There are many black-owned cosmetics companies to purchase quality and richly pigmented makeup. Black-owned cosmetics companies are setting the new standard in beauty. They have set themselves apart from the overly commercialized brands that most women are accustomed to by catering to the unique skincare needs of women of color. Now, black women will never have the problem of settling for a shade that’s too light, that makes the skin appear dull or ashy, and that overtime leaves the skin with unsightly breakouts. All of the featured brands caters to the lightest ivory hues to the deepest ebony complexions and over half of the brands prides themselves on formulating their cosmetics with natural ingredients.
Vera Moore was determined to reviatilize the makeup industry while working as an actress on the set of the NBC soap opera, “Another World.” While on set, her current make up choices for her skin complexion were slim to none. It made the skin oily, lacked long lasting capabilities and caused the skin to look dull. Vera Moore wanted to produce quality and natural looking makeup for women of color. In 1979 she birthed her idea and created her self-titled brand, Vera Moore Cosmetics. She offers a full comprehensive line of products for both retail and professional consumers. Her products are skincare focused and are meant to enhance your natural beauty. Currently, Vera Moore Cosmetics is family owned and operated. Her brand has been used on the Wendy Williams Show, Saturday Night Live and is now carried by Duane Reade and at select Walgreens LOOK Boutique locations
The Lip Bar was created for women who dread living by society’s beauty standards. The Lip Bar’s products challenges this standard by creating imaginative lip colors for women who are gutsy enough to wear them. Melissa Butler, founder and CEO, decided to create a fun twist when naming her brand and its products. Most of her lip products are named after alcoholic beverages such as Ameretto Sour, Chocolate Spritzer and Baby Bellini. The brand’s products are supreme in quality, aesthetics, and color. What goes into each product is just as carefully calculated as its outer appearance. In order for the products to be applied in a smooth application the lipsticks are infused with vitamin E, shea butter, and avocado oil. These ingredients also assists in having supple lips.
In the fall of 2014 LipMatic was created by Destiny Jones, the brand’s name is an ode to her father’s hip hop album, Illmatic. Her products pays homage to New York with most of the products being named after New York landmarks and other things that are quintessential to New York such as Queensbridge Bricks, Jackson Heights Street Lights, and Sunrise in Harlem. LipMatic’s products are 98% organic and are comprised with sunflower seed oil, bee’s wax, coconut oil, vitamin E, shea butter, cocoa butter and lavender flower extract. All of the products are priced at an affordable price of $14.00 and the lip gloss packages are priced at $50.
Sheeq Cosmetics is a luxury makeup and skincare brand founded by beauty expert Melissa Hilbert. The brand’s name, Sheeq, stands for ‘She’s Exquisite” and it strives in bringing the best beauty products to women of every shade. One of their best selling products is formulated with vitamin E and another customer favorite is their lightweight foundation that is formulated with wheat germ. Wheat germ assist in improving the skin’s elasticity and fades skin blemishes. Sheeq Cosmetic’s lipsticks and lip glosses are highly pigmented and comes in various trendsetting shades. All of their products are paraben free, hypoallergenic, fragrance free, allergy tested, and contains non-pore clogging ingredients.
Revel cosmetics is a vivacious cosmetics line created by celebrity stylist, Julian Lark. The brand was inspired by the woman who likes to surround herself with luxury and who enjoys displaying her femininity. Revel’s bold and fun colors will compliment any woman. All of the brands products, including their foundations and eyeshadows, goes on smooth and with ease without caking, chapping, or flaking.
The founders of Sacha Cosmetics felt the need to create a makeup line to ensure women that they will never look dull, ashy, or chalky while wearing makeup. The brand is based in the subtropical climate of Trinidad and Tobago. Because of their location, it was important for the creators of the brand to offer makeup that did not leave the face oily and was packed with sun protection. Sacha Cosmetics are exceptional in quality and provides a second-skin like finish with a lightweight feel. Their eyeshadow is long wearing and is immensely pigmented. Sacha Cosmetics lip products are formulated with the same attention to detail as their foundation and eyeshadows. They give women the option of wearing intense colors that are perfect for making a statement lip.
Plain Jane Beauty’s founder, Lake Louis, spent years crafting the perfect cocktail for her beauty brand. In 2011 she decided to launch her cosmetics company that is made with only safe, natural, and organic ingredients. Plain Jane Beauty prides itself on accommodating all skin shades. The lightest shade of ivory to the deepest ebony hues are never left out. Although there are many cosmetics brands on the market many of them contain pore-clogging and toxic ingredients that over time will deteriorate the skin. Plain Jane Beauty is formulated without parabens, silicons, talc, and bismuth. The brand sets itself apart by encouraging healthy skin and promoting responsibility to the environment.
PNK Digger is a fun and exciting cosmetics brand based in Atlanta. The brand is environmentally responsible, 100% vegan, cruelty free, paraben free and petroleum free. The names of some of their products are based on popular regions, phrases, clubs, and streets based in Atlanta such as Peachtree Street, Buckhead Betty, and Piedmont Park. All of their lip colors are set at an affordable price of $9.75
A reconstruction of beauty is the definition of the brand’s name. The brand’s belief is that beauty is revealed and not applied. Lamik beauty is one of the first brands to remain eco-chic with their makeup, facial care and eyelash products. The caters to a wide range of skin complexion so that every woman will be able to literally put her best face forward. Their cosmetics are hypo-allergenic and is formulated without polyisobutene, fragrance, paraben, talc, lead, and is absent of any pore-clogging ingredients. You’ll not only be able to cater to your aesthetic makeup needs, but to your skincare needs as well. They offer an advanced selection of cleansers, toners and moisturizers. All of Lamik Beauty’s products includes a combination powerful natural ingredients such as green tea, aloe vera, vitamin C, vitamin E, orange bitter extract, water, cucumber, avocado oil, and minerals.
Ka’Oir is a fun and stunning cosmetics brand that creates ingenious colors for women who are spunky enough to wear them. Ka’Oir was one of the first makeup brands to create out of the box lipstick colors such as yellow, blue, white, and various show stopping glitter lipsticks. Ka’Oir’s mission is for women to be brilliant, be beautiful and to set themselves apart. The brand carries over 20 glitz sticks (glitter lipsticks) and has a vast assortment of lipsticks and lip glosses to opt from.
BLAC Minerals was created out of the desire to provide women of all skin complexions quality makeup with exceptional ingredients. The brand strives in addressing the unique skincare needs of women of color. BLAC Minerals glorifies natural beauty and is made with natural ingredients. Their products are formulated with the highest attention to detail and are without parabens, artificial fragrances, chemical dyes, petroleum, mineral oil, bismuth oxychloride, and talc. The brand always makes their products from scratch and in small batches and with few ingredients. Fewer ingredients lessens the chances for skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
Beauty Bakerie started off by only selling a few products every six months to being one of the most sought after beauty brands for women who enjoy expressing their individuality. Beauty Bakerie was born out of the CEO’s passion of applying makeup on her friends. The brand markets their products after delicious bakery treats such as Apple Pear Smoothie, Smores D’oeuvres, and Yogurt Berries. Along with their irresistible lip products Beauty Bakerie also carries pigment rich eyebrow products and an assortment of eyeshadows.
This beauty brand was founded by celebrity self-taught makeup artist, AJ Crimson. He built his brand based on his desire to enhance the natural beauty of women. The cosmetics brand has been featured world wide in publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Essence. The AJ Crimson Beauty line is prided on its dual skin creme foundation. It has the ability to go on sheer while evening out the skin, but has the buildable coverage to erase blemishes and scars. AJ Crimson Beauty carries a wide variety of shades that will be sure to include every woman’s complexion and personality.
Do you have a favorite black-owned beauty brand that wasn’t mentioned? If so, comment below telling us what they are!
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Allure Naturelle coming soon
We have all types of lipsticks eyeshadows and foundations for women of color.
Thanks for exposing me to these new and creative brands!!
Tonya
My friend is launching her cosmetic line May 14 in NYC. It’s a black own business call MUAHCOSMETICS
Author
Congrats in advance on her launc!! Tell her to please feel free to email her product offerings and press images to cocobates@thecoreport.com
-Coco Bates
I just followed her on IG and will be checking out her product!
oh wow! that’s awesome! congratulations to her!
Black Madonna Cosmetics
AJ Crimson has the best foundation hands down. I did a video swatching all 12 of AJ Crimson’s foundation shades plus the famous Banana Cream Highlighter. I don’t buy cheap foundation, it’s better than my Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 Hour.
Simpli Nikki is a black owned Paraben free and moisturizing matte lipstick brand that was reeleased recently in March. http://Www.simplinikki.com
OOOPolish is the first African inspired nail polish made for the beautiful shades of women of color. Created by a woman of color. Hand blended and distributed by the owner, Symantha O. Created 5 collections so far and over 20 nail lacquer colors.
http://www.ooopolish.com
Sp3ctrum Cosmetics is Female & Black owned since 2008. Created by Amber Rose (me) to raise awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder we handcraft vibrant lip glazes, highlighters for every skin tone and custom fragrances. In 2014 I opened our first beauty bar, Sp3ctrum Makeup & Brow Bar in Elk Grove, CA.
Venom Cosmeircs currently rebranding relaunching this fall
Venom Cosmetics
IVIVIIV Cosmetics @iviviivcosmetics cruelty free and one of the fastest growing black owned make up brands right now
Jay-Jill Cosmetics is another black owned beauty brand http://www.jay-jillcosmetics.com
http://www.facebook.com/jayjillcosmetics
Forever Regal Cosmetics is a new black owned brand. I just placed my first order yesterday. Their foundations come in 18 shades for women of color.
Author
Thank you for adding to our ever growing list of black owned cosmetic brands!
This is so awesome!!! Thank you for sharing…
I’m glad I caught this post. I’ve only heard of one of the brands mentioned.
Author
Great!! I’m so glad you were able to come across this post. Feel free to share it. We’re trying our hardest to get the word out about these amazing brands 🙂
Another brand is and coming. It’s called Princess M Cosmetics! She’s a 16 year old entrepreneur. She started the brand when she was 16 years old. http://www.princessmcosmetics.com/
Love the support in the community!
Check out Cora Luxe Cosmetics, a female black owned cosmetic company about empowering women with lipsticks that are Cruelty free , Vegan, Water proof, and French Vanilla infused.
Check us out at!
http://coraluxecosmetics.com
Author
Thank you for commenting! I’ll check out your site and I’ll be doing several more “Black-Owned” round-up’s, including another Black-Owned cosmetics lists… I’ll be sure to include you!!