What is Indie Skincare?
First off, Indie brands are independently owned and operated, and often operates on a small scale. Indie Skincare are typically small brands which focus on high-end quality ingredients and packaging while upholding a value to making positive change in their community. Below are just some of the amazing things Indie brands are doing to shake up the skincare industry.
Values & Philosophy
Indie brands hold an exceptional range of values compared to larger companies. They serve local social and environmental causes with true passion and drive. Their brands are built around authentication and often fill a unique market gap. They have flexibility and freedom when it comes to product innovation, development and marketing. They build authentic deep connections with customers through community engagements. They focus on being unique and telling a story.
At Indiefog Naturals, we are indeed a small company that operates on a very small scale. We formulated, a produced each product in our home shop and we focus on selling primarily through local avenues. We like to build relationships will all our vendors and customers, and we love hearing feedback for the next big idea they have for a product or product line. We were founded based on values and connection to our environment, the ocean, our planet, the plastic crisis and the desire that skincare shouldn’t be made with unhealthy chemicals.
Quality & Innovation
Indie brands are typically created with the intent to be very high quality and unique ingredients. They strive to fill a gap in the industry, and large companies are not in business to make minimal profits.
At Indiefog Naturals, our profit margins are much smaller than larger brands. We focus on quality ingredients, quality sourcing and producing a quality end product. It’s all about the experience, not the bottom line for us. We love to break the mold and innovate constantly. We can turn directions much quicker than larger brands, so always expect quicker turnovers, newly formulated products or even slightly updated formulas that may be slightly different that when you originally purchased it. We are constantly striving to be better – we take feedback seriously – and we will go the mile to earn your business. We value the consumer more than profits.
Local & Community
Indie brands love to keep it local. We love sourcing local if we can, working with small local businesses and selling local. When you keep things local, you keep your relationships, connections and community tight. You build a true meaningful brand with purpose.
Indiefog Naturals began it’s community in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where we have built a small authentic community of vendors and supporters. We have recently moved our shop back to San Diego, where it originated from, and we are working diligently to build up a supportive community. Community doesn’t happen overnight and we hope that we will be swimming in a much larger sea soon.
If you are a local vendor, wellness center, spa, boutique or own your own business and would like to learn more about our products and our audience, please reach out and we’ve love to supply samples at your request.
Positive Impact
Indie brands are all about making change and shaking things up. We value transparency with our ingredients, rather than hiding behind proprietary blends. They will be clear about their product, what it’s made of and why they made it. They don’t sugar coat with marketing and advertising tactics to get you to just buy the product. Their goal is not to sell to everyone, it’s to sell to the right person and for the right reason. We aren’t looking to misguide or bend the truth. This is a very different approach than large companies. It’s all about authenticity and making a positive impact in an industry that withholds and bends the truth. Each industry has it’s weaknesses, and since skincare doesn’t fall under the FDA, the consumer has to be their own advocate. They trust what companies put on the label and that their ingredients are not harmful.
Indiefog Naturals was founded by the desire to use healthy, non-harmful ingredients that are safe for human use and ocean life. We even package all our products in glass, with metal lids, compostable containers and refillable options to minimize our negative impact on the planet and our oceans.
How to Support Indie Brands
Supporting Indie brands can be sometimes challenging if you only shop at big box stores. We highly recommend shopping at small, locally owned boutique stores that often carry locally made and sustainable products from really cool unique companies. We love when local small businesses, such as realtors, give our products as gifts. Word of mouth is what we live by as an Indie brand. The more you tell people about us, the better opportunity we have to make bigger waves in a massive sea of competition. If you want change, be the change and support the change!