Ahem, You’re Gonna Want to Shop These 45 Black-Owned Skincare Brands
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Sweet July Skin
Ayesha Curry (aka: Chef Curry with the pot) has expanded her personal empire with the debut of Sweet July Skin. The Caribbean superfood-infused collection is an homage to Ayesha’s Jamaican roots and love of recipe-making, and each product is designed to balance all skin types. Papaya? Guava?! Our skin is ready to eat a full plate.
The Lip Bar is one of THEE best vegan makeup brands out there. So, when founder and CEO Melissa Butler and her team debuted a skincare line last year? We were all shook. Offerings are loaded with superfood ingredients (oh hey, Reishi mushrooms and blueberry extracts!) to help you get rid of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
✨ Must-try product: Clean Up Gel Facial Cleanser, $17
Coupled with the stress of working in a bustling new city and experiencing the environment’s air and water pollution, Patrick Boateng II’s skin was riddled with breakouts and acne scarring. And he caught that there were no products on the market for men with melanated skin. To make that a thing of the past, the skincare founder launched a line for men of color that’s free of harsh chemicals and packed with nourishing ingredients, like Ceylon Tea (translation: Black tea) to leave skin healthier than ever.
Our fave Rihanna is no stranger to sparking change in the beauty industry, but her Fenty Skin launch back in 2020 was just as personal. Her skincare line is inspired by her own skin insecurities, like hyperpigmentation and sensitivity. And thanks to her brand’s science-backed and super nourishing ingredients, you can feel even better about the beautiful skin you’re in.
✨ Must-try product: Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream, $36
When Tristan Walker didn’t see grooming products on the market catered to Black men, he decided to take matters into his own hands. The founder and CEO of Bevel has launched customized skincare that’s gentle and nourishing. Plus, the Bevel team donates a portion of all their Walmart sales to support Anti-Recidivism legislation, continuing education, and job training for returning citizens from incarceration.
✨ Must-try product: Hydrating Face Gel with Vitamin C, $13
Sometimes taking care of sensitive skin can, well, be a hairy situation. That’s exactly why Sugardoh founder Aliyah Marandiz created a sugar wax line. Instead of harsh traditional waxing methods, you can use the compostable sugaring paste to remove hair for up to weeks at a time. Talk about a win-win!
If you’re looking for plant-based skincare, PLS check out Undefined Beauty’s collection. Dorian Morris founded her brand to “democratize beauty” by knocking down the idea that wellness should be illusive or exclusive. You can get into her “clean-ical” approach to skincare by shopping her products that are sustainably sourced and affordable.
Black-owned Epara skincare offers an incredibly opulent range of products with chic-as-hell packaging that’ll look sooo pretty on your bathroom counter. Both their face and body products are powered by African botanical ingredients to create a high-performance experience that’s well worth the sliiightly higher price tag.
If you struggle with stubborn, acne-prone skin, listen up: Rosen’s products just might be your solution to persistent blackheads, whiteheads, cystic breakouts, and body acne. Their products are formulated with people of color in mind, so you don’t have to worry about the ingredients having an overly irritating or bleaching effect.
✨ Must-try product: Smooth Jelly Face Mask for Dark Spots and Tentured Skin, $18
From the golden packaging to the transparent lists breaking down every ingredient, benefit, and recommended use under each product, Lovinah is truly a luxurious, full-service brand. Star product ingredients include Kenyan Black Tea, Dragon’s Blood (a type of tree sap extract), and Blue Agave.
As you may have guessed from their name, clean beauty brand Plant Apothecary relies on the power of plant peptides and botanical extracts to create gentle, effective products that form the base of any good skincare routine. Think night creams, mild cleansers, and moisturizing soaps.
4.5.6 Skin is committed to creating products especially for melanin-rich skin. In 2019, they developed their Skin Tone Research Lab to address the unique needs of darker skin (specifically Skin Phototypes IV, V, and VI), whether it be safely treating hyperpigmentation, regulating sebum production, or strengthening the skin barrier.
Inspired by a West African beauty ritual, the Luv Scrub is a body exfoliator that’ll produce a surprising amount of lather while using way less soap than you’re used to squeezing out per shower. Best of all, your Luv Scrub can last up to 18 months (!!) compared to the average loofah, which typically needs to be replaced after 2 months.
Founder Nyakio Grieco launched Relevant Your Skin Seen over the summer as a celebration of inclusivity and positivity in the beauty space. The line’s first launch? One & Done—a multitasking face cream that hydrates, plumps, and protects all skin types and tones.
✨ Must-try product: One & Done Everyday Cream with SPF 40, $38
2023 has been the year of musician-owned beauty brands, including Alicia Keys’ Keys Soulcare. Her line of self-care products (including skincare, body care, and more) are formulated with your skin’s health *and* your mental health in mind.
Founded by three sisters from Ghana, Karité’s line of lip, hand, and and body products is all about shea butter. The ingredient is loved for its ability to deeply moisture and nourish thanks to a high concentration of vitamin A, E, F, and fatty acids.
✨ Must-try product: Creme Corps Hydrating Body Cream, $46
Founded in 2018 by actor, model, and recording artist Dorion Renaud, Buttah Skin uses the power of raw and organic shea butter to help target common issues (think hyperpigmentation and dryness), with a focus on melanin-rich skin.
Since its launch, Black-owned skincare brand Klur has been centered around clean, ethical, sustainable, and inclusive beauty (I mean, what’s not to love about that??). Founder, product formulator, and aesthetician Lesley Thornton created the collection of multitasking, minimalist products with the intention of helping people achieve optimal skin health.
This Black-owned skincare brand from Dr. Anne Beal focuses on three things: simplicity, efficacy, and safety. Everything in the line—from the face toner to night oil—uses gentle, yet clinically-tested ingredients to help you achieve healthy, glowing skin.
Long gone are the days of sunscreen neglecting melanated skin. Shontay Lundy, founder of Black Girl Sunscreen, created a much-needed product in the beauty industry: A completely sheer sunscreen, non-whitening sunscreen that protects melanin-rich without making it look ashy. Beauty influencers, celebs, and dermatologists alike rave about this company.
Hannah is the assistant shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things from cute apartment decor to trendy fashion finds, TikTok products that are actually worth your $$$, and the perfect gift to buy for your boyfriend’s mom. She previously wrote for Seventeen and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram for hot takes on red carpet fashion and unhinged updates on the books she’s reading on the train.
Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for nine years at Cosmopolitan and has contributed to Women’s Health and Seventeen magazines as well. Follow her on Instagram.
Nashia Baker is a commerce editor at Hearst Magazines; she covers all things home and lifestyle across brands such as Oprah Daily, Cosmopolitan, Delish, and Esquire. Before joining Hearst, she highlighted small business owners, creatives, and the best shoppable content.
