Featured Image Source
It’s always been easy for me to find makeup that matches my skin tone — I’m pale af and, obviously, white. I just wander into any Ulta or Sephora, pick a pasty beige skin color powder or foundation and I’m on my merry way. My experience differs wildly from Black women trying to find a shade that matches their skin.
Journalist Kayla Johnson sums it up pretty well, saying “I couldn’t try some of the most hyped foundations because they didn’t have my shade. Some brands excluded a range of shades altogether, while others made the attempt yet failed miserably.”
Out of necessity, Black women took it upon themselves to create their own makeup lines so they could be represented in the beauty world. In the last few years, makeup for darker skin tones made their way into the beauty world solely due to BIPOC-owned (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) beauty brands entering the scene.
“Systemic racism is deeply rooted in society, and the 2020 global unrest surrounding racial injustice should spark a call to action to support the Black community in a sustained, meaningful way,” says Marie Claire.
“A small way to show solidarity is by investing in Black-owned businesses. If you’re wondering what that support can look like, consider the 15 Percent Pledge. The logic is that, since Black Americans make up 15 percent of the national population, then they should make up 15 percent of the inventory on stores’ shelves. Perhaps a good way to hold yourself accountable is to also devote around 15 percent of the shelf space in your own medicine cabinet to Black-owned brands as well.”
Though these brands are designed to fill a void in the makeup aisle for darker skin tones, they’re not limited to them — you can shop BIPOC-owned beauty brands if you are white. Their products are just like any other brand and include lipstick, eyeshadow, and everything else you put in your makeup bag.
Looking for somewhere to start? Check out these BIPOC beauty brands and add them to your vanity ASAP!
Juvia’s Place
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Juvia’s Place was “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.” They believe in inclusive beauty for women and men, stating that customers “Have skin tones in the fairest fairs to the deepest darks. The Juvia’s Tribe is where we celebrate our customers that come to us from all walks of life.
“Founder Chichi Eburu struggled to find makeup suited for her deep skin tone. What was available were muted colors and products that didn’t enhance the true richness of her skin tone. She searched for years to find cosmetics that would enhance the dark hues of her skin tone without making her look lighter or grayer, makeup that offered colors that weren’t muted against her rich skin color. Lo and behold, products like that were near impossible to find in the beauty world – and Juvia’s Place was born!”
Pattern Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Pattern Beauty is a haircare line created by Tracie Ellis Ross that desires to “Fulfill the beauty needs of the CURLY, COILY & TIGHT TEXTURED community. They are centered around the celebration of Black Beauty, an active space for uplifting and loving our authentic beauty, and are Black-owned and Black-founded.”
They say, “May we support the curliest, coiliest & tightest of hair textures. May we embrace, love and celebrate our community & the gorgeous hair we have. May we know our hair is strong. May we know our curls are flexible. May we know our texture is resilient. May we know our patterns are magic.”
Beauty Bakerie
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Cashmere Nicole founded Beauty Bakerie in 2011 with the mission to “Be sweet and sweeten the lives of others.” During a challenging, but successful, fight with breast cancer, Cashmere became extremely health conscious and research-driven about the products we put in and on our bodies. The Beauty Bakerie brand is a direct reflection of Cashmere’s perseverance and passion for high quality, healthy ingredients that enhance the beauty in everyone, every day. Cashmere continues to grow her brand which is now sold in 1000 locations worldwide.
The brand has been dubbed ‘Activists in makeup’ for being vocal about injustices that span a variety of issues to include the disparities within the beauty space, The Black Lives Matter Movement, The Dream Act, The Muslim Ban, missing children, and human trafficking. “I’ve always felt a sense of duty to use my platform to inform, to encourage & educate, to uplift, unite and inspire others to see the value in being sweet; being a person that looks beyond the surface for the things that truly make a difference in the world.”
Mented Cosmetics
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Founders KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson created Mented Cosmetics because they believe every woman should be able to find herself in the world of beauty, no matter her skin tone. “We know you’ll love being put first – because when it comes to beauty, no one deserves to be an afterthought.”
From their original nude lipsticks to eyeshadow palettes to blushes, each of their makeup products is perfectly pigmented to match your skin tones. “We want all women, from light to tan to dark skin tones, to feel like they have makeup that actually works for their complexions, so we’ve created the shades to help accomplish that.”
Briogeo Hair Care
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Founder and CEO Nancy Twine started her career in finance but after the loss of her mother, she realized life is short and switched paths. Thus began Briogeo Hair Care, where “We empower them all with clean care made from natural ingredients that work, we support them all with education that shows you the way, and celebrate them all as a community of like-minded and different haired individuals.”
They are creating clean + effective formulas for your healthy hair journey for every unique hair type, texture, and color.
Pat McGrath Labs
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: “Pat McGrath is the world’s most influential and in-demand makeup artist. For over 25 years, McGrath’s creative vision has made her a tour de force whose legendary and creative power has transformed both beauty and fashion on a global scale.”
Pat McGrath has been formulating and perfecting her must-have collection of high-performance cosmetics, culminating in the launch of her eponymous brand, PAT McGrath Labs.
Luv Scrub
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Caroline, the Founder and Smooth Operating Officer, says the exfoliator LUV SCRUB has been used in West Africa for generations. She says:
“My mother introduced it to me when I was about 5. She said ‘here.’ It is just what you use growing up. You don’t ask questions. Growing up I noticed that my friends were using other tools. I never understood why…
“My best friend borrowed mine back in 2001 without permission, lol. Next thing she was begging my parents to bring her one on their next trip to Ghana. My parents happily brought her one.
“Not only was she using it, her husband and her sister were using it too! It never clicked back then that it could be a business. That all changed in 2011 when new friends complimented me on my skin. I mentioned what I used and they suggested turning it into a business. With my background in Retail Merchandising and Branding, I knew this was the right thing to do. Immediately it was received by everyone. People LOVE it. It answered everyone’s prayers.
“I’m amazed every day at what things this mesh can do. I hear 2 things daily: “I LOVE my LUV SCRUB!” or ”Baby Soft.” It lets me know that I gave it the right name.”
UOMA Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: UOMA — pronounced “uh-mah” — means “beautiful,” and they believe that beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself. They exist to re-write the rules of inclusivity and diversity to create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us.
UOMA Beauty is the most inclusive black-owned beauty brand. Founded by Nigerian-born, LA & London-based former beauty executive Sharon Chuter, the UOMA Beauty range is rebellious, innovative and created for all.
“At UOMA we are an empowered tribe. Our race is human, our people are free, our language is color. All are welcome to our beautiful tribe.”
Black Opal Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Since 1994, BLK/OPL has been a leader in developing skincare and makeup for women of color that understands their unique skin needs — from hyperpigmentation, to oil control, to shade matching.
Recently purchased by Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, the brand is now focused on clean, innovative products developed exclusively for skin rich in melanin. BLK/OPL promises to continue to upgrade its ingredients, look for innovative ways to engage consumers, and provide multiple retailers for added convenience.
Fenty Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Before she was BadGalRiRi – music, fashion and beauty icon – Robyn Rihanna Fenty was a little girl in Barbados transfixed by her mother’s lipstick. The first time she experienced makeup for herself, she never looked back. “Makeup became her weapon of choice for self-expression — a way to radiate her ever-changing mood — and it powered a fearless take on beauty that helped her become the boundary-breaking icon she is today.”
Rihanna was inspired to create Fenty Beauty after years of experimenting with the best-of-the-best in beauty — and still seeing a void in the industry for products that performed across all skin types and tones. She launched a makeup line “So that people everywhere would be included,” focusing on a wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades.
LYS Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: Tisha Thompson launched LYS Beauty because she is on a personal mission to diversify the clean beauty industry. “When it comes to your skin, compromising shouldn’t be an option and I believe everyone deserves access to clean beauty.
“This thoughtfully-created line features clean formulas, universal shade offerings and high-performance results for today’s evolving beauty consumer. With confidence as the goal and clean beauty as the vehicle, LYS Beauty is proud to become the retailer’s first Black-owned Sephora Clean Color Cosmetics brand.”
Danessa Myricks Beauty
View this post on Instagram
Who They Are: “Danessa Myricks Beauty is an artisanal brand developed with the notion that makeup is art and that the world of beauty should be inclusive of every woman. Every formula is designed to be multifunctional in use and work on a broad range of skin tones.
“Danessa’s product lines are a playground of customizable colors and textures, designed for both professional makeup artists and everyday consumers. Both artists and consumers have the ability to easily customize and freely create while exploring an inclusive world of beauty without boundaries.”
Will you be adding any of these Black-owned makeup brands to your beauty routine? Tell us in the comments!
Want To Read More Articles About Beauty And Makeup? Check Out The Ones Below:
