Behind the Brand
What is indie skincare?
What independent skincare really means — and why it might be the right fit for the next line you bring into your space.
Indie brands are independently owned and operated, and usually built on a small scale.
Indie skincare brands tend to be small operations that focus on high-end, thoughtfully chosen ingredients and packaging, while holding a genuine commitment to making positive change in their community. What follows are just some of the ways indie brands are shaking up the skincare industry — and how we live each of those values at Indiefog Naturals.
What indie brands stand for
Indie brands hold a different range of values than larger companies. They serve local social and environmental causes with real passion. They build their work around authenticity, often filling a market gap no one else was paying attention to. Here is what that looks like across four pillars.
Pillar One
Values & philosophy
Indie brands have flexibility and freedom in product innovation, development, and marketing. They build deep, authentic connections with customers through community, and they care about being distinctive and telling a real story rather than chasing the broadest possible market.
Pillar Two
Quality & innovation
Indie brands are usually built with the intent to be very high quality, with unique ingredients chosen to fill a gap in the industry. Larger companies aren't in business to make minimal profits — indie brands often are, because the work matters more than the margin.
Pillar Three
Local & community
Indie brands love to keep it local — sourcing locally where they can, working with small businesses, and selling close to home. When you keep things local, you keep your relationships, connections, and community tight, and you build a brand with real purpose.
Pillar Four
Positive impact
Indie brands value transparency, rather than hiding behind proprietary blends. They are clear about what a product is made of and why. The goal isn't to sell to everyone — it's to reach the right person, for the right reason, without bending the truth.
How we live this at Indiefog
We are a small company that operates on a very small scale. We formulate and produce each product in our home shop, and we focus on selling primarily through local avenues. We like to build relationships with all of our vendors and customers, and we love hearing the next big idea they have for a product or a product line.
We were founded on our values and our connection to the environment — the ocean, the planet, the plastic crisis, and the conviction that skincare shouldn't be made with unhealthy chemicals.
Our profit margins are much smaller than larger brands, by design. We focus on quality ingredients, quality sourcing, and a quality end product. It's about the experience, not the bottom line. We love to break the mold and innovate constantly, and because we can change direction far faster than larger brands, you can expect quick turnarounds, newly formulated products, and occasionally a formula that's been refined slightly since the last time you bought it. We take feedback seriously, and we'll go the extra mile to earn your business — we value the person more than the profit.
Indiefog Naturals began building its community in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where we grew a small, authentic circle of vendors and supporters. We've since moved our shop back to San Diego, where it originated, and we're working diligently to build that community again. Community doesn't happen overnight — but we hope to be swimming in a much larger sea before long.
Because skincare doesn't fall under FDA regulation, the consumer has to be their own advocate, trusting that what a company puts on the label is true and that the ingredients inside aren't harmful. We were founded on the desire to use healthy, non-harmful ingredients that are safe for human use and for ocean life. We even package our products in glass with metal lids, alongside compostable containers and refillable options, to minimize our impact on the planet and the oceans.
An open invitation
If you're a local vendor, wellness center, spa, boutique, or business owner and you'd like to learn more about our products and our audience, please reach out. We'd love to supply samples at your request.
Every product from Indiefog Naturals is made by hand, in small batches, with full transparency — built for people who want to know exactly what they're putting on their skin, and why.
How to support indie brands
Supporting indie brands can feel challenging if you mostly shop at big-box stores. We recommend seeking out small, locally owned boutiques — they often carry locally made, sustainable products from genuinely interesting companies. We love it when local small businesses, like 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 our chances of making bigger waves in a massive sea of competition. If you want change, be the change — and support the change.
Curious where to begin? Let your body point the way.
Start Here