Subscribe
Hellobeautiful Featured Video
CLOSE

Black women have been leveraging their spending power by switching over to Black-owned brands that serve our beauty needs. And with the wealth of Black-owned brands on the rise, there’s plenty to choose from!

We birthed the beauty culture, raised it and continue to nurture it daily. The landscape of the beauty industry has changed tremendously over the last 10 years. There are now, more Black women beauty CEOs than ever. With game-changers like Fenty Beauty/Skin, Eden Works, Pat McGrath, and The Crayon Case kicking down the door for up-and-coming beauty brands and entrepreneurs like Courtney Adeleye, Donata Joseph, and ChiChi Eburu putting their expertise into product lines, there’s a plethora of beauty bosses that deserve the spotlight.

Allow us to highlight the Black women who are shaping beauty standards, influencing the beauty culture, and making sure we keep it cute at all times.

1. ChiChi Eburu

ChiChi created Juvia’s Place to celebrate the rebels, rulers, and queens of the African kingdoms of long ago, who emulated and honored beauty through their soulful and innovative techniques that the top beauty gurus still use today. Inspired by the queens before us, Juvia’s Place offers the richest, most vibrantly-pigmented essentials for the eyes, face, and lips to take you from the office to the Caribbean islands, and everywhere in between!

2. Donata Joseph

Donata Joseph believes what goes on your skin goes into your body. On a daily basis, we are using products that are full of harmful artificial ingredients that affect more than just our skin, it affects our body. Donata SkinFood products are made to not only nourish your skin but also to transform your mind. The essential oils used in each product is carefully selected to either rejuvenate the mind or give you complete relaxation.

3. Raynell Steward

When Supa created The Crayon Case, it was a new experiment, but she brought the same hard work and authenticity that she applies to the rest of her brand, and instead of The Crayon Case just​ being the safe haven for amateur makeup artists and enthusiasts that she intended it to be, it also became a beacon of inspiration for veterans. 

4. Pamela Booker

Blending the essence of beauty with the purest of nature is the motto and mission of Koils by Nature the brand, and its founder and CEO, Pamela J. Booker. A striking beauty standing at nearly 6ft tall, her presence itself is a potent blend of boldness, strength, and power. Hers is a story that is a compelling mix of enterprise and resiliency – characteristics that have made her and her brand the successes they have become. 

5. Melissa Butler

Melissa launched The Lip Bar because everywhere I looked, the media was telling women that beauty looked a certain way. I hated it! So I started making lipstick in my kitchen because I believed beauty shouldn’t compromise health and because I was determined to change the way people thought about beauty. There is no standard! You are the standard.

6. Alessica Rayne

Alessica created Legend Skin Care when in an effort to supply her own personal need for products to solve her own skincare issues. The brand’s cruelty and paraben-free Skin Care Products address minor concerns like dry skin while also tackling larger issues like Hyperpigmentation, Hormonal Acne and more.

7. Pat McGrath

“This is the golden age of makeup. Pat McGrath Labs is my Golden Revolution. The entire planet is just as cosmetics obsessed as I’ve always been. Makeup is a movement. Makeup is mesmerizing. Makeup is major. Mantra-Esque, three words have repeated over and over in my mind ever since I was young. Obsession. Inspiration. Addiction. Those words became my guiding principles, my manifesto as I brought this brand to life. I wanted to capture, in a quartet of exquisite palettes, 50 legendary lipsticks, a divine dozen eyeliners and five fetish-worthy lip pencils, The Power of Transformation, The Power of Beauty;  The Power of Makeup.” – Pat McGrath, CEO & Founder of PAT McGRATH LABS

8. Britni Ricard

Britni created COTA in an effort to recreating the skincare routine shared with her by her late brother. The Company is committed to providing the perfect skincare regimen that targets all skin types. 

9. Sharon Chuter

UOMA – pronounced OMA (uh-mah) means beautiful and we believe that beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself. We exist to re-write the rules of inclusivity and diversity to create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us. UOMA Beauty is the most inclusive black-owned beauty brand. Founded by Nigerian-born, LA & London-based former beauty executive Sharon Chuter, the UOMA Beauty range is rebellious, innovative, and created for all.
At UOMA we are an empowered tribe. Our race is human, our people are free, our language is color. All are welcome to our beautiful tribe.

10. Karen Young

Karen Young created Oui the People after she experienced terrible razor burn from the time she started shaving in her teenage years, and that ingrown hairs quickly followed. As she set out to create a solution, she quickly realized the disparity between men’s and women’s razors through her research. 

11. Melinda Williams

Face Front combines state-of-the-art science and technology with LED-enabled devices and holistic, toxin-free skincare ingredients. We want to bring you the best. With Products like our  Face Lifter and Photon Skin Rejuvenation Cleanser-  you can slow down the aging process. We only use toxin-free ingredients for our Cleansers, Vitamin C and Skin Hydro. 

12. Rihanna

Fenty Skin is inspired by Rihanna’s global lifestyle, bringing together ingredients from around the world and pairing them with skincare powerhouses, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide—for clinically proven results. Driven by that bad encounter with a harsh product, she’s prioritized clean formulas that are also vegan and gluten-free. The packaging? Earth-conscious: Think more recyclable materials and smart refillable packs that feel luxurious. Plus, she’s elevated the entire experience with supple, unique textures and warm, delicious scents.

13. Cashmere Nicole

Cashmere Nicole founded Beauty Bakerie in 2011 with the mission to be sweet and sweeten the lives of others. During a challenging, but successful fight with breast cancer, Cashmere became extremely health conscious and research-driven about the products we put in and on our bodies. The Beauty Bakerie brand is a direct reflection of Cashmere’s perseverance and passion for both high-quality, healthy ingredients that enhance the beauty in everyone, every day. Cashmere continues to grow her brand which is now sold in 1000 locations worldwide.

14. Arion Long

“I started Femly after being diagnosed with a cervical tumor that was linked to chemicals in the popular period products that I was using. Since then, I’ve since launched, recovered, and even overcame a near-death experience after experiencing a stillbirth, sepsis, and more. But I survived, and believe that my story includes helping others just like you! My hope is that you’ll love our products and find comfort in knowing that they’re actually healthy for you!”
 Arion Long

15. Monique Rodriquez

Mielle Organics is armed with an array of products including best sellers: Babassu Oil and Mint Deep Conditioning Protein/Moisture Replenisher, Detangling Co-Wash, Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk, Adult Healthy Hair Formula, and the White Peony Leave-In Conditioner, just to name a few. With a heavy emphasis on incorporating organic ingredients being its “root to results,” Mielle Organics continues to create a line of natural beauty products for all hair types.

16. Rachel James

After graduating from the International Academy of Design & Technology, Chicago Rachel James hit the streets looking for a place to plant her talent. She found herself surrounded by artists, musicians, and a crew of brilliant Chicago scene stars who looked more like potential collaborators than employers. So she went to work for herself, incorporating Pear Nova and assembling a team of creative conspirators all working in trade to help each other push their talents out into the universe. Looking to masters for inspiration, Rachel traveled to Paris, France to attend Cosmetagora, where the leading cosmetic chemistry companies from around the world were represented. Adrift in a sea of luxury, she committed to creating a high-end product, hoping one day to hold rank with the classics and become a global beauty standard.

17. Jesseca DuPart

As a former hairstylist, Jesseca’s started her brand as a way to accommodate her clients who were experiencing hair loss due to improper care and maintenance. Over the years the vision for Kaleidoscope Hair Products has skyrocketed into the digital stratosphere with a full hair care line that houses products to restore follicles and rejuvenate hair growth.

The grand return of the Melanin Awards amplifies and honors the finest Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews, and discusses the evolution of beauty in Hip-Hop culture.