Minolei

Minolei is a Swedish niche makeup brand specialising in base products — foundation, powder and setting spray — designed for long wear, with a particular focus on oily and combination skin. It was founded by makeup artists Emma Filipsson and Helena Amiley and launched in August 2023 after nearly three years of product development [1]. The brand remains active, selling internationally across roughly eighteen European markets through its own webshop and the beauty retailer Lyko.

Minolei was created by Emma Filipsson and Helena Amiley, two Swedish makeup artists who set out to solve recurring problems with base makeup — chiefly products that fail to stay even and intact on the skin through the day [1]. According to the company, that frustration shaped the brand's purpose: finding formulas that "stay evenly and flawlessly on the skin throughout the day." The pair spent close to three years developing the range before its public launch in August 2023 [1].

The brand's range centres on base makeup. Its core products are the Uniset® Foundation, the Uniset® Powder (an oil-absorbing powder) and the Set Effect Setting Spray, also offered together as the Uniset® Trio. The Uniset® name is a registered trademark and, the company explains, a contraction of the words "unifying" and "setting" [2]. The three products are presented as a step-by-step system whose formulas are meant to blend together when applied in sequence, which Minolei describes as producing long-lasting results and a natural finish.

The foundation is positioned specifically for oily skin; the brand says it is "created to sit well on oily skin" rather than absorbing oil on its own, with the accompanying powder handling oil control. Minolei does not publicly disclose its hero ingredients or manufacturing locations.

Minolei frames its approach as "Connecting Cosmetics." The company gives the phrase two meanings: that its products are designed to connect and complement one another, and that it wants to connect with customers in a positive conversation about skin. The brand states that "connection is a key word that permeates everything we do." Its Swedish tagline, "Sminkprodukter för ett hållbart resultat," translates as makeup products for a long-lasting result.

Minolei makes several ethics and sustainability claims. The company states that all its products are vegan and that it will not allow animal testing of any kind, and it says it does not sell in markets where animal testing is required. None of the products contain perfume or essential oils, according to the brand. On packaging, Minolei says its primer, foundation and powder use recyclable packaging, and that its cartons are made from cocoa-bean-shell waste material containing 40% recycled content, with the carton material certified to the FSC standard. The company also describes an internal blacklist of ingredients it does not approve, and says it prioritises sea and road freight over air transport.

Minolei won a face-base category at the Swedish Beauty Awards 2024 for its Uniset® Oil-Absorbing Powder, as recorded by the awards body [3]. The brand also describes itself on its homepage as "award-winning Swedish innovation."

The brand is active. Its most recent documented milestone is the 2024 Swedish Beauty Awards win, and its website remains live with the full product range and a country selector covering around eighteen European markets [4]. Distribution reaches beyond Sweden largely through the retailer Lyko; according to Uppsala Innovation Centre, Minolei was sold in eight countries from its first launch day via that partnership [5].