Menagerie Cosmetics is a cruelty-free indie beauty brand that’s carved out a devoted following with richly pigmented eyeshadows, innovative glitter toppers, and animal-inspired packaging, all at accessible price points that won’t drain your wallet. If you’ve been curious about trying indie makeup but felt overwhelmed by where to start, this brand offers a sweet spot between quality and affordability, with eyeshadow singles at $8, liquid lipsticks at $18, and full palettes ranging from $40 to $45.
I first stumbled across Menagerie while scrolling through makeup reviews late one night, drawn in by the adorable animal-themed names and genuinely stunning swatches. What started as casual browsing turned into a deep dive once I realized their formulas actually delivered on the hype without the luxury price tag. The brand launched with six signature shades (Cat Fight, Hyacinth, Hungry Eyes, Cherimoya, Aurelia, and Animal Cookie) and has since expanded into a full range that includes everything from matte liquid lipsticks to shimmering glitter toppers.
Here’s what makes Menagerie worth your attention: their commitment to high-performance color payoff means you’re getting professional-quality pigmentation without spending professional-level money. Whether you’re building your first eyeshadow collection or adding specialty products like their Moonlit Metal glitter toppers to your routine, this brand understands that beautiful makeup should be accessible to everyone, regardless of budget.
What Makes Menagerie Cosmetics Stand Out
When I first started exploring indie beauty brands, I noticed that many either focused solely on creating bold, statement shades or positioned themselves as ultra-minimal, barely-there beauty. Menagerie Cosmetics caught my attention because they do something different, they occupy a sweet spot between playful creativity and wearable sophistication.
The brand’s animal-inspired naming convention isn’t just cute marketing. Each product name tells a story, from Cat Fight to Hungry Eyes to their Moonlit Metal glitter toppers like Adelie and Pounce. This thoughtful approach extends beyond packaging into their actual product development philosophy. Rather than flooding the market with hundreds of SKUs at once, Menagerie launched strategically with six carefully curated shades that established their aesthetic vision from the start.
What genuinely sets them apart in the crowded indie space is their commitment to formulation integrity. Many emerging brands compromise on quality to keep prices low or rush products to market. Menagerie takes a different approach, ensuring their formulas meet rigorous ingredient safety standards while delivering genuine performance. Their Frost eyeshadow formula, for example, isn’t just shimmer thrown into a pan, it’s a distinct finish that wears differently than standard metallics.
The brand also avoids the indie trap of creating products that only work for makeup artists or beauty enthusiasts with advanced skills. Their palettes and singles perform well whether you’re doing a quick everyday look or experimenting with something more creative. For those of us who appreciate quality but don’t want to spend mainstream prestige prices, this balance matters. You’re not paying for overhyped packaging or celebrity endorsements, you’re investing in thoughtfully crafted products that actually show up on your face.
The Product Range: What You Need to Know
Eyeshadows and Palettes
Menagerie’s eyeshadow collection centers on highly pigmented singles and carefully curated palettes that showcase their formula expertise. Their pressed pigment singles, like Rose Hip Frost, run $8 each, a price point that lets you experiment with their signature animal-inspired shades without committing to a full palette. I’ve found that starting with singles helps you discover whether a brand’s formula works with your eye shape before investing in larger sets.
The Frost formula deserves special mention. These shimmery finishes, including shades like Fresh Sage Frost, deliver reflective shimmer without the chunky fallout that plagues some indie formulas. They blend smoothly and build intensity without muddying, making them surprisingly versatile for petite eyes where too much shimmer can overwhelm.
Their palette offerings cater to different needs. The Killer Purr Eyeshadow Palette ($45) focuses on coordinated eye looks with a mix of mattes and shimmers, while the Pastel Pup Pro Artistry Face Palette ($40) expands beyond eyes to include cheek and highlight shades. Both palettes follow Menagerie’s playful naming convention while delivering professional-quality formulas. The price tags sit firmly in indie territory, more than drugstore, less than prestige, but the pigment payoff and blendability justify the investment for women building a thoughtful makeup collection.
Lip Products That Deliver
Menagerie’s lip lineup splits into two distinct categories, each serving a different purpose in your makeup collection. Their Cricket Long Lasting Matte Liquid Lipstick ($18) delivers what the name promises: a comfortable matte finish that holds up through coffee breaks and conversations. The formula sits lighter on the lips than many drugstore counterparts I’ve tested, without that tight, drying sensation that makes you reach for balm an hour in.
What impressed me most was how the color stays true throughout wear. You won’t find that frustrating fade-to-pink that happens with some liquid lipsticks halfway through your day. If you’re building confidence with bolder shades, these perfect lip tips pair nicely with Menagerie’s approachable formula.
The Moonlit Metal glitter lip toppers like Pounce ($20) transform any lipstick into something special-occasion worthy. These aren’t the chunky craft glitters that migrate onto your teeth. The shimmer particles stay suspended in a clear base that adds dimension without overwhelming your natural lip color. Layer Pounce over Cricket for date night, or dab it just on the center of your lower lip for a subtle highlight effect that catches light beautifully.
Glitter Toppers and Special Effects
The Moonlit Metal collection is where Menagerie gets seriously fun. These glitter toppers work on both eyes and lips, which means you’re getting two products in one compact. Adelie, one of their standout offerings at $20, delivers that multidimensional sparkle that catches light from every angle without feeling gritty or causing fallout mid-wear.
I love using glitter toppers because they transform a look in seconds. Pat Adelie over a neutral matte eyeshadow for daytime dimension, or layer it on top of your favorite liquid lipstick for date night. The key is applying with your fingertip rather than a brush for maximum sparkle payoff and minimal mess.
For everyday wear, I dab just the tiniest amount in the center of my eyelid or the middle of my lower lip to create that subtle highlight effect. Special occasions call for full lid application or generous lip coverage. These toppers also mix beautifully with clear gloss if you want to create a custom sparkly lip product.
The Pounce glitter lip topper, also $20, gives you another option for creating those statement lip looks without committing to a full glitter lipstick. These products prove that indie brands understand versatility matters, especially when you’re building a collection on a budget.
The Original Six: Menagerie’s Foundation Shades
Menagerie’s initial six shades tell the story of a brand unafraid to make bold, beautiful first impressions. Cat Fight, Hyacinth, Hungry Eyes, Cherimoya, Aurelia, and Animal Cookie weren’t randomly selected, they represent the brand’s commitment to spanning the color spectrum while maintaining that signature indie beauty playfulness.
What strikes me about this original collection is the range. You get everything from soft neutrals like Animal Cookie to vibrant statement shades like Cat Fight, which speaks to the brand’s philosophy that beauty should be versatile yet exciting. Hyacinth brings that purple-toned drama we all secretly (or not so secretly) love, while Hungry Eyes delivers on wearable sophistication. Cherimoya and Aurelia round out the collection with unique tones that fill gaps in most makeup collections.
This thoughtful curation shows Menagerie wasn’t just launching a brand, they were establishing an identity. Each shade works independently but also plays well with others, encouraging experimentation without overwhelming newcomers to indie beauty. The animal-inspired names add that whimsical touch that makes indie brands feel personal rather than corporate.
These six shades set the tone for everything that followed. They proved that Menagerie could deliver both quality formulations and creative vision, establishing trust with beauty enthusiasts willing to take a chance on a new name. For anyone exploring the brand, starting with products from this original lineup offers a genuine taste of what Menagerie is all about.
Price Points: Is Menagerie Worth Your Beauty Budget?
Let’s talk money, because I know budget matters just as much as beautiful packaging when you’re building your makeup collection.
Menagerie Cosmetics sits comfortably in the accessible indie price range. Their eyeshadow singles start at $8, which is incredibly reasonable for pressed pigments of this quality. Liquid lipsticks like Cricket run $18, while their glitter toppers (think Adelie or Pounce) come in at $20 each. On the palette end, you’re looking at $40 for the Pastel Pup Pro Artistry Face Palette and $45 for the Killer Purr Eyeshadow Palette.
How does this stack up? Compared to mainstream brands, Menagerie’s singles cost about the same as mid-range department store options, but the pigmentation often punches above that price point. Against other indie brands, they’re competitively priced, sometimes a dollar or two more than budget indies, but noticeably less than premium indie names that charge $12-15 per single.
The real value comes down to what you’re getting. These aren’t filler shades you’ll skip over. From my experience with indie brands, the $8 single price point is genuinely fair when the formula delivers and you’ll actually use it. Palettes offer better per-shade value if you love most colors in the collection.
My budget-conscious tip? Start with a few singles in shades you know you’ll wear frequently. Test the formula on your skin before committing to a full palette. Watch for any brand promotions, and consider that one quality $8 shadow you’ll reach for constantly beats three $5 shadows that sit untouched. Quality over quantity wins every time when you’re working with a beauty budget.
How to Incorporate Menagerie Into Your Routine
Starting with indie beauty can feel like stepping into uncharted territory, but I’ve found that building a Menagerie collection is simpler than you might think. Begin with one or two eyeshadow singles from their original six shades, Cat Fight’s warm depth or Cherimoya’s versatile neutrality work beautifully as introduction pieces. Test them with your existing makeup to see how the formulas perform on your skin before committing to a full palette.
For everyday wear, I pair a single Menagerie shade as a wash of color across the lid with my go-to neutral liner and mascara. This approach lets the quality of their pigments shine without requiring a complete routine overhaul. When I’m feeling more adventurous, I layer one of their Frost finish singles like Rose Hip on the inner corner for a subtle dimensional pop that catches light beautifully on smaller eye shapes.
The glitter toppers deserve special mention here because they transform looks without requiring advanced skills. I dab Adelie or Pounce over a neutral lip color for dinner out, or pat a tiny amount onto the center of my lid for instant dimension. These products prove especially useful for those of us with petite features who want impact without heavy application, a little goes far.
Building your collection gradually also makes financial sense. Instead of reaching straight for the Killer Purr palette at $45, start with two or three singles at $8 each to understand which finishes and color families work best for your preferences and routines. This mirrors the practical petite beauty tips I’ve shared before about making intentional choices rather than following every trend.
Once you identify your favorites, layer products for different intensities. Cricket liquid lipstick creates a sophisticated base, while the glitter toppers add sparkle for evening. This flexible approach lets you maximize each product’s versatility across multiple looks and occasions.
What to Consider Before Buying
Before diving into a Menagerie Cosmetics purchase, think about what you genuinely need from your makeup. Start with formulas that work for your skin type and lifestyle. If you prefer cream products over powders, or need long-wearing formulas that survive your busy days, check whether Menagerie’s offerings align with those preferences. The brand’s matte liquid lipsticks and pressed eyeshadows have specific textures that might suit your routine beautifully, or might not match what you reach for daily.
Color selection matters tremendously with indie brands. Look at the shades Menagerie offers and honestly assess whether they complement your skin tone and existing collection. Their animal-inspired aesthetic leans toward specific color stories, so make sure those hues excite you rather than leaving you searching for basic neutrals. Learning how to choose cosmetics that truly work for you saves money and drawer space.
Consider your skill level, too. Some products, like glitter toppers, require a bit more technique than everyday essentials. If you’re still mastering how to apply concealer you might want to start with Menagerie’s simpler products before experimenting with their special effects offerings.
Finally, think about your values. Does supporting smaller indie brands matter to you? Are you excited about discovering emerging companies with unique visions? If yes, Menagerie offers exactly that kind of beauty exploration.
Discovering a brand like Menagerie Cosmetics reminds me why I love exploring the indie beauty world. There’s something genuinely exciting about finding quality makeup that doesn’t require you to choose between your budget and your beauty goals. Whether you’re drawn to their whimsical shade names, intrigued by their formula innovations, or simply ready to try something beyond the usual mall counter offerings, this brand represents exactly what makes indie beauty so rewarding.
I’ve learned through my own beauty journey that the best makeup choices come from understanding what works for you, not what’s trending everywhere else. Menagerie gives you room to experiment without the pressure of a hefty price tag, which means you can actually play, discover what brings out your best features, and build a collection that feels authentically yours.
Your makeup bag should reflect your personality and make you feel confident, not drained financially. If Menagerie’s aesthetic speaks to you, give it a try. The beauty of indie brands is that they invite us to be curious, to test new formulas, and to remember that makeup should be fun. You deserve options that fit your life, your budget, and your unique style.
