It's no secret that the beauty industry wouldn't be nearly as powerful without the triumph and unmatched imprint of the black community. Many trends have been birthed because of the women and men of color that helm these companies, from acrylic nails and tooth gems to the "brownie glazed lips" coined by Hailey Bieber that was actually popularized by black stars in the 90s. Rihanna was one of the stars to set a whole new standard for beauty through her Fenty empire, inspiring others to do the same. Other powerhouses include Tracee Ellis Ross' Pattern Beauty, Beyoncé's Cécred, Gen Z's cult-favorite Topicals and Ami Colé, ultimately creating a more diverse and inclusive industry.
While we love to admire these accomplishments, it's important to keep supporting the black-owned businesses that make beauty what it is today. The call for buying black heightened during the 2020 racial reckonings, but it seems support has reached some level of stagnancy. With more black-owned beauty brands on the scene, there's more than enough reason to invest in them.
Going outside the limits of makeup, these brands are shifting to even more innovative products. From high-quality skin care to hygiene must-haves, here are the best black-owned beauty brands to support ahead of Juneteenth and beyond.
KNC Beauty
Reusable Self Care Mask & Case, $29 at KNC Beauty
The brand responsible for those gold star masks you saw all over Instagram is brought to you by beauty mogul Kristen Noel Crawley. KNC Beauty offers other products that live up to the hype, including an all-natural collagen-infused lip mask and the newly reusable eye mask.
Black Girl Sunscreen
Face & Body Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion, $10.96 at Amazon
We've officially said goodbye to the obnoxious white cast that sunscreen often brings thanks to Black Girl Sunscreen's SPF formulas specifically designed for melanin-rich skin.
Bread Beauty Supply
Everyday Gloss-to-Go Hair Oil, $18 at Amazon
Launched in 2020, Bread Beauty Supply is the perfect brand to shop if you want to simplify wash days. Hero products include this Allure Best of Beauty-winning hair oil.
The Lip Bar
Nonstop Liquid Matte, $14 at The Lip Bar
A brand catered to all-things lips? Yes, please! With a brand ethos of maximum impact, minimal effort, The Lip Bar offers everything from liquid matte lipstick to lip liner made with skin-loving ingredients like aloe vera and jojoba oil.
Fenty Beauty
Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation, $40 at Sephora
Who doesn't have a Fenty Beauty product in their makeup rotation? The brand founded by superstar and multihyphenate Rihanna in 2017 accomplished its mission of crafting foundation for every skin tone, including extensive offerings for women of color. Fenty Beauty is stocked at iconic beauty destinations like Sephora.
Ami Colé
Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick, $22 at Sephora
Founded by Senegalese American Diarrha N'Diaye-Mbaye in 2018, Ami Colé has achieved mainstream success with its skin-enhancing tint, lip treatment oil and other products that celebrate melanin-rich beauty and nurture skin.
BROWN GIRL Jane
Casablanca Eau de Parfum, $102 at Sephora
One of the few black-owned perfume brands, BROWN GIRL Jane was founded by Malaika Jones, Nia Jones and Tai Beauchamp. Together, the three ladies craft science-backed, fine fragrances that are designed for mood and beauty.
Mielle Organics
Babassu Mint Deep Conditioner, $13.99 at Target
A popular natural hair care line, Mielle Organics actually lives up to its name thanks to its founder Monique Rodriguez who set out to create products that are equal parts healthy and effective. They often incorporate unique ingredients to protect and repair damaged hair.
Topicals
Slick Salve Mint Lip Balm, $13 at Topicals
Thanks to the brainpower of founders Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng, Gen Z's favorite skin care brand now exists. The duo launched Topicals in 2020 inspired by Teng's childhood marked by appointments to treat severe eczema and Olowe's experience growing up with chronic skin conditions like hyperpigmentation and Pseudofolliculitis barbae. First known for Faded eye masks, the line has since expanded to tried-and-true products like an ingrown hair toner and lip balm.
Pattern Beauty
The Curly Starter Bundle, $135 at Pattern Beauty
Actor, style star and fro icon Tracee Ellis Ross founded the natural hair care line that not only works for natural hair, but specifically caters to your curl pattern. The star's collection of wash day and styling tools is made to help your hair be free, not tame or control it.
Cécred
Hydrating Shampoo, $30 at Cécred
After a year of keeping the world on its toes, Beyoncé finally launched her highly-anticipated hair line in February. Inspired by the singer's beginnings in her mother's salon, Cécred creates science-backed products that prioritize the needs of texturized hair and other hair types.
Keys Soulcare
Firm Belief Smoothing Peptide Cream, $40 at Keys Soulcare
After infamously rocking no makeup to the 2016 MTV VMAs, it's no surprise that Alicia Keys has a skin care line. With skin that's as clear as day, the artist's brand focuses on skin essentials that combine ancient and modern ingredients with the help of top dermatologists.
Mented Cosmetics
Foundation and Contour Stick, $30 at Amazon
Mented Cosmetics makes cruelty-free and vegan makeup for people of all skin tones. KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson founded the company in 2017 to create a space where no one is an afterthought and every skin tone is celebrated. Nearly seven years later, they've done just that and more through nude lipsticks, award-winning bronzer and other consumer-approved products.
OUI the People
Featherweight Hydrating Body Gloss Oil With Squalane, $65 at Sephora
From razors made for sensitive skin to a bikini sheet mask, Karen Young's OUI the People has everything you need to give yourself the perfect at-home spa day.
The Honey Pot
Super Herbal-Infused Pads With Wings, $19.99 at Amazon
As one of the few clean vaginal health brands, The Honey Pot's stellar offerings include 100 percent natural pads, body cleansers, wipes and other products to cleanse and protect that special area. The brand also regularly participates in social impact programs that give back 2 percent of its annual sales.
skin BUTTR
Honey Almond Scrub, $28 at skin BUTTR
Tatiana Elizabeth's skin BUTTR was built with the mission to build confidence, simplify beauty routines and promote healthy skin in a sustainable way. With body butters and scrubs made from natural ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil, the brand is putting luxury back into body care.
Pat McGrath Labs
MatteTrance Lipstick, $39 at Ulta Beauty
Pat McGrath's eponymous makeup brand is only a glimpse of the impact she's made during her 25 years in the beauty industry. The legendary MUA is committed to crafting formulations that defy limiting beauty standards making everyone feel empowered.
Juvia's Place
Chromatic Eyeshadow Palette, $26.59 at Amazon
After struggling to find makeup in her skin tone and rarely seeing black women featured in beauty campaigns, Chichi Eburu created Juvia's Place named after her two children. Initially starting with selling her makeup tools, the founder's dream of true inclusivity has blossomed into a brand with viral products like The Nubian Eyeshadow Palette inspired by Queen Nefertiti.
Baby Tress
3-in-1 Edge Styler, $12 at Amazon
Co-Founders Shannon Kennard and Hannah Choi founded Baby Tress not long after the launch of their creative communications agency, Mama Tress, in 2017. With a mission to correct how underrepresented women of color are in the beauty industry, the Edge Styler was born to honor the longstanding tradition of laying down your edges.
Gentle Oasis
Hair Removal Mask, $39.99 at Gentle Oasis
Gentle Oasis is strictly focused on beauty and wellness for all women of color. Think exfoliating scrubs, pH-balancing feminine washes and even an all-natural mask that removes hair in minutes.
Canvas Beauty
Hair Blossom Serum, $18.97 at Amazon
Founded by Stormi Steele in 2018, Canvas Beauty was built on products she created in her kitchen six years earlier. Steele's experiments with flaxseed oil and cayenne pepper resulted in the TikTok-approved Hair Blossom Serum that consistently sells out to this day. The brand has since expanded to producing body glazes and oils that restore skin hydration and help treat eczema and psoriasis.
EADEM
Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum With Niacinamide and Vitamin C, $68 at Sephora
For those looking for a simple beauty routine, look no further than EADEM. The brand succeeds in crafting formulations with niacinamide and vitamin C that address discoloration that directly affects women of color.
ROSEN Skincare
Super Smoothie Cleanser, $18 at Ulta Beauty
Jamika Martin's days formulating products in her dorm room at UCLA have resulted in the booming skin care brand that now graces the shelves at Target and Ulta Beauty — ROSEN Skincare. The entrepreneur's struggles with severe acne breakouts and scarring prompted her to create something that would actually cater to her skin's needs and represent blackness in the clean beauty space.
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