25 Beauty Products From Black-Owned Brands To Add To Your Bag ASAP

Fashion Fair, edge acrobatics, and other ways to have fun with your look.

1. Fashion Fair's Crème to Powder Foundation held me down when the Queen Collection wasn't enough. Powders can be tricky (read: ghastly) when mismatched but this one goes on like butter. Never fear a flash photograph again!

Sephora

Promising review: "After reading and watching a few reviews, I decided to purchase this foundation. I grew up seeing the women in my life wear Fashion Fair and I wanted to give it a try now that they are back. Though I am partial to liquid foundations, this Créme to Powder foundation provides me everything I look for in a foundation. Its medium coverage but gives my skin a "my skin, but better" finish. It's perfect for my combination skin; it helps keep the oily areas at bay but provides enough moisture for my drier areas. After wearing it for nine hours, my skin looks just as good as it did when I first applied it." —barose

Get it from Sephora for $37 (available in 14 shades).

2. The double-sided Baby Tress Edge Styler allows you to do acrobatics with your baby hairs. I love using mine with African Pride's edge control pomade.

Baby Tress, Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

I have 4c hair with 4b moments and I'm really enjoying this product. Granted, my baby hairs are very fine. First I apply it generously with my fingertips so that every strand is saturated. Then, I style it with a toothbrush or edge comb. If I want a stronger hold, I'll wear a scarf for about 15 minutes. This is really great for stretching out my old braids because my edges are always the first part to get fuzzy.

Baby Tress creates modern hair tools that honor the legacy and evolution of Black hair.

Get the brush from Madewell or Baby Tress for $15 (available in six colors).

BUT we want to add that no one should feel pressure to lay their edges, unless they way want to! Check out "Just A Friendly PSA That You Don't HAVE To Lay Your Edges Down If You Don't Wanna."

3. Luv Scrub Mesh Body Exfoliators cuts down on costs without compromising on sanitation. I also heard they work wonders on ingrown hairs, totally worth a shot.

Marquaysa Battle / BuzzFeed

"This baby makes the skin all over my body feel literally softer and smoother than it's EVER felt. Scrubbing with it also feels super soothing — like I'm using a body scrub minus the gritty mess leftover to rinse from the shower afterward. I also dig how fast it dries so I'm not putting a bacteria magnet on my skin each time I use it. Def get this if you wanna invest more into your body care/self-care routine. 30 outta 10, mos def recommend." —Marquaysa Battle, BuzzFeed Chief of Staff

Luv Scrub is a Ghanaian, woman-owned brand based in New York City. Caroline Owusu-Ansah was inspired to create the brand after a friend borrowed her mesh cloth without her consent. Years later, everyone in her friend's house was using a similar rag. So, she started Luv Scrub in 2011 to share her family's traditions with everyone.

Get from beauty supply shop Beauty Beez (also Black-owned) for $18 (available in six colors) or directly from Luv Scrub for $18.

4. Press-ons from Cover Baddie Nails you can order in your preferred shape or length *and* includes a sizing kit. They're reusable and can last up to 10 days with everyday wear. Clearly Ari Lennox is a fan because taste.

Cover Baddie Nails

Each order comes with an application kit to save you a trip to the store. It has 48 adhesive tabs, glue, removal materials, detailed instructions, and a FREE sizing kit of 10 nails for your next order.

Promising review: "This is an awesome product! I have been so satisfied with my set. They looked just as amazing as the pictures and are very durable. I’m an artist so my hands are constantly in things and being jostled and the nails were never scratched or stained. The application instructions were clear, straightforward, and easy to follow. The adhesive tabs and glue that came with the nails have stayed solid and none of my nails came off prematurely. The quality has stayed the same as they were fresh from the package and are totally worth the money. They are overall well-made and I look forward to buying more soon!" —Sophia Edwards

Cover Baddie Nails is a Black woman-owned small business based in New Jersey. She's self-taught and totally killing it.

Get a set from Cover Baddie Nails on Etsy for $90+.

5. SPF 30 Black Girl Sunscreen is a reliable, daily sunscreen that's also a great moisturizer. It has jojoba and avocado oils for smooth application and long-lasting hydration.

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It contains avocado, jojoba, and sunflower oils as well as carrot juice. My scarring has improved drastically since wearing sunscreen daily. I love BGS because it's an affordable way to have healthy skin without looking ghastly. I appreciated mine so much, I bought it for my sister. For context, I have oily-combination skin so this is a little heavier in the summer. During the winter, my skin soaks it all up. It's never made me break out, I just look a little dewy,

Promising review: "I bought this sunscreen because I wanted a reef safe, no white cast sunscreen for my tattoo. This was highly recommended for darker skin and so I thought it might be perfect for my tattoo and it was! I included a photo of what my tattoo looks like with the sunscreen. Other sunscreens make my tattoo look horrible and faded. A big plus is this stuff is very affordable on top of its effectiveness." —Lana Lo

Black Girl Sunscreen is a woman-owned small brand dedicated to creating high-end products that shield and moisturize your melanated skin without the dreaded white residue common with most sunscreen.

Get it from Target for $15.99 or Black Girl Sunscreen for $18.99.

6. Or Naomi Osaka's Kinlò SPF 50 Sunscreen relies on niacinamide to hydrate, repair damaged skin barriers, and improve tone. Pro tip: sunscreen could do more for your scarring than exfoliants. If anyone knows about suncare, it's Naomi Osaka.

Kinlò

I've never used tinted sunscreen because SPF is a slippery slope. It doesn't take much to make me look like Casper the Friendly Ghost. In the event I didn't wear clear sunscreen, I'd definitely wear this one. It's deep enough to not look crazy when blended out as described on the website. Some people like their sunscreens oily, others prefer silicones, I can swing both. This one is liquidy like a foundation or a light BB cream. I haven't been disappointed yet.

Kinlò was founded by tennis star, Naomi Osaka. She saw the need for melanin-centric sun care, especially in light of misinformation on the subject. Her line includes SPFs, oils, and other body products.

Get it from Kinlò for $9.99.

7. Lip Bar Liquid Matte Lipstick is so pigmented, you'll be blown away. Plus, this brand's shades are so good, they look good on everyone — including Michelle Obama.

Kayla Boyd / BuzzFeed

"I use The Lip Bar's matte liquid lipsticks often and the formula is truly incredible. It hardly budges at all throughout the day, the pigment is bomb, AND it doesn't dry out my lips at all — which is really difficult to find in a matte lipstick." —Kayla Boyd, BuzzFeed Shopping editor

The Lip Bar is a Black-owned, woman-owned business. All of their products are vegan and cruelty-free — and they do so much more than just lipstick — check out all of their face and eye makeup as well!

Get it from The Lip Bar for $13 (available in 17 shades) or Target for $12.99 (available in 10 shades).

8. Award-winning Bread Beauty Supply Hair Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner nourishes 3a–4c hair that's deeply in need of some silicone-free TLC. We love a mask that can be used daily without excessive buildup.

Kayla Boyd / BuzzFeed

"I recently started using Bread products and I really love how lightweight and easy they are to use. Since I have mixed textured hair that's been frequently dyed, it tends to get very dry. After using this deep conditioner my hair felt so much better and softer. In addition to that, the smell is A-MA-ZING. Definitely one of my new favorite wash day products." —Kayla Boyd, BuzzFeed Shopping Editor

Bread Beauty Supply is a woman-owned, Australia-based, business that was founded by Maeva Heim in 2020. This product works best for hair types 3a–4c.

Get it from Sephora or Bread Beauty Supply for $28.

9. Mented Semi-Matte Lipstick comes in every neutral shade of your dreams. Pictured below in the several shades, they feature a satiny finish that will keep your lips poppin' all day.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

"I love a dark lip for the fall (my fave season). This lipstick is a beautiful deep cranberry color that I JUST CAN'T WAIT to pair with jewel-toned knit sweaters. It's from Mented, which is a Black-owned beauty brand. The lipstick is matte but it leaves a soft, comfortable feeling on your lips so I can't wait to order more of their shades! 💄" —Jasmin Suknanan, BuzzFeed Staff

Mented Cosmetics is a Black woman-owned small business whose lipsticks are all vegan, paraben-free, nontoxic, and cruelty-free.

Get it from Amazon for $16.50 (available in nine shades), Target for $14.99 (available in nine shades) or Mented Cosmetics for $12.37 (originally $16.50; available in nine shades).

10. Mielle Organics Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner is a cult-favorite for a reason. The formula restores dry and damaged hair by cradling every strand with all-natural botanical extracts and amino acids.

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Promising review: "My hair is 4c natural and shoulder length. I had been using Shea Moisture for about two years, and guess my hair needed a change in products. This deep conditioner is wonderful! My hair comes out flexible, strong, and shiny. Plus I love the smell! I part my hair in sections for washing and conditioning. After applying this I like to use a shower comb to work the product through and easily detangle in the shower (I maybe use about 6–8 tablespoons worth of product each use). I then use a plastic cap and one of those heated conditioning caps for twenty minutes before rinsing out. I've been playing around with my wash process, and washing in sections and combing with and after conditioner have made my wash days much less stressful." —OSC

Mielle Organics is a Black woman-owned business created by Monique Rodriguez RN to bring out the best in everyone's hair. They make shampoos, conditioners, gels, treatments, and so many other great products.

Get it from Amazon for $13.99.

11. Buttah Vitamin C Serum, because physical exfoliants can scar — especially if you have dark skin.

Jasmin Suknanan / BuzzFeed, Buttuh

"I wasn't expecting this serum to be so moisturizing but it covered my skin in all-day hydration (and even made me look a little dewy in the process). My face was very thankful since I was starting to develop dry patches from too-harsh cleansers (rude). Buttah is a Black-owned skincare biz and between you and me, I've also got my eyes on their whipped body butter. 👀" —Jasmin Suknanan, BuzzFeed staff

Promising review: "I love this serum! I’ve been using it for months now and my skin is so bright and always looks and feels hydrated. My skin was so dry especially around my mouth from wearing masks for 12 hours at work. The serum mixed with the rose water toner, cleanser and facial cream has saved my life!" —Janay W.

Buttah is a Black woman-owned small business that creates cruelty-free, organic, products for melanin-rich skin. Rather than bleach and brighten, they aim to enhance your natural glow from within.

Get it from Buttah for $39.

12. AfroPick features an eye-catching geometric pattern that'll fancify your beauty routine. It's the small artistic touches that make styling magical.

AfroPick

10/10 fantastic functional accessory. Afro picks are so iconic and these vibrant designs only deepen their significance. I originally got this for myself but gave it to my mom because she noticed it. I'd definitely splurge on one to support a family-owned business and celebrate my Blackness.

AfroPick is a family-owned small business that creates wood, plastic, and metal combs that pay homage to Black history and pop culture.

Get it from AfroPick or Amazon for $14.99 (available in six patterns).

13. Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Jelly brings out the best in your kinky curly tresses. Prepare to have "waves on swim so they hate on him," or whatever Nicki Minaj said.

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I have 4b–4c hair and this gel brings out my curl pattern in the most beautiful way. This is the closest thing to gel that I'll use because it doesn't flake. Plus, it doesn't leave my hair hard and dehydrated like most gels. I've also used this to create bantu knots, twist-outs, and ponytails. The soft hold lasts for days and it smells so good.

Curls is a Black woman-owned brand founded by Mahisha Dellinger. Her brand aims to make phenomenal natural hair products that are formulated with integrity and consistently work.

Get it from Target for $17.99.

14. Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Foundation really does enhance and hydrate your skin. Personally, I think foundations are formulated for their concealer, and this one didn't disappoint. Below, I'm wearing about one pump of the foundation set with translucent powder.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

Everything about this foundation is luxurious. The bottle, the finishes, the formula — everything. For once, I didn't feel like I betrayed my skin by wearing foundation. The coverage is good, but sometimes I spot conceal underneath to go the extra mile. I have combination/oily skin and this never separates. It remains radiant all day; truly a beautiful foundation.

Promising review: "This is my new go-to foundation for everyday wear. I have combination-oily, acne-prone skin and prefer foundations that can even out my skin tone while still allowing my freckles to show through and have a very natural finish. This foundation is perfect: not too dewy, not too matte, never irritates my skin or breaks me out, and just makes me look like I have lovely skin. Maybe the best thing about this foundation is that it truly lasts all day without breaking up on my skin, oxidizing, or interfering with other products. I can easily layer powder or cream products over top, and my foundation has been lasting well through very humid summer days. It does get dewier throughout the day but in a really nice, natural way, and I can easily touch up with powder if needed." —megalasso

Pat McGrath Labs is a woman-owned brand by Pat McGrath that aims to showcase the transformative power of makeup.

Get it from Sephora for $68 (available in 35 shades).

15. Glow By Daye Deep Conditioning Thermal Heat Cap makes deep conditioning easier than ever. It's microwaveable so you don't have to sit under a dryer to achieve pillowy curls.

Glow By Daye

My hair has been consistently soft since I began using this. If you heat it in the microwave for three minutes, it'll stay warm for up to half an hour. My roommate and I find every excuse to use these.

Glow By Daye is a Black woman-owned business founded by Ranay Daye and based in Los Angeles. She sells a variety of bonnets, as well as silk pillowcases.

Get it from Amazon for $37.96+ (available in seven colors) or from Glow By Daye for $37.97.

16. 25th & June Nail Elixr in the shade Very Expensive allows you to feel like a rich 🙊 with some rich friends.

25th & June

"Anyone who knows me knows I can't resist a pop of color, and this nail polish in the shade "Very Expensive" gives me 10 lil' pops of color that simply make me grin. The polish is super long-lasting and is very pigmented, so it goes on in a thinner, more comfortable layer without sacrificing color payoff. With a top coat, this has lasted me a good two weeks or so, which is wild, considering I'm always crafting, cooking, and otherwise putting my manis in precarious scenarios. Love it!" —Rachel Dunkel, former BuzzFeed staff

25th & June is a woman-owned small business looking to give your life more vibrance through nail polish (spoiler alert: they're succeeding!).

Get it from 25th & June for $12 and shop all of their colors here.

17. Dream Girls Healthy Hair Care Kit just might change your life. The before and after pictures speak for themselves 😲. I love everything in this set, especially the TLC Comb-Out Treatment.

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The kit includes a TLC Comb-Out Treatment, Renewing Shampoo, Revival Deep Treatment, Renewing Conditioner, True Essence Oil Treatment. I splurged and got this kit and my hair is so glad that I did. I noticed much less breakage when taking my braids out thanks to the Comb Out Treatment. Plus it dilutes well, so you don't have to waste product. All of the products work together like PB&J. There's an instruction sheet to help you get the most out of these salon-quality gems at home.

Promising review: "My hair is very funny when it comes to product. It’s doesn’t like heavy oils or products, but baby this THIS!!!! GET IT. The fact that I went through 5 steps(I love steps when it comes to skin and hair) but the fact I went through 5 different steps the last step being an oil and my hair is still light and bouncy. I'M SOLD. Each step made my hair more hydrated but also did something a little different. My curls were revived and I smell delicious. Moral of the story is buy it. Stop giving these hair stores your money when you have people out here who actually care about their product and your hair. You buy that designer belt at full price so it’s no reason you can’t invest in your hair." —Angelique Tyson

Dream Girls is a Black woman-owned, family-run business based in California.

Get it from Dream Girls Hair for $125.

18. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in any of their incredible shades. Red looks fantastic on everyone but "Unveil" is my personal favorite for daily use. The formula is comfortable and tough enough to withstand straws, cups, and masks.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes, Sephora

I've used the Stunna lip paint many times and it never disappoints. The color lasts, the texture isn't drying, and it doesn't budge. Many neutral lip colors geared towards darker skin still require lip liners. This lipstick makes liner optional for me! A lot of times, I outline my lips with this to prevent satin lipsticks from going out of bounds.

Promising review: "I'm not a red lipstick girl, but every time I found myself asking what shade of lipsticks strangers were wearing on the street, they would always tell me it was this product. Finally, I had to try it for myself. I know we're past the trend because liquid lipsticks have their problems, but I still love them and have tried several brand's formulas. This is the best thus far. It is comfortable, long-lasting, easy to reapply, doesn't smear/ smudge, and is fairly transfer resistant. I am determined to get every color now and recommend this formula to everyone. Even if you don't like liquid lipstick. I will warn you though, if you start with this one no other liquid lipstick will compare." —RenRach

Fenty Beauty was created by singer and entrepreneur Rihanna to help everyone feel beautiful and included. Fenty Beauty was launched in 2017 to critical acclaim due to its range of 40 foundation shades. Fenty Skin aims to make skincare uncomplicated, clean, vegan, and gluten-free.

Get it from Sephora (available in nine colors) or Fenty Beauty for $26 (available in eight colors).

19. Beauty Strike Rosewater Toner balances and hydrates all skin types, no matter how much they've compromised their moisture barrier. Even if you don't know squat about skincare, know that they'll adore these products.

Beauty Strike

When you're done, recycle the bottle for 15% off of your next Beauty Strike purchase. My skin was about as tight as Kim K.'s Mugler dress when I decided to switch to this toner. It's nonirritating, and I love that the spray bottle doesn't require me to touch my face. 

Beauty Strike is a Brooklyn-based small business founded by Emani Mone Jeter, a third-generation beauty professional and licensed esthetician. She creates natural cleansers, toners, treatments, moisturizers, and more that are recyclable. Beauty Strike also manages a community fridge (you can donate to it remotely), offers monthly yoga, the occasional book club, and even skincare classes!

Get it from Beauty Strike for $14+ (available in two sizes).

20. "For Kinks" Clip-Ins are ready to be dyed or straightened to blend seamlessly with Type 4 hair. And it doesn't have that weird residue or smell fresh out of the package.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

I have been eyeing Heat Free Hair for 10 YEARS because they are pricey. Now that I've gotten my hands on some clip-ins, I regret waiting so long because they're totally worth it. For context, I have 4b–4c hair. I'm not used to being able to use hair fresh out the box. However, this blends perfectly with my natural hair. Mind you, I installed these in like 20 minutes with minimal stretching. All I did was lightly detangle the hair and put it in where my hair was less dense. It's soft and doesn't have that weird "new hair" smell or waxy residue. You can tell that these were created by and for Black women. If you're a naturalista looking for an extra full Afro or a ponytail, try these — you won't regret it.

Promising review: "This is my third purchase of For Kinks in two years. I wear For Kinks full time, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made! The texture is perfect, and I realize now the importance of buying from Black woman-owned businesses. We understand how curly hair is supposed to look, act, and function. For Kinks maintains a curl pattern no matter how many times it’s washed, and I consistently get compliments! I’m very happy using Camille Rose’s Curl Love, or Fresh Curl, or As I Am products to moisturize. In this last purchase, the color was a bit more medium brown than I was used to getting. A demi-permanent dark brown dye/rinse solved that issue quickly with no change in texture or quality from the hair. I’m interested in trying out other textures eventually, but this texture is my first love. :) If you’re on the fence about getting For Kink clip-ins, get the 20-inch — you won’t regret it." —Alison H.

Heat Free Hair is a woman-owned small business that makes hair extensions and wigs for Afro-textured hair. They sell lace fronts, wefted hair, full lace wigs, and clip-ins in a variety of textures.

Get it from Heat Free Hair for $189+ (available in three sizes and four textures).

21. Glow by Daye scarves can be worn to bed or as stylish accessories. They're great for retaining moisture, which has helped preserve my precious edges.

Amazon, Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

Folding a scarf is half the battle and I love that these are pre-folded. They're comfortable, easy to tie, and very cute. Although my first scarf was free, I ended up buying two more. They're that good. Sometimes they slip off, but that's usually when I tie them loosely. My hair is very fine. Using smooth, moisture-retaining fabrics like this drastically reduces my breakage.

Promising review: "Very impressed with this scarf. I use it for sleeping. The fact that it's cut in the shape of a triangle is perfect for pineappling my curly hair. The material is quality." —KatKat

Get it from Amazon for $24.96 (available in six prints).

22. Choate Body No. 4 Lavender & Honey Face and Body Scrub has a blend of honey and organic lavender essential oil for your aching, cracked skin. If you have in-grown hairs or rough skin, this'll help smooth everything out.

Genevieve Scarano / BuzzFeed

"This face scrub is what I look forward to after a long day. It smells really good and helps soothe dry spots on my face. I apply a little to my skin after I hop out of the shower and it makes my cheeks and chin look super dewy and refreshed. If you're done dealing with flaky and red skin, you should definitely give this product a try!" —Genevieve Scarano

Choate Body is a woman-owned small business known for its organic skincare products. From facial cleansers to body butters, their soothing essentials can help with all kinds of skincare obstacles like dryness, irritation, and breakouts.

Get it from Choate Body for $23.

23. UOMA Beauty Say What Foundation glides across skin for a flawless base that diminishes the look of pores for a photo-worthy matte finish.

LookFantastic

UOMA Beauty is a small business founded by makeup guru and Nigerian-born Sharon Chuter who's on a mission to provide a variety of makeup products to suit all skin tones. During the designing of these foundations, they used something called the Fitzpatrick Scale, which determines how different skin tones react to sun. The formula of each shade is meant to mirror your skin's needs and complexion for a unique and tailored makeup staple.

Get it from UOMA Beauty for $39 (available in 51 shades).

24. Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts Palette has bold colors that never go out of style. I've had mine for years and I still reach for it often because I can use every shade.

Coloured Rain

Promising review: "I love this palette so much! It has perfect colors, shadows are buttery and pigmented, it looks even better in person. I misplaced my original palette after I moved and as soon as I realized I bought another one ASAP! Shipping also was extremely fast and the packaging is beautiful. If you’re on the fence about buying this, let this review be a sign to place your order!" —Kara T.

Coloured Raine is a woman-owned small business started by Loraine R. Dowdy, whose goal was to create beauty products that embrace and include all skin tones.

Get it from Coloured Raine for $42.

25. Beauty Bakerie's Butter Hydrasilk Primer + Antioxidants prevents your makeup from electric sliding off of your face before you even leave the house.

Beauty Bakerie

Promising reviewer: "The butter face primer glides on super smooth and isn't super sticky its good for makeup to cling to but not sticky like you dumped syrup on your face definitely recommend this product and very cute packaging 😊." —Rhoda H.

Beauty Bakerie is a woman-owned, cruelty-free small cosmetics company founded by Cashmere Nicole, and it's mastered the perfect shade range for people of color.

Get it from Amazon or Beauty Bakerie for $24.

Make sure you head here for more of our Black History Month coverage!

Kathy Hoang/BuzzFeed

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.