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The beauty industry has been long overdue for a shift—and in recent years, that shift has finally started to take root. Diversity and inclusivity are no longer treated as trends or buzzwords, but as essential benchmarks of progress. At the forefront of that evolution? Black-owned beauty brands.
From celebrity-led powerhouses like Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty to under-the-radar labels gaining quiet cult followings, these brands aren’t just filling gaps—they’re rewriting the rules.
They bring deep expertise, lived experience, and a sharp eye for innovation, creating products that not only centre Black women but serve all who’ve ever felt overlooked by the mainstream market.
One of the most refreshing things about these brands? The range!
From non-ashy skincare that actually supports melanin-rich complexions, to foundations that FINALLY match undertones—no more mixing two shades at the back of your hand—to lip colours that flatter deeper skin just as beautifully as they do in the campaign shots. Add to that: haircare specifically designed for curls, coils, and textured hair that’s been overlooked for far too long.
With that being said, here are 22 Black-owned beauty brands worth knowing, supporting, and celebrating year-round!
1. Topicals
Founded by Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng, Topicals is skincare with a mission—to reframe the conversation around skin conditions like hyperpigmentation, eczema, and flare-ups, especially for people of colour. Products like Faded and Like Butter don’t just look cute on your shelf—they’re backed by clinical research and designed for real results. The brand also donates a portion of profits to mental health organisations, making it one of the few in the skincare space to care as much about what’s on your mind as what’s on your face.
2. Pattern Beauty
Founded by actress and natural hair advocate Tracee Ellis Ross, Pattern is more than just a product line—it’s a celebration of textured hair in all its forms. Designed specifically for curls, coils, and tight textures, Pattern offers hydrating shampoos, rich conditioners, and styling tools that actually work without stripping hair of moisture or definition. The brand also leans heavily into education, creating space for women to relearn how to care for their hair with pride and intention.
3. Fenty Beauty
When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017, it wasn’t just a product drop—it was a cultural reset. With a 40-shade foundation range (since expanded even further), the brand forced the industry to reckon with the bare minimum when it comes to inclusivity. But Fenty didn’t stop at foundation. From skin-enhancing highlighters to long-wear lip paints that actually flatter deeper tones, it continues to raise the standard for what beauty should look and feel like—bold, effortless, and unapologetically diverse.
4. UOMA Beauty
Sharon Chuter launched UOMA Beauty as a rejection of one-size-fits-all beauty, and every product feels like a celebration of individuality. The Say What?! Foundation comes in six custom formulas to suit different skin needs across its expansive 51-shade range, while the lipsticks and eyeshadows bring unapologetic colour and payoff. UOMA is political, powerful, and playful—a beauty brand with both brains and attitude.
5. The Lip Bar
Started in Melissa Butler’s kitchen after she got fed up with the lack of inclusive, clean options on the market, The Lip Bar has grown into a full-fledged beauty empire. Known for its ultra-flattering lip shades (from bold reds to the perfect brown-nude), the brand now offers complexion, eyes, and even skincare—all designed with melanin-rich skin in mind. With accessible price points and major presence in Target, The Lip Bar is proof that inclusivity and quality can live side by side without compromise.
6. Mented Cosmetics
Finding a nude lipstick that doesn’t wash you out? That’s the exact dilemma that led KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson to start Mented. From lipsticks to foundations, every product is developed with undertones that flatter deeper skin, and the formulas are vegan, non-toxic, and thoughtfully crafted. It’s no wonder Mented has built such a loyal following—it delivers on every level.
7. Danessa Myricks Beauty
Danessa Myricks is something of a legend in the makeup world, and her namesake brand feels like an extension of her creative genius. The line is made for both professionals and everyday makeup lovers who want pigment, performance, and versatility. Her Colorfix creams can be used on eyes, lips, or cheeks, while her Vision Cream Cover is beloved for its full-coverage yet skin-like finish. This is artistry-first makeup with a fiercely inclusive soul.
8. Briogeo
Nancy Twine founded Briogeo after realising that many so-called “natural” hair products weren’t formulated with textured hair in mind. Briogeo bridges that gap with clean, effective formulas that cater to all hair types, especially curls. The cult-favourite “Don’t Despair, Repair!” deep conditioning mask is a holy grail for damaged strands, and the scalp care line brings skin-level ingredients to hair wellness. It’s a brand that feels as luxurious as it is thoughtful.
9. BREAD Beauty Supply
BREAD is for the cool girl who wants her hair routine to be as unfussy as her skincare shelf. The brand, founded by Maeva Heim, is all about essentials—cleansing oils, creamy masks, and soft, stretchy scrunchies that work with, not against, textured hair. BREAD’s aesthetic is minimalist, but its mission is loud: redefine what “normal” looks like in the haircare aisle and put 3A–4C textures front and centre in the clean beauty conversation.
10. Beauty Bakerie
Beauty Bakerie is whimsical on the outside—think setting powders shaped like flour bags and lip whips with names like “Cranberry Stiletto”—but the formulas are anything but gimmicky. Founder Cashmere Nicole created the brand after surviving breast cancer, and that resilience shows in every detail: from smudge-proof lipsticks to full-coverage foundations that last all day. It’s makeup that’s playful, purposeful, and made to stick with you through anything.
11. Golde
Golde sits at the intersection of beauty and wellness—and does it with serious style. Co-founded by Trinity Mouzon Wofford, the brand started with turmeric lattes and has since grown into a shelf-worthy lineup of superfood face masks, ingestibles, and skin-boosting blends. Golde’s ethos is all about making self-care feel easy and inclusive, with clean ingredients and joyful packaging that turns your daily ritual into something you actually look forward to.
12. Ami Colé
Ami Colé isn’t trying to give you a whole new face—it’s here to enhance what’s already yours. Inspired by founder Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye’s Senegalese roots, the brand focuses on minimal, skin-first beauty for melanin-rich complexions. The hero product? A Skin-Enhancing Tint that delivers a soft, lit-from-within glow without masking your skin. Think of Ami Colé as your no-makeup makeup for when you still want to feel polished.
13. Luv + Co.
This clean beauty brand, created by Dr. Melodie (a makeup artist, educator, and brand/product developer), is all about safe, vibrant colour. Luv + Co. offers everything from rich lipsticks to complexion products made without harmful ingredients. It’s an intentionally small, tight collection, but incredibly thoughtfully executed.
14. KNC Beauty
You’ve probably seen KNC’s star-shaped eye masks or collagen-infused lip masks on Instagram—but founder Kristen Noel Crawley’s brand is more than just aesthetically pleasing. It was one of the first natural beauty lines to bring fun, effective, and actually clean lip care to the market. With new launches like eye serums and lip scrubs, KNC continues to combine skincare with a sense of play.
15. Pear Nova
Think of Pear Nova as where nail art meets high fashion. Founded by Rachel James, this Chicago-based brand blends runway inspiration with inclusive shade ranges, offering nail lacquers that flatter all skin tones (especially deeper ones). Their lacquers are vegan, 10-free, and seriously chic, and their recent expansion into nail care and gel polish has only strengthened their cult status.
16. Hanahana Beauty
Sustainability and self-love sit at the centre of Hanahana Beauty. Founded by Abena Boamah-Acheampong, the brand is known for its luscious whipped shea body butters, ethically sourced from a women’s cooperative in Ghana. The textures are dreamy, the scents are addicting (lavender vanilla? yes, please), and the mission—to increase transparency in the global beauty supply chain—is deeply felt in every jar.
17. LYS Beauty
Short for “Love Yourself,” LYS is Sephora’s first Black-owned clean beauty brand—and it’s already making major waves. The brand’s sleek, triangle-packaged products are vegan, non-toxic, and fully inclusive. Founder Tisha Thompson brings her years of industry experience to formulas that actually work—like the highly praised serum foundation and matte cream blushes that melt into the skin beautifully.
18. Range Beauty
Range Beauty was born out of necessity. Founder Alicia Scott noticed a consistent lack of shade variety and skin-friendly formulas in the “clean beauty” space, especially for acne- and eczema-prone skin. So she created her own. The brand’s inclusive foundations and hydrating primers are formulated with sensitive skin in mind—no harsh ingredients, just soothing coverage that lets your complexion breathe.
19. EADEM
Skincare for melanin-rich skin that doesn’t rely on bleaching agents or outdated ideas about hyperpigmentation? That’s EADEM’s entire mission. Founded by women of colour, the brand combines modern science with cultural nuance, formulating products like their Milk Marvel serum, which gently fades dark spots without compromising the skin’s natural tone. It’s thoughtful, tech-driven, and refreshingly inclusive.
20. Relevant: Your Skin Seen
After years in the industry and the success of her first brand, Nyakio Grieco returned with something new—and, frankly, necessary. Relevant: Your Skin Seen is her answer to the clinical skincare world’s lack of true inclusivity. The line is intentionally minimal (so far), with a hero product that’s doing the most: the One & Done Everyday Cream with SPF 40. It’s a moisturiser, sunscreen, and serum in one, packed with niacinamide, peptides, and antioxidants—all in a formula that plays beautifully with deeper skin tones (read: no white cast in sight).
21. Hyper Skin
Founded by Desiree Verdejo, Hyper Skin was born out of frustration with products that didn’t target hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones, without irritation or harsh actives. The Hyper Even Brightening Serum quickly gained a cult following thanks to its mix of gentle exfoliants and brightening agents like vitamin C, kojic acid, and turmeric. It’s smart, clinical skincare designed with melanin-rich skin in mind, but it works beautifully across a spectrum of skin tones.
22. Curls
Launched by Mahisha Dellinger, CURLS has been a staple in the natural haircare aisle for years. Known for its deeply moisturising formulas, the brand offers a wide range of products for curly, coily, and wavy textures—from curl creams to scalp serums. It’s affordable, effective, and widely available in stores, making it a go-to for curl care at every stage of the journey.
