In this read, we highlight 18 outstanding Black-owned beauty brands you should trust with your hair, makeup, and skin needs.
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The beauty industry has come a long way in terms of inclusion and diversity, but it has a lot more work to do to successfully portray the beauty that goes beyond archaic, Euro-centric standards. In this regard, Black entrepreneurs have stepped up to develop new standards and formulas across all product categories in the beauty industry to complement their skin tones and hair types.
The best way to acknowledge the impact of these individuals and brands on the beauty industry and celebrate their hard work and ambitions is by patronizing them all year round and not only during Black Business Month in August.
By shopping Black-owned beauty brands, you not only purchase quality products made with you in mind but also contribute to ending the industry’s long history of discrimination.
18 Outstanding Black-Owned Beauty Brands to Support in 2022
#1 BEAUTYSTAT
Dermatologists, cosmetic chemists, and beauty editors all recommend vitamin C serum as part of any skincare regimen, but it is known to oxidize fast and lose potency over time.
This challenge inspired former beauty chemist and founder of BeautyStat, Ron Robinson, to venture into the lab for a solution. Five years later, he formulated a patented technique for encapsulating pure vitamin C and bottling it into a serum. In 2019, the serum was reformulated and launched as the Universal C Skin Refiner, the brand’s best-selling product.
#2 BRIOGEO
Inspired by her childhood memories of creating natural beauty products from scratch alongside her mother, Nancy Twine founded Briogeo in 2017. Recognized for its ‘Don’t despair, Repair’ product collection, the brand is a clean natural hair care line offering solutions for every hair type, hair texture, and person of every ethnicity.
All Briego products are sulfate and paraben-free and formulated with natural oils, vitamins, and antioxidants.
#3 UOMA BEAUTY
Nigerian-born Sharon Chuter’s Uoma Beauty is currently the most inclusive Black-Owned beauty brand in the US, with over fifty foundation shades. The brand is well-known for its high-quality foundations and other colorful cosmetics for the eyes, lips, and cheeks.
#4 MIELLE ORGANICS
Monique Rodriguez’s Mielle Organics stormed the haircare market in 2014 with an advanced hair formula made of a unique patented mixture of herbs, amino acids, and minerals that maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails. Since its inception, Mielle Organics has expanded to 10 collections, including products for skin and children.
#5 GLAM BODY
Danika Berry wanted to create coffee body scrubs that would help nourish and heal the skin, and she did in 2017 when she founded Glam Body. Each variant of her body scrubs, body butter, and bath salts targets particular skin problems, including skin blemishes, stretch marks, and cellulite, and is suitable for all skin types.
#6 SUNDAY II SUNDAY
Inspired by the need to provide active women with quality hair care products to cleanse and refresh their textured hair pre-and-post workout, Keenan Beasley launched SUNDAY II SUNDAY in 2016. From a nourishing serum that hydrates edges to the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse that refreshes and resets the scalp by removing excess oils, the brand’s products focus mainly on scalp care.
#7 ACE BEAUTE
In 2016, Niye Aniekan-Attang founded Ace Beauty due to a lack of inclusion in the make-up space. She created ultra-pigmented eyeshadow palettes like the Tropical Vibes Palette and other high-quality products that shine on all skin tones.
#8 DR. LOCS
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With the loc community in mind, Chimere Faulk introduced her 100% vegan products for locs in 2015. Dr. Locs offers water and oil-based cruelty-free products, including leave-in conditioners, locking sprays, oils, shampoos, and more, to keep locks fresh and beautiful without leaving any product buildup.
#9 UNSUN COSMETICS
After years of frustration with the lack of clean sunscreen options for people of color, in 2016, Katonya Breaux took up the challenge of producing mineral-tinted sunscreen that blends with all skin tones without leaving a white cast or ghost-like residue. Unsun Sunscreen, the brand’s bestseller product, is a mineral sunscreen primer and color corrector all in one!
#10 EPARA SKINCARE
Formulated using the finest African botanicals, Epara transforms any at-home skincare routine into a luxurious experience. In 2015, Ozohu Adoh founded Epara Skincare specifically to meet the needs of melanin-rich skin, but the products are also suitable for all skin types.
#11 BEAUTY BAKERIE
With a mission to enrich lives and enhance the beauty in everyone, Cashmere Nicole founded Beauty Bakerie in 2011. The brand features tons of unique bakery-inspired cruelty-free cosmetic products, including flour setting powder, blending egg beauty sponge, lip whip liquid lipsticks, the butter hydra silk primer, proof in the pudding eyeshadow palette, and more.
#12 EDEN BODYWORKS
Jasmine Lawrence launched EDEN BodyWorks out of necessity when she could not find natural products to nurture and repair her hair from a childhood chemical burn. Although she initially created the products in her kitchen in 2004, Walmart, Target, and Amazon now carry the line. Her Coconut Shea CoWash conditioning cream cleanses the hair while simultaneously hydrating it.
#13 BABY TRESS
Thanks to Hannah Choi and Shannon Kennard, you can now lay your edges with a sophisticated multipurpose tool rather than a handful of toothbrushes and rat tail combs. The duo constructed the Baby Tress’ 3-in-1 Edge Styling Tool when they observed a lack of innovative styling tools for baby hair on the market.
#14 BLACK GIRL SUNSCREEN
Shontay Lundy launched Black Girl Sunscreen in 2016 with darker skin tones in mind, just as their name implies. The sunscreen line is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and offers at least SPF 30 sun protection without leaving a white cast or ashy finish on your skin.
#15 TLB – THE LIP BAR
Melissa Butler started this brand in 2011 by making small batches of lipsticks in her kitchen. But now, TLB has blossomed into a full array of color cosmetics specially curated for women of color, so you don’t have to wear the wrong shade.
#16 LUXCEY BEAUTY
Rose Gwet offers an array of natural face and body care products, and she shares several rituals inspired by her Cameroonian roots to revive dull, tired, and dry skin. She even has a podcast for us to discover a little more about her, her partner, and her business!
#17 NAGI COSMETICS
The infamous make-up brand, Nagi Cosmetics, was created with melanin-rich skin in mind. Its founder, Gina Delisme, formulates several foundation shades for all brown skin girls and other complementary products like lipsticks and brushes, and she even has a skincare line.
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#18 VERNON FRANCOIS COLLECTION
Celebrity hairstylist François Vernon founded the bunny-certified, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free haircare brand in 2016. Formulated with high-quality natural oils and plant extracts, Vernon Francois Collection offers styling products designed to give curly, kinky, and even wavy/straight hair types all they need to stay healthy and gorgeous.
