Absolute New York

Absolute New York is an American color-cosmetics brand based in Port Washington, New York. It was founded by John Kim and Beronicka Kim, the same pair behind Nicka K New York, and sells affordable makeup, skincare, false lashes, nails and tools across a wide price range that starts at a few dollars. The brand is owned by Nicka K, a Port Washington company that the couple first built into the beauty business in 1995 [8].

Sources differ slightly on when Absolute New York began. The company's own LinkedIn profile gives a founding year of 2014 [1], while trade outlet CosmeticsDesign reports that the brand launched in 2013 as the founders' second makeup line [8]. The one-year gap likely reflects the difference between when the company was formed and when it reached the market. Either way, it arrived roughly two decades after Nicka K New York, the family's first beauty venture.

John Kim and Beronicka Kim entered the cosmetics industry in 1995 with Nicka K New York [8]. Absolute New York followed as their second brand, conceived as an affordable line rooted in New York City. The company describes the brand as "born in the vibrancy and energy of New York City," a place where "people from everywhere come together in celebration of color, culture, and creativity." Its stated mission is to represent that diversity by making "on-trend, high-quality products accessible to absolutely everyone" [1].

Absolute New York is produced by Nicka K, the Port Washington-based parent that also operates the older Nicka K New York label [8]. Both brands trace back to the same founders, making Absolute New York the second of the two cosmetics lines under the same ownership.

The brand positions itself as an all-around, affordable beauty label. On its LinkedIn profile it calls itself "an all-around beauty brand that offers the essentials from cosmetics, skincare, to tools and accessories," tied to its New York City roots [1]. Its homepage tagline, "NYC Affordable Makeup | 100% Cruelty-Free," signals both the price point and the animal-testing stance that the company foregrounds in its messaging.

Absolute New York's catalog spans face, eye, lip and body makeup, false eyelashes, skincare, nails, and brushes and tools. Among the items it highlights are a 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer, marketed as a primer, foundation and concealer in one; the Super Slim Brow Pencil; the ICON PRO eyeshadow palette, described as holding 35 shades from neutral nudes to brighter colors; and the Poppy & Ivy 5D Darling false lashes. The Freshly Bitten Gloss is sold as a non-sticky, weightless gloss formulated with jojoba oil.

The company states that it is "100% cruelty free" and does not test its products or ingredients on animals [4]. PETA lists Absolute New York on its animal-test-free company directory, noting that the brand's suppliers and third parties follow the same standard [9]. Vegan status, however, applies only to specific products rather than the whole range: the brand asks customers to check each product page, and at least one item, the HD Flawless Fluid Foundation, contains beeswax. Individual products such as the Freshly Bitten Gloss are marketed as vegan and free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten and fragrance [5].

The brand reaches customers through several channels. It sells directly from its own ecommerce site and, according to CosmeticsDesign, through US mass-market retailers including Walgreens and CVS, as well as Absolute New York stores abroad [8]. In 2018 the company opened its first US retail store, at 128 West 34th Street in Manhattan, near Macy's [8].

Absolute New York remains active. Its ecommerce catalog carries current product lines, and the brand continues to be stocked by third-party retailers, supporting a multi-region presence across the United States and international markets.