetic emulsions in multiple shades. Some are a little more adventurous (cobalt blue, canary yellow, burnt orange) and others more wearable, including nude, red and flushed pink. The products are already makeup artist-approved, with Instagram favourites like Emily Wood and Branka Vorkapic already on board, so if you've seen bold eyeliner on the catwalk or an artistic lip in a music video, it's probably Depixym.
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"We realised consumers always wanted the same things out of their products, including being longwearing, highly pigmented, blendable and with zero chance of transferring," said Victoria and Alice. "Instead of having five different products in the same shade, we wanted to make makeup easier by giving people one simple thing that they can use everywhere – one ultimate product that has all of these amazing properties and is safe for use everywhere." The finished result is a simple tinted cosmetic emulsion with no label and no real expectations. "It's about giving people a shit hot product that they can use however the hell they want."
At first glance, the brand is a hybrid between Glossier, thanks to the Cloud Paint-esque tubes (raw aluminium and therefore sustainable), and Kryolan, professional makeup which celebrity, editorial and stage artists swear by thanks to the intense pigment, staying power and versatility. It isn't all about aesthetics, though. Depixym's ethos sets them apart from others. Of course, they are vegan, cruelty-free and shine a spotlight on the environment, but that should be a given for every new beauty brand bursting on to the scene. They stand out for other reasons.
Thanks to Instagram and enforced beauty ideals, Victoria and Alice acknowledge that the beauty industry often leaves people feeling anything but beautiful, which is why they have a different approach to marketing. "We don’t airbrush, retouch photos or use paid influencers. Instead, we're about 'real' humans, 'real' products and 'real' pictures. It’s for everyone, regardless of age or gender, and works on every skin tone and type. The brand has always been about other people. We got tired of labels and stereotypes and wanted to make amazing products for all humans. For him, for her, for them."
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You only have to glance at Depixym's Instagram to realise that they aren't like other makeup brands. Looks aren't perfect, but they are bursting with creativity. That said, you don't have to be a professional to use the products. "Not only do they work on all skin tones (and we specifically made sure that they don't include opacifiers, which typically make products look ashy on dark skin) but no one is too inexperienced to use them. Just grab your favourite applicator, whether it's a brush or a sponge, and apply each emulsion like you would any product. Our top tip is that thin brushes create a super precise liner and lipstick. Both of us have a soft spot for #0000 and we call it our secret weapon. It literally does everything, from making shades 'sheerer' to neatening up lines and edges."
While many professional makeup artists use products in unconventional ways, such as lipstick on eyes and eyeliner on lips, it seems a lot of products aren't safely formulated for these areas, and that poses risks. Depixym's cosmetic emulsions, however, are suitable for use all over. "Just don't put the product in your eye and (obviously) don't eat it," the brand's website warns.
Each emulsion costs £18 but a little really does go a long way. A single dot blended out with a brush is enough to blanket lids, lips and cheeks in a sheer wash of colour that stays put for hours on end, but they're also incredibly buildable. Unlike many other pigments, especially powder versions, each formula is incredibly easy to remove with water or an oil-based cleanser if you're layering shades. Meet your new, everyday makeup staples.