These days, there are so many beauty brands to choose from. Whether it be from your favorite celebrity, drugstore, or high end, the options are endless. It wasn’t long ago when brands started to become more inclusive and expand their shade palette for make up while more hair products were released for people of color. Today, everyone can rest assured that they can find their perfect matches. But what about Black beauty brands?
Another hot topic in the beauty community is when Black owned businesses start off small, grow to large numbers, then get bought out by a bigger company. We are all for getting the bag, but often times, some of these companies try to cut corners and change the formula, causing results that are not what we were initially used to, nor the best for our skin and hair. This pattern can be tied to larger discussions about empowerment and sustainability within the Black Feminism Movement, which emphasizes the importance of supporting businesses that prioritize the needs and well-being of their community. With that being said, if you are looking to shop Black owned beauty, here are four brands that are worth your hard-earned coins!
Pattern Beauty
Owned by Tracee Ellis Ross, Pattern Beauty specializes in curly, coily, and tight-textured hair, which is often left out from many major brands. The company has many promises, with their site stating, “We hope to expand how we communicate, care for & celebrate our hair. We want to reimagine the language we use about our beloved curls & community. Our texture is natural. It is us & it’s beautiful.” From hair products to styling tools and brushes, the expansive line has something for all the curly-headed girls and even offers sets that specifically cater to your curl type. The brand also gives back to the community, with 1% of each of their sales going to the nonprofit of your choice. In addition to being found online, Pattern Beauty is also offered in stores and secured a deal to be offered in ULTA stores as well!
Fenty Beauty
There is no list highlighting Black brands without Fenty stepping into the conversation. Rihanna took the beauty world by storm when she launched Fenty Beauty in 2017. Her wide selection of shades was the talk of the town as she shined light on the lack of the inclusion at other brands. (It wouldn’t be the first time the queen did that; she also shaded Victoria’s Secret for not including plus-sized models in their fashion shows.)
Not only do we buy the product because of the pop star’s association, the quality of what she offers is great and not too high for our pockets. She eventually expanded into skin care and hair products which have built a name for themselves as well. One thing Fenty Beauty does well at is utilizing Riri to do tutorials of the products, thus catching our attention and piquing our interest about how it would look on us. The company recently inked a deal to be sold in Target stores as part of the Ulta section in select locations, which is a big deal because the girlies love Target and a good one-stop shop.
Juvia’s Place
If you’ve looked high and low for an affordable make-up brand that was actually good, look no further than Juvia’s Place. From heavily pigmented blushes to some of the deepest shades in the market, the brand has been extremely popular for darker skin tones. Often times, some brands that offer deeper shades aren’t available in store to try on so you just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Juvia’s Place is available at Ulta so you can get your correct match within minutes. Besides being friendly to our bank accounts, the company is deeply rooted in our culture, with their story stating they were “created to celebrate the rebels, rulers, and queens of the African kingdoms who honored beauty through their innovative and soulful techniques that we still use today.” Chichi Eburu founded Juvia’s Place after struggling to find make-up for her skin tone and wanted to create products that were able to enhance the richness of her skin tone.
Pat McGrath Labs
If you’re a girlie that has deep pockets but wants to support Black business, Pat McGrath is the line for you. Comprised of many products from rich lipsticks to shadows that shimmer like no other, the brand has long been a favorite of many, with celebs mentioning the brand as part of their make-up kits. Pat McGrath herself has been in business as a make-up artist for over 25 years and her products have been utilized in many fashion shows.
From collabs with Prada, Versace, Valentino, and many more, our good sis has been working hard to open doors for more Black owned beauty brands to be featured in high end fashion conversations all across the world. Many might recall when her first product, GOLD 001, launched in 2015 and sold out instantly on her social media platforms. Since then, she has been a force to be reckoned with and a staple in conversations due to her high quality products and stunning packaging.