Black-Owned Brands Revolutionising Makeup

BY GRANDY KAT

We’ve all heard of the amazing makeup lines like Fenty Beauty and Iman Cosmetics, but these are not the only black-owned beauty brands out there. Here are 3 young makeup brands that you should consider the next time you refresh your makeup bag.

Uoma Beauty

Founded by Nigerian-born, former beauty executive Sharon Chuter, Uoma Beauty is a breath of fresh air within the ever-evolving beauty scene. The brand burst onto the scene only eight months ago in April 2019 and has already been spotted in the makeup bags and on the faces of all our fave queens such as Tamar Braxton, Ciara and Keke Palmer. The brand has been praised for its foundations not only having a large shade range (stocking a massive 51 shades), but also infusing its foundations with skincare benefits. The brand recognizes that different skin complexions come with different skin needs. For example, the darker shades have built-in components for hyperpigmentation and the lighter shades have elements to combat hypersensitivity, giving those of us who still haven’t developed a skincare routine a helping hand (don’t judge us please). The brand’s ethos is based on uplifting women, instructing women to ‘never apologise for being the sh*t’, and frankly, we are here for it.

Sharon Chuter, Founder of Uoma Beauty

Uoma, Spring Campaign 2019

Mented Cosmetics

Ladies and gents, your quest for the perfect nude lipstick has finally come to an end. Usually, I have to layer at least 2-5 different lipsticks to create a simple nude lip, but thanks to KJ Miller and Amanda E. Johnson, the founders of Mented Cosmetics, it appears that this struggle is now over. When these two professional women realised that they both couldn’t find a simple nude lipstick to wear to work, they also spotted a gap in the market for products with women of colour in mind, hence brand Mented was born. They sought out to create a brand which celebrated the beauty of women of colour starting with launching a collection of six nude lipsticks ranging from pinker shades to browns, which work perfectly for darker skin tones. These nude lipsticks, which launched only two years ago, have created massive waves in the industry, receiving press from prestigious magazines. Beauty Guru sensation, Jackie Aina, even stated that Mented has "the best makeup for women of colour". Now, the only question left to ask is, “how quickly will my package take to arrive?”, because I’m completely sold!

Beauty Bakerie

Is it a chic bakery selling all of our favourite sweet treats or a flourishing makeup brand providing us with all of our beauty must-haves? When you first click onto the Beauty Bakerie site, I admit it’s hard to tell. Although on closer inspection it is evident that the black-owned beauty brand’s USP is adorable bakery themed makeup to make us look good enough to eat!

Do make sure you don’t browse the site on an empty stomach because the names of the products such as ‘raspberry tiramisu lip whip’ and ‘Lollipop eyeliner’ might leave you craving a snack or two. You can also shop guilt-free knowing proceeds from your purchases are going towards Sugar Homes, an amazing foundation founded by the brands CEO Cashmere Nicole, which supports orphanages for children in need around the world.