Shopping for Makeup in Santee Alley

HM Hormiguitas is a long-time favorite of Santee Alley shoppers and this blog. Along with its sister store, Iyalorde, it's the biggest makeup and beauty supply store in the area open to both the public and wholesale shoppers. We stopped by recently to see what was in stock and found they're makeup selection has grown since the last time we visited. And you thought it couldn't get any better! Scroll below to see some of our favorites and check them out on Instagram @hmhormiguitas.

HM Hormiguitas

315-B E 11th St.

213-536-5448

• Makeup/Cosmetics
• Eyelashes
• Beauty Tools & Supplies
• Hair Extensions
• Hair Tools
• Makeup Cases

• Contour and conceal palettes
• Makeup brush sets
• Eyeshadow palettes
• Blush palettes

• Lipstick and lip glosses
• Maskcara
• Blush
• Concealers
• Foundations
• Eyeliner

• Hair straighteners and curlers
• Hair wands
• Hair products 

Brands:

• Jordana
• City Color
• L.A. Girl
• J.Cat Beauty
• Proliss
• NYX Cosmetics
• + many more!

Makeup cases come in a variety of sizes and colors.  Please contact the store directly for pricing information.

Iyalorde Cosmetics and Beauty Supplies

Beloved makeup and beauty supplies store Iyalorde got a makeover! Now under new ownership and re-named Iyalorde Cosmetics, the store is focusing on providing quality makeup and beauty tools for wholesale and retail buyers. Though they still carry some hair tools, about 90% of the store is dedicated to cosmetics and cosmetic products. Popular brands include L.A. Girl, NYX, City Color, L.A. Colors, and J. Cat Beauty.

Scroll below to see current inventory and stop by the store to shop your favorites.

Iyalorde Cosmetics

1006-F Inside Santee Alley

213-536-5448

Our favorite find were these makeup cases (pictured above). They come in a number of sizes from "personal sized" to "make-up pro". The rolling makeup cases come in various colors and are very affordable.

Contour palettes, eyeshadow palettes, blush palettes... you name it, Iyalorde has it.

The beauty tool selection includes makeup brushes and brush sets, sponge applicators, eyebrow shapers and more.

Everyone's favorite however, is the massive wall of lashes!

New products this week: L.A. Girl pressed powder for darker skin tones and gel polish.

Valentine's Day Shopping Guide: For the Beauty Lover

With Valentine's Day only two weeks away, it's time to start shopping for your significant other. Not sure what to get him/her? Over the next few days, we'll be sharing some of the most popular items in Santee Alley as part of our Valentine's Day Shopping Guide series.

For the beauty lover in your life, Santee Alley has make-up artist favorites from cosmetics to beauty tools. Here you'll find makeup, makeup brushes, nail polish, fake eyelashes, straighteners, hair curlers, hair extensions, and more. Most stores carry popular brands like NYX Cosmetics and L.A. Girl.

Why are Santee Alley prices so much lower than retail and department stores? Most of the makeup stores in the alley are owned by distributors. This means they sell much larger quantities than your average beauty store, which in turn allows them to sell products for less. The stores featured in this post are licensed distributors.

• HM Hormiguitas, 315 E 11th St. #315-B inside Santee Alley, 323-200-8124
• Iyalorde, 1006-F Santee St. inside Santee Alley

For the product junkie that already has it all, we recommend Nature Republic. Nature Republic is a Korean beauty and skincare line that opened recently in the alley. The Santee Alley location is the only one on the West Coast! In addition to makeup, they also offer face masks, moisturizes, hand lotions, face wash, and body scrubs all inspired by nature.

• Nature Republic, 1152 S Santee St. inside Santee Alley