Department store brands will always have a place in our makeup bags, but in recent years, we’ve been just as impressed with the cosmetics coming out of local beauty brands.
They come in pretty packaging, offer great quality which matches that of imported versions — and, they’re super affordable, to boot.
It seems like about once a month, there’s a new Indonesian makeup brand that becomes the hot, buzzed-about line within the Instagram beauty sphere. As brands try to stay on-trend and relevant, many have released products, shades, and packaging that increasingly resemble those of other popular brands. As a result, the local beauty industry has become pretty congested.
The selection can be dizzyingly large for those who aren’t familiar with Indonesian cosmetics companies, so here’s a guide to some of the most beloved, good quality, beauty enthusiast-approved local brands.
Rollover Reaction
One of the OGs, Rollover Reaction first launched its now hugely popular Lip & Cheek Cream collections in 2016. With their pretty nudes to bold shades, they became an instant hit among local beauty enthusiasts, and since then they have released more makeup products. They currently have three different lip & cheek products, but you can also get Browcara (brow mascara), Liquid Eye Tint, Luminizing Sticks (highlighter/bronzer/blush sticks), and even a Face Mist and Face Wipes.
We’ve been fans of Rollover Reaction since 2016, and can vouch for the quality. Even if their lip creams and liquid eye shadow don’t have a lot of lasting power, we still like that they have wide color selections, minimalist packaging, and increasingly inclusive ad campaigns.
Personal faves: Lip & Cheek Cream in Saddie, Livv, and the limited edition Maxwell.
Rollover Reaction claim to be cruelty-free and paraben-free, and range from Rp55k (US $3.78) for face wipes to Rp129k (US $8.88) for Lip & Cheek Cream. Get Rollover Reaction on the brand’s website, Sociolla, or at its store in Plaza Indonesia. Peep their Instagram here.
BLP Beauty
Another one of the homegrown beauty industry’s OGs, BLP Beauty has been our favorite ever since it first launched in 2016. Created by makeup artist and beauty vlogger Lizzie Parra, the name BLP is an acronym for “By Lizzie Parra.”
BLP Beauty’s signature product is Lip Coat, available in 14 pretty shades: from nudes, bright pinks and purples, to bold reds and browns. You can also buy the petite and mini sets, which make great gifts as well as trial versions. We really like Lip Coat for their soft matte finish, with a comfortable yet long-lasting formula.
Other than lip products, BLP Beauty has since ventured out to eye products (eyeliner, eyeshadow pen, brow products, and fake lashes) and face products (loose powder and Face Glow, blush+bronzer/highlighter palettes), and they also just released a collection of makeup brushes.
Our go-to BLP Lip Coat shades: Burnt Cinnamon, Peach Soda, and Pumpkin Sorbet. Some might like the Lip Stain, which comes in three pretty shades, but personally, we don’t love the jelly-like texture of that one.
BLP Beauty claim their products are not tested on animals — a big plus — and are priced starting at Rp59k (US $4) for small brushes, to Rp129k (US $8.88) (Lip Coat), and Rp189k (US $13) (Face Glow).
BLP Beauty is available at Beauty Space BLP, Ground Floor Lotte Shopping Avenue, and two other locations in Bandung and Surabaya. You can buy it online via BLP Beauty’s official website, Sociolla, or Tokopedia. Peep their Instagram here.
Rosé All Day Cosmetics
Launched in 2017, Rose All Day Cosmetics (RADC) is one of the newcomers in the local beauty scene. The brand concept is that their product line is meant to be the essentials for an everyday “no makeup” makeup look.
RADC’s main product is the Lip and Cheek Duo, which comes in 11 shades, mainly in pinks and reds. Our favorites are the MLBB (My Lips But Better) shades in Fizz and Clink, which look very similar in the tube — but the latter comes out carrying an orange undertone. The matte, satin-like finish on the lips is great, but personally, we think the color comes off even prettier as a cream blush.
We’ve also been using their new Little Bean, or beauty blender, in the last couple of months. It’s so soft and bouncy on the skin, and thanks to its bright pink color, it’s easy to tell if the sponge is dirty enough to require cleaning.
The Realest Lightweight Foundation is another highlight — just like what the name implies, it’s really lightweight. Its coverage is light to medium with a satin finish, and works really well to cover imperfections. Sadly, it only comes in four shades, and even the darkest shade Honey would be considered too light for an average Indonesian skin tone. Hopefully, they’ll add more shades soon.
RADC claims to be paraben and cruelty-free. Sample prices, for your reference: Rp69k (US $4.75) for the Little Bean, Rp165k (US $11.37) for the Lip and Cheek Duo, and Rp209k (US $14.40) for The Realest.
You can find Rosé All Day Cosmetics at Love and Flair Store, level 4 Plaza Indonesia; or online via its official website, Tokopedia, Shopee, and Sociolla. Peep their Instagram here.
Dear Me Beauty
Dear Me Beauty is also considered a newcomer in the scene. The brand is currently going through a revamp, transitioning from its initial image that targeted younger teen consumers, to a more elegant and mature image.
Currently, the brand’s lip products are getting buzzed about: a Perfect Matte Lip Coat, Perfect Matte Lip Coat Snoopy Edition, and Multistick Crayon. There’s also an Airy Poreless Powder for the face.
We’ve only tried their Multistick Crayon in Dear Verra so far, and think it’s pretty solid. It stays put on the lips for hours, but unfortunately, the color is not really visible on the cheeks and lids.
Dear Me Beauty says that its products are only made with natural ingredients and not tested on animals. According to local beauty blog Lippie Lust, Perfect Matte Lip Coat contains Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, which prevents your lips from drying out.
Get Dear Me Beauty on the brand’s official website, Shopee, and Sociolla. Peep their Instagram here.
Make Over
Unlike the other four brands in this list, which are considered indie brands, Make Over is one of the biggest in the domestic cosmetics industry. Make Over is from the same company that owns Wardah and Emina, which dominate the middle-class Muslim and teenage beauty markets, respectively.
Founded in 2010, Make Over has an especially extensive collection of beauty products. From face primer to lip palette, you name it — and a new product rolls out once every few months. Their Intense Matte Lip Cream and Hyperblack Superstay liner — both are among some of our favorite products, ever — are two of the brand’s best-selling products. If you’re looking to have a new addition to your blush collection, then we’d recommend checking out the new Multifix Matte Blusher as well.
Make Over claims to be cruelty-free and Halal, with price ranging from Rp75k (US $5.17) for the Liquid Lip Color, Rp105k (US $7.23) for the Intense Matte Lip Cream, Rp125k (US $8.61) for the Hyperblack Superstay Liner, and Rp320k (US $22) for its eyeshadow palette. You can find Make Over at the brand’s independent store, plus various department and health stores such as Watsons and Guardian, or order online via Sociolla. Peep their Instagram here.
