Black Owned Beauty Brands To Support Now, And Always

As a teenager, venturing into the beauty world left me disheartened at drugstores. The makeup stands offered foundations that left me looking grey, and the hair aisles lacked options for afro-textured hair. Even if a label boasted ‘cocoa,’ ‘chocolate,’ or ‘deep,’ the makeup shelf was either empty or simply not dark enough. My only choice was navigating a few scattered ‘hair shops,’ typically not owned by people who resembled me. Alternatively, I resorted to ordering products online from American retailers, dealing with exorbitant import fees, all in the pursuit of finding makeup in my shade or a hair product capable of moisturising my 4c hair; an experience that was, and still is, shared experience by many black women.

It shouldn't be this hard.

While progress has been made as conversations surrounding diversity and representation within the industry have opened up, there is still much more that needs to be done. And this is sad to see because the beauty industry is home to so many brilliant, black female-founded beauty brands that have often been overlooked and underrepresented in a market that historically predominantly caters to Caucasian hair and skin types.

‘There are so many talented women of colour in the beauty industry, but very few are business owners,’ states founder of Nails & Brows Mayfair, Sherille Riley. ‘We are under-represented in entrepreneurship and I would love to see more encouragement for women of colour to become entrepreneurs.’ Sherille herself struggled to get a loan from a bank and ended up borrowing money from an investor to open Nails & Brows. ‘I do feel that women of colour are at a disadvantage when it comes to money matters.’

And it’s not just investors, many women of colour within the industry have experienced discrimination from estate agents, retailers and manufacturers. Riley’s biggest challenge was finding a site. ‘I shared my vision with top commercial real estate agents who would invite me to view various spaces, but after meeting me - every single one turned around and said that the owner of the site would not be interested in a nail salon as a tenant. After bringing my Italian husband along to site visits - I felt and saw a difference in the way my business was being perceived.’

Keisha Lawler, Founder of Trepadora - a brilliant range of curly hair products - recounts numerous meetings with white male manufactures who have sought to undermine and belittle her brand. ‘I have felt discriminated against based solely on my colour and gender, but I am a force to be reckoned with and they soon realise that I am not one to play games with. At the end of the day the colour of my money is the same as everyone else's.’

For founder of Equi Botanics, Ekwy Chukwuji-Nnene, it’s the lack of recognition that’s unjust. ‘I don’t feel recognised for the strides I’ve made in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) with the production of my haircare range which I created because black women’s hair deserves better. Investors tell me that my target market (worth £5 billion) is a niche – it's clearly not.'

The conversation has to continue and the playing field needs to be levelled out. For all of the brilliant black-founded beauty brands found below, the products are inclusive - and deserve fair representation. "We don't want to be boxed in,' says Lawler, 'we are actively showcasing that we are very much a part of our community and are here to help all. If a brand is inclusive it should not be regulated to a subsection of 'Black Beauty', just because the brand owner is black."

Founder of Soapsmith, Samantha Jameson and founder of Base Plus Yasmin Greenaway second this - "I don’t believe only black people can make products for black people, and only white people can make products for white people…. but it seems to be the attitude. We need to be actively asking, learning and listening to founders like myself who create the products; broaden people's knowledge and better understand the profiles of all ethnicities/races'.

Shifting perceptions of the Black Founders' ability to serve the needs of people outside of their immediate community is key to promoting independent brands' universal appeal and reaching the widest possible market.

So, read on to discover some of my favourite (and best) black-owned beauty brands, services and salons that we can all help leverage and shop from.

Cactus Laser Clinic

Inclusivity is at the forefront of Cactus Laser Clinic, founded by husband-and-wife team Francesca and Fred. They envisioned a welcoming beauty sanctuary where individuals of all backgrounds can access high-quality treatments that yield real, visible results. Their commitment to creating a space that values and caters to diverse beauty needs ensures that every client feels respected and cared for.

Hero service: A standout service at Cactus Laser Clinic is their advanced laser treatment, designed to work on a variety of skin types and tones.

Shyne

While studying at university Alvin Mills quickly became frustrated with the lack of hair products available for men with textured hair. Recognising a significant gap in the market, he saw the need for a brand that catered specifically to the grooming needs of young men with afro and curly hair. Determined to fill this void, Alvin made a promise to himself: if such a brand didn’t exist by the time he graduated, he would create it. True to his word, in 2018, SHYNE was born.

Hero product: One of SHYNE’s hero products is their signature Durag. Made from premium, breathable fabric, it’s designed for comfort and function, allowing men to keep their hair intact.

Charlotte Mensah

Charlotte Mensah is a multi-award-winning stylist and one of the most respected names in the beauty space. With over 26 years of expertise, she has become a trailblazer in the world of hair care, specialising in afro, textured, and curly hair. Her deep understanding of these hair types and her passion for natural, sustainable beauty have led her to develop a highly acclaimed hair care collection. Each product in the range is thoughtfully formulated using a unique blend of organic, sustainably sourced Manketti Nut and Ximenia oils, designed to deeply nourish, condition, and enhance the natural beauty of afro and curly hair

Hero product: The hero product has to be Charlotte’s Manketti Oil Salt Scrub. Made with sea salt sourced from Prampram, Ghana—my homeland—this scrub is a true testament to the power of botanical ingredients. As we know, healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, and this luxurious scrub is designed to gently exfoliate while boosting blood flow to the scalp, encouraging maximum nutrient absorption. The result is a revitalised scalp that supports optimal hair growth, making this scrub an essential step on wash day.

Okiki Skincare

Founded by a mother-daughter duo, Ade and Antonia, Okiki Skincare uses natural, cruelty-free ingredients to create luxurious products that feel like a warm embrace. From soothing bath salts to invigorating body scrubs, each product is handcrafted with love and attention to detail. Experience the rich history and culture behind every bottle.

Hero product: Okiki Skincare’s Lolu Facial Soap is a must-have for those seeking a deep and purifying cleanse. This unique blend of activated charcoal and pink rose clay works together to detoxify and revitalise your skin.

Kurl Kitchen

Founded by sisters Keshia and Fleur, The Kurl Kitchen was born out of their lifelong quest for hair care products that actually deliver results. After struggling to find leave-ins, conditioners, and curl creams that catered to the specific needs of their curly hair, they took matters into their own hands. Drawing inspiration from their West African roots, particularly the rich and nourishing ingredients found in the heart of Ghana, they developed their own naturally derived formulas. These products are thoughtfully crafted to provide effective solutions while celebrating the unique beauty and texture of curly hair. Keshia and Fleur’s vision is to empower individuals with curls by offering hair care that not only works but also honours their heritage.

Hero product: The Curl cream is a best-seller for good reason. I stumbled across this product in our beauty cupboard and decided to give it a go. It is rich is cocoa butter and acts like a big glug of water for thirsty hair. The results? Moisture. Definition. Shine.

Ruka Hair

Currently making waves in the hair game Ruka Hair is known for creating personalised hair extensions to match textured hair and was founded by Varaidzo Tendai Moyo. 'I started this business because I wanted to reimagine the shopping and service experience for Black women. Historically, it was either a faceless online experience or shopping in the corners of cities from people who didn’t understand textured hair or frankly, customer service. Recognising this challenge, we set out to build to create something that would combine community feedback, in-house specialists and a superior supply chain to rapidly develop and bring to market haircare and styling solutions designed to simplify the typical customer journey. The success of our ongoing retail experience partnership with Westfield has led us to developing the first of its kind retail concession within the iconic Selfridges; now our main retail partner in the UK and online and helping to pave the way for our global retail distribution strategy.'

Hero product: Moyo says, 'The hero extension product is the Think Kink clip-ins, from £150 - they definitely give juicy 4b/4c galore. And for the wet products, it has to be the hair serum,£18 ; I love how versatile it is. Whether you want to protect from heat or revive your beard, it’s so nutritious that it works for everyone!'

helloSKIN

Founder Natalie James started helloSKIN as she wanted to 'provide simple skincare essentials, for not so simple skin’. 'All of our products focus on adding hydration and moisture with the formulations being suitable for all skin types. As someone who has always suffered from sensitive and dehydrated skin, it was important to me to ensure all of our products are clean, made with natural ingredients, vegan friendly , dermatologically tested, and suitable for sensitive skin. All of the products are waterless, while the entire range of products is formulated without sulfates or preservatives.'

Hero product: 'Our hero product is our sell-out Hydrogel Eyemasks,£9.99, the masks are formulated with natural ingredients containing active elements that hydrate, regenerate, and energise your under-eye area. This innovative eye care sensation ensures that your eyes will look youthful, radiant, and sparkling. Pop them on in the morning, and no one will be able to tell you were up until 3 a.m. The cherry on top, is that once you’ve used them, just pop them in a cup of boiling water, and stir as they dissolve in front of your eyes!', says Natalie James.

Elevate Brixton

I first stumbled across Elevateon TikTok and instantly knew it was somewhere I needed to visit. Nestled in South London's Brixton, Elevate was founded by Carl Campbell, a hair industry veteran with more than 14 years of experience. Due to popular demand, he established Elevate and has people all over the world visiting his studio - me included. If your hair needs some TLC or you're after a new style this is the place.

'Back in the day, going to salons that catered to Afro hair with my Afro-Caribbean mum and sisters, I noticed things; clutter, disorganisation and the whole day just gone', says Carl. 'Not exactly a child’s fun day out, especially for a kid that had zero interest in hairdressing. But at 16, a spark for barbering was ignited, and my mum encouraged me to go big by learning how to do everyone’s hair until college threw a curveball by making us choose 'Afro or European hair.' I opted for 'European', but taught myself Afro hair techniques because serving my community was key. I did end up working in a boutique salon that catered to all hair types, but my treatment there was less than great and when I decided to leave my boss scoffed, 'What are you going to find that's better than this?' It was the fuel I needed to light the path to Elevate – a salon that I was determined would do things differently.'

Hero treatment: 'Our speciality is a two-treatment combo: A good hydrating treatment is gold, particularly for tighter coils and Design Essentials' Milk & Honey is one I use quite a bit. This hair type needs deep moisture to stay healthy and manageable across all those beautiful curl patterns. And then to offset London’s hard water? L’Oréal’s Metal Detox is my go-to. It nixes excess metal in the hair, preventing breakage and keeping colours true, a necessary shield for hair enduring city living', says Carl.

This Hair Of Mine

This Hair of Mine was created by world-renowned hairstylist, British Fashion Council’s Changemaker Prize recipient, and Vogue Business '100 Innovator' honouree Cyndia Harvey. 'The namesake to This Hair of Mine is a short film I created in 2017. It was an ode to who I am, and the people and culture that has influenced my being, my work and everything I stand for. The brand takes this same sentiment, elevating our community and putting it into products. This Hair of Mine exists to reclaim our self-practice, no longer harmful or filled with disappointment. We are dedicated to growing a collection of innovative haircare essentials that are beautifully designed with textured hair in mind.'

Hero product: TheScalp Serum, £46 has become a staple in my nighttime routine. I particularly enjoy using it as an overnight reparation mask; think of it as a facial for your scalp. It has active ingredients and functional plant oils which help to stimulate healthy growth.

KEM

Kemi, the founder of KEM created the brand after battling with dull, dehydrated and acne prone skin. 'In my quest to find skincare products that worked, I realised that I didn’t need 10 steps in my skincare routine. I just needed a few steps that worked! I also learnt the importance of actively hydrating your skin using products with multiple beneficial ingredients that tackled an array of skin concerns at once.'

Hero product: My personal pick is the KEM Like Butter Super Coverage Soft Creamy Concealer,£15 it's super-creamy, comes in 28 shades and provides you with a perfectly flawless finish. Essentially everything you need in from a concealer.

Plantmade

Hailing from a science background, founder Ama discovered that natural ingredients and ancient remedies helped cure her hair loss and during lockdown Plantmade was born from her bedroom. Today her company has helped over 100,000+ people worldwide and the company continues to grow. If you haven't already, you need to watch her BBC mini documentary.

Hero product: Inches,£23, is passed around my family (my brother included) which means we are always in need of a restock.

Camille Rose

Camille Rose was born in Louisiana native Janell Stephens' kitchen. As a devout vegan and a proud believer in prayer, Stephens began the Camille Rose journey for reasons close to her heart. When her children were suffering from chronic eczema she made it her mission to find a solution and thus, Camille Rose was born in a humble kitchen full of love. In 2012, three years after crafting home-made skin care solutions for her family, Camille Rose launched into the wider world. It offered gentle, bespoke products ranging from hair and skincare products to diaper rash cream and nursing mom cream. Janell Stephens made it her mission to create products that serve a purpose in making people's everyday self-care routines more comfortable, beautiful, and luxurious. With Camille Rose, the bathroom becomes a spa, the bedroom a boudoir - this was Stephens' modest yet enterprising vision.

Hero product: After her initial launch's incredible success, Janell Stephens saw that she was onto something. She worked to craft more products, specifically the Rosette beloved Curl Love Moisture Milk, £11.99 (one of my personal favourites) and the most popular product to date, theAlmond Jai Twisting Butter,£8.75 .

Holy Curls

@holycurls

Born in Somalia to Somali/Yemeni parents but raised in Sweden, Badria Ahmed often felt like her options were limited when it came to finding products to care for and style her tight coils. After years of permanently straightening her tresses, she set out to explore different ingredients and concoctions to repair her natural hair. The formulations she created eventually led to her launching her own natural hair care brand Holy Curls which provided the inclusivity she couldn’t find in the beauty world. "I had no idea what my natural hair looked until I was 22 and decided to go back to my natural state,” recalls Ahmed. “I chopped off my chemically damaged hair and went on a journey of self-exploration; learning about the structure and composition of my curl type to understand how to care for it properly. I started whipping up my own mixtures as I still couldn’t find products that could properly moisturise my hair and from there, Holy Curls was born in 2019."

Hero product: Badria's favourite product is the newly-launched Fro Cream, £29, which is exclusively for tighter textures and contains nourishing ingredients to moisture without overloading the curls.

JJUNGL

Founded by Brett Martin and Kelly Chin,Jjungl.com is like Etsy but for conscious, natural products and brands around the world. Jjungl.com offers Indigenously sourced, non toxic products; providing an alternative for those conscious about what they put on their skin. Their aim is to provide a safe space for like-minded people and plan holistic retreats and workshops from 2024.

Dizziak

Formerly a beauty contributor for Stylist Magazine and The Pool, Loretta De Feo created Dizziak after years of frustration trying to find hydrating hair products that actually worked on her thick, half Nigerian, half Italian hair. 'I would say I have around five different textures to my hair and I found conditioners either too weak or too heavy. I was importing products from the US, which not only took ages to arrive, but cost a lot in shipping and then the results were always just average. I wanted to be able to pick out a contemporary and stylish-looking, deliciously scented product, without harsh chemicals, that really worked, and I wanted to be able to buy it on the high street, the same way most of my friends can.’

The scalp-friendly, PH balanced formulas are packed full of naturally-derived moisturising ingredients including quinoa protein and babassu, coconut and argan oils. ‘Anyone can use them, any gender, no matter what their hair type – it’s totally democratic.’

Hero product: Dizziak Deep Conditioner, £22, is loved for its rich, nourishing formula that leaves hair shiny and detangled without weighing it down. Use as a daily/weekly/bi-weekly conditioner or leave on for 5-10 minutes as a repairing treatment mask.

Briogeo

Founder and CEO Nancy Twine traded in her career as a Vice-President on Wall Street to pursue her real-life passion - beauty. From the tender age of five, Twine learned from her grandmother and mum how to make DIY skincare and haircare recipes – recipes that inspired her to dream up luxury haircare brand, Briogeo. ‘Briogeo takes things back to basics, offering a high-performance, results-drivem hair care collection that is naturally based,’ says Twine. Her texture-specific products cater to every need – from repair, to volume, to curl care. And at 31, she was the youngest African American woman to launch a line with the popular retailer, Sephora.

Hero product: Hailed as a godsend for dry, damaged hair - Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask, £35.99, has garnered a legion of fans who adore the hydrating, rich formula blended with conditioning rosehip, sweet almond and argan oils as well as strengthening biotin and vitamin B5.

Equi Botanics

Distraught after losing a patch of hair to a weave-on extension, Ekwy Chukwuji-Nnene decided to take matters into her own hands and extensively research how she could nurture her own and her two daughter’s natural hair. The products on the UK high street did not cater to afro hair needs so Ekwy invested time into experimenting with different ingredients, testing on her own hair before eventually working with a chemist to perfect the range. ‘My older daughter has what is known as 4c afro hair and when she uses our deep conditioner, it melts her knots, so I knew I was onto something,’ says Ekwy. The high-performing, sell-out products are free from harsh toxins and packed full of active plant ingredients that let curly, kinky, coily and straight hair really thrive and grow. For brilliant afro haircare tips and tricks head over to the IGTV where Ekwy and her daughters share all of their beauty intel.

Hero product: ‘Everyone raves about my Marula oil leave-in conditioner, but for me, the hero product is our ground-breaking Babassu Deep Treatment masque, £19, proven to reverse environmental damage and correct low porosity, while supporting hair with a protein treatment,’ says Ekwy.

Nails & Brows Mayfair | Beauty Edit Mayfair

The brains behind super salon Nails & Brows Mayfair, Sherille Riley landed her first dream job in 1997 at Harrods as Junior Therapist where she worked for five and half years, performing facials for luxury brands such as Crème de la Mer and La Prairie. ‘In retrospect, being a young woman of colour and working for these brands was quite unusual back then, but I am so grateful to them for the opportunity.’ With an ambition to launch her own salon, Riley rented the beauty section at Hersheson’s for 10 years working alongside the team there. ‘It was such an incredible journey, I learnt so much about business and eventually felt ready to take the plunge and open my own salon.’ And so, she did. Opening its doors in 2014, Nails & Brows is a beautiful, professional, result-driven salon for busy women looking for a quick fix.

Ever the beauty pioneer, Sherrille Riley, has now launched her first concept store, Beauty Edit Mayfair; a dreamy shopping destination for clean beauty buffs in the heart of London which offers an extensive range of clean, high-quality cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and fragrance products.

Hero product: Brow Setter, £25, is a clear gel that holds the brows in place. Unlike other formulas out there, it doesn’t dry hard or crispy – instead, it’s conditioning with vitamins B5 and E as well as castor oil.

Trepadora

Keisha Lawler’s passion for beauty began after working at a beauty counter during the school holidays in Jamaica. ‘I loved making other women feel good about themselves.’ After moving to the UK, Lawler continued to pursue her love for beauty and worked as a receptionist at Toni and Guy. ‘Up until this point I had been permanently straightening my hair, so I was oblivious to the struggle that people with curly hair had and how difficult it was to find products.’ Lawler eventually grew tired of having to travel to her closest black-owned beauty salon to spend the day getting her hair relaxed and scalp burnt, so decided to see what her natural hair could look like. ‘The only place to buy products for curly hair was Boots, which at the time had two options – both were underwhelming. I decided to visit a top salon to see if they could help me only to be told that the stylist had no idea how to work with my texture, so I had to stand up, remove the gown and leave.’ Angry and humiliated, this experience spurred Lawler to educate herself on all things curly hair and to create an online community and store to help guide other women.

‘After many years of helping these imported US brands grow here in the UK, it dawned on me that I could actually create my own range, right here at home. I wanted a brand where I had full input in the sourcing of ingredients, messaging and manufacturing methods – which is how my vegan registered hair care range, Trepadora was born.’ Supercharged with rainforest butters, oils and extracts, the beautifully scented products strengthen and enhance curls.

Hero product: Babassu Quench Leave in Curl Primer, £19, is raved about for curls that tend to knot and tangle. A blend of oils provide incredible slip and bind moisture to the cuticles.

Soapsmith

Founder of Soapsmith, Samantha Jameson was just 24 when she set up her first business supplying goods to an events company. Although successful, her real passion lay in scent. "Smell has always been my strongest sense; my connection to places, people and time comes through smell and it’s the thing that transports me to the various chapters of my life. I always thought,' if only I could bottle and share these memories with the world.’" So, she sold her business and used the funds to turn her passion into Soapsmith; a scent-centric personal care business that uses high-quality, natural ingredients. The luxury products are wrapped in beautiful, vibrant packaging that span from lotions, to soaps, to bath soaks, and are stocked at iconic London retailers including Selfridges, Liberty and Fortnum & Mason.

Hero product: For Sam, it has to be the Hackney Hand and Body Lotion, £18. 'I really enjoyed creating this scent, and developing a lotion that was soft and nourishing but also not sticky or greasy. Hackney Marshes scent is a unique blend of Sandalwood, Bergamot, Rosemary and a hint of Geranium. I just love it, the consistency and the fact that multiple people ask me what the scent is when they catch a whiff of it!'

Fenty Beauty

The launch of Fenty Beauty in 2017 was a game-changing moment for the beauty industry. ‘It was the blueprint for highlighting the global lack of diversity in beauty,’ says Keisha Lawler on the brand. Music star, fashion designer and beauty icon, Rihanna launched her make-up line ‘so that people everywhere would be included,’ creating extensive shade ranges and formulas that work on every skin type - including the legendary 40-strong Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation (that’s now been expanded to 50 shades). All of a sudden, other beauty brands took note, extending their shade ranges to become more diverse; since known as ‘the Fenty effect’.

Not only does Rihanna take every single consumer into consideration, she’s also created a line of expertly formulated products that are affordable and do really work.

Hero product: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb, £17, is one of the best glosses in the business - the lacquer shine, non-sticky formula, XL wand and peach-vanilla scent - it's everything (and more) that you could want from a lip gloss.

Pat McGrath Labs

Hailed as one of the world’s most influential make-up artists, Pat McGrath, otherwise known as ‘the mother of make-up’, launched her eponymous beauty brand back in 2016. ‘I created the brand selfishly for myself,’ McGrath told me at the launch of her new sublime concealer earlier this year in Paris. ‘The pigments are saturated, they glide, and they work differently to most. You used to have to have mad skills to work an eyeshadow or lipstick, but these products make it easy.’ Gold 001 was the first product to launch and it sold out in a matter of seconds, crashing the website. ‘I was obsessed with gold, but it was so difficult to work with which is why I created Gold 001. We had the pigment, a spatula and liquid so that when we created a gold eye, we’re making it wet and packing the eyeshadow on for an exquisite result.’ Since Gold 001, Pat McGrath has released an impressive collection of lipsticks, glosses, eyeshadow palettes, as well as foundation and base products – that cater to everyone.

Hero product: Mothership VII: Divine Rose Eye Shadow Palette, £115, is one of the latest arrivals that houses 10 breathtakingly beautiful, highly pigmented shadows in rosy, golden and peach tones, that stars nonother than Naomi Campbell as the face.

Epara Skincare

‘Epara is a brand born out of a need to provide luxury skincare products to women with dark skin tones. The skin issues women have present differently in Women of Colour,’ explains Founder and CEO, Ozohu Adoh on the website. The luxury line of scientifically proven products, derived from the rich soils of Africa, aim to repair, pamper, hydrate and moisturise skin. Adoh was inspired to develop her own line after struggling to find a single product to deal with her dry, uneven skin texture. Epara means ‘to cocoon oneself’ in the Nigerian dialect of Ebira, which is exactly what the products do; they’re rich, deeply nourishing and address dryness and pigmentation caused by the sun, free radicals and pollution.

Hero product:Brightening Night Balm, £100, is full of naturally-derived skin brightening actives that target imperfections, uneven skin tone and reduce hyper-pigmentation. Triple tick!

LIHA Beauty

Created by two best friends, Abi and Liha, LIHA Beauty is a collection of chic, minimalist skincare products that combine natural African roots with a quintessentially British attitude. ‘In the Yoruba (Nigerian) tradition, making beautifying oils, soaps and lotions from the nuts, tree bark and plants that grew in abundance was a skill that was traditionally learned by all young women,’ say Liha on their website. ‘My mother is an English aromatherapist, so I naturally started to blend the two disciplines together.’ The natural, organic and vegan products, that have major shelfie appeal, range from beautifully scented soaps and shea butter to cosy candles and skin-loving oils.

Hero product: LIHA Idan Oil, £39, blended with coconut oil and tuberose flower, is a multi-tasking wonder that can be used as a soothing facial oil, a hydrating hair mask or even as an all over body treatment. Customers love the scent so much that some have even used it as a solid perfume. Dreamy!

Nylah's Naturals

If you saw Nylah's Naturals founder Kameese pitching on Dragon's Den this year, you will have fallen in love with the brand as we did. Initially formulated and handmade by Kameese to care for her young daughter's afro hair, the brand is now an award-winning name in black haircare, with a particular emphasis on all products being plant derived and paraben free. The brands' ethos 'Heritage, Hair and Science' aims to celebrate the unique beauty of afro hair with a range of products formulated by trichologists and cosmetic scientists to specifically tackle the issues experienced by those with curly and coily natural hair.

Hero Product: Super Seed Oil, £18; a blend of cold-Pressed botanical oils loaded with magnesium, proteins, carotene and Vitamins A, B, D, and E to strengthen hair fibres and restore dry and damaged hair.

The Wig Bar London

@thewigbarlondon

The Wig Bar London launched in 2019, initially providing wig revamp services, but has now extended to a full product range of wigs and wash day kits. Created with sustainability in mind, the new sets extend the life of wigs and encourage a ‘buy-less-wear-more’ approach to this area of the beauty industry. Founder Yomi Onashile's three mantras for the brand are 'Beauty is for all' , 'Your time is precious' (she says wigs should be quick and easy to wear) and 'Accessibility is key' (the brand ships worldwide, to fit in with your schedule). 'Our main goal is to protect the hair investments of every wig & hair extension wearer so they feel empowered in the knowledge that they can get the very best out of their wigs and hair extensions long term, regardless of where they purchased their hair from.'

Hero Product: The Wash Day Tool Kit, £90, a detangling brush and comb, a wet brush, thermal conditioning bag, microfibre towel and satin bag, everything you need to keep hair in it's very best condition.

Bea Skin Care

Bea Skincare are a cosmeceutical company created by Skin Specialist and Medical Aesthetician Bianca Estelle, who grew up dissatisfied with the skincare options for black women, so she created two lines specifically targeted towards catering to darker skin tones. The Bea Skin Care Luminescence range and the Master Antioxidant Range, both contain active ingredients such as Kojic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid, plus Glutathione to tackle issues such as hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, to help you discover your best skin yet.

Hero Product: The Bea Skin Care 8-week at-home pigmentation treatment, prescribed and monitored by a Skin Specialist from the brand’s Skin Clinic. Prices are available on request.

Ava Estell

Created during lockdown in 2020, Ava Estell was formulated with darker skin tones and specific skin concerns like hyperpigmentation in mind. The family run business aims to bridge the gap in accessible products made for people of colour, and is ideal for anyone looking for natural formulas to manage of dark spots, psoriasis, blemishes and more, using quality Cocoa and Shea butters direct from Ghana.

Hero Product: The Body Restore Kit, £49.99, is the brands' bestselling set and includes the Activating Body Scrub & Magix Cream that work together to treat imbalances in pigmentation.

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