EX1 Cosmetics

EX1 Cosmetics is a British beauty brand built to solve a problem the mainstream industry spent decades ignoring. Founder Farah Naz, a biochemist and makeup enthusiast, could not find a foundation that was not too orange or too pink for her olive skin, so she formulated one, and built the brand that followed around that single specialism. EX1 describes itself as the world's number one brand made exclusively for olive skin tones, and the range reflects that focus with real precision. Foundations, concealers, powders and complexion products are micro-matched to pink and golden undertones rather than offered as a general shade range with olive shades added at the edges. The finish is natural and skin-like, built for everyday wear. Formulations are vegan and cruelty-free, with no raw materials or finished products ever tested on animals and a refusal to sell in countries where testing is legally required. All products are paraben-free and one hundred percent fragrance-free, the concealers are talc-free, and the range is oil-free and formulated not to clog pores. Products are made in Italy, in the same leading laboratories used by major designer brands, which is unusual for a brand at this price. EX1 has been widely covered in the British press for addressing a shade gap the industry left open for decades. Priced in the affordable tier, it makes properly matched complexion products accessible to a group historically underserved by both mass and prestige beauty. For shoppers searching for affordable, vegan, paraben-free and cruelty-free UK beauty from a women-owned business, EX1 remains the category benchmark.