For decades, Black women and men were confined to a small selection of black beauty products found in designated beauty supply and department stores. It had nothing to do with money, and everything to do with finding the best shampoo that didn’t dry out their hair, conditioner that defined their natural curls and more diverse foundation shades to match their complexion.

Thanks to the Fenty Beauty effect and companies like The Lip Bar and Colour Pop, mainstream beauty brands began taking the hint. More companies are providing a range of inclusive products that beautifully compliment the various shades of black and brown skin and creating beauty collaborations with popular vloggers like Makeup Shayla, ItsMyRayeRaye, Jackie Aina and more. 

This holiday season, shop with one of these black-owned beauty brands, for us and by us. 

Coloured Raine 

Earlier this year, beauty brand Coloured Raine launched a limited-edition collection inspired by characters from hit television series Power. Homicide Matte Liquid lipstick, Distro Lip Gloss, rich pigmented eyeshadows that embody the style of leading ladies like Tasha, Angela, and Keisha.

UOMA Beauty

This Afropolitan beauty brand is redefining the rules of inclusivity and diversity in the beauty world. Nigerian founder Sharon Chuter hoped to celebrate the uniqueness and bring together people of all ethnicities, gender, sexual orientations, sizes, and all ages. “The world is beautiful because we are all different and colorful in our unique way and this is why UOMA beauty exists,” she said. 

Mented Cosmetics

Mented makes the best neutral-toned matte lipsticks and nail polish for women of color of all shades. All lipsticks are vegan, cruelty-free and non-toxic. Purchase three of their top-selling Semi-Matte lipsticks in this chic holiday-packaged box for $50.

Black Radiance 

Sold in local beauty supply stores and department stores everywhere, the Black Radiance Color Perfect Liquid Makeup will have your skin looking smooth and flawless. It has great full coverage, oil-free foundation and sold at an affordable price. Just a few dabs on your face using the spatula applicator is all you need. Check out this zipper face Halloween look using the Copper Glow lip color and the shade liquid makeup. 

Shea Moisture 

Save 20% on the entire men’s collection right now for all your needed bearded products. Get soft, silky moisturized curls that pop using one of their most loved products, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, enriched with protein and coconut oil, to leave your hair21 smelling good. The brand has a large collection of hair and facial products for men and women including shampoos, conditioners, and a full makeup line. 

Pholk Beauty

Obtain healthy skin with Pholk Beauty, a natural skincare line inspired by the African Diaspora. Facial cleansers, oils, masks, vegan lip balm, face mist, and Rose Gardenia Skinnectar made with moringa oil from a supplier in Senegal

Pholk Beauty Facebook

The Lip Bar 

Blogger Jackie Aina and singer Justine Skye swear by The Lip Bar and their Fresh Flow Bronzer + Blush Duo. This vegan makeup brand has a flagship store in Downtown Detroit and sold online and in over 450 Target stores across the US. 

Laws of Nature Cosmetics

Find your foundation shade with a personalized consultation from one of their knowledge beauty experts. Founder Jasmine Rose grew tired of having difficulty finding a foundation suitable for her skin tone and type, seeking to encourage her customers to know and understand what ingredients to not use in their products. 

Jacquemgido Cosmetics

Achieve the perfect eyebrows with this long-lasting, waterproof eyebrow liner. Zimbabwean born, Hollywood living makeup artist Jacque Mgido is bridging the gap between culture and race one eyebrow at a time, catering to the many climates of Africa and all over the world. “I teach women to look beautiful wearing makeup, not to be ‘worn’ by their makeup,” she said on her website

Vera Moore Cosmetics

Cosmetic brand Vera Moore has been in business for almost 40 years, sold in over 50 Duane Reade and Walgreens stores in cities in New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, California, and Las Vegas. Their signature collection features Peptide + Serum and with a moisturizer made with essential oils and other ingredients to enhance your skin texture and smoothness. 

Fenty Beauty 

Rihanna never disappoints like this limited edition mini lipgloss collection. Keep your lips moisturized and poppin’ this winter in five different shades of lipgloss.

Gold Label Cosmetics

Featured in Fashion Bomb Daily, Gold Label Cosmetics encourages women to love the skin they’re in and be their most confident self with beautiful, bold matte lip pens that don’t smudge for under $20. 

Plain Jane Beauty

There’s an entire 3-step method to this plant-based organic beauty line to enhance your skin’s natural glow. Prep and hydrate your skin with the Coconut Water Setting Mist, Prime and smooth your skin fine line and finally, Set your face using the Sheer Translucent Powder. If you’re not 100%, test out their low price samples for yourself.

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Creating a world where beauty has no boundaries. Makeup guru and veteran Danessa Myricks travel the world internationally, doing tutorials using her beauty collection at sold-out workshops across the world. Hydrating lotion, metallic pigments, and long-lasting, vegan foundation are a few of her staple products.  

Luv Scrub 

Want to the West African secret to super-smooth, baby soft skin? Throw away your loofahs and try Luv Scrub’s Mesh Body Exfoliator cloth. It works to cleanse your body while lifting dead skin cells and lasts for 18 months. Ghanaian Founder/CEO Caroline OwusuAnsah hopes to educate the world on the benefits of African beauty products. 

Bevel 

Celebrities like ASAP Ferg, Nas, and Broderick Hunter use this award-winning cordless trimmer to tidy up their crisp, clean line up. Dermatologist tested and approved, the Bevel Trimmer is available online, Amazon and in Target stores everywhere.   

Bevel

Pear Nova Nail Lacquer

Vegan, cruelty-free and Influenced by innovators in fashion design, world travel & women working in all artistic media. Pear Nova brings luxury fashion right to your nails with 10-free gel polish in The brand also actively advocates for domestic violence victims and helping women get away from dangerous beings and environments.

Official Bonnet Chronicles 

Former Basketball Wives Tami Roman went viral with her unfiltered Bonnet Chronicles series on Instagram. Her witty, raw commentary led to a podcast on TIDAL and a merch line for her famed “Get Into It” bonnets.

Crayon Case Cosmetics

Makeup mogul Supa Cent took the world by storm, earning $1 million in just 90 minutes on Black Friday last year! Makeup brushes disguised as no. 2 pencils, Eraser Sponges, Chalk Dust Setting Powder, and Honor Roll Highlighter. But the Box of Crayons eyeshadow palette is the real game-changer, featuring 18 strikingly, bold colors.  

@beautymethod

Lamik Beauty

Made with love and makeup in kindness. Lamik Beauty is a clean, vegan beauty line made with natural and organic ingredients for women of color. Their Celebrity Brow Kit made with pomade is a must-have. 

BeautyMarked & Co 

How cute are these Ankara mommy and me bonnets? They are lined with satin to retain moisture in your hair. Ranging between $8-$25. 

Mary Louise Cosmetics

Customers of all shades praise the Miracle Serum, a must-have in your carry-on. It works to great as an everyday moisturizer and made to treat old acne scars, eczema, pigmentation, dark marks and razor bumps for men.

127 East Cosmetics

A dope lip color can really go a long way, with or without a full face of makeup. This New Jersey-based lip wear line was created with vitamins and nourishing ingredients to leave your lips feeling luxurious in color. 

Before Bed Headz

Nothing says girls night like wine, cute pajama shorts sets, and bedazzled bonnets. Best-selling author and entrepreneur Toya Wright launched the satin bonnet line in 2015, to help women look cute while protecting their hair. 

Ayele & Co.

Maintain your skin’s natural glow even on vacation with a skincare travel set from Ayele & Co. It comes with a matcha honey cleanser, perfecting glow lotion and Sunflow Sweets Serum, made with natural ingredients such as vitamin E, and tea tree oil. 

Bernadette Thompson Nail Collection

Since the 1990s, celebrity nail tech Bernadette Thompson has been credited for being the trendsetter when it comes to nail fashion, known for her custom-detailed nail designs. Her iconic “money nails” worn by Lil Kim, Missy Elliot and Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, are part of a permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The nail care line offers 75 striking colors in acrylic powder, dip powders, gel, including nail treatment kits and money decals. 

BLAC Minerals Cosmetics

BLAC Minerals takes pride in producing healthy makeup for women of color that glorifies their natural beauty and heightens their confidence level. Why? Because “beauty should be simple,” according to creator Merced Saint Boyce.

Nagi Cosmetics

This Canadian beauty line has a wide selection of hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic products, filling a void for women of color in the Quebec market. Their matte liquid lipsticks are velour offers a smooth finish that damn near looks painted on. 

Sacha Cosmetics

Made in Trinidad & Tobago, Sacha’s iconic Buttercup Setting Powder was rated the best face powder on Amazon. The 40-year old brand is the go-to brand for carnival-goers, praised for his long-lasting, smooth finish.

Lauren Napier Beauty 

Customers love their pocket-size facial cleansing wipes. They’re perfect to fit in your clutch, purse or carry-on on your next flight. They work for normal, sensitive or oily skin to wipe away dirt and makeup to reveal refreshed, hydrating skin. 

Scotch Porter 

Ladies, it’s getting cold. Don’t let your man be caught outside with dry skin or an unmoisturized beard. Stock up on Moisturizing Beard Wash and Charcoal & Licorice Moisture Defend Face Lotion for their holiday promos, ranging from $11.99-$20

Unsun Cosmetics

Best-seller Unsun Mineral Tinted Sunscreen was created to include everyone from olive tones to dark chocolate. This sunscreen minimizes your pores and works great as a primer for makeup. Fun Fact CEO Katonya Breaux is the mother of Grammy-winning artist Frank Ocean

Ginger & Liz 

Founder Ginger Johnson and Liz Pickett created a nail polish line with creative names influenced by arts, travel, entertainment. Vibrant pigments, glitters and other colors that make you want to get All Decked Out, Turn It Up and let everyone know who the Boss Lady is in town. 

The Doux

I knew The Doux products were the truth after spotting them on HBO’s Issa Rae’s Insecure on HBO. “A professional approach to curly, textured hair.” Just look at how her curls snap right back using their One Love Co-wash.

AJ Crimson Beauty

Their signature AJ Crimson Artist Kit included a concealer, contour palette and award-winning foundation, which won Product of the Year. “So often, makeup has been designed with a one size fits all mentality and with black women and women of color my cosmetic line contains shades for women of every ethnic background and skin tone,” beauty expert and owner AJ Crimson explains

Beauty Bakerie Beauty Products

Cook up the perfect recipe to flawless skin and natural makeup with Beauty Bakerie. Egg-shaped blenders in egg cartoons, Setting Powder Flour bags, Breakfast in Bed eyeshadow palettes and a mixture of bold and neutral matte lipsticks. 

Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath is killing the makeup game with her super-glam holiday eyeshadow quads. The Blitz Astral palette has this beautiful turquoise blue, champagne gold, and vibrant purple and a sparkling emerald, colors of royalty.

Rucker Roots

When traveling to different climates, naturals are always worried about humidity and controlling frizziness. The Rucker Roots complex uses all-natural ingredients in their products; carrot root oil, turnip root oil, and ginger root oil. Purchase the Anti-Frizz Silkening Growth Serum at Target, Sally Beauty, or a local beauty supply store.

Hanahan Beauty

CEO Hanahan pays double the fair trade for sustainably sourced natural shea butter made by Katariga Women in Tamale, Ghana. The Smooth and Confident Travel Set comes with small 2o ounce bottles; one for your purse, your carry-on, and your suitcase.   

Epara Skincare

Luxury skincare for women of color starts with Epara. It means “to cocoon oneself” in a Nigerian dialect. From the Hydrating Mist to the brightening night balm, the entire product collection was made with rich oils from South Africa, Kenya, and Morroco.

Golde

Keep your energy up on your next road trip with this Turmeric Tonic Blend. It comes in a resealable bag to take along with you to your next destination. It’s vegan and keto-friendly. 

SDOT Beauty 

This luxury apothecary beauty and lifestyle brand has travel-size essentials for your body, skin, and hair. A nylon makeup bag and travel size serum for day and night serum travel kit and a nylon makeup bag. 

Iman Cosmetics

Before there was Fenty Beauty, iconic brands like Iman Cosmetics were at the forefront of inclusivity when it came to the beauty world. Since 1994, Somali fashion model Iman is proud to offer a diverse collection of makeup for women of all ethnicities and skin tones. 

BLK + Green 

Popular e-commerce site BLK+GRN is an all-natural, carefully curated marketplace providing holistic and ingredient-conscious products by black artisans. The site has over 300 various natural products from hair and skincare to soy candles and organic tea. Check out their under $25 gift items. 

Foxie Cosmetics

Founder and musician Kayla Phillips started this handcrafted, vegan cosmetics line in Nashville in 2015. Her collection includes colorful bath bombs that soothe chronic pain, body butter infused with cranberry fruit and a facial mask made with charcoal to detox your skin.

Mixed Chicks

Mixed Chicks has great products to remove oil and add shine, bounce to multi-textured hair.  The Leave-In Conditioner is their most praised product; it’s lightweight and 10 oz.

Magnolia Makeup

New Orleans based Magnolia Makeup is known for its fun bold, color eyeshadows and lipsticks for all skin tones with names like Essence, NOLA and Slow Wine.