As Black History Month comes to an end this February, many companies will return to posting their year-round white-centric content — sigh — and those influencers who ordered one Black-owned beauty product for clicks and views will never shop there again. Unsurprisingly, there are only a handful of mainstream Black-owned beauty brands. We all know Fenty Beauty and Pat McGrath, which are two of the most iconic, so we’re sharing five others, below, that you need to be using, this month and beyond.
@papermagazine Our beauty director shares the five black owned beauty brands you should know! 💖👸🏽 #blackownedmakeupbrands #makeup #makeupbrands #makeupreview
Briogeo
When it comes to healthy hair, Briogeo has become a go-to for many girls with all different hair types. Founded by former finance queen Nancy Twine, who launched the brand in 2014 after spending seven years at Goldman Sachs, Briogeo's products are all non-toxic and each solve a unique hair problem.
In our favorite Briogeo product list, above, the top spot goes to the Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask. This nourishing hair mask might be the most hydrating thing your hair needs. Use this once a week to repair dryness, frizz, split ends and fix damage.
The Superfood Mask is another deeply nourishing mask that delivers moisture in hair to enhance smoothness and uses avocado, kiwi and spinach.
If you suffer from scalp buildup or just need that ultra deep clean feeling, the Scalp Revival Shampoo is a must have. The sulfate-free scrub deeply penetrates the scalp to detox hair and remove buildup, oil and impurities. Be careful if you have colored hair; overusing this can fade your color, so I recommend using this every few weeks.
Of course, I also love their Strengthening Oil and Volumizing Root Powder.
Juvia’s Place
When Chichi Eburu finally got fed up with trying to find makeup that worked for her deep complexion, she decided to start her own brand that featured everything, from foundations to eyeshadows and blushes all with the intention of enhancing dark hues. Juvia’s Place has since become a key player in the affordable makeup category for all skin tones.
When it comes to pigment, no drugstore brand does it quite like Juvia’s Place. The eyeshadow palettes are all so vibrant that eyelid primer isn’t even necessary.
Of course, the I Am Magic Foundation and Concealer are known for their exceptional shade ranges, but the actual formula itself is to be commended. If you need a creamy refresh on your current complexion products, give these two a try.
The Heroine Glow Highlighter sits beautifully on top of their foundation; it might give my favorite Fenty Wattabrat Highlighter a run for its money.
Juvia's Glass Gloss is an ULTA favorite and for good reason. This is one of the few lip glosses that actually delivers a non-sticky promise. We stan.
BLK/OPL
BLK/OPL is, without question, one of the most iconic Black-owned beauty brands. Since 1994, they have been creating skincare and makeup with women of color at the forefront. The brand was recently purchased by Desirée Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, who are updating the brand to feature clean ingredients and develop new products.
The True Melanin High Impact Palette is sultry, glamorous and truly feels like luxury. The shadows are so creamy and blendable that I would have confused it with my Pat McGrath Mothership V.
If you need a smooth new lipstick, that is both matte but not too drying, look no further than the Risqué Matte from BLK/OPL. Pair it with the Lip Liner that truly doesn’t budge, even under a mask. The pigment and formula are chef’s kiss. You know I love a good eyeliner and this Precision Eye Definer is among ULTA’s top rated.
One of the brand’s most iconic products is their Oil Absorbing Pressed Powder, featuring Vitamin C as a key ingredient to give skin a shine-free glow that is breathable.
Pattern
Who better to give us a beauty brand than the gorgeous Tracee Ellis Ross? She launched the natural hair company Pattern in 2019 and it has taken off as one of Sephora’s latest additions. Many of the products quickly have become cult favorites.
If you have any kind of hair on your head, you must try the Leave-In Conditioner. There is a reason that the reviews on Sephora’s site are all glowing. It will leave your hair feeling hydrated, even in the rough NYC winter.
With someone like Tracee behind the brand, I just knew the Curl Gel was going to be good. It enhances natural curls with aloe vera, coconut oil and works wonders when you need that extra hold without your hair feeling crunchy.
For my dry hair/scalp baddies, you need to try the Jojoba Oil to really lock in moisture and shine. The Intensive Conditioner for low-porosity hair types is truly a game changer for any type 4 hair. And, of course, who doesn't want snatched edges? The Edge Control from Pattern has quickly become one of my favorites.
Beauty Bakerie
Last but not least, one of the most adorable brands on the market: Beauty Bakerie really takes branding to a whole new level, created by breast cancer survivor Cashmere Nicole, who took the brand to a $15 million valuation in 2018. The packaging all resembles baking accessories and takes creative brand innovation to the extreme. I'm obsessed.
Beauty Bakerie’s claim to fame is their Lip Whip, which is so long-wearing that it actually requires a special remover. Many of your celeb faves have worn this liquid lipstick before, from Cardi B to Beyoncé.
The Queen of Tarts Palette is such a gorgeous blush trio that works on nearly every skin tone, and the lightest one is a secret dupe for the viral Dior blush.
Of course, her line includes baking powder, aptly branded as "Face Flour." I love the consistency. It’s such a beautiful setting powder that really smooths foundation down for that airbrushed look all day long.
The Artisan Brush Set features a series of staple eyeshadow brushes that all have adorable kitchen ornaments attached to the bottom. Finally, the Cocoa Bronzer Palette is such a beautiful curation of colors for deeper skin tones.
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