As protests are still going strong across the country, and even internationally, BLM is a powerful movement we all need to fight for. While there are so many resources out there to show your support, such as petitions, donation sites, and attending protests, supporting black-owned businesses is a long-standing way to do so. There are so many amazing brands out there whether it’s beauty, clothing, or lifestyle-centered, that don’t get as much publicity as they should. So, A Girl in LA is here to highlight 15 outstanding black-owned brands on the market that are quickly becoming our favorites!
KNC Beauty is a unique brand that offers products unlike any other. Kristen Noel Crawley launched this line as the first-ever natural, collagen-infused brand. Focusing on clean ingredients, she has created lip masks, oil-infused lip balms, and a lip scrub, with the goal of giving you plump, hydrated, and smooth lips. She even has retinol infused eye masks that are so adorable (they come in the shape of shooting stars) and will de-puff, hydrate, and brighten under your eyes.
Briogeo, founded by Nancy Twine, is a need-to-know beauty brand that specializes in naturally derived hair care products. Briogeo brings an innovative spin to hair-based beauty by using only clean, natural, and sustainable ingredients. After Nancy realized how the haircare world excluded products for natural black hair, her focus became products for all hair types. You can find anything from shampoo and conditioner to treatments and styling products. All her products use step-by-step regimens, so you no longer need to mix and match. Briogeo’s website has a 5-question quiz to give you product recommendations so you can customize your haircare routine. What’s better than to support a brand concentrated on diversity, transparency and clean ingredients while beautifying your hair naturally without the use of harsh chemicals.
The black-owned clothing label, Jade Swim was created by fashion editor and stylist, Brittany Kozwerski. The vision of the collection is minimalist while still having unique design details and silhouettes. The line captures attention by being multifunctional. You can wear the suits from “day to night, from beach to city, as swim or ready-to-wear.” Brittany crafted the swimsuits with shape retention technology to sculpt the body. She also formed them with UV protection and resistance to chlorine and sunscreen to ensure lasting quality. This makes the suits even more of a bang for your buck.
Fenty Beauty is an important black-owned beauty brand that fashion and music icon Rihanna created in 2017. It defies beauty standards by creating products that can work for a wide range of skin tones and skin types making it a cult favorite among people of all races and ethnicities. Her award-winning Pro Filt’r Foundation is pivotal as it includes 50 shades to cater to everyone and anyone. Fenty has everything from lip gloss to contour sticks to makeup brushes. Another amazing thing about this specific brand is Rihanna created the products, like eyeliner and lipstick, to feature out-of-the-box colors so consumers can have fun when doing their makeup.
My favorite product is her Body Lava Body Luminizer because it’s a beautiful body highlighter that leaves my skin dewy and radiant. It’s a perfect product to purchase for the summer that will give you a beachy glow.
Another purposeful black-owned lifestyle company is Salt Spray Soap Co. which is owned by Bermuda-native Genelle John. This all-natural brand uses beneficial clays and natural additives to ensure all the products heal skin damage and maintain daily moisture. Their soaps come in neon colors and subtle pastels and in a variety of smells from sweet to deep to unscented. Salt Spray Soap Co. also produces body butter, salt scrubs, and lip balms. They make the soaps for cleansing, body butter for moisturizing, salt scrub for exfoliating, and lip balm for soothing the skin. Genelle creates everything in Bermuda with top quality ingredients.
The Honey Pot Co. is a revolutionary black-owned lifestyle brand made specifically for feminine care. The brand’s mission is to “cleanse, protect, and balance,” the feminine care system. They put products into certain categories, like cleansing where they have washes and wipes, menstrual where they sell menstrual cups and tampons, mommy-to-be hygiene items, soothing balms, and refreshing sprays. What makes Honey Pot different is that there are no chemicals or toxins in their items, so all the products are refreshing and healing. All the ingredients are 100% natural and powered by herbs, made by women, backed by science, and biodegradable. As if this company couldn’t get more inspiring, they partner with #HappyPeriod to provide menstrual hygiene kits to those who are homeless, low income, or poverty-ridden.
Gemini Naturals came about after creator Lianne found that kinky-curly natural hair can easily get damaged when using hair dyes. She based the brand on color gels that make it possible to have both dyed and healthy hair. The curl defining gel is aloe vera based and is a temporary color for natural curls and kinks. The formula was designed for naturally dark colored hair and rinses out easily. Gemini Naturals sells color primers, serums, and temporary dyes. The dye colors vary from bronze to cobalt to bright purple. This company is such a fun take on safe temporary dye inclusive for those with naturally curly hair.
If you’re on the hunt for bold knitwear or loungewear, Haitian designer Victor Glemaud is where you should be looking. With reasonable prices for high-quality, tailored garments, Glemaud has envisioned collections for all genders, races, sizes, and personalities. His use of knit textiles combined with geometric patterns creates stylish pieces that are still comfortable. You can find a collection of casual cardigans, sweaters, dresses, skirts, and evening coats. He fashions some pieces with green tiger stripes, black and white geometrics, and even neon color blocking. Every single garment he creates is imaginative, creative and unique. You won’t find anything like it on the fashion market.
Pat McGrath Labs is another female black-owned beauty brand. Her concealers and foundations feature a myriad of colors for every skin tone and gorgeous eyeshadow palettes for distinct vibes and personalities. The MatteTrance Lipstick comes in so many exciting colors, from lavender to orange to blackish-purple. Pat McGrath, a former influential makeup artist, is all about making her makeup special. She highlights “the power of transformation, the power of beauty, and the power of makeup,” with her company. She has all the essential makeup products in her collection, like eyeshadow, lip products, highlighter, primer, and brushes. If you’re looking to support a black-owned business that produces high-end beauty products made of top tier quality, you just found it!
Brother Vellies is a need-to-know accessory label. They concentrate on handmade traditional African design practices, timeless and cultural designs, and one-of-a-kind pieces. The core value of Brother Vellies is sustainability, something critical during this era where fashion is one of the biggest polluters. The collections are handmade and produced across the globe. Textiles used are vegetable-tanned leathers, recycled tires, hand-carved wood, and floral-dyed feathers. Their transparency in using fair labor practices makes them stand out. Exquisite handbags and footwear in various textures define the aesthetics of their brand. These are statement pieces that can completely transform any outfit.
Luv Scrub is an innovative in-shower exfoliator made to smooth and clean the skin. They are better than any other product on the market, like shower poufs or washcloths, because they can scrub the back fully, remove dead skin cells, and they can last for up to 18 months. The mesh exfoliators come in unique colors too and they are super affordable. They’re great to travel with since they dry quickly and because they’re made with 100% nylon they don’t breed bacteria. Once you step out of the shower and apply your body oil and moisturizer, you’ll notice how much softer your skin feels since the mesh will allow it to penetrate deeper.
Carol’s Daughter is an exceptional hair care brand made for all textures and hair types. The brand centers on making products without utilizing chemicals or artificial colors in the ingredients. They have a myriad of products to choose from with specific infusions so you can find which one is specific for your hair. For example, she’s created a line of black vanilla-infused items like hair sheen, combing cream, smoothers, leave-in conditioner, and shampoo. You can either buy the items in singles or if you really enjoy one of the specific infusions, you can buy a complete collection. You don’t have to search far to try out this transformational brand since it’s available at Target stores all over the country.
Founded by Ade Hassan, Nubian Skin has become a pivotal company in the fashion industry for women of color. After Hassan realized the nude bras and skin tone hosiery in stores and on websites were never suitable for women of color, she wanted to make a change. The brand’s mission is to make space for “a different kind of nude” in the lingerie market. Nubian Skin has made an enormous impact by redefining “nude” and becoming more inclusive for the women whose skin tones have been overlooked. Hassan has designed and produced original kinds of hosiery, lingerie, and swimwear in different skin-tones. She even has a guide on her website so you can discover what shade goes best with your skin tone.
Christopher John Rogers is an up-and-coming designer, already establishing himself with the likes of celebrities like Rihanna and Michelle Obama. Rogers should be a household name in the fashion industry as he creates transformational designs unlike any other. I, for one, am obsessed with his most recent SS20 collection. His price points are expensive, however, these are garments that will last you a long time since the quality is top of the line. Christopher’s imagination comes to life as he designs womenswear with oversized silhouettes, peak tailoring, and the use of monochromatic neon coloring. He creates statement pieces like co-ord pants and blouse sets, evening wear dresses, and crop tops.
Oui the People is a shaving brand that has a mission to reconstitute beauty by watching their language. Founder Karen believes that brands inform culture and language, which moves into beauty. She made a commitment to stray away from terms like “anti-aging,” “flawless,” and “perfect” when describing the products. The brand’s value is to build products designed to “help you feel great in the skin you’re already in,” rather than pursuing unrealistic perfection. The inspiring message is to show consumers they should honor their complexities and to celebrate themselves no matter what. They also make sustainable razors with long-lasting steel that is recyclable and refillable too, and they sell refills to target specific concerns like ingrown hairs or razor burns. All their ingredients stray away from chemicals and toxins to help honor your body.
*This article contains some affiliate links and 10% of each commission will be donated to Black Lives Matter.
