Many of beauty’s most popular treatments and biggest trends are steeped in Black culture and have been a staple of Black beauty for decades. Not only that, but the most recent figures show that in one year alone, Black consumers spent an estimated $ 9.4 billion on beauty products.
Liha Okunniwa, founder of Liha Beauty, wrote about the importance of supporting Black businesses on Instagram: “My dad has had a business in the UK since 1958, and I grew up above shops. He is a visionary and a design genius, but the world will not know that because, like every other Black person during that time, he was fighting daily just to be seen and recognised as a human being and a man. He didn’t get to build his Nike.”
Aurora James, the founder of fashion label Brother Vellies, supported this in a statement on Instagram. She explained that Black-owned businesses are the most vulnerable and have historically received the least amount of economic support. She urged major retailers, such as Sephora and Whole Foods, to purchase at least 15% of their products from Black-owned businesses. “I am not saying this is easy. I’m saying this is necessary,” she said.
To bring Black-owned beauty brands to the forefront of your mind, we’ve compiled an edit of companies that deserve to be championed. These beauty brands cover all bases – from hair to makeup and skincare.
They’re also all female-owned, with many putting sustainable beauty at the forefront of their brand ethos. A purchase (or a follow and share, if you can’t invest due to current financial uncertainty) will not only support Black businesses but also female entrepreneurs and those working to champion sustainability.
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