Since February is Black History Month, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the Black-owned businesses breaking barriers and increasing inclusivity in the makeup, haircare, and skincare industries. We’re shouting out the companies and entrepreneurs addressing diverse hair care needs and crafting specialized formulas that treat all skin types.
And it’s going to get a lot easier to find Black-owned beauty products at your favorite shops! Sephora plans to allocate at least 15% of its retail space for more inclusive products, and Ulta Beauty intends to double Black-owned brands on their shelves by the end of 2021.
Here’s our list of Black-owned and Black-founded beauty brands to support right now:
Buy Black Owned Beauty Brands in 2023
1. Black Opal Beauty
Black Opal specializes in skincare and cosmetics for women and men with dark skin tones. The brand’s products (all priced under $15) combat issues like oily skin, dry skin, and hyperpigmentation. After twenty-five years in the industry, the global brand underwent a facelift, becoming BLK/OPL in 2017 (we love the new logo and packaging!).
In 2019, Black Opal became a black-owned brand for the first time; Desiree Rogers and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack continue to positively impact communities of color through social campaigns and expand the brand with BLK/OPL’s first celebrity ambassador, Ryan Destiny.
Tip: Save more with Black Opal Beauty coupon codes when shopping with Giving Assistant.
2. Vernon Francois
Hairstylist Vernon Francois’ inclusive brand has celebrity-approved hair care and styling products for all ethnicities, genders, and ages—from natural hair and textured hairstyles to curls. His styling collection for textured and curly hair gets rave reviews; it includes the Pure Fro Shine Serum, overnight repair treatment oils, leave-ins, and accessories like a protective silk cap.
Sally’s Black History Month Deal: Save 30% on textured hair care through February.
Savings Tip: Find Sally Beauty promo codes plus earn 6% cash back through Giving Assistant.
3. Mented Cosmetics
Before KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson founded Mented, it was virtually unheard of to find decent ‘nude’ lipstick for deeper brown skin tones. Mented’s sought-after creamy, pigmented lip colors hit the scene in 2017; the brand now includes eyeshadows, blushes, nail polish, and foundation sticks, like Skin by Mented—a versatile all-in-one that contours and conceals.
We also love that all Mented lipsticks are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and non-toxic.
Savings Tip: Check for HSN coupon codes and earn 5% cash back with Giving Assistant.
4. The Lip Bar
Bright, bold colors for everyone! Melissa Butler’s The Lip Bar serves up delicious shades of 100% vegan, cruelty-free lipstick, lip gloss, and matte liquid formulas made with organic shea butter and avocado oil. Since its launch in 2011, the company has expanded to include a full cosmetics line with eye shadow palettes, foundation, blush, and brow pencils.
Tip: Find the latest Target coupons to get the best deal on your next cosmetics purchase.
5. MANTL
MANTL provides skincare and protection for the scalp inspired by baldies, yet it works for everyone. Co-founded by MTV Real World alum and Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown, the brand is reveling in its first year of business; and you can celebrate too with free delivery on MANTL Face + Scalp skincare products at Nordstrom.
Tip: Find Nordstrom coupon codes through Giving Assistant to get the best deal.
6. Pat McGrath Labs
World-renowned makeup artist Pat McGrath, the “Mother of Makeup,” turned her infinite cosmetics wisdom into a billion-dollar black-owned business known for its highly pigmented lipsticks, glitter shadows, and shimmery highlighters.
We love the ‘Mothership” palettes; they’re out of this world and fit for queens of all skin tones.
Tip: Get 3% cash back at Bergdorf Goodman when you shop with Giving Assistant.
7. Pattern
Not all curls are created equal! Just ask actress Tracee Ellis Ross, who founded a haircare line with formulas specifically tailored to address natural textures and every curl pattern imaginable.
Ulta carries exclusive Pattern hair care products, including shampoos, conditioners, serums, brushes, and leave-in treatments for each hair type—from tight coils to kinky curls.
Tip: Save more with ULTA coupon codes to get the best deal.
8. Lauren Napier Beauty
It’s the cucumber, aloe, and vitamin K in makeup artist Lauren Napier’s facial cleansing wipes that provide soothing makeup removal that also refreshes and hydrates all skin types.
The textured face wipes are individually packaged (so they don’t dry out) and sold in sets of three to fifty for on-the-go skincare that cleanses and removes stubborn waterproof makeup.
Tip: Giving Assistant shoppers earn 4% cash back on beauty products at Net-a-Porter.
9. Bread Beauty Supply
One of the newest black-owned haircare brands at Sephora is Bread Beauty Supply—styling products that embrace ‘frizz’ and simplify the natural hair care process.
Founder Maeva Heim relies on natural, clean ingredients from her native Australia (like superfruit extracts, Kakadu plum, and starflower oil) to create hair washes, masks, and conditioners for kinks, coils, and curls.
We love Bread Beauty Supply’s sustainable packaging (which looks pretty awesome, too!).
Tip: Save more with Sephora promo codes, plus earn 4% cash back to get the best deal.
10. Mielle
Mielle Organics gets at the root of specific hair texture issues concerning Type 3 and Type 4 curls. That’s because founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez knows firsthand that different curl patterns (like coarser natural hair) require specialized formulas for healthy hair growth.
Mielle uses certified organic ingredients to craft natural hair care for coarse textures with products like Mint Almond Oil, White Peony Leave-In Conditioner, and Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk. The brand is now available globally in over 87 countries!
Tip: Earn up to 4% cash back at Rite Aid when you shop with Giving Assistant.
11. Frederick Benjamin
Frederick Benjamin Grooming is Michael James’ answer to a lack of chemical-free, high-quality hair care and grooming essentials for men of color. You’ll find ingredients like avocado oil, clove oil, and aloe vera in products that cleanse-, treat-, and calm irritated skin, from grease-free, pre-shave beard oil and bump treatments to after-shave gel.
Savings Tip: Find Ulta Beauty promo codes plus earn 2% cash back through Giving Assistant.
12. Briogeo
Founder and CEO Nancy Twine is the youngest Black woman to launch a line at Sephora (in her early 20’s!), and now the brand is widely available in the U.S. and globally.
Briogeo is for all hair types; products made with clean, cruelty-free, naturally-derived ingredients gently repair damaged strands, strengthen hair, boost curls, and soothe the scalp.
Tip: Get 4% cash back at Sephora when you shop with Giving Assistant.
13. Soultanicals
What started as a mother’s quest to detangle her children’s hair painlessly is now a successful black-owned business featuring a fragrant, hand-crafted collection of hair masks, leave-ins, and oils. Ayo Ogun launched Soultanicals in 2013; the vegan haircare brand caters to multi-textured and natural hairstyles using plant-based, herbal, and African botanical ingredients.
Tip: Find the best Sally Beauty coupons and get 6% cash back through Giving Assistant.
14. Hyper Skin
Hyper Skincare helps heal hyperpigmentation, fight age spots, lighten acne scars, and fade stubborn dark spots with a rejuvenating blend of natural botanicals and vitamins. Desiree Verdejo’s debut product is the Hyper Clear Brightening Clearing Vitamin C Serum; it gets rave reviews for combatting hormonal breakouts and acne scars with its 15% vitamin C formula.
Tip: Earn cash back at Madewell through Giving Assistant that you can keep or donate.
15. Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty is much more than singer Rihanna’s namesake cosmetics company; this brand has made its beauty mark on the industry by having one of the widest selections of makeup colors for all skin types! Its popularity continues to grow through its commitment to inclusivity—think 50 shades of foundation, including extensive options for people with deeper skin tones.
Tip: Earn 2% cash back on Fenty Beauty cosmetics at Harvey Nichols through Giving Assistant.
16. IMAN Cosmetics
One of the oldest black-owned beauty brands in the biz is IMAN Cosmetics, founded in 1994 by the iconic supermodel Iman. The line has foundations, highlighters, and lipsticks in rich brown shades for women of color, like the affordably-priced fan-favorite Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation.
Tip: Earn up to 6% cash back at Walgreens when you shop with Giving Assistant.
17. LYS Beauty
LYS Beauty is the first Black-owned clean beauty brand to hit Sephora’s shelves exclusively. The high-performance skincare and color cosmetic products are available in diverse shades—the Triple Fix Serum Foundation alone features thirty-five shades for light-to-medium coverage.
Pur Cosmetics alumna Tisha Thompson’s line is vegan, cruelty-free, and made with plant-based ingredients, such as ashwagandha (Indian ginseng), turmeric, carrot, and grapefruit extract.
Tip: Find the latest Sephora promo codes plus earn 4% cash back through Giving Assistant.
18. The Honey Pot
The Honey Pot is the first plant-based feminine care brand offering skincare for ‘down there.’ Bea Dixon launched her company in 2014 with a clean feminine wash; it now features 100% natural washes, wipes, pads, and bath bombs made with clinically-tested and gyno-approved herbal infusions and ingredients like cocoa butter and tea tree oil.
Tip: Save more with iHerb coupon codes plus earn cash back through Giving Assistant.
19. Unsun
Unsun Cosmetics is one of only a few Black-owned sun-protection brands; Katonya Breaux’s brainchild has a rep as one of the best tinted mineral-based SPFs for a wide range of skin tones. The moisturizing formula helps even out skin while creating a healthy glow.
Tip: Get 3% cash back at Macy’s when you shop through Giving Assistant.
20. Carol’s Daughter
Lisa Price launched the multi-cultural beauty brand Carol’s Daughter over twenty-five years ago, taking her natural beauty creations from the kitchen to local flea markets, boutique shelves, and retail stores. The business includes hair, body, and skincare products ranging from body jelly to leave-in conditioners made for all textures and hair types.
Tip: Earn 8% cash back at Carol’s Daughter through Giving Assistant.
21. Bevel
Tristan Walker, CEO of Bevel, launched the brand through Walker & Company to address the specific grooming concerns that men of color often face, like ingrown hairs and razor bumps.
What started with the Bevel razor (designed for people with coarser hair) is now an award-winning black-founded business with a suite of shaving, haircare, body, and skincare products, like the best-selling Skin Heroes Bundle, which evens skin tone and targets discoloration.
How You Can Do Something Beautiful for a Nonprofit
Shopping with Giving Assistant does more than just save you the most on haircare, skincare, and beauty products—you can also donate to nonprofits and uplift the causes you support!
Learn more about Giving Assistant and how you can turn your cash-back savings into charitable donations. And since February is Black History Month, you may consider celebrating the occasion by giving back to civil rights organizations and anti-racism nonprofits. Be sure to view more black owned brands that would love your support.
If you haven’t already, install our Giving Assistant Button (it’s free!) to find the best online deals (and sales year-round) that earn you cash back you can share with nonprofits effortlessly.