Finding beauty products that work for Black skin can be frustrating, since Blackness is often an afterthought in the beauty industry. Trying new products can be a bigger risk for Black people because we usually have no idea whether said products will be melanin-friendly. Several Black-owned beauty brands, such as Fenty Beauty, Topicals, and Blk/Opl, have gone viral for being among the few Black-owned brands on the map. They have consistently outperformed their competitors and stayed true to their mission – to make products that work for everyone, especially Black people.
Over the years, beauty brands have been popping up left and right. Seeing something new hit the shelves is exciting, but you can’t help but hesitate before opening your wallet. Questions fill your head as you’re reading ingredients on the website. The owners don’t look like me, so how can I trust that their products will work for my skin? Why aren’t there any Black models in their ads? Are the ingredients they’re using safe for melanated skin? Fortunately, we researched so you don’t have to. Here’s a list of non-Black-owned brands that understand Black skin.
Made by Mitchell
Made By Mitchell was founded in 2020 by British makeup artist Mitchell Halliday. His creative and colorful packaging caught the eyes of beauty lovers right away, and it didn’t take long before we saw sprinkles of him throughout social media. In 2023, his iconic “Curve Case Cream Makeup Palette” took the internet by storm, and has since received nothing but raving reviews. It’s a 3-in-1 makeup palette containing contours, bronzers, and blushes, giving you several of your makeup essentials in just one palette. Although it’s quick and easy to use, what made this product blow up was its shade range. There are six palettes, and each one is darker and richer than the last.
Black beauty influencers and consumers alike were amazed at how deep the shades were, making it usable for Black people of all hues. The pigmentation and shade ranges of his products make it obvious that Mitchell understands Black skin and listens to his Black consumers. He uses Black models every time he drops a new product, and floods his social media with Black people to show that his products are for us. Every time Mitchell gets into the lab, he cooks. Imagine having a makeup brand with literally 0 misses, other brands need to take notes!
Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury started as a high-fashion makeup artist, creating looks for brands like Dior, McQueen, and Versace. Her old hollywood glam style and immense knowledge of makeup made her a celebrity in the makeup and beauty industry. Charlotte has earned real praise for how thoughtfully she creates makeup that works beautifully on Black skin, especially when it comes to complexion and lip shades. She formulates products to enhance deeper skin tones rather than mute them. Her bronzer and contour shades are rich instead of ashy, and her highlights and lip products melt into melanin instead of sitting on top of it.
Popular products like the “Hollywood Flawless Filter and, more recently, the “Airbrush Flawless Blur Concealer”, and many of her lipsticks, consistently perform well on darker skin. They give warmth, dimension, and radiance. Charlotte has made a consistent effort to perfect her craft by expanding her shade ranges and leaning into undertones that flatter Black skin. She makes luxury makeup feel genuinely inclusive and wearable.
Naturium
Ever since I was in middle school, I’ve dealt with hyperpigmentation and discoloration, as many Black girls do. Being born in the early 2000’s meant that there weren’t many options for me in terms of effective skincare. I tried everything, Proactiv, Neutrogena, even Clinique, but nothing worked (some of those brands actually made my skin worse). It wasn’t until many years later that I saw a woman named Susan Yara create a beauty brand called Naturium. They blew up for their science-based skincare, which focuses on science-backed facts instead of fluff and imagery. Their body care, specifically their “The Glow Getter” line, started to blow up on TikTok, and over time, I saw more and more Black girls trying and reviewing their products.
After discussions with my dermatologist, I was recommended Naturium’s Niacinamide Serum and Vitamin C Serum. I was doubtful at first, but my assumptions were quickly proven wrong. Within just a few months of consistent use, my skin completely transformed. Black skin has specific concerns, and many Naturium products address these with gentle but potent ingredients to help even out skin tone, reduce dark spots, and keep the skin hydrated, all without heavy fragrances, which can irritate the skin. While no brand works perfectly for everyone, many people with deeper complexions find that Naturium’s thoughtfully formulated serums, hydrators, and treatment products support their skin health. My skin care routine is now made up of about 4-5 Naturium products, and I swear by every single product I’ve used. Their website and social media pages are abundant in Black testimonials and tutorials, showing in real time how well these products work for melanated skin.
La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay is one of the pioneers of science-based products, which is what Black skin needs moe of. The fancy packaging and scents are nice, but it’s not what our skin needs to get the results we want. This brand is another skincare staple for me – I’ve been using their cleaners for years now, and they’ve aided in keeping my acne and oiliness at bay. They address concerns like sensitivity, acne, hyperpigmentation, and most importantly, sun protection. Many dermatologists say that sunscreen is the pinnacle of skincare, and not wearing sunscreen can undo a lot of the work you put in to perfect your skin. As Black people, many of us disregard sunscreen, since it feels impossible to find any that don’t leave a white cast. La Roche-Posay heard that concern and challenged our thought process by creating several sunscreen lines that are Black-skin safe, including a tinted sunscreen that looks like makeup.
Many of their products are formulated with ingredients that help even skin tone and protect against sun-induced pigmentation, a concern often prioritized by Black skincare users. Additionally, products such as their “Cicaplast B5+ Balm” and “Hyalu B5 Suractivated Cream” provide hydration and barrier repair that many users with dry or textured skin find helpful, further supporting a routine that’s both effective and accessible for Black skincare needs. Dermatologists and beauty enthusiasts frequently recommend La Roche-Posay as a versatile, inclusive brand that takes darker skin tone into account in its formulations. In case you needed more of a reason to try them out, they’re one of the only brands I’ve seen show Black experts in the lab.
Every beauty brand should be making an effort to consider melanated skin when making their products. Black people drive beauty trends and purchasing, and we will make it known if we discover a brand isn’t with us. Understanding melanated skin needs to be a mandatory part of formulating a beauty brand, instead of an option.
