Ayu Cosmetics

What Ayu Cosmetics does

Ayu Cosmetics is an Irish-owned, direct-to-consumer vegan cosmetics brand founded in 2014 by professional makeup artist Suzie O'Neill and headquartered in Clane, Kildare, Ireland. The company develops and sells 75+ products across three pillars: color cosmetics (foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, mascaras, lip products, brushes), skincare (the Ayu Skin collection including cleansing balms, day and night creams priced up to €68), and self-tanning (the AyuGlo sub-brand). All products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologically tested, with formulations originated by the founder's on-set professional experience. Pricing spans €7.50–€68.00, with optional Subscribe & Save recurring billing (5–15% off) on selected SKUs and bundle/gift-set promotions.

The commercial model is exclusively DTC through an owned Shopify storefront (ayucosmetics.com), shipped from Ireland to Ireland, UK, Europe, the United States, and Rest of World. Customer acquisition runs on a multi-channel digital marketing stack — paid social on Meta/Google/TikTok, AWIN and TikTok Affiliate partnerships, Klaviyo email/SMS, SEO, and content marketing through the brand blog — supplemented by a 24,161-review social proof engine (Judge.me), a Rebuy-powered upsell layer, and a Smile.io loyalty program (Ayu Rewards) issuing 5 points per €1 spent. There is no disclosed wholesale, third-party retail, or marketplace distribution, and no physical retail footprint.

Operationally, Ayu operates with 11–50 employees, is privately held by founder Suzie O'Neill with no institutional investors or parent company disclosed, and has no public revenue or funding data on record. The brand carries six industry award nominations/shortlists across 2025–2026 and was featured in You Magazine in July 2025. The technology stack is entirely third-party SaaS (Shopify, Klaviyo, Smile.io, Judge.me, Rebuy, AWIN, Google Analytics), with no proprietary AI, ML, or data assets disclosed.

Name

Ayu Cosmetics

Legal name

Ayu Cosmetics

Website

https://ayucosmetics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ayu Cosmetics is an Irish-owned, direct-to-consumer vegan beauty brand selling 75+ cosmetics, skincare, and self-tanning products globally via its Shopify storefront, serving individual consumers seeking cruelty-free, professional-grade formulations developed by founder Suzie O'Neill.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vegan Cosmetics

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Clean/Organic/Natural Makeup (Positioning-based Color Cosmetics) (CRABACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers) (CRABAAAA), Makeup Palettes & Sets (Curated Palettes, Gift Sets, Multi-use Kits) (CRABACAF)

Keywords

• Vegan cosmetics
• Face makeup
• Skincare products
• Self tanning
• Makeup brushes

Headquarters

HQ city

Kildare

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Primary revenue stream through direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales of vegan cosmetics and skincare products. Products include foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, mascaras, lip products, brushes, skincare, and tanning products. One-time purchase model with prices ranging from €7.50 to €68.00.
2. Subscription (Subscribe & Save): Optional subscription model for selected products (e.g., Instant Under Eye Concealer Pot) offering 5-15% discount with recurring billing. Delivered through their Shopify platform with delivery frequency options (monthly, every 6 weeks, bi-monthly).
3. Bundles and Gift Sets: Pre-curated gift sets and build-your-own bundles offering 10-15% savings. Includes themed collections like Summer Essentials, Travel Essentials, and The Essentials Edit Palette.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available for purchase, providing flexible gifting options for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ayu Cosmetics is an Irish-owned direct-to-consumer brand that develops, formulates, and sells vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologically tested cosmetics, skincare, and self-tanning products. The portfolio spans foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, mascaras, lip products, brushes, blush/bronze palettes, day/night creams, cleansing balms, and the AyuGlo self-tanning range, all sold exclusively through their own Shopify e-commerce storefront.

Product overview

Ayu Cosmetics is an Irish-owned vegan cosmetics brand offering a professional-grade beauty range developed by makeup artist Suzie O'Neill. The portfolio spans three core pillars: makeup (foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, mascaras, lip products, blushes, and brushes), skincare (cleansing balms, face creams, masks), and tanning (AyuGlo self-tanning products). The flagship makeup collection includes Fresh Skin Foundation (hydrating/dewy), Perfect Skin Foundation (matte/oil-controlling), and Bare Skin Tint (sheer/tint), paired with award-winning Instant Under Eye Concealers. The AyuGlo sub-brand covers self-tanning mousses, liquids, mitts, and accessories. Skincare features the Lumére Firmé Day Cream and Illuminating Face Cream enriched with peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins. The brand operates a Smile.io-powered loyalty program (Ayu Rewards) offering 5 points per €1 spent. All 75+ products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologically tested, with sustainable packaging using recycled materials and wood from regenerated forests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AyuGlo: Vegan self-tanning product line including mousses, liquids, bronzers, and tanning accessories.

Products and services

• Fresh Skin Foundation A super lightweight, highly pigmented foundation with a dewy finish that provides non-stop hydration and radiance, containing hyaluronic acid. Designed for dry or mature skin, available in 16 shades from 00 to 7.5.
• Perfect Skin Foundation A lightweight, matte foundation infused with hyaluronic acid providing 24-hour sweat, humidity, and water-resistant coverage. Designed for oily or combination skin with medium to full coverage.
• Bare Skin Tint A lightweight, sheer face cream that corrects uneven skin tone and minimises the appearance of pores, providing natural-looking coverage for an everyday look.
• Instant Under Eye Concealer Pen A highly pigmented yet lightweight concealer that brightens and evens out skin tone under the eyes for a fresher, brighter look. Available in 4 shades with yellow or pink undertones.
• Instant Under Eye Concealer Pot Award-winning concealer in a pot format with precision doefoot applicator. Creamy formula available in 5 shades from Light to Medium/Tan. Vegan and cruelty-free.
• Ayu Skin Cleansing Balm A nourishing makeup removal balm that leaves skin refreshed and prepped without stripping moisture. Part of the Ayu Skin skincare collection.
• Illuminating Face Cream A hydrating base cream with encapsulated Vitamin C and E that reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, enriched with Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil.
• Lumière Firmé Day Cream A luxurious day cream that restores and locks in long-lasting hydration with collagen-supporting peptides, Macadamia Oil, Carrot Extract, Vitamin A, C & E, CoQ10, Shea Butter, and Hyaluronic Acid.
• La Crème Cellulaire Nuit Night cream from the Ayu Skin collection designed to support the skin's natural repair processes while sleeping, priced at €68.00.
• Eau Lumière Face Mask Face mask from the Ayu Skin collection designed to hydrate, soothe, and enhance the skin's natural glow, enriched with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vitamin B5, and vitamin E.
• AyuGlo Self Tanning Mousse Easy to use, fast-drying vegan self-tanning mousse with a natural guide colour, providing a sun-kissed glow year-round as part of the AyuGlo collection.
• AyuGlo Tanning Mitt Super soft velvet tanning mitt for streak-free tan application, including a handy canvas wallet for storage. Pairs with AyuGlo Tanning Liquid and Mousse, priced at €7.50.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24,161 verified customer reviews with 4.87-star average rating demonstrates high customer satisfaction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationShopify powers Ayu's e-commerce platform, enabling the online storefront, payment processing, and order management. All customer transactions and data collection occur through Shopify's infrastructure.
• AWIN (Affiliate Network)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAWIN is used for affiliate marketing partnerships, enabling coupon sites, creators, and other partners to earn commissions on referred sales.
• TikTok AffiliateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTikTok Affiliate program enables creator partnerships and live commerce initiatives for customer acquisition through the TikTok platform.
• DPD (Ireland/Northern Ireland)minorOthersPrimary courier for domestic deliveries within Ireland and Northern Ireland, providing tracking updates via SMS.
• An Post (USA/Canada)minorOthersInternational shipping partner for USA and Canada orders, with delivery completed by local national postal services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ILIA Beauty: ILIA is a clean, vegan color cosmetics and skincare brand sold DTC and through Sephora. Directly comparable to Ayu on vegan/cruelty-free positioning, foundation-led assortment, and the blend of skincare + makeup hero SKUs targeting the same educated female consumer.
• Tower 28 Beauty: Tower 28 is a clean, vegan, hypoallergenic makeup brand sold DTC and via Sephora. Highly comparable to Ayu on vegan positioning, sensitive-skin focus, and DTC + selective retail distribution across the US and UK.
• Trinny London: Trinny London is a UK-founded, founder-led, stackable color cosmetics and skincare brand. Comparable to Ayu on founder-as-creator narrative, premium clean positioning, shade-matching tools, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce model in UK and EU markets.
• Kosas Cosmetics: Kosas is a clean color cosmetics brand built around complexion and lip products with skincare-grade ingredients. Directly overlaps Ayu on the clean/vegan narrative, complexion-first assortment, and DTC-led go-to-market with selective Sephora distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Tilbury Beauty: Charlotte Tilbury is a global prestige color cosmetics brand founded by a working MUA. Comparable to Ayu on founder-artist credibility and complexion-led assortment, but operates at much larger scale with broad retail distribution and global marketing budget.
• e.l.f. Beauty: e.l.f. is a mass-market vegan and cruelty-free color cosmetics company with extensive US retail distribution. Comparable to Ayu on vegan positioning and complexion-focused products, but competes on price and accessibility rather than premium positioning.
• Rare Beauty: Rare Beauty is Selena Gomez's celebrity-founded, clean-leaning color cosmetics brand sold DTC and via Sephora. Comparable on founder-led storytelling, complexion-first hero SKUs, and social-first marketing aimed at a similar female demographic.

Regional players

• Pixi Beauty: Pixi is a UK/US clean-leaning beauty brand with skincare and color cosmetics. Comparable to Ayu on natural-beauty positioning and global e-commerce footprint, and competes with Ayu especially in the UK and EU retail and DTC channels.

Others

• Beauty Bay: Beauty Bay is a multi-brand beauty e-commerce retailer stocking many indie and clean cosmetics brands. Comparable to Ayu as a channel and ecosystem counterpart: a UK-headquartered digital beauty retailer through which similar indie brands reach consumers, and a potential future wholesale partner.

Emerging players

• Made by Mitchell: Made by Mitchell is an emerging clean, vegan makeup brand built around complexion and lip products with strong social media traction. Comparable to Ayu as an emerging indie DTC peer targeting the same Gen-Z/Millennial clean-beauty consumer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ayumakeupireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ayu-cosmetics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ayu Cosmetics