Black-Owned & Founded Beauty Brands To Shop Now & Always
A small yet very productive way to show solidarity with Black people right now and always is by supporting Black-owned brands. By putting money into the pockets of Black business owners you’re promoting economic equality which is a large proponent in overall equality. Black-owned beauty brands in particular should be celebrated as the beauty industry has drawn inspiration for trends directly from Black culture, history, and esthetics for centuries. Those long acrylic nails, glued down baby hairs, and waist-length wigs that fill up your news feeds? You guessed it, inspired by Black culture. And as a tanning publication, I’d be remiss to say that many self tanning and professional spray tan shades that are developed are inspired by those with naturally darker melanin.
And in today’s industry, when words like “inclusive” and “diverse” are merely marketing terms to attract Black money, it’s important to talk about and buy from brands that actually stay true to those terms. The brands mentioned below do just that as they’re created for both People of Color and Non-colored people, by Black people.
Bodycare
Luv Scrub, @luvscrub
It goes without saying exfoliation should be a major part of your skin and bodycare routines, especially if you regularly self tan or get spray tans. Luv Scrub’s hand-cut Mesh Body Exfoliators are a flat surface, nylon cloth that stretch up to 50 inches and gently yet efficiently scrub away any dead skin or impurities. The best part? The cloths last for up to 18 months, unlike germ-ridden plastic loofahs which need to be replaced at least every two months.
Luv Scrub Mesh Body Exfoliator
Hanahana Beauty, @hanahanabeauty
Hanahana Beauty sells a range of shea butters that are ethically sourced and handmade. All products are made with shea butter directly from the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Ghana and are combined with natural oils that are clearly stated on the label. The Vanilla Lavender Shea Butter is made with Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Hemp Oil, and Jojoba Oil, all combined to deliver long-lasting moisture for smooth skin (and is especially good to prolong the life of your tan.)
Vanilla Lavender Shea Butter
Lizzie’s All-Natural Products, @productsbylizzie
Lizzie’s All-Natural Products contain a range of skin and body products that are made with non-toxic, natural, plant-based ingredients. The founder, Christen Elizabeth, created the line after a lifelong battle with eczema left her frustrated with water-based and chemical-filled products. And that’s when she found that natural, plant-based products were the only real way to treat her condition. So out she came with good-for-you products that are sustainable, affordable, and will make you feel confident in your skin.
Christen’s You Glow Girl Body Oil highlights, hydrates, smooths, and reduces redness thanks to the help of Avocado oil, Sweet Almond oil, Extra virgin olive oil, Babassu oil, Ylang Ylang essential oil, Geranium essential oil, and orchid essential oil. Lather it on places like your collarbone or the highs of your cheeks for the highlighter effect, or all over for a stunning, glowing complexion.
Lizzie’s All-Natural Products
You Glow Girl Body Oil
Oui the People, @ouithepeople
Oui the People is a razor and bodycare line that features products like 100% stainless steel safety razors and skin oils made to serve as pre- and post-shaving moisturizers. Each product is thoughtfully made and sourced and are here to change and make you fall in love with your shaving regimen. Don’t believe me? Believe the hundreds of five-star reviews that are posted to the site.
The Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor is a single blade razor that comes with 10 refillable blades that is worth every penny. While multi-blade razors are more likely to lead to ingrowns and razor burn as the result of the combination of dull and sharp blades removing, cutting the hair below the top layer of the skin, then clogging hair follices; the single blade removes the hair evenly on the skin’s surface so it’s less likely to irritate the follicle. And I mean, nothing contributes to a successful spray tan like a smooth canvas of skin without any razor burn or ingrown hairs.
Oui the People Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor
Skincare
Urban Skin Rx, @urbanskinrx
Urban Skin Rx is a line of clinical skincare products that was developed by researching corrective skincare products for all skin tones and colors. The brand considers itself the “melanin experts” and the overwhelming number of positive reviews and before-and-after pictures found across the internet can vouch for that title. The line is sold at Ulta and Target and has a solution for every skin concern through its line of cleansers, exfoliants, serums, masks, moisturizers, and more.
The Even Tone Cleansing Bar is a three-in-one solid cleansing solution that melts into your skin when wet and helps to cleanse and improve the appearance of dark marks and uneven skin tones. My skin never feels cleaner than after I use the cleansing bar.
Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar
Nyakio, @nyakiobeauty
Nyakio Kamoche Grieco, a first-generation Kenyan American, created her line of ethically and sustainably sourced skin products as a curated result of beauty secrets she learned from family, friends, and travels around the world. Nyakio’ Beauty’s balm-to-oil cleanser gently removes dirt, makeup, and impurities and leaves skin soft and nourished thanks to the sweet almond oil.
Nyakio Sweet Almond Cleansing Oil Balm
Black Girl Sunscreen, @blackgirlsunscreen
People of all skin tones and shades should insert sunscreen into their daily skincare routine to protect and preserve their compexion. Black Girl Sunscreen is oxybenzone- and octinoxate-free, meaning it won’t disrupt your hormones and it is reef-safe. The SPF 30 is packed with avocado to moisturize, treat sunburn, and reduce signs of aging; jojoba to smooth inflammation; cacao to even out the complexion; and carrot juice containing vitamin C to promote healing and boost the level of melanin in the skin.
Black Girl Sunscreen, SPF 30
Makeup
Uoma Beauty, @uomabeauty
51 shades of foundation. That’s it. That’s the caption. Just kidding, but Uoma Beauty launched just over a year ago and introduced a whopping 51 shades of foundation with their Say What?! liquid foundation. And that’s in addition to their rich, deeply-pigmented eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, and bronzers. There’s a hue for quite literally every skin shade and undertone.
Uoma Beauty Say What?! Liquid Foundation
Beauty Bakerie, @beautybakeriemakeup
Perhaps you’ve heard the term “baking” when it comes to letting setting powder sit on top of makeup before blending? Well, Beauty Bakerie, a brand which has garnered a cult-like following with a cool 1.2 million followers on Instagram, helped to coin that term thanks to its long-lasting Flour Setting Powders. The powders are finely-milled, gluten-free, and vegan, and help to visibly soften the skin, blur pores, and fight oil for a soft matte finish. What’s more? Self tanners and spray tan artists out there can also use the powder as a setting agent for their tans.
In addition to the best-selling setting powders, the brand has a range of highly-pigmented, long-lasting eyeshadows, foundations, and lipsticks that complement all skin tones and shades.
Beauty Bakerie Setting Powder
Ace Beaute, @acebeaute
Ace Beaute was founded in 2016 and has since became known for their bright, bold eyeshadow shades, glue-on nails, makeup brushes, and luscious faux mink lashes. In addition to their statement-making cosmetics, the brand is cruelty-free and affordable in comparison to similar mass-market brands.
Ace Beaute’s Scarlet Dusk Palette is a 12-pan eyeshadow palette made of warm pink, brown, and red highly-pigmented hues with a high color payoff.
Ace Beaute Scarlet Dusk Palette
Hair care
Sunday II Sunday, @mysunday2sunday
Sunday II Sunday is a haircare brand designed with active women in mind as all of its products are designed to restore moisture loss due to sweat, buildup, and environmental damage that happens in between washes. All of Sunday II Sunday’s products are packed with oils, extracts, minerals, and herbs to work from root to coil to end. The Revive Me Daily Moisturizing Spray is a lightweight, curl reviving, frizz-fighting spray that delivers moisture to give curls their bounce back and protect against environmental stressors in between washes.
Sunday II Sunday Revive Me Daily Moisturizing Spray
Ooli, @oolibeauty
For loc washing, styling, and maintenance, Ooli has developed a range of cruelty-free, vegan, and paraben-free products made in the U.S.A.. All products are especially curated for locs — no matter if they are short, long, curled or coiffed. The brand’s Magic 17 Hair & Scalp Oil features a blend of 17 natural oils to moisturize, heal, protect, prevent thinning, and reduce tension on the scalp.
Ooli Magic 17 Hair & Scalp Oil
The Mane Choice, @themanechoice
The Mane Choice’s founder, Courtney Adeleye, was a Registered Nurse who documented her healthy hair journey on YouTube, and after garnering a large following, she realized her medical knowledge combined with love for haircare could fill a major gap in the hair industry. Courtney’s products include a range of healthy hair products that cleanse, condition, and style straight, wavy, and curly hair.
My personal favorite product that certainly lives up to The Mane Choice’s mission of achieving healthy hair from the inside out, is the Manetabolism Plus supplement. After one month of the daily vitamins, you’ll notice longer, thicker, and all around healthier locks. In addition to boosting the hair’s health, the multi-vitamins are also packed with essential antioxidants to help boost the immune system and energy levels naturally.
The Mane Choice Manetabolism Plus
Kinky Curly, @officialkinkycurly
Kinky Curly’s products are all designed for the natural-haired beauties who prefer the wash-and-go lifestyle. The brand is sold at Whole Foods and Target and features a range of cleansing, styling, and protectant products to give hold and offer protection from environmental elements.
The brand’s Curling Custard is a best-selling curly hair product that delivers moisture, curl definition, hold, and shiny hair all in one product.
Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
Nuele, @nuele_hair
Nuele’s hair serum was found by two friends, Dr. Christine Martey-Ochola and nurse anesthesiologist Anne Cheatham. The brand’s sole product was found on the question of: “How do we as women get away from synthetic chemicals and still maintain beautiful hair, that provides an individual with the versatility they desire?” Basically, the duo wanted a nourishing, moisturizing hair oil that allowed women with curly hair to switch up their hair styles from curly one day, and straight the next. The serum is packed with Argan and Moringa oils harvested by female farmers in places like Ghana and Morocco. So not only does the hair serum nourish a range of hair types, but it positively impacts the local economies in the places it’s harvested.
Nuele Hair Serum