Of course, People of Colour do not always – and nor do they have to – use beauty brands founded by People of Colour. But it’s more likely that we do. According to McKinsey, Black consumers are 2.2 times more likely to feel that products from Black-founded brands will work for them, while 38% of Black women say they will pay more for hair care from Black-owned brands.

So why has it taken so long for A-beauty to make itself known?

Systemic biases embedded in our society still extend to the beauty industry. It’s taking time for the needs of Black consumers to be recognised by the industry – a recent survey found that Black consumers are three times more likely to be dissatisfied than non-Black consumers when it comes to the hair, skin and makeup options available.

And, as Sabrina explains, for the suppliers based in the Global South, the infrastructure needs to be addressed to allow them to continue to supply at a level that will meet consumer demand.

“In some cases [at S’ABLE Labs,] we’ve had to meet the farmers ourselves and help them fill out safety sheets, DHL forms – whatever’s needed to get their ingredients onto European portals so that not only we, but other brands, can source from them too,” says Sabrina.

“That infrastructure doesn’t exist because rural communities often aren’t seen as business people,” she notes. “So instead, things go through middlemen, which can unfortunately lead to dangerous work conditions, unfair wages and even instances of child labour because of the over-demand for these ingredients.”

That’s why, Sabrina explains, it’s important to buy from brands who source their products responsibly – so that by investing in A-beauty, we’re providing a vital source of income for those who farm these ingredients.

“They’re the ones protecting the land and its biodiversity, and that’s something we don’t talk about enough,” she says. “These communities help feed the world and protect the climate by rewilding and reforesting areas. It’s a benefit of A-beauty that often gets overlooked, and a big reason why we should all be supporting its growth: there are people and stories behind these products.”

The true meaning behind A-beauty

She’s right. A-beauty is so firmly rooted in African culture because the ingredients are cultivated there and, while the people leading its charge might now extend across the globe, their lineage traces back to the continent.

What makes A-beauty so special is the ethos at its heart: the championing of people; of self-care; of established beauty rituals that have stood the test of time and have been passed down through generations.

The rich conditioning masks and thick curl creams infused with argan oil that I use to style my own hair might be more modern than those my aunties showed me, but their scent and base ingredients take me back to those days inspecting jars and bottles in hair shops as a teenager. And each morning, when I swipe a shea body butter across my dry skin, I’m immediately taken back to squeezing my uncle’s body cream onto my ashy knees before school.