If we could pick one thing that we’ve loved to see in the beauty space over the last several years, it would be the diversification of brands—especially Black-owned beauty brands. Retailers like Sephora, Ulta, Target, Nordstrom, and more have diversified their catalogs exponentially to increase the number of Black-owned brands that are carried both in-store and online—and many retailers are even monitoring shelf space to ensure it remains this way.
Having access to more Black-owned beauty brands is not only an important way to support brands and founders, but also to drive change for the entire Black community. And what’s more, many of these brands are changing the game and challenging industry norms—we’re talking extended shade ranges and more inclusive skincare and haircare products.
To celebrate this, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Black-owned beauty brands that offer products across all categories: skincare, haircare, makeup, body care, tools, and more.
14 Black-Owned Beauty Brands We Love
1. Topicals
Topicals offers one-step skincare solutions that are backed by science and made for every shade. With an emphasis on skincare products that are suitable for flare-ups, founder Olamide Olowe knows how connected skin health and mental health are, so Topical’s mission is to transform the way you feel about your skin.
2. Gilded Body
Gilded Body believes that feeling beautiful and achieving wellness is found through self-care. They carry body care products that engage the senses and invite the user to slow down and bask in the luxury of high-quality, botanically-driven, dermatologically developed skincare and tools.
3. Pat McGrath Labs
Nicknamed the “Mother of Makeup,” Pat McGrath is the world’s most influential and in-demand makeup artist. With countless launches selling out in record-breaking times, the hype for this brand is real, and it continues to push the boundaries of the makeup industry (just take a peek at the looks she recently created at Maison Margiela’s couture show if you want proof).
4. Range Beauty
Range Beauty offers makeup essentials for ultra-sensitive skin—specifically acne and eczema. Alicia Scott, CEO and Founder, suffered from eczema and cystic acne. She was frustrated that she couldn’t find makeup that acknowledged both her skin tone and her skin conditions. Range Beauty was born to ensure that those with any skin type, in any shade, could find products they could trust.
5. Fenty Beauty
We’d be remiss not to include RiRi’s beauty brands, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin. After years of struggling to find products that performed across all skin types and tones, Rihanna set out to create Fenty—first starting with makeup and then extending into skincare.
6. Lys Beauty
The mission of Lys Beauty is to diversify the clean beauty industry. Founded by Tisha Thompson, Lys Beauty was the first Black-owned Sephora Clean Makeup brand. Their products have universal shade offerings, provide high-performance results, and the best part: they’re all under $30.
7. INALA
After years of over-styling and damaging her hair, founder La La Anthony set out to develop products that were dedicated to nourishing, fortifying, and recovering hair. INALA’s line of hair care essentials is formulated with clean, cruelty-free ingredients to cleanse, strengthen, and empower healthy hair.
8. Oui the People
Oui the People aims to build efficacious products that are designed thoughtfully and help you feel great in the skin you’re already in rather than pursuing flawlessness. Crafted without sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates, their products range from shaving necessities like razors and exfoliators to hydrating body balms and glosses.
9. Pattern
Powerhouse Tracee Ellis Ross founded Pattern with the promise of meeting your hair where it is and empowering your curl pattern. With an aim to keep hair healthy, hydrated, juicy, and joyful, Pattern offers a range of products for washing, treating, and styling.
10. Briogeo
Briogeo is on a mission to empower every person to succeed on their hair health journey. They know that everyone’s journey is different, so they have multiple lines of products that are suitable for damaged hair, thin hair, frizzy hair, dry scalps, and beyond. This way, each individual can confidently embrace their unique hair, texture, color, and everything else that makes them exactly who they are.
11. Mielle Organics
Monique Rodriguez is an RN turned Founder and CEO who has taken the haircare market by storm through Mielle Organics. Created with nature and science, Mielle Organics is a haircare and beauty brand that believes healthier ingredients encourage healthier hair and skin.
12. Mented Cosmetics
Mented wants women of all complexions to enjoy their beauty experience. Their products are vegan, paraben-free, non-toxic, and cruelty-free, and they offer everything you need to build a routine that works for you. Co-founders KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson believe that when it comes to beauty, no one deserves to be an afterthought, so each product is perfectly pigmented to complement any skin tone.
13. Luv Scrub
Mesh exfoliators have been used in West Africa for generations, but it wasn’t until 2011 when Caroline, Founder of LUV SCRUB, realized it could become a cult-favorite product outside of Ghana. It immediately pushed boundaries in the body care space, and now, this magical mesh can be found in some of the largest retailers including Nordstrom, Ulta, and Bloomingdales.
14. Black Girl Sunscreen
Shontay Lundy created Black Girl Sunscreen after being frustrated with the lack of sunscreen options formulated for women of color. Made with melanated skin in mind, Black Girl Sunscreen has filled a large gap in the market and has continued to grow exponentially since its inception.
