The Indie Brand Changing the Conversation Around Youth-Obsessed Beauty
Toronto’s 19/99 is finding beauty in the smears, strokes, and creases.
In an industry dominated by messages of correction and perfection, Stephanie Spence and Camille Katona of 19/99 Beauty saw an opportunity to change the conversation in the cosmetics space. Loving makeup for its power to express individuality, they felt a disconnect between their use of makeup and how the beauty industry marketed it—as a tool for correction. This realization sparked the creation of 19/99 Beauty, which aims to empower individuals to define beauty on their own terms, no matter their age. “Beauty is about attitude—it is more about a way of being than physical attributes,” Spence says. “We say that ‘we find beauty in the smears, strokes, and creases’—meaning we don’t believe in perfection and obsession when it comes to beauty.”
The brand offers multipurpose products that are meant to be mixed and layered. Luxuriously creamy with high pigment, they invite the wearer to create a barely there makeup look or colour outside the lines for something bolder—such as a green smoky eye. The popular Precision Colour Pencils can be used on eyes, lips, and cheeks and come in a wide range of shades. Rounding out the line are a bestselling mascara, lip tints, and highlighter sticks, plus, there are beauty tools and convenient kits for on the go.
Central to the 19/99 Beauty story are the collaborations with Diti Katona, the chief creative officer of Concrete in Toronto, and professional makeup artist Simone Otis.
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“We were inspired by Diti and Simone because they are interesting and cool women over 50 that we didn’t see represented anywhere in beauty,” Camille says. “They both have distinct, authentic style and have always been doing their own thing. We saw an opportunity to embrace aging and beauty in a more authentic way that is not about trying to convince people to love their wrinkles.”
Makeup artist Simone Otis, whose enviable resumé includes international fashion weeks, editorial, and luxury brand campaigns, was a founding member of Bite Beauty, where she developed products. Otis worked closely with Diti, and Camille would see the pair ruminating over the state of the industry, dreaming of a beauty brand that truly represented diverse women. Camille and Spence, also Bite alums, shared the same desire to create a brand that embraced women of all ages.
The 19/99 Beauty campaigns feature a range of faces and ages, including ’90s supermodel Kirsten Owen, Lune founder Lisa Mok, and digital creative Neelam Ahooja, amongst others. While initially focused on changing the conversation around aging, 19/99 Beauty has evolved into a brand that offers “permission to play” for everyone. “Makeup is temporary and should live with you. It doesn’t need to be perfectly applied and can change day to day,” Spence says.
Otis’s approach to product development emphasizes quality and versatility, creating for different skin tones, types, and textures. “I have always worked with creamy and very pigmented colour in my kit. With little pots of very pigmented colour in a creamy texture, I can do almost anything. We thought that would be a great way to invite women to play with how they express themselves and use colour cosmetics to embellish and feel cool and put together.” The intuitive design of the pencils allows for drawing, smudging, and swiping colour, moving away from the notion of “flawless” perfection.
By challenging traditional beauty standards and promoting inclusivity, the brand paves the way for a more authentic and less agist industry. As 19/99 Beauty continues to grow, it remains committed to celebrating individuality and empowering women, whether they are 19 or 99.
