For those among us who are perpetually on the hunt for black beauty products that meet our skin and hair needs, there is no better time to browse the beauty shelves.
In 2024 alone, Beyonce launched her haircare line Cecred, hot brand Topicals arrived in the UK, and a textured hair salon The Steam Bar – the first of its kind – opened in Selfridges.
However, there are still missteps. Youthforia, an American makeup brand, was called out late last year for its deepest foundation shade, considered nearer to black face paint than a wearable foundation. That’s why the emergence of black entrepreneurs entering the beauty industry is such good news. It ensures products are developed with better research into black-specific concerns, such as hyperpigmentation or caring for delicate kinky coils.
Kay Amoah, creator of Kiya Cosmetics, launched her brand in response to her own personal struggles with dry skin. “As a woman of colour, I understand the importance of inclusivity in the beauty industry. That’s why I’m committed to creating products that cater to a wide range of skin types, tones, and concerns” she explains.
Ama Amo-Agyei, the name behind the rapidly growing brand Plantmade, started by creating products after her hair concerns were not met by other companies. “I decided to do it myself, not realising that so much of my network was suffering in silence too,” she says. “The haircare industry was concerned at the time with aesthetics and soft hair, but we are focused on helping people become confident again and helping them fix their issues naturally”.
It should be added that beauty brands that are not black-owned are also doing their bit. Many are becoming more culturally conscious about their consumer demographic. A shoutout is needed for KeraCare, SheaMoisture, Charlotte Tilbury, Olaplex, The Ordinary and CeraVe for their much-improved product ranges.
We’ve tested and tried multiple products for black skin, hair and makeup, from hydrating lip balms to gorgeous blushes and 4C texture hair extensions. Check out the best black-owned beauty brands and products for black women.
See below
Skincare
Kiya Sweet Nourishing Oil
Kay Amoah’s brand, Kiya Cosmetics, serves up products with friendly plant-based ingredients to combat dry skin. There are a variety of natural dry skin remedies, from body washes to scrubs, but the Kiya Sweet Nourishing Oil has quickly become a brand favourite.
Its non-greasy and highly moisturising attributes make it great for everyday use. Thanks to its lightweight composition, it can be used on hair as well as skin. And the scent is divine. The Kiya Sweet Nourishing Oil is sold in three sizes, including a handy travel-friendly 100ml bottle.
Buy now £15.00, Kiya
KEM Beauty Pink Clay Face Mask
Clay masks are usually hard to get right, but KEM Beauty has done it perfectly - not overly drying and yet far from thin and watery. It’s a non-invasive detox for your skin that’ll leave your face feeling supple, smooth and radiant. The mask is great for all skin types, including acne-prone skin.
The entire line-up for skincare is top-notch, including a refreshing and hydrating toner.
Buy now £15.00, KEM
BlackGirlSunscreen, SPF 30
In 2016, Shontay Lundy impressed the skincare industry as one of the first brands to create a dedicated sunscreen for women of colour. SPF protection within the black community is easily overlooked because of the myth that more melanin helps to provide more natural protection from sun damage. In fact, it’s very possible for black people to get sunburnt, and sunburn may be harder to notice in deeper complexions. To lessen the risk, a layer of SPF is essential.
Many SPF products leave a dreaded white cast on deep skin tones, which can discourage usage. Fortunately, Lundy’s sunscreen doesn’t make you look blue or grey. And remember, it’s important to have SPF protection even when the sun is behind the clouds.
Buy now £12.73, Amazon
S’ABLE Labs Black Seed Toner
The brainchild of Sabrina and Idris Elba comes after four years in the making. S’ABLE Labs is an affordable skincare label that is brimming with science-backed formulas specifically developed for melanin-rich skin. Whilst the products can be used by everyone, they target hyperpigmentation and promote overall healthy glowing skin. The range features ingredients from natural plants from Africa, such as Okra and Qasil.
The Black Seed Toner makes a great addition to your skincare, especially if your skin concerns include texture, enlarged pores and ingrown hairs. Not only does it help alleviate these issues, but it also promotes a healthy skin glow because it’s packed with chamomile and vitamins.
Size options include a travel size, as well as a refill option for when you run out.
Buy now £35.00, Space NK
KOBA Safou Sorbet Cleansing Balm
If you’ve been on the search for a natural yet effective cleansing balm, this product has you covered. The Safou Sorbet Cleansing Balm is derived from Safou, Jojoba and Babassu oils. It’s a multi-use cleanser that dissolves makeup or excess oils that have built up over the course of the day, providing a soothing self-care skincare step before bedtime. The balm comes with a free cleansing cloth.
KOBA Skincare is known for offering ethical solutions inspired by the founder’s Congolese heritage. Safou oil, the hero ingredient, is a natural vegetable oil extracted from the Safou fruit, known as the African pear. It’s praised for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and highly nourishing qualities.
Buy now £63.00, KOBA
TOPICALS Slick Salve Mint Lip Balm
Hate sticking your fingers in messy hard-to-open tins? We have the solve. Topical’s slick salve is a lifesaver for chapped and ashy lips. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, making it perfect for moisture retention, especially during colder weather. Its no-hassle stick applicator makes it convenient to lather on your lips and throw in your handbag.
Buy now £14.00, Sephora
TOPICALS Faded Brightening & Clearing Serum
If you are concerned about hyperpigmentation or acne scarring, the TOPICALS Faded Brightening & Clearing Serum offers support. Hyperpigmentation is a term used to describe uneven skin tone, often showing up as darker spots and patches. Higher concentrations of melanin show up more pigmented, contrasting with the rest of the body. This is more common among people of colour and, although it is quite harmless, it may cause stress.
American Nigerian entrepreneur Olamide Olowe has sought to develop skincare that addresses the chronic skin conditions she faced growing up. With the support of researchers and an advisory board of accomplished dermatologists, she has successfully developed Faded, which combats discolouration to balance skin tone. This sweet little tube is suitable for daily use.
Buy now £35.00, Sephora
HUE Supra-Fade Dark Spot Night Serum
HUE was born in 2021, dedicated to creating skincare solutions for people with melanin-rich skin. Founders Dr Hani Hassan and Mona Haidar launched Supra-Fade Dark Spot Night serum to combat discolouration and dullness with melanin-rich skin tones in mind. The Dark Spot Night serum is gentle enough to use in the morning and night, showing significant results within six weeks.
Buy now £52.00, HUE
Hair
PLANTMADE Inches – Hair and Beard Oil
Ama Amo-Agyei started PLANTMADE with just £200 and yet, it has earned national acclaim on the Sunday Times 100 list for the fastest-growing private companies in Britain.
The Inches – Hair and Beard Oil may be small in size but it is mighty. It contains a blend of natural ingredients such as pumpkin seed and black seed oil, which helps stimulate hair growth. Massage into the scalp and length to nourish your locks and keep hair healthy whilst you have braids or cornrows.
With a mission to strengthen, grow and mend hair from their no-nasties plant-based formulas, PLANTMADE offers natural solutions that work.
Buy now £35.00, PLANTMADE
Tgin Miracle RepaiRx CPR Protein Treatment
Chris-Tia Donaldson created TGIN in 2011 after writing the ultimate natural hair care guide Thank God I’m Natural - a number one bestseller on Amazon. Her legacy has continued since her passing from cancer in 2021. Today, her products reflect the strong values she held regarding black women loving and feeling comfortable with their natural hair.
The TGIN Miracle RepaiRx protein treatment helps to restore protein in the hair, allowing it to be stronger and healthier, and promoting less breakage. Protein-intensive treatments help rejuvenate curls and combat issues of frizz, brittle texture and split ends. This product can easily be incorporated into your deep conditioning routine.
Buy now £23.99, Amazon
Cecred Clarifying Shampoo and Scalp Scrub
Whilst it’s not new for a celebrity to launch their own beauty line, the Cecred haircare brand by Beyonce is definitely worth a look. In particular, the Clarifying Shampoo and Scalp Scrub is the ultimate solution to a build-up of products stuck on your scalp and strands.
Scalp care is not merely a trend, it’s the way forward for healthy flourishing hair. With afro and textured hair especially, it is harder for natural hair oils, known as sebum, to travel down the hair shaft as the hair texture isn’t straight. This makes it more likely for an accumulation of oil sitting at the roots.
Thankfully, Beyonce and her team of scientists and trichologists have formulated a perfect blend of tea tree oil and a physical exfoliant for a deep clean on your wash days.
Buy now £36.00, Cecred
RUKA Hair "Synths®1: Blow Wow ponytail extension 22"
Finding extensions to blend into your natural hair texture can feel like an impossible task. I still recall the heat and tension of trying to blend my type 4 hair into synthetic type 1 hair ponytails.
Thankfully, RUKA hair caters exclusively to women with textured hair types. From type 3-4 hair, relaxed or natural, curls or fluffy blowouts, there is something for every curly-haired girl. This ponytail is perfect and easy to attach with a drawstring to secure it onto your hair. Its volume means it’s so easy to throw on without needing to straighten or hot comb your hair. The brand also creates wigs, braiding hair and human hair extensions.
Buy now £40.00, Selfridges
Bouclème Curl Defence Spray
With a stated mission to “set curls free”, Bouclème is a brand dedicated to all things curls and coils. Its Curl Defence Spray is easy to apply and sets out to protect hair against heat, UV light and pollution - shielding curls up to 230°C heat. If you adore a bouncy fluffy blowouts or a super smooth silk press, this product is a must-have in your kit to help prevent heat damage.
Buy now £22.00, lookfantastic
The Steam Bar, The Steaming Cap
Judy Koloko became the first person to open an afro/textured hair salon in Selfridges. She has continued to cement her stellar reputation in the afro hair care industry by creating luxury hair care products available to purchase online, or straight after an appointment.
Adding a steam cap is a game-changing moment for your hair routine. Put this in the microwave to heat for up to one minute and cover your hair with it. Using this with a deep conditioner or treatment allows it to penetrate better into your scalp and strands, providing an easy yet luxurious treatment in the comfort of your home. No wires or drying hoods, meaning you can do this practically anywhere. Shop the whole line exclusively at Selfridges.
Buy now £35.00, Selfridges
Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter
If you’re a natural hair girly, then you know the struggle of getting the perfect twist out or braid out. Camille Rose’s Twisting Butter makes it easier. Because of its hair-loving ingredients like almond milk, olive and macadamia, it can also be used as a leave-in conditioner for more coily textures in need of a quick moisture boost. Its sweet honey scent makes twisting your hair feel like an enjoyable treat rather than a tedious process.
Buy now £13.50, Boots
No Knot Co Ultimate Detangler Black
A lot of brushes make the bold claim to be the ultimate detangler that can glide through any and every hair type, knots and tangles, but few live up to the claims.
Enter: Keshia East’s thoughtfully designed hairbrush range that exceeds the hype. The Ultimate Detangler has strong yet extremely flexible teeth that allow it to glide through knots without snagging or unnecessary pulling. If you have a tender sensitive scalp, this tool will make a great addition to your haircare for pain-brushing.
Buy now £10.00, Boots
Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil
A classic product for natural hair routines and consistently affordable, you may already be familiar with the Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil. This multi-use oil can be used during a pre-shampoo oil (applying the oil to your hair before you shampoo and condition), or for the oil stage in the LOC method (applying liquid, oil and cream in this order for intense moisturisation) to act as a sealant for high porosity hair.
As this is quite a heavy oil, be cautious of over-applying.
Buy now £7.99, Amazon
Makeup
Beauty Bakerie Flour Setting Powder
Beauty Bakerie has adorable quirky branding, but its setting powder is also practically useful. This fine and easy-to-melt powder lets you achieve airbrushed results with ease. It hides away pores in an instant, making your base look soft and matte. Named after baking flour, it takes the ‘baking’ method to an entirely new level.
Buy now £21.00, Beauty Bakerie
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership 001
Pat McGrath, affectionately known as Mother, is one of the ultimate black pioneers of the makeup industry. As an MUA, her unmatched talent has her booked and busy backstage at nearly every high-end runway show. She’s the mastermind behind the viral porcelain doll look in the Maison Margiela Spring Couture 24 show earlier this year. The Mothership 001 palette is the very one she used in the Margiela show.
The luxurious quality and stunning pigment of her palettes are amazing for dark skin. With holographic and neutral shades tied together in one palette, it’s never been easier to create show-stopping eye looks.
Buy now £119.00, Selfridges
Fenty Beauty Trace'd Out Pencil Lip Liner
It took a while – seven years to be precise – but it was totally worth it. The new Fenty lip liners are everything we hoped for and more. With more rich lip liners coming out, we no longer need to rely on MAC Chestnut.
If you want to rejuvenate your usual brown lip and clear gloss combo, try out the shade ‘Brown’d Out 08’ alongside the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in shade ‘Glass Slipper’.
Buy now £19.00, Boots
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer
If you don’t know about Rihanna’s bronzer, we are honoured to be your official introduction. A classic product that was first launched as part of Fenty’s core range in 2017, it’s still as popular today for a reason. This powered hue serves as the ultimate staple product in our beauty bags.
It has an amazing rich warmth and pigment that is perfect for deep skin tones, and an effortless application. The payoff is instant - gone are the days when we needed to apply coat after coat for only a subtle bit of colour.
Buy now £30.00, Boots
Kem Beauty Satin Finish Powder Blush
Powder blush is the perfect companion to a bronzer. Yet, shopping for blush with melanin-rich skin can be rather tricky. We’re searching for a product with sufficient pigment, but also with the correct warmth and undertone.
It’s one thing to be an orange blush, but to be a perfectly peachy blush accentuating the golden undertones in black skin? That’s a whole different story. Adding Kem Beauty’s easily buildable blush to your makeup kit is a no-brainer. Choose from a compact lineup with 11 colours including rosy pinks and deep berry shades.
Buy now £14.00, Kem
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder
Despite not receiving any formal training in makeup (she started her career as a nursing assistant), Danessa Myricks has over a million followers across social platforms, extolling her impressive expertise.
The entrepreneur’s viral beauty Blurring Balm Powder has been intelligently designed as a ‘balm to powder’ formula, based on innovative Swedish ‘upsalite’ technology. This helps you achieve a shine-free mattifying look, all while blurring pores, blemishes and scars. Its lightweight consistency makes it perfect for the barely there, no-makeup makeup look that is driving the current cosmetics trend - making this a must-have for the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic and low-maintenance beauty routines.
It's neatly packaged in a sleek and shiny jar and comes with a mini applicator.
Buy now £39.50, Cult Beauty
Jordana Ticia Bronzer Duo
Jordana Ticia houses each of the products in her collection in irresistible packaging. The MUA turned business owner’s inventive bronzer duos combine cream and powder options all in one compact design, and you can shop them in shades that complement each other – thoughtfully designed with every skin tone in mind. An essential to save space in your makeup bag.
Buy now £19.00, Jordana Ticia
Juvia’s Place Blushed Liquid Blush
While likely best-known for eyeshadow palettes, the entirety of the Juvia’s Place product range puts a strong focus on high pigment. The liquid blushes are no exception.
The extremely affordable blush comes in a delightful compact size and blends out flawlessly like butter. The 12 shades are created to be universal and work well for any skin tone. We recommend using a tapered brush to easily blend it out.
Buy now £14.50, Juvia’s Place
