16 Black-Owned Beauty and Wellness Brands to Follow Right Now

The Washington Post reports that more than 40 percent of black-owned businesses in the United States shut down during the pandemic. This is concerning, especially since Black individuals already have the lowest business ownership rates in the country.

However, the wellness industry has been booming lately as more people are looking for new ways to take care of their physical and mental well-being.

The wellness market expanded from $3.7 trillion in 2015 to $4.5 trillion in 2018, according to the Global Wellness Institute, a non-profit organization focused on educating public and private sectors about preventative health and wellness.

However, the wellness industry as we know it often caters to white, affluent, and able-bodied communities. Communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are often excluded, despite the fact that many wellness practices are from those very communities.

We’re showcasing some of our favorite Black-owned wellness brands to follow right now. These founders are rewriting the narrative of what wellness looks by creating more inclusive spaces and starting the brands they wish they had growing up.

Homebody

• Great for: If you’re looking to bathe away muscle tension (and your problems)

After founder Rebecca Grammer-Ybarra got in a car accident, she turned to baths to help heal her mind and body.

With her sister’s help, she launched Homebody, a brand centered around handmade, organically farmed, pearlescent bath soaks infused with 300 milligrams of cannabidiol (CBD). Each bath soak is a cocktail of CBD, nourishing essential oils, plant powders, and moisture-rich minerals to help you unwind while hydrating your skin.

AbsoluteJOI

• Great for: If you’re looking to address hyperpigmentation without the use of harmful ingredients, like bleach

AbsoluteJOI is a clean skin care line for women of color, founded by Anne Beal, MD, MPH. She was inspired to take action after discovering that 75 percent of skin care products marketed toward Black women included toxic ingredients.

“There’s this perception that Black women don’t want to invest in quality products, so manufacturers will sell products made with cheaper ingredients, many of which are problematic,” Beal says.

As a result, nothing in her product line contains parabens, perfumes, dyes, phthalates, sulphates, or skin bleach.

“Studies show that Black and Latin women have paraben levels that are 4 to 8 times higher than the general population, so clean beauty really does need to be an imperative for women of color,” she adds.

The Honey Pot Company

• Great for: If you’re looking to swap your Tampax for an environmentally friendly option that’s free of toxins

After experiencing bacterial vaginosis, Bea Dixon decided to launch The Honey Pot Company, an all-natural, award-winning feminine care brand that makes products that protect and balance the vagina.

The brand’s offerings — tampons, pads, menstrual cups, and feminine wipes and washes — are free of chemicals, parabens, carcinogens, and sulfates. You can find The Honey Pot Company in Target stores everywhere.

Bread Beauty Supply

• Great for: If you’re looking to embrace frizz and simplify your hair routine

Bread Beauty Supply creates hair care basics for not-so-basic hair. Whether your hair is in box braids, cornrows, an afro, or a low bun, Bread Beauty Supply has you covered.

The brand sells a gentle milky hair cleanser, an everyday hair oil for curl types 3a to 4c, and a deep conditioning hair mask. Look out for the super chic packaging at Sephora stores.

Topicals

• Great for: If you’re looking to transform the way you feel about your skin

Topicals is a skin care line that aims to destigmatize skin conditions, like eczema, for women of color. The company was founded by Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng, who both experienced chronic skin care conditions as teens.

The brands medicated botanicals work to reduce scarring and lighten dark spots thanks to powerful ingredients, like licorice root, colloidal oatmeal, and turmeric.

The best part? Topicals donates 1 percent of profits to important mental health organizations, like Therapy for Black Girls, Sad Girls Club, and Fearless Femme 100.

Mented Cosmetics

• Great for: If you’re looking to find the perfect nude shade for your lips

This Black-owned and female-owned clean makeup brand stands out from the crowd with the understanding that one shade of nude (beige) doesn’t fit all.

Mented, short for pigmented, caters to all skin tones, but the brand puts women of color at the forefront.

In addition to creamy nude lip products, the beauty line has brow pencils, foundation, eyeshadow, and blushes. Each product is vegan, paraben-free, nontoxic, cruelty-free, and can be found at your local Target.

Oui the People

• Great for: If you’re looking for quality razors that are good for your skin and the environment

Are you seeking an upgraded shaving experience? Oui the People offers single-blade safety razors that provide a close shave sans razor burn or ingrown hairs. The site is a one-stop body care shop with bikini line sheet masks, hydrating body gloss, an ingrown relief toner, and a relaxing bath soak.

The company is based on the idea that you don’t need to change yourself in order to be lovable. Oui the People refuses to market with common terms, such as “ageless” and “flawless.”

Body Complete Rx

• Great for: If you’re looking to introduce plant-based supplements into your daily routine

Body Complete Rx founder Samia Gore is a busy mother of four who couldn’t find plant-based supplements on the market that worked for her.

After consulting a team of experts, she launched her company with the hopes of helping others get all the vitamins and minerals they need to live their healthiest lives.

Try their balance probiotic capsules or boost metabolism drops to jumpstart your wellness journey.

Golde

• Great for: If you’re looking to level-up your morning beverage routine

After launching in 2017, Golde has gone from simple superfood tonics to skin care products that can be found at Sephora. Trinity Mouzon Wofford, the brand’s co-founder, is the youngest black woman to ever launch a brand tat Sephora.

Golde offers three types of superfood latte blends — turmeric, cacao, and matcha — that aren’t only delicious but also aid digestion, promote glowing skin, and provide a much-needed energy boost.

Peak and Valley

• Great for: If you’re looking for products that combine herbal wisdom from ancient healing traditions with premier scientific research

Nadine Joseph started incorporating adaptogens into her routine in order to combat her chronic stress and anxiety.

In 2019, she launched Peak and Valley, to provide others with certified organic, vegan, and ethically sourced adaptogen blends that help balance stress, restore sleep, and nourish the brain and skin.

Black Girl in Om

• Great for: If you’re looking to help deconstruct and rewrite the narrative that Black women don’t take care of themselves.

Black Girl In Om exists as an online community to help create a world where women of color are liberated, empowered, and seen.

Founded by Lauren Ash in 2014, Black Girl in Om has expanded to include monthly musings, workshops full of wisdom and cultural rituals led by special guests, live guided meditations, journaling prompts, and audio meditations that can be found on Apple, Spotify, and TIDAL.

Black Girl in Om also has a podcast that covers topics, like demystifying magic, the healing power of sleep, and the many layers of black womanhood.

If you’re not Black or a woman of color but want to be a better ally, consider gifting a membership to a friend or donating to the scholarship fund.

Naaya Wellness

• Great for: If you’re looking to help create a more equitable and just society

Naaya, which is the Shona word for healing, was founded by Sinikiwe Dhliwayo to create a safe space for the BIPOC community to show up for their well-being.

Naaya offers anti-racism resources, creative consulting on creating inclusive and equitable wellness brands, corporate wellness programming, meditations, classes, and retreats.

a+FFIRMATION CULTURE

• Great for: If you’re looking for a clean candle to add to your collection

No more paraffin wax or strong synthetic fragrance oils that release potentially harmful fumes into your home.

These self-care candles are made from hand poured coconut wax, cotton wicks, and 100 percent natural essential oils. Each candle is designed to encourage thoughts of self-love, empowerment, and inner peace.

Grounded

• Great for: If you’re looking to add some plant babies to your collection

Brighten up your space with a plant (or ten) from Grounded, a curated plant subscription service founded by Danuelle Doswell and Mignon Hemsley.

Grounded focuses on the healing properties of plants, such as purifying the air around you and increasing serotonin.

Actually Curious

• Great for: If you’re looking to strengthen the bonds around you while also creating new ones

Actually Curious is a card game designed to bring people together and spread empathy. These packs are ideal for dating intentionally, starting conversations with strangers, exploring personal biases, and bringing up thoughtful topics with family and friends.

There are currently three card packs: culture, curiosity, and happy hour. Michael Tennant, the founder, also leads virtual events, like empathy workshops and workouts.

PUR Home

• Great for: If you’re looking for a nontoxic alternative to traditional cleaning products.

Formulated by Angela Richardson, PUR Home is a plant-based, biodegradable, and sulfate-free cleaning brand. All the products are recyclable, and the laundry detergent is biodegradable and compostable. The collection is simple, sustainable, charitable, and affordable.

Being a better ally of the Black community involves doing more than just social outreach. Whether it’s buying a new indie brand’s skin serum or hitting up the local farmer’s market, we have the power to make a positive impact with our shopping decisions.

Now, more than ever, supporting Black-owned businesses should be at the top of our purchase priority lists.

Iman Balagam is a writer based in Houston, Texas. When she’s not laughing at her own jokes, or buying overpriced chia pudding, she can be found reading fiction novels, catching a spin class, doomscrolling through TikTok, or waiting for her delayed Spirit flight to board.You can see more of her work on herwebsite.