The beauty industry hasn’t always been inclusive of people with darker skin tones. But thankfully, nowadays there are many black-owned makeup brands that offer a wide range of foundation and lip colors to suit everyone, from the lightest to the deepest shades.
Kierra Lanice Wray, a makeup artist well-known in celebrity and editorial circles, shares her experience: “As a dark-skinned Black woman, I struggled to find the right foundation growing up. Many options left me looking either too pale or with an ashy tone.”
Fortunately, there are Black business owners like Kim Baker, who founded Glamazon Beauty with the goal of making the beauty industry more inclusive. While her brand is successful, Baker highlights that there’s still work to be done in promoting and representing Black-owned makeup brands equally. “I just want a fair chance,” she says.
Rihanna, a renowned beauty mogul, made a significant impact by challenging mainstream cosmetic brands to offer more diverse shade ranges. Her brand, Fenty Beauty, introduced 40 different foundation shades, setting a new standard for inclusivity.
Kierra Wray emphasizes the importance of supporting black-owned makeup brands: “These brands are offering solutions to the lack of diversity in the industry.” Kim Baker adds, “Trying products made by people who understand your experience is a big plus.”
If you’re interested, here’s a list of 15 top Black-owned makeup brands and some of their standout products, including bronzers and blushes tailored for darker skin tones. There’s something for everyone to discover.
1. Range Beauty
Alicia Scott, who started her own fashion career and later became a CEO, saw that there weren’t enough makeup options for different skin tones during photo shoots and fashion events. So, she came up with a solution. She not only created makeup with a wider range of shades but also made sure they had ingredients to take care of the skin. One of the standout products from her black-owned makeup brand is a hydrating foundation that’s unique because it’s suitable for people dealing with skin issues like eczema and acne.
2. The Lip Bar
The Lip Bar makes makeup that’s not tested on animals and doesn’t contain any animal products. They have vibrant colors of lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeshadows, and other products. Melissa Butler started the company in 2012 right in her own kitchen because she wanted to shake up the beauty world, which often doesn’t cater to all types of people and uses lots of chemicals. She’s on a mission to show that beauty comes in all forms and hopes every woman feels confident and beautiful. Plus, we can’t get enough of their Vegan Liquid Matte Lipsticks!
3. Luna Magic
Luna Magic, founded by sisters Mabel and Shaira FrÃas, showcased their expertise in beauty merchandising and retail on Shark Tank in 2021. Securing a deal on the show propelled their business forward, and today, Luna Magic thrives with a diverse array of budget-friendly makeup products. Among them is their Compact Pressed Powder Blush, which embodies the lively spirit of their Caribbean and Latin American roots.
4. Pound Cake
Camille Bell, co-founder and CEO of Pound Cake, experienced frustration after years of trying lipsticks that didn’t match her skin tone as advertised by beauty brands. Determined to make a change, she created a lipstick brand specifically tailored to address lip and skin tones for a flattering finish on melanated individuals. Pound Cake’s signature product, the Cake Batter liquid lipstick, offers six shades of red, infused with nourishing oils to heal chapped lips.
5. Nubyén
Dr. Lola Rachel, the founder of Nubyén, believes in embracing and enhancing the natural beauty of women. Their plumping gloss, a beloved product from this UK-based brand, is formulated with vegan collagen and hyaluronic acid, ingredients known for giving lips a fuller appearance.
6. Beauty Bakerie
Indulge in Beauty Bakerie’s Flour Setting Powder! Created by founder Cashmere Nicole, Beauty Bakerie brings a playful twist to makeup, drawing inspiration from delectable sweets. Dive into a vibrant world of cosmetics, featuring whimsical products like lollipop liner and cake pop lippies. Elevate your makeup routine with the Flour Setting Powder, designed to help you achieve a flawless “baked” finish for your face.
7. Black Opal
For 25 years, Black Opal, a renowned global makeup brand, has been leading the charge in making beauty and makeup more inclusive. From its inception, the brand has focused on diversity, offering a wide range of shades and products tailored to diverse skin needs, including hyperpigmentation. Over the years, Black Opal has continued to evolve, expanding its offerings to cater to a variety of skin types.
One of their highly acclaimed products is the True Color Soft Velvet Finishing Powder, praised by Amazon reviewers for its silky finish and suitability for all skin types.
8. Black Radiance
Black Radiance prioritizes women of color in its product lineup, offering a range of shades from subtle to vibrant. With a focus on uplifting and supporting the community, the True Complexion Creme Contour Palette has garnered over 9,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. Additionally, the brand’s My Shade Is Everything campaign aims to shed light on the makeup industry’s gaps for women of color.
9. Black-owned makeup brand Sacha Cosmetics
Sacha Cosmetics gained fame with their iconic buttercup setting powder. Loved by women of color, this translucent powder is a top choice for preventing ashy tones and flashbacks. Don’t just take our word for it, check out the 3,800 rave reviews from satisfied customers on Amazon.
10. Fenty Beauty
When Rihanna’s cosmetic brand, Fenty Beauty, hit the scene, it made waves with its groundbreaking products. Starting with a remarkable range of 40 foundations, Fenty Beauty has since expanded to offer a diverse selection including eyeshadows, cream blushes, lip glosses, and, of course, their standout shimmery highlighters. With Fenty Beauty, you can effortlessly shine bright like a diamond, no matter where you are or when it is!
11. Fashion Fair
Eunice Johnson, a trailblazing figure in beauty and fashion, established Fashion Fair back in 1973. It marked a significant milestone as the premier international prestige cosmetics brand catering specifically to darker skin tones, and quickly gained global recognition, stocked in renowned stores like Neiman Marcus and Printemps. Today, you can find Fashion Fair products at Sephora, including their famous lipsticks. These lipsticks boast a luxurious satin formula, ensuring a vibrant and flattering finish that never appears dull or chalky. One standout shade we adore is the bold red hue named Catfight!
12. LYS Beauty
Tisha Thompson, a makeup artist turned beauty entrepreneur, founded LYS Beauty with a mission to offer clean cosmetics tailored for women of color. Her products specifically target issues like hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and sensitive skin. Thompson ensures inclusivity in her black-owned makeup brand, from marketing representation to undertone shades. Explore their satin-matte cream blushes for a natural flush on your skin.
13. Juvia’s Place
Juvia’s Place created their black-owned makeup line drawing inspiration from the diverse and vibrant beauty of Africa. Alli, the owner of TUL Cosmetics, praises their thoughtful curation of palettes that complement a wide range of skin tones. She particularly admires the Zulu Palette for its striking colors, perfect for adding vibrant accents to both face and eyes, especially on clients with medium to deep skin tones.
14. Colorfix
Colorfix offers an innovative Eye, Cheek & Lip Cream Pigment designed by Danessa Myricks. These versatile essentials are perfect for multitasking, catering to different skin tones. A standout product is the Colorfix 24-hour Cream, a one-of-a-kind hybrid cream suitable for use on the lips, eyes, or face. With over 20 vibrant shades available, it dries quickly for long-lasting wear.
15. Mothership
Pat McGrath, a renowned makeup artist with over 25 years of experience, has crafted products that truly deliver. Her eyeshadow palettes are essential for any makeup enthusiast. The Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette- Bronze Seduction, in particular, stands out with its 10 luxurious and highly pigmented shades, earning it a prestigious beauty award.
