Words by Chanelle Goddard
We take a look at some of the best environmentally-friendly, black-owned skincare brands to keep you looking good in front of the mirror.
Looking after your skin is therapeutic. Over the last couple of years, skincare has become more and more popular – whether that’s by unwinding with a facemask (you too, guys), adding a new spot cream to your collection (lucky you) or even a fancy body moisturiser. Despite people spending more time in the house at the moment (thanks Corona), who says you still can’t look good in front of the mirror? There are hundreds of amazing skincare brands on the rise, and we’ve put together a list of high-quality and environmentally-friendly black-owned brands to add to your skincare routine.
Liha Beauty
Liha Beauty has become known for providing its customers with high-quality sustainable, vegan and organic skincare products at an affordable price. Founded by close friends Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan, the duo dedicates their products to fusing both their African organic roots with English aromatherapeutic techniques. With products ranging from Ivory Shea Butter and Ose Gidi soap to blissful essential oils and even candles, Liha Beauty has the perfect selection to help you unwind after a stressful day and indulge in some well-deserved self-care.
Essentials By Temi
Founder of Essentials By Temi, Temi Shobowale, always had a deep-rooted passion for the beauty world and started her career in the industry at a very young age. With many years of beauty retail experience under her belt, and a lot of research on what ingredients contribute to a great organic and plant-based skincare brand, Temi put her ideas into action and created her skincare brand Essentials By Temi. This black-owned brand combines scents and ingredients that will leave your skin feeling hydrated and moisturised. Products from Mint + Honey Butter Scrub to Lemongrass + Thai Buttercream are all available on the Essentials By Temi website for you to purchase and enjoy – they’re the perfect additions to take your skincare routine to the next level.
Soapsmith
Soapsmith is a luxury London-based soap and body care brand that you definitely need to try. Founded by Sam Jameson, Soapsmith prides itself on creating products that infuse that classic essence of London. Each scent the brand uses in their range is inspired by and named after various areas of London as a homage to the buzzing city where Jameson was born and raised. Soapsmithoffers luxury bath soaks, soothing hand lotions and hydrating body bar soaps which are all available to purchase on the company’s website. Plus, they’re all 100% recyclable, vegan friendly and organic – what’s not to love?
EPARA Skincare
EPARA Skincare, founded by Nigerian-British skincare pro and entrepreneur Ozohu Adoh, provides luxury skincare made for women with darker skin tones. There was a time when owner Ozohu, as a dark-skinned woman, found difficulty in finding good skincare that met the needs of her skin, so she decided to take the leap of faith and create her own luxury skincare products instead. Using organic ingredients and remedies straight from Africa, Ozohu was able to develop a range of skincare items that soothed skin irritation and left the appearance of her skin looking softer and smoother than ever. EPARA Skincare provides great skincare products, from soothing face serums to silky body creams. In 2017, the brand even managed to win ‘Best New Product for Dark Skin’ at the 2017 Grazia Beauty Awards. This is an amazing skincare line for black women, created by black women, that you need to check out.
Antonia Burrell
If you want to make those crucial steps into perfecting your skin, Antonia Burrell is a brand you have to add to your collection. This black-owned brand aims to provide you with the highest quality, most luxurious plant-based products to fulfil your skincare needs. Over 18 years of research and expertise has gone into creating Antonia Burrell and the products truly do live up to the hype. Products ranging from Universal Glow Elixir and Pure Therapy Facial Oil Serum to7-in-1 Mask Supremes, Super Glow Kits and much more are all available on the Antonia Burrell website for purchase (which includes a handy tool that breaks down which products are most suitable for your exact skin type).
Need something to listen to while you’re treating your skin? Check out the best podcasts of 2021.