Founded in 2015 by celebrity esthetician, Jillian Wright, and entrepreneur, Nader Naeymi-Rad, the Indie Beauty Expo (IBE) was established to fill a void in the industry by providing a platform to support the growth and success of market-ready indie brands and the entrepreneurs behind them.

Since its debut in 2015 in NYC, Indie beauty, itself, has created a fashionable furor, and the show has kept up with the frenetic pace—expanding to Los Angeles and Dallas, and connecting hundreds of brands with buyers, press and consumers. A full schedule of education and networking events is now also part of the agenda.

This year’s event will take place August 22-24. The first day is for exhibitors only; called CONNECT Indie, it is a day for thought leadership, expert dialogues, panels and discussions for the beauty entrepreneur.

The second day, the show is open to the public in the evening; the third day is for B2B/industry attendees (open 10am-5pm). Day 2 and 3 events will take place at Skylight Clarkson Square, 550 Washington Street, NYC. See details at indiebeautyexpo.com/attend.

Since its premiere in 2015, the IBE has grown substantially, not only in days and features, but in the number of participating brands. The original show, which housed 80 brands in less than 10,000 sq. ft., has become a showplace for more than 200 brands in 50,000 sq. ft.

Commenting on the rate of expansion, co-founder Jillian Wright (shown above) says, “It shows you how much the category of indie is growing at a very fast rate.  We can hardly keep up with all of the inquiries to exhibit with us.” She says in addition to LA and Dallas, they will be adding another market in 2018, which will be announced at IBE NY in August. “We are also working on some very exciting projects that we will also announce at CONNECT Indie this year,” adds Wright.

Looking ahead to the upcoming Manhattan show, Wright, an admitted beauty junkie, says there are a number of brands she’s excited to see, including:

The Handmade Soap Company: Based in Ireland

Winners Beard Company: Started by an ex-pro baseball player and Marine

Perfect Ten Custom Nails: The brand will be taking orders for custom sets at the NY show   

Red Earth: An Australian brand

Olio di Allesandro: “Collectable” packaging that includes caps made from Carrarra Marble (shown above)

2nd Ground Skincare: a coffee up-cycling company made in Brooklyn (shown above)

Cuvee Beauty: a hair care company founded by Rachel Katzman that uses a champagne and truffle oil complex in the formulas. “Katzman went to a party in Vegas for her 21st birthday and was doused in champagne,” explains Wright. “She loved the way her hair looked so she created a haircare line around it.”


Photo above: (L) Jillian Wright, co-founder, IBE; (Right, top) Olio di Allesandro; (Right, Bottom) 2nd Ground Skincare


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A few more beauty brands at this year's show include BKR, Thorn & Bloom, Moonlit Skincare, Honest Hazel and A Beautiful Life.  See them in the slideshow:  A Sneak Peek at Indie Beauty Expo 2017