When it comes to clean beauty products, Black-owned brands are leading the way in small-batch skincare, sustainable ingredients, and products for all skin tones.
Consumers are trading in big-box retail purchases in order to support small businesses — especially those that are women- and minority-owned. It is part of the movement to buy local and support your community and neighbors.
Black-owned clean beauty brands
When it comes to the beauty aisle, the trend to “go small” is no different. These Black-owned beauty brands are determined to remove chemicals from our personal care routines and replace them with good-for-you and good-for-the-planet ingredients while providing exceptional products.
1. Plant Apothecary
Husband and wife duo, Holly McWhorter and Bjarke Ballisager, are behind the popular natural beauty brand, Plant Apothecary. Everything from its cleansers to night cream is crafted with sustainably sourced ingredients. The company also partners with Climate Neutral to offset its carbon footprint and 1% For The Planet.
2. Kaike
Founded by Keli Smith, Kaike is dedicated to making better beauty products with minimal and multi-purpose ingredients, such as green tea, hemp seed, and Moroccan Lava Clay. All of its products are designed to help with skin issues specific to melanin-rich skin.
3. Josephine Cosmetics
Following a lifelong passion for beauty and working for large beauty brands, founder Sholayide Otugalu was ready to launch her own brand. From the start, she wanted to craft high-end products that were natural and chemical-free. Her makeup line features luxury organic and mineral makeup products.
4. Hyper Skin
Hyper Skin founder, Desiree Verdejo, suffered for years from acne and hormonal breakouts. After trying everything currently on the skincare aisle shelves, she set out to create a clean solution that was effective and affordable. The line’s first product, Hyper Clean, continues to be a best seller and is crafted with good-for-you and good-for-the-planet ingredients including vitamin E, kojic acid, turmeric, and barberry.
5. Klur
Klur was founded by makeup artist, Lesley Thornton. After working for years as a makeup artist she developed a deep passion for product development and wanted to build a brand based on clean, sustainable products. The line now includes a variety of high-quality vegan products including body oil, serum, and masks.
6. Liha Beauty
Liha Beauty was founded by lifelong friends, Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan. They set out to create an exceptional skincare line built from their African roots. Liha’s products are a blend of the rich botanical life of West African and traditional English aromatherapy and folk remedies. Bestsellers include the Ghanaian Shea and the moisturizing Idan oil.
7. Mary Louise Cosmetics
Akilah Releford named Mary Louise after her two grandmothers, Mary and Louise. The native Mississippians taught her homemade beauty remedies that had been passed down from generation to generation and which became the foundation for all of the Mary Louise Cosmetics’ products. The sustainable and organic products help skin problems including acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and razor bumps.
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