It is important, now than ever, to assess the realities of inclusion or lack thereof in the beauty industry; a recent report by McKinsey Institute noted that in the US alone Black cosmetic brands raise a median of $13 million in venture capital, substantially less than the $20 million that non-Black brands raise. Yet today, the median revenue of those Black brands is 89 times higher than what non-Black beauty brands return over the same period.
And although there has been progression made in wider society since the late '60s, clearly, the beauty industry is still failing minorities – many cosmetic companies are extremely lacking in colour innovation and that's not even the tip of the iceberg! So, to continue the conversation, we're platforming the untold stories of Black-owned beauty brands that are making a real change in the industry right now.
From friends who started a natural haircare brand together after noticing a lack of naturals in existing curly hair products, to the woman who started a makeup company to celebrate her Nigerian heritage, we've rounded up 23 of our faves.
Some of them you will have most definitely heard before (I mean, how could we not include Pat McGrath Labs and Fenty Beauty?) but others, like Uoma, Hey Humans and Liha Beauty may be new to you. Not to mention the likes of Briogeo and Bouclème who have gained a cult following online, thanks to their dedication to every curly haired girl out there. Oh, and we can't forget Dizziak, who won a Cosmopolitan Beauty Award in 2019 because their Deep Conditioner is that good. Gahhh, who are we kidding, every one of the following has something special to note!
A purchase from one of these brands will mean you're not only support black entrepreneurs but also in the case of The Afro Hair and Skin Co and Bouclème, British brands that put ingredient sustainability at the forefront of their ethos.