Howtobehandsome

No.98 Beauty

No.98 Beauty is a direct-to-consumer, online-only label that concentrates on complexion and color cosmetics. Core SKUs include weightless foundations, multi-use lip-and-cheek stains, loose mineral veils, and a tightly edited range of vegan brushes and tools. Everything sits in the mid-range tier: most items retail between $22 and $38, with occasional limited-edition drops climbing to $48. The brand’s positioning hinges on “clean glamour”—EU-compliant formulas that exclude 1,400+ controversial ingredients yet still deliver pro-level pigment and photo-friendly finishes. Their hero product, Filter-Fix Soft-Focus Foundation, went viral on TikTok for flash-proof coverage that feels like “nothing on skin,” while the Cloudset Translucent Powder is routinely back-ordered within hours of restock. Refillable componentry and carbon-neutral shipping reinforce the eco-luxury ethos. Customers are 18-35-year-old content creators, beauty students, and early-career professionals who want camera-ready results without prestige mark-ups. They value ingredient transparency, cruelty-free certification, and minimalist packaging that photographs well on social feeds. The brand speaks in a frank, tutorial-heavy voice that treats makeup as creative utility rather than ritual. No.98 Beauty competes in the crowded “cleanical” space occupied by indie color brands that straddle Sephora’s “Clean + Planet Positive” wall and TikTok shops. It differentiates through shade-range discipline (only 16 flexible SKUs that self-adjust), rapid small-batch production cycles that respond to trend data within six weeks, and a strict DTC model that keeps per-gram pricing 20-30 % below comparable clean formulas sold via wholesale.

Pro-level pigment without the luxury price tag or compromise

• Vegan
• Cruelty-free

Thebeautystore

Thebeautystore.com is a U.S.-based pure-play e-commerce site that stocks 10,000+ SKUs across haircare, skincare, cosmetics, bath-body, tools and men's grooming. Brands run from drugstore (Cantu, NYX) to prestige (Olaplex, Dermalogica), so most items sit in the $10-$60 mid-range with a smaller premium tier above $100. Everything is sold only through the site and its mobile app; there are no brick-and-mortar locations. The retailer differentiates by fast, free shipping on any $50+ order and same-day dispatch from three domestic warehouses, cutting delivery times to 1-3 days nationwide. It is an authorized reseller for every label it carries, giving customers manufacturer warranties and eliminating grey-market risk. Frequent 15-20 % off sitewide codes and a loyalty program that pays 5 % back in store credit keep repeat traffic high. Core shoppers are 18-44-year-old women who follow beauty trends on TikTok/Instagram and want professional products without salon or department-store mark-ups. They value convenience, price transparency and quick restocks of viral items such as Olaplex No. 3 or The Ordinary serums. A growing segment of male buyers adds beard and skincare SKUs to the same basket. Thebeautystore competes with other large online beauty pure-plays and subscription boxes by focusing on rapid fulfillment and guaranteed authenticity rather than samples or editorial content. Against mass-market retailers it counters with deeper brand catalogs, steeper promo codes and beauty-specific customer service staffed by licensed cosmetologists.

Pro beauty products at drugstore prices, delivered tomorrow

Feel Like Beauty

Feel Like Beauty is a direct-to-consumer, online-only color-cosmetics label that keeps its line tight: multi-use complexion sticks, cream blushes, gloss balms, and a small range of vegan brushes. Everything sits between $12 and $22, squarely in the affordable-to-mid bracket, and the site ships worldwide from U.S. fulfillment centers. The brand markets “make-up that feels like skin,” formulating without fragrance, talc, or dimethicone and publishing full ingredient decks plus shade-swirl demo videos for every SKU. Its hero product, the Build-Blend Skin Stick, went viral on TikTok in 2022 for melting on contact and doubling as foundation, concealer, and contour; limited seasonal color drops routinely sell out within 48 hours. Core shoppers are 18-30-year-old Gen-Z and young-millennial women who want quick, low-buy routines, post skincare-shelfie minimalism, and cruelty-free credentials they can screenshot. They value honest pricing, inclusive shade ranges (light-deep with olive & sienna undertones), and brands that speak in first-person captions rather than airbrushed campaigns. Feel Like Beauty competes in the crowded “clean-girl” cream segment against larger indie studios and conglomerate diffusion lines; it stays distinct by capping SKUs, refusing influencer mark-ups, and using recyclable kraft tubes that cost less than mirrored plastic, letting it undercut premium clean rivals while keeping margins intact.

Skin-first makeup that actually costs what it should

• Recycled
• Vegan
• Cruelty-free

Beiabeauty

Beiabeauty.com is a digital-only color-cosmetics label that stocks a tightly edited range of complexion, eye and lip products priced between $12 and $38, squarely in the mid-range bracket. SKUs are limited to about 40 items—mostly multi-use sticks, cream pigments and refillable palettes—sold exclusively through the brand’s own site with global shipping from U.S. fulfillment centers. The line is built around “clean-glam”: EU-compliant vegan formulas packed in 30 % post-consumer plastic or aluminum tins that can be re-ordered as $8 refills. Standouts include the CloudSkin Serum Foundation (32 shades, hyaluronic microspheres) and the 3-pan Magnetic Face Palette that snaps into a recycled-PU clutch; both routinely sell out within days of restock. Core buyers are 18-34-year-old TikTok-savvy shoppers who want photo-friendly payoff without “dirty” ingredient lists or cluttered vanities; sustainability and inclusive shade logic are primary purchase drivers. Messaging leans on minimalist aesthetics, user-generated tutorials and a shade-matching quiz that feeds data-driven restocks, reinforcing a community-led product cycle. Beiabeauty competes with indie-clean color brands that balance trend pigment stories with eco claims; it differentiates by capping the catalog to hero SKUs, offering sub-$10 refills and shipping every order in zero-plastic pulp trays—moves that undercut both premium clean labels and conventional mid-range players on waste and long-term cost.

Less stuff, more glow, zero guilt

• Sustainable
• Recycled
• Vegan

Skinbaeandbeyond

Skinbaeandbeyond.com is a digital-only skin-care boutique that focuses on Korean-influenced daily essentials: cleansers, toners, serums, sheet masks, SPF and tools such as jade rollers and LED wands. Most SKUs sit between $12-$38, placing the offer in the affordable-to-mid bracket, with occasional “pro-strength” sets reaching $60. Everything is sold exclusively through the brand’s Shopify site, which ships from California to the U.S. and Canada. The company positions itself as “K-beauty decoded for lazy humans,” pairing short ingredient lists with playful, meme-style education cards in every parcel. Best-known launches include the 2-Step “Slush” Essence-Toner and the sold-out monthly “Mask-Bae” bundle that curates 5 indie Korean sheet masks with usage QR codes. All products are vegan, fragrance-free and photographed on diverse, unretouched skin tones. Core buyers are 18-30-year-old Gen-Z women and non-binary consumers who discovered skin care on TikTok and want fast, affordable routines without 12 steps. They value cruelty-free formulas, gender-neutral pastel packaging, and the brand’s body-positive social feed that reposts customer selfies tagged #SkinBeyond. Skinbaeandbeyond competes in the crowded “accessible K-beauty” space dominated by algorithm-driven e-tailers and subscription boxes. It differentiates by limiting SKU count to 30 hero items, offering single-purchase bundles instead of subscriptions, and guaranteeing same-day TikTok reply support—tactics that shrink choice overload and build peer-to-peer trust.

Korean skin care that actually gets you, minus the confusing steps

• Vegan
• Cruelty-free

Aaronthebarber

Aaronthebarber sells men’s grooming tools and cosmetics centered on hair styling and beard care: clippers, trimmers, shears, combs, brushes, pomades, beard oils, and finishing sprays. Most SKUs sit in the $18-$45 band (mid-range), with a handful of limited-edition tools reaching $120; everything is sold direct-to-consumer through aaronthebarber.com and via in-site live-drop auctions, no third-party retail. The brand’s edge is education-first merchandising: every product page embeds a tutorial reel shot by founder Aaron “the Barber” Myers, showing the exact cut or beard shape the item achieves. Signature releases such as the ATB cordless magnetic-motor clipper and the 360 Wave pomade routinely sell out within minutes because each drop is tied to a live-stream demo and numbered certificates signed by Aaron. Core buyers are 18-35-year-old urban males who follow barber culture on TikTok/Instagram and value self-taught grooming skills over salon visits. They want professional-grade results at home, identify with Aaron’s entrepreneurial barber-to-brand-owner story, and favor products validated by a licensed barber rather than a celebrity face. Aaronthebarber competes in the crowded men’s grooming space against both legacy clipper makers and influencer-backed cosmetic lines. It differentiates by merging licensed technical credibility with limited-drop hype mechanics, turning everyday tools into collectible items backed by real-time education that keeps return rates below 2 %.

Learn cuts like Aaron, own tools like a pro

Reframebeauty

Reframebeauty.com is a digital-only skin-care label that focuses on corrective serums, barrier-support moisturizers and mineral SPF. Everything is sold DTC through the brand’s own site; prices sit in the mid-range bracket, with most 30 ml treatments between $38-$58 and kits topping out at $110. The line is built around “reframing” actives: each formula pairs a high-dose proven ingredient (retinal, 10% vitamin C, 5% niacinamide) with a companion anti-irritant (lipid concentrate, beta-glucan, ectoin) so results come with less redness or peeling. All SKUs are fragrance-free, packaged in opaque airless pumps and manufactured in small quarterly runs to keep freshness dates within six months of fill. Core buyers are 25-40-year-old professionals who follow derm-science accounts, want prescription-level outcomes without a prescription and prioritize short, verifiable INCI lists. They value visible change but have experienced sensitivity from earlier “stronger is better” routines, so they gravitate to Reframe’s controlled-efficacy positioning and transparent irritation data posted for each product. Reframe competes in the crowded “clinical-grade, online-first” skin-care tier populated by VC-backed treatment brands and dermatologist-founded lines. It differentiates by publishing side-by-side irritation scores versus standard benchmarks, offering a 30-day “comfort guarantee” instead of blanket returns, and limiting the assortment to five multitasking SKUs that replace the typical 10-step routine.

Prescription strength without the prescription, minus the irritation