8 Black-Owned Cosmetic Brands You Should Know About
As a brown beauty, sometimes it's quite difficult to find a cosmetic company that caters to our skin tone in all aspects of makeup, whether it be face, lip, eyes or all of the above. Alongside foundation matching being as hard as the SAT's when we go shopping for makeup online or in person, finding makeup that compliments our complexion in general has always been quite the task as well. As a makeup enthusiast, I've come across these problems, but I discovered over time that there are much more cosmetic companies outside of the household name businesses we've known all of our lives.
These discovered companies provide products that are reasonably priced, have better or the same quality as big name companies and guess what...they're black owned and operated, keeping us brown girls in mind when they create their products!
Look no more makeup lovers, I've got the hidden gems: 9 Cosmetic Companies For Brown Beauties, By Brown Beauties!
1. Sacha Cosmetics
Sacha Cosmetics is a family operated business that was founded 30 years ago in the beautiful island we know as Trinidad!
SACHA COSMETICS was the official Cosmetics of the Miss Universe (1999-2001), Miss Bahamas (2010) and Miss Jamaica (2005) pageants, and many other special events worldwide.
YouTube is my obsession, so of course I discovered this brand when I watched my favorite beauty gurus, Irishcel507 and Jackie Aina, do a foundation routine, using Sacha Cosmetic's buttercup setting powder. After seeing how flash ready and brown girl friendly the setting powder was for these ladies' makeup, I knew I had to try some for myself, because finding a good setting powder that doesn't make us look ghostly in pictures is stressful.
I was set out to try Ben Nye's banana powder before discovering Sacha, due to the fact that many other beauty gurus of color on YouTube swore by it. But as soon as I dabbed some of Sacha Cosmetic's setting powder on my T-zone, I was SOLD. Plus their $20.00 price point had already blown Ben Nye out of the ring for me. When you got something good, keep it! Sacha Cosmetics also has a wide variety of great products for the eyes, lips and face at a reasonable price. I have yet to see this company housed at Sephora, Ulta, or anywhere that sells cosmetics, but the internet is our friend, so you can purchase their products online. Learn more: http://www.sachacosmetics.com
2. Coloured Raine
This one is a personal favorite of mine. Coloured Raine is a modern, fresh and unique cosmetic company for the everyday beauty that SLAYS!
"Founded in 2013 by Loraine, who longed for a cosmetic line that encouraged self-expression and diversity, these stand-out cosmetics break all beauty barriers. With long-lasting lip formulas in an array of unparalleled hues, Coloured Raine is renowned as the most beautiful and exotic makeup in the world."-Coloured Raine
My Sephora friend once again was the one who introduced me to this brand. As we all have noticed, liquid lipsticks are the new wave and the regular, bullet lipsticks have taken a back seat in our makeup boxes. I had tried to hold on to my regular lippies for as long as I could, but always having lipstick on my teeth was becoming highly problematic for me. After finally caving in and purchasing liquid lippies from other cosmetic companies, my friend told me about Coloured Raine.
There wasn't a lot of reviews or swatch videos when I took to YouTube to research this brand, but there was just enough for me to head over to their website and snag some colors.
Fun Tip: Try the shades "Roulette" and "Truffle Raine", they're to die for!
Coloured Raine's shades are bold, dynamic and compliment every brown beauty, no matter how fair or deep her complexion is. Pair that with their awesome formula and you've got a hit. Whether you're more of a neutral baby or risk-taking goddess, Coloured Raine offers many colors to fit your makeup persona.
Coloured Raine also carries nail polishes, vibrant eyeshadow pots, lashes, and lip lacquers. Products can be purchases online but select Ricky's locations in New York carry this gorgeous brand as well. Locations can be found on the website under the Retailers tab. Learn More: http://www.colouredraine.com
3. Juvia's Place
Don't you dare sleep on Juvia's Place girl! This brand is a indie cosmetic company, where all products are made and packaged by hand. I stumbled upon this brand when I saw the popular twitter account, @BeautyByWOC, tweet pics of the very pigmented eyeshadows from The Nubian palette that Juvia's Place is receiving recognition for. I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous, neutral colors that The Nubian palette has. To my dismay, the palette was sold out at the moment I had tried to purchase it, but less than two weeks later, I got an email notifying me that it was back in stock...#delayedW!
The Nubian palette consists of warm, neutral colors similar to the warm tones in the popular 35o palette by Morphe Brushes. The packaging is gorgeous and is currently on sale for a discounted price of $23.50.
About a month following my purchase of The Nubian palette, Juvia's Place introduced the larger sized and more colorful palette, The Nubian 2. Being satisfied with the quality and pigmentation of The Nubian, I snagged The Nubian 2 for $28.99 online.
Get into those shimmery shades though!
Juvia's Place also carries makeup organizers, brushes, and lashes. Maybe in the future, we'll see some amazing lippies that match the Egyptian theme this company is rocking' with! Learn More: http://www.juviasplace.com/
Check out my YouTube review for both of these gorgeous palettes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki0MYtdGSFw
4. Black Opal
I never thought I'd come across a cosmetic company that carries so many different shades of brown in liquid foundations, until I discovered Black Opal cosmetics.
"In 1994, three creative forces combined their passion for beauty and their joint knowledge of issues specific to skin of color to develop the groundbreaking brand known as Black Opal. The Muse, a professional woman of Jamaican descent, who embodied the Black Opal consumer, provided the inspiration, the Chemist, possessed unparalleled expertise as a product formulator and the Doctor, a Board-Certified Dermatologist, offered exceptional knowledge and expertise. Together, they developed a comprehensive and affordable collection of targeted skincare products that would combine state-of-the-art technological advances with proven ingredients to service the unique skincare needs of skin of color for men and women."-Black Opal
Yet again, YouTube makeup gurus of color led me to Black Opal, when I was seeking a new foundation that actually matched my skin tone that didn't produce oil in my T-zone throughout the day.
Black Opal is well known for their True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation, where customers can choose from a wide variety of shades that suits their complexion the best.
Black Opal's pore perfecting foundation is priced at a solid $10.95. The company also carries complete cosmetic products for eyes, lips and face, along with skincare products as well. Learn More:http://www.blackopalbeauty.com
5. Kaylux Cosmetics
Founder, Kaylar Will is a freelance makeup artist that has recently started her own cosmetic company, where she creates and sells shimmery performance powders, pigmented lip glosses and a recently added, body highlighter spray. I recently ordered a performance powder in the shade "Most Nominated" from Kaylux during a memorial day sale, and hunttttyyyy, the glow I achieved with this powder, the goddess goals I've been looking for! Peep the power below:
And that swatch was just ONE swipe. I'll foreva be here for a prospering highlighter chile.
Social media really is the G.O.A.T when it comes to discovering new beauty products and companies. I found out about this indie cosmetic company by @BeautyByWOC as well when I saw Kaylux Cosmetics customers getting their pics retweeted, where their cheeks were simply glowing from the magically illuminating performance powders this company is quickly becoming known for.
There are a total of four performance powders available on the website, each individually priced at $17.00, or you can grab the bundle deal, where you get all four for $60.00. The lip glosses are currently all sold out but keep your eyes peeled for a restock by following the company's instagram and twitter accounts. I'm very excited to see the new products Kaylar comes up with in the future of Kaylux Cosmetics and I believe this company may be a top contender for my faves list :-)
Fun tip: The performance powders can also be used as an eyeshadow as well. Yum.
Learn More:http://www.kayluxcosmetics.com
6. Oalika Cosmetics
Oalika Cosmetics is also a recently launched indie cosmetic company, founded and operated by self taught makeup artist, @oalikaloveslyn.
I stumbled across this company, when I peeped a tweet from the owner talking about her duo brow pencils and brow tints being live on the company's website.
Alongside her duo brow pencils, Oalika Cosmetics carries liquid to matte lipsticks, lip glosses, lipsticks, a colorful and bright eyeshadow artist palette, a warm toned eyeshadow palette, and a blush kit; all products are priced at exceptional prices, so I surely will be scooping up some lippies and a palette from this company very soon.
Learn More: http://oalikacosmetics.bigcartel.com
7. Tyra Beauty
Hey Tyra girl! One of my favorite supermodels is doing it! Tyra Banks launched her beauty line in 2014 and has been giving us more than a cosmetic line, but a cosmetic experience.
"We preach and teach the power of tooching booties, strutting thighs, posing tips, and smizing eyes. We make you look and feel more beautiful than you ever thought possible! With my beauty secrets and secret beauty weapons, this cosmetics experience is all about Beauty. Business. Badassery."-Tyra Beauty
Tyra Beauty houses products within the eyes, lips, and face department, where her duo highlight + contour sticks, called the " 2 minute Tyovers", sculpt, highlight and shine the face and are priced at $35.00. Her "Smooch as Silk" lippies, priced at $22.00, come in four colorful and bold shades, packaged in golden tubes with the Tyra beauty logo scripted on the side.
Smooch as Silk lippie in the shade "Retire Your Husband"
Tyovers for lighter complected skin.
Tyovers for medium complected skin.
Tyovers for deeper complected skin
Learn how to use the Tyovers with Tyra!http://beautybank.tyra.com/
8. The Lip Bar
If you want your lips to make a statement, the lip bar is where you shall find many colors to do just that!
"It is our mission to challenge the current standard of beauty by creating a lipstick experience that is unsurpassed in craftsmanship, quality and color."-The Lip Bar
The Lip Bar is a black owned and operated, cosmetic company that has created a nice spin to lippies and glosses. From the packaging to the shades, The Lip Bar is doing it oh so well.
Sticking with the swanky, Sex & The City-ish, night bar theme, the company sells a variety of fun and sophisticated lip shades in three different formulas. Classic bullet lipstick is known as Signature Cocktails. The ever popular Liquid Matte formula is sold at the Bar and pigmented glosses known as Lip Liqueur can be found at this lovely company as well.
Signature Cocktail lipstick in the shade Purple Rain
Liquid Matte in the shade Silent Killer
Lip Liqueur in the shade Dirty Red
All of the Lip Bar's products are vegan, and their signature cocktails contain Shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil and vitamin E, for an extra smooth blend!
The Lip Bar is here to serve a top shelf beauty, with a splash of color...get into it! Learn more:https://www.thelipbar.com
I hope this list has helped my fellow brown, makeup enthusiasts. Support black makeup artists and businesses, they're catering to us so it's only right to show them an abundance of love.
Leave a comment below if there are any other black owned cosmetic companies you would like us to know about!
Stay Beautiful!