As I always say, supporting Black-owned businesses should be a year-round thing, but during special times like Black Business Month, I like to bust out a list of brands I’ve been keeping an eye on that are owned by fabulous Black and Brown entrepreneurs. This BBM in particular, I’ve got a good amount of luxury beauty brands and products to share from my list that I’ve recently tried or can’t wait to get my hands on. Refreshingly enough, most of these brands are luxury but (in my humble beauty-editor opinion) also extremely accessible. I know the term “accessible” is pretty relative, but I think high-quality skincare, haircare, and makeup are worth a few extra dollars. A good number of the products on this list won’t even set you back $100. How’s that for luxury? Whether you’re in the mood to splurge, just want to support Black-owned businesses, or both, keep scrolling. There’s something for everyone!
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Common Heir’s 10% Vitamin C Serum. It remains a best seller for the brand for its stellar formula, but the packaging is also incredibly sustainable. The single-dose capsules and (gorgeous, might I add) outer packaging are biodegradable and completely plastic-free. Founded by two clean-beauty veterans, Angela Ubias and Cary Lin, Common Heir ticks all the boxes for me. It’s sustainable, creates high-quality formulas, and gives lasting results. The next item on my list to try from the brand? Its newest offering, the 0.2% retinol! At its low concentration, it’s a great starter retinol for those who have never tried it. And if I’ve come to expect anything from Common Heir formulas, it’s that they’re effective and gentle and make skin look extra glowy. Sign me up, please.
I love Katini Skin formulas because they’re rich in nourishing oils and the culture of the brand’s founder, Katini Yamaoka. Yamaoka’s heritage inspired the use of ingredients native to Japan, Africa, and Australia. She was raised plant-based from birth, and this played a huge role in forming her line of luxury face oils that address most skin concerns. You can find formulas to boost collagen (my personal favorite), clarify the skin, and soften fine lines and wrinkles.
I’ve been using the brand’s Collagen Facial Oil for a few weeks now, and I’ve seen a huge improvement in the hydration of my skin and its overall appearance. I’ve struggled with acne pretty much since I was a teenager, but powerful ingredients in this formula like wheat germ, squalane, and honeybush have reduced a lot of inflammation in my skin and added extra moisture to my slightly damaged skin barrier. I can’t wait to see what the long term results are of using it. Next on my list to test out is the brand’s Soleil Day Serum, which is incredibly rich in vitamin C.
Chris Collins scents totally transport you to another world. I know it sounds a bit cliché to describe a perfume line in this way, but I 100% mean it. Harlem Nights features velvety notes of rum accord, orris and sandalwood, which, when blended together, give a smoky, warm aroma reminiscent of well, Harlem Nights. After smelling such a rich creation, I added another Collins concoction to my cart, Citrus Grandis. With notes of blackcurrant, yuzu, and pomelo, it sounded like this fresh and fruity scent would be right up my alley. I know I won’t be disappointed once it arrives—Collins knows just how to capture those hypnotic notes with a hint of adventure.
Klur formulas never disappoint. The brand’s Supreme Seed Purification Mask ($60) remains one of my all-time favorite gentle clarifying masks. It really does work some magic overnight. But there’s a reason the formulas are that good. The brand was started by esteemed aesthetician Lesley Thornton, who takes a holistic approach to skincare and has worked with thousands of clients with various skin types. Her ultra-clean formulas are even sold on Credo, so you know they meet the highest standards of ingredient safety.
Another favorite of mine from the brand is the Unseasonal Kind Face Oil, a replenishing treatment that’s a bit on the thick side but really does heal and protect your skin. Next up on my list to try from the brand is the Gentle Matter Cleanser. I’m pretty picky about my cleansers, but this one features ingredients like antioxidants, mild resurfacing agents, and oils that work for even the most sensitive skin. Since I definitely fall into that camp, I’ll be giving it a go.
Celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine once told me he loves Ustawi products for melanin-rich skin. Naturally, after that, I knew I had to try its products for myself. Each item is made with ingredients from founder Natacha Paugam’s homeland, Africa. She was inspired to use some of Africa’s native ingredients to create products that bring out your most luminous skin. The brand’s Bamboo Water Protective Mist is perfect to use as a toner or even to set your makeup with ingredients like myrtle leaf, baobab fruit, and bamboo water. Another product I’m eyeing is the Green Tea Matte Finish Moisturizer. It features star ingredients like green tea, licorice root, and hesperidin to directly block inflammation in the skin. For someone who’s acne-prone, this sounds like exactly what I need.
Having begun her beauty career as a licensed cosmetologist, KéNisha Ruff knows a thing or two about luxury beauty. She spent a lot of her professional career in high-end spas, salons, and retail cosmetics becoming an expert in the product-development field. When launching Marie Hunter Beauty, she spent years hunting down the most ethical cosmetics labs that would fit her vision. Then, items like the brand’s cult-favorite lipsticks were born. In addition to the smooth, matte luxury lip formula (a personal favorite of mine), the brand also has incredible skincare and haircare. I love a good detox mask, and I’m about to hit “add to cart” on this gentle one with a combination of three clays and activated charcoal. It reduces pore size, eliminates buildup, detoxifies, and leaves skin feeling fresh and looking radiant.
Vegan, plant-based luxury beauty brand Dehiya Beauty touts a refreshing return to simplicity. The brand utilizes ethically sourced, highly potent botanical ingredients native to Africa. Currently, I have my eye on the brand’s Biru Beauty Balm because it soothes and calms reactive skin with ingredients like CBD and whole plant botanicals. I had a bad allergic reaction about a month ago, and to be honest, my skin hasn’t been the same since. It’s been ultra sensitive and reactive, so I could definitely use something like this. The formula is also stress-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and deeply hydrating.
For rejuvenation and an extra dose of radiance, I’ll be trying the brand’s Mami Wata Hydra Milk Jelly Drops. It revives dull, dry skin and helps protect the delicate moisture barrier. African sea moss, rose water, and Tremella mushroom also plump the skin and protect it from environmental damage.
It comes as a surprise even to me that I haven’t tried anything from award-winning hairstylist Charlotte Mensah’s eponymous luxury haircare brand. Okay, it could partially be that Mensah is a UK-based stylist, but she specializes in natural and afro-textured hair, so I know her products will deliver for my particular hair type. The first thing on my list to try is the Manketti Hair Oil, a nourishing and unique blend of organic oils that repair and protect the hair against future damage. It even helps protect against chemical styling with organic manketti nut and Ximenia oils. And because I could always use more products to help style my 3c curls, I’ll be snagging the Manketti Oil Pomade next. It’s similar to the oil but helps tame flyaways and keeps hair smooth for styles you want to hold a bit longer.
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