Black Girl Approved: Cosmetic Companies Owned by W.O.C.
While many beauty brands have made strides towards inclusivity in 2019, this does not excuse the fact that there is a huge gap of representation in the 500-billion-dollar industry. For years, women of color have had to creatively compete for access to foundations of their shade or for blush that compliments their skin tone. In a post-Fenty world, cosmetic companies have followed the example of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, stepping into more foundation shades, pigmented shadows and universal “nude” lippies. Fenty paved the way for a new era of makeup by understanding that Women of Color represent a large portion of the beauty market and yet, are still struggling to find their cosmetic needs. While this may not stop people from buying non-inclusive brands at their local Sephora, it is important to recognize brands that are all-inclusive and to advertise Black Owned Cosmetics to inform People of Color of alternative options. That being said, no one knows what is needed for medium and deep skin better than women of color themselves. Luckily, there are many brands created by Women of Color, who create makeup to meet their needs and strive for the equality in the beauty industry by help expand the beauty market, encouraging every company to be more inclusive. Here are four inclusive makeup companies created for and by Women of Color.
$20 Ulta Beauty | Juvia’s Place 12-color Eyeshadow Palettes
Juvia’s Place has a knack for bright palettes that have amazing color and are long-lasting. The brand was founded in 2014 by Chichi Eburu, a Nigerian woman who saw a gap in the beauty industry for products that appreciated black women. Starting with eyeshadow palettes Eburu created rich pigments that do not show as sheer and chalky, formulated for deeper skin tones. You can now find these palettes at your local Ulta Beauty, sporting their signature African Queen as the logo.
$28 Beauty Bakerie| Beauty Bakerie Cake Mix Demi-Matte
Founded by Cashmere Nicole in 2011, Beauty Bakerie has taken over social media with product names that sound like baked goods such as BROWnies eyebrow gel, Lip Whips and Eyelash Icing to name a few. They provide perfect foundation shades for Women of Color, with 30 shades to choose from and other dessert style delicacies that cater to the needs of rich tones. This brand is perfect for beauty junkies of color who admire cute names and sweets-inspired packaging as much as they do makeup.
$38 Pat McGrath Labs| MatteTrance Lipsticks
Pat McGrath is a British makeup-artist, named by Vogue and other commentators to be the most influential make-up artist. Already known for her artistry in the fashion world, McGrath expanded her career by debuting her very own makeup line, Pat McGrath Labs, in 2015. She has since, made strives for black women, with her products debuting in Sephora’s around the world, while also emphasizing the need for not only more inclusive brands, but more brands created by Women of Color. Her lipsticks focus on universal use with reds and nudes that compliment colored skin.
$28 Mented Cosmetics| Mented Semi-matte lip shades
Founded by KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson, this brand originally started because they felt like there were no "nude" lipsticks that could truly match black women's skin. The founders believe every woman should be able to find herself in the world of beauty. All lipsticks are vegan and cruelty-free and formulated for women of color. Mented has since expanded to other beauty categories including nail polish and eyeshadow. The founders have also raised $3 million in funding to support multicultural makeup brand exposure.
Strike Out,
Writer: Kamari Pless
Editor: Savannah Tindall
Tallahassee