Born in a rent-controlled Manhattan studio in 1996 with a single vitamin C serum, emerginC now develops luxury, results-driven skin care in its Brooklyn headquarters for spas and home routines. The independent brand blends clinically studied ingredients with active botanicals and has made sustainability part of its identity, including a Buy One, Plant One program that has planted more than 1.2 million trees.
Testament BeautyFounder-led Testament Beauty makes skincare that pairs garden-grown ingredients with clinical actives, with formulas designed to bring radiance at every age. Based in Brooklyn, the brand draws particular character from Mediterranean beauty traditions, including Damascena rose harvested in Isparta, Turkey, while its products are made in the USA with responsibly sourced global ingredients. Founder Sophia Chabbott’s line has been featured in outlets including Allure, W Magazine, and Town & Country.
PRESTIDGE beautéNew York makeup artist and former esthetician Shawnelle Prestidge creates minimalist botanical skincare through PRESTIDGE beauté, including the brand’s signature Ageless Skin Serum. Drawing on more than three decades in editorial and celebrity beauty, Prestidge develops small-batch formulas in her Brooklyn studio and infuses them with Reiki and other energetic modalities. The line uses organic or wild-harvested botanicals, avoids animal testing, and is designed to replace a complicated routine with a few intentional essentials.BROOKLYN, NY
Palermo BodyPalermo Body makes botanical skincare and self-care products, handcrafted in small batches at its Brooklyn studio with a sensibility shaped by Sicilian heritage. Founder and formulator Jess created the brand in honor of her Sicilian grandmother, Nonna Vincenza, and follows a minimalist formulation philosophy that gives each ingredient a clear purpose. The company’s products have also found a place in luxury spa treatment menus, including those at Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire and Carneros Resort & Spa.
Alder New YorkBrooklyn-based founders Nina Zilka and David Krause created Alder New York in 2016 to make streamlined botanical skincare for all skin types, ages, genders, and ethnicities. The queer- and woman-owned independent brand pairs plant extracts with science-backed, dermatologist-approved actives in vegan personal-care formulas. Its products are third-party vetted by the Environmental Working Group and verified by Vegan Action.BROOKLYN, NY