When Tara Graff was searching for makeup that would not irritate her sensitive skin, she did not head to Sephora, Macy’s or the cosmetics counter at Bloomingdale’s. Instead, she turned to Etsy.com.

“I couldn’t wear regular makeup,” said Ms. Graff, a homemaker who, as a military spouse, divides her time between Sitka, Alaska, and Brigantine, N.J. “I was breaking out and getting itchy, so I started reading labels and getting disgusted with all the chemicals in the products.” Ms. Graff said she tried mineral makeup from Bare Escentuals but found it expensive and irritating to her skin, so her mother suggested she take a look at Etsy.

Introduced in 2005, Etsy is best known as a marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, ranging from jewelry and art to sweaters. But many people don’t know that the website also sells handmade cosmetics. You have to dig around for them, as makeup is categorized under the Home & Living section.

Many of the cosmetics sold on the site are organic, vegan and mineral-based and are not tested on animals. Some sellers also customize their products to buyers’ taste (adding or omitting a particular ingredient, or creating a custom color) and prices can be negotiable.