With the introduction of many new beauty products hitting the market seemingly every month, it’s never been more important to not only make sure that the labels we shop contain skin-caring ingredients but also align with our values. As we aim to push for more inclusivity and diversity in the beauty industry, Black-owned beauty brands are an utmost priority for us to support across skincare, haircare, and bodycare. Whether it be leading labels like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and SKN by Lori Harvey or newcomers such as Namesake Skincare, there’s a lot to choose from.
Below, we compiled a list of seven budding and established Black-owned beauty brands to shop and support as they expand over the years. Continue scrolling to read more.
Range Beauty
Launched in 2018, Range Beauty founder Alicia Scott noticed the unavailability of shades whilst working in the fashion industry coupled with sensitive skin triggering formulas that inflamed her eczema and acne, thus she created her own brand. Through the label, Scott aims to create makeup that doesn’t compromise the color, care, or condition of your skin.
Range’s highly coveted True Intentions Bronzing Primer and True Intentions Hydrating Foundation are among its best sellers, the latter of which boasts ingredients like chamomile, and green tea. The foundation is available in a whopping 21 tints, ranging from light to medium shades such as “Paloma” and “Coconut Milk” as well as medium to deep hues like “Ignite” and “Black Sand.” As seen on Shark Tank earlier this year and Beyoncé’s website alongside other Black-owned businesses in 2020, Range is certainly an emerging beauty label to check out.
OUI the People
Understanding that brands inform culture and language, OUI the People aims to create efficacious products that help you feel great in the skin you’re already in. Founded by Karen Young in 2015, the label’s signature Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor isn’t your ordinary razor. The beauty tool gently removes hair from the surface of the skin without damaging your skin and hair follicles in the process thanks to its weighted, stainless steel design. It comes with a pack of ten blades and easy-to-apply steps making it the perfect addition to your collection, although it comes at a slightly steep price tag of $75 USD.
To shield from irritation and razor burn, OUI’s Shave Gel-to-Milk coats the hair and skin with a deeply moisturizing blend of argan, grapeseed, marula, and sunflower oils. Meanwhile, other products like the Hydrating Body Gloss and Full Disclosure Cream Body Polish aid in the shaving experience.
Ami Colé
Ami Colé, created by beauty trailblazer Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, is known for its melanin-rich, skin-caring makeup line. The range is comprised of a concealer, lip treatment, mascara, highlighter, setting powder, and skin tint. Some of the brand’s most beloved products include the Lip Treatment Oil—a 3-in-1 multitasker that protects, shines, and adds a tint—and the Skin-Enhancing Tint, which smoothes and adds a soft glow to your skin with six flexible shades to pick from. Each of the products is formulated with the highest degree of integrity and ingredients.
Namesake Skincare
Namesake Skincare’s debut product, dubbed The Daily Moisturizer, has made waves around the beauty industry since its release earlier this year. The moisturizer gently exfoliates whilst hydrating, brightening, and even plumping the skin without causing any irritation. Ingredients such as polyhydroxy acids, butterfly bush, and rosehip oil come together to promote an even skin tone and enrich the skin with fatty oils. Founder Davlyn Mosley worked with her dermatologist mother Dr. Lynn McKinley-Grant to create the melanin-rich formulas, cementing the label as one of our favorite launches this year.
Humanrace
Pharell William’s skincare line Humanrace made headlines when it launched in 2020, taking a gender-neutral approach which like many others, aims to diversify the beauty space and make it accessible for all. Split into a three-step routine, the brand’s core is comprised of a Rice Powder Cleanser, Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator, and Humidyfing Face Cream. Furthermore, the products take a sustainable approach with refillable, which have become increasingly more common in recent years.
As a part of its bodycare line are two body bars available in Reenergizing Whiteclay and Energy Channeling Charcoal which are joined by the Humidyfing Body Cream. The brand is elementary enough to appeal to skincare beginners that want to dive further into their routine, with the drawback of it falling a bit on the less affordable side. Otherwise, the quality of the products are high quality and doesn’t fall short of its founder’s ethos.
Melanin Haircare
OG natural hair vlogger Whitney White has brung us along her natural hair journey since 2009, therefor when the content creator launched her haircare line six years later, fans alike were overjoyed. Melanin Haircare’s African Black Soap Reviving Shampoo has moisturizing cocoa and shea butters, argan, and pro-vitamin B5 to condition and promote increased elasticity of the hair. Among one of the most raved about brands for its luxurious products, natural and safe-synthetic ingredients, and affordable price point. The brand recommends you pair its shampoo with its Multi-use Softening Leave In Conditioner, infused with turnip root, white tea leaf, rosemary leaf, and hops extracts.
Melanin Haircare also has a number of other offerings like the Twist-Elongating Style Cream and Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend. There is also an array of merchandise like head wraps and mirrors to accompanying you along the journey.
UOMA Beauty
For makeup enthusiasts, inclusive beauty brand UOMA Beauty has always placed diversity at the forefront of its ethos, creating a range that is rebellious, innovative and created for all. Equipped with a variety of effective mix and match products, the brand has everything from foundation, concealer, and contour to lipstick, gloss, eyeliner, and mascara. Nigerian-born former beauty exec Sharon Chute founded the brand in 2018, and since then, its quickly become a go-to thanks to the label’s expansive lineup and a wide variety of shades.
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