Happy National Black Beauty Founders Day! In case you aren’t aware, today (August 30th) marks a new national holiday that shines the spotlight on brands and celebrates the stories of Black beauty entrepreneurs who are making their mark on the multi-billion-dollar industry.
At the forefront of this beauty revolution is Danika Berry, the founder of Glam Body, who made it her mission in 2023 to showcase the rich culture and diversity available in today’s beauty industry.
“Black Beauty Founder Day was created to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black beauty founders,” Berry tells BrownStyle Magazine exclusively. “The beauty industry has historically been dominated by white-owned companies and slow to embrace diversity and inclusivity. As a result, Black beauty founders have faced significant barriers to entry and have been underrepresented. We need to change that.”
In honor of Berry’s vision, the BrownStyle editorial team decided to round up a list of some of the most inspirational beauty founders who are rewriting the rules and redefining what it means to make the world beautiful.
From makeup mavens to hair heroes, keep scrolling to meet some amazing beauty founders changing the game—one shade, serum, and experience at a time! (Founders, consider this our love letter to you for all your hard work and dedication. We see you.)
Akilah Releford Gould, Founder of Mary Louise Cosmetics
Akilah Releford Gould began her entrepreneurial journey in 2017 while attending Howard University. Driven by the need for skincare products that could effectively address her dry skin and eczema, Releford Gould collaborated with her father, an LA-based surgeon, to develop Mary Louise Cosmetics.
Inspired by the beauty routines of her mother and grandmothers, the natural skincare brand blends heritage with modern technology to create a collection of clean products for all skin types. The first product launched was the Miracle Serum, created to tackle acne scars, dark spots, razor bumps, and hyperpigmentation.
Alicia Keys, Co-Founder of Keys Soulcare
Alicia Keys partnered with e.l.f. Beauty to create Keys Soulcare, a holistic beauty and skincare brand dedicated to merging self-care and skincare through content, conversation, and community.
Inspired by ancient beauty rituals and her personal skincare journey, Keys tests each formula to ensure that every product in her collection nourishes both the skin and the soul.
Anastasia Hing MacKay, Founder of LOBIE
International model and first-time mother Anastasia MacKay is reinventing hair care with her brand LOBIE. Inspired by her Dutch and Surinamese heritage, the line features products formulated with high-quality ingredients to serve as advanced solutions for textured hair.
After a two-year development process, MacKay introduced the brand’s Peptide Leave-In Mask, a deeply restorative product enriched with 123 amino acids and developed through biotechnology to achieve optimal hair health.
Autumn Yarbrough, Founder of NU Standard
Autumn Yarbrough— whose family boasts a three-generation legacy in the hair industry— founded Nu Standard® to tackle common issues women with textured hair suffer from like dryness, breakage, frizz, and hair loss.
After experiencing hair loss, Yarbrough launched a hair-wellness system for busy woman on-the-go that treats hair from the inside out.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Founder of Cécred
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter inspired us to value our sacred hair rituals with the launch of Cécred earlier this year. Inspired by Beyoncé’s haircare journey (as well as her experience working at her mother’s hair salon), the new beauty brand offers innovative products designed to keep hair strong despite how often you change it up — from coloring to high-tension styles and sew-ins.
FYI: The cohesive collection is backed by science, ensuring each formula features exactly what the hair craves like rich conditioning ingredients and fortifying proteins.
Camille Bell, Co-Founder of POUND CAKE
Camille Bell is the first Black woman to win a $1M grant in the beauty industry. Alongside her partner Johnny Velazquez, Bell launched POUND CAKE to celebrate all forms of beauty. The brand is best known for creating its red lipsticks tailored to various lip tones.
Dr. Candace Spann, Founder of ReTress
Dr. Candace Spann, a board-certified dermatologist and hair loss specialist, has dealt with hair loss for years. This experience inspired her to create her line, ReTress.
ReTress utilizes a combination of vitamins, shampoo, conditioner, and serum to address the primary issues causing hair loss in women. Suitable for all hair types— including post-pregnancy and post-chemotherapy use— the collection tackles nutritional deficiencies, reduces inflammation, calms itching, and nourishes the follicle.
Christina Funke Tegbe, Founder of 54 Thrones
Christina Funke Tegbe is the creative visionary, founder, and CEO of the award-winning body care brand 54 Thrones. Drawing inspiration from her Nigerian heritage and her travels across Africa, she launched 54 Thrones to celebrate and romanticize African beauty rituals.
FYI: The brand’s name reflects the 54 countries of Africa, where key ingredients are sustainably sourced.
Courtney Smith, Founder of Christina’s Curl
Christina Smith is dedicated to empowering people to leverage their talents for personal and communal growth. With a background as an esthetician and her husband’s expertise as a chemist, the busy mom created Cristina’s Curl to address cradle cap and eczema in babies.
The beauty expert proudly celebrates four years in business in November 2024.
Destiny McGill, Founder of Vanity Life Studio
Destiny McGill’s multifaceted beauty studio is an upscale sanctuary for busy women who want to pamper themselves from head to toe.
Located in Dallas, Texas, Vanity Life Studio specializes in eyelash extensions, full-body wax services, facials, hair, and makeup to help women balancing demanding careers easily unwind and indulge in self-care. The space even has exclusive zero-gravity massage chairs to enhance the vibe.
Diann Valentine, Founder of SLAYYY
We can all say bye-bye to itchy braids thanks to Diann Valentine who was committed to creating a safer, healthier, and more affordable hair braiding experience.
SLAYYY Hair has successfully disrupted the hair industry thanks to its cutting-edge technology that creates soft and braidable hair free of toxic plastics and chemicals found in traditional synthetic braiding hair.
Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, Founder of Ami Colé
Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye is committed to breaking stereotypes, shattering glass ceilings, and redefining the perception of Black beauty with her “better-for-you” beauty brand.
The first-generation Senegalese-American entrepreneur— born and raised in Harlem— was inspired to launch Ami Colé after working in the beauty industry for eight years and noticing a need for clean products that celebrate melanin-rich skin.
Dionne Phillips, Founder of D’Lashes
Dionne Phillips is a leading authority in eyelash extensions and faux lashes. Her work has been spotted on popular celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Mary J. Blige, and Victoria Beckham.
To give her followers the Hollywood lash experience, the beauty expert launched D’Lashes to provide customers with luxury lash products and DIY kits that are both natural-looking and hypoallergenic. In 2023, Phillips expanded her expertise by opening D’Lashes Lash & Wellness Spa in Beverly Hills, CA, offering both luxury lash care and relaxing wellness treatments.
Dorian Morris, Founder of Undefined Beauty
Dorian Morris is a beauty expert with extensive experience in cosmetics, haircare, skincare, and wellness. With the belief that beauty should be inclusive and accessible to all, Morris founded Undefined Inc., a clean and inclusive lifestyle brand that democratizes beauty and wellness through a purpose-driven approach.
Guided by Conscious Capitalism, Morris partners with female-founded, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and small businesses throughout her supply chain to emphasize that everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable products.
Indya Nwokorie, Founder of Love, Grace
Love, Grace is an eau de parfum company that offers a collection of aromatic, oil-based fragrances. Founded in 2016 by professionally trained perfumer Indya Nwokorie, the brand was born from the wellness enthusiast’s holistic journey into essential oils.
Each scent is handcrafted with high-quality botanicals and clean ingredients to nurture the body and promote natural beauty, healing, and wellness. The collections also pay tribute to Nwokorie’s grandmother, Eleanor Grace— the matriarch of her family—whose essence was rooted in love, care, and keeping the family together.
Jada Rodriguez, Founder of The Beauty Spectrum
Jada Rodriguez understands the value of education and resources needed to thrive in the beauty industry. It ultimately inspired her to launch Beauty Spectrum, a forward-thinking platform designed to help industry experts grow their influence, mentor future talent, and earn a steady income.
Janelle Stephens, Founder of Camille Rose
Janelle Stephens started Camille Rose in her kitchen while creating blends to treat her children’s eczema and dry hair. In a matter of three years, she successfully turned her innovative formulas into a multi-million-dollar natural hair company. Her motto is simple, “Whatever you put on your body should be good enough to put in it.”
Karen Mitchell, Founder of True Indian Hair
Karen Mitchell is a licensed cosmetologist with over a decade of experience in the hair care industry. Motivated by the lack of women and minorities in ownership roles, the Jamaican-born entrepreneur founded True Indian Hair (TIH) in Brooklyn two decades ago with just $20,000 and a passion for beauty.
Today, TIH is a reputable brand that offers high-quality tangle-free human hair that’s unprocessed and not chemically treated.
Kenne Johnson-Scianna, Founder of Terra & Self
Kenne Johnson-Scianna‘s passion for beauty was overshadowed when a beauty ad referred to her Keratosis Pilaris as “nasty bumpy chicken skin.” Although it sparked one of her earliest insecurities, the visionary used this experience to fuel her mission to prove that beauty doesn’t have to be ugly.
In 2020, she launched Terra & Self to empower women who love their beauty routines but refuse to be torn down. With a collection of clean and simple skincare products, she’s dedicated to building confidence from the outside in— one small batch at a time.
Keta Burke-Williams, Founder of Ourside
Launched in 2023, Ourside is a fragrance brand founded by Keta Burke-Williams. The brand focuses on creating cruelty-free, vegan-friendly fragrances made in the USA.
The clean brand aims to craft scents that promote self-care and connection, inspired by love and community. The fragrances draw inspiration from Burke-Williams’ mother and her stories of walking in a Tunisian garden surrounded by night-blooming jasmine.
Kim Baker, Founder of Glamazon Beauty
Kim Baker referenced over two decades of experience in the fashion and beauty industry to create Glamazon Beauty. The renowned New York-based commercial makeup artist and former Wilhelmina model used her makeup skills to start the cosmetics brand that celebrates the unique beauty of every individual.
Kindra Wright-Horn, Founder of Pixie Heat
The Pixie Heat™ flat iron is the brainchild of founder Kindra Wright-Horn. After searching for a cordless styling tool tailored to pixie cuts, Wright-Horn became frustrated by the lack of options.
This ultimately led the short hair specialist with over 30 years of experience to create a solution herself. After rigorous testing, the beauty expert brought to life a tool specifically crafted for short cuts. The Pixie Heat™ is a cordless, travel-friendly flat iron with USB charging capabilities and versatile heat settings, designed to prevent hair damage.
Lexi Allen, Founder of GEAT Cosmetics
After spending considerable amounts on luxury beauty brands that consistently fell short in catering to the diverse needs of Black and Brown skin tones, Lexi Allen established GEAT Cosmetics to celebrate melanin skin.
In 2020, the makeup enthusiast launched a line of highly pigmented, luxurious products created to compliment the rich skin tones of WOC. She also released easy-to-follow makeup charts to make eyeshadow application a breeze for beginners.
Lorrie King, Co-Founder of Caire Beauty
Longtime beauty industry colleagues Lorrie King and Celeste Lee identified a gap in skincare products; there weren’t a lot of companies creating beauty products specifically for midlife women. It led them to launch Caire Beauty in 2021, a skincare brand focused on addressing hormone decline and menopause-related skin changes.
Created by the company’s in-house scientists, Caire Beauty offers innovative solutions crafted in their lab with advanced natural biochemistry.
Maya Smith, Co-Founder of The Doux
Maya Smith founded The Doux in 2012 with her husband, Brian Smith, to address a void in the hair care market. As a licensed cosmetologist and stylist, Smith recognized the lack of products catering to individuals with relaxed or chemically treated hair, as well as those transitioning to natural styles.
Drawing on her expertise and feedback from clients, the couple developed a product line that delivers professional-level results at home.
Nakea Murray, Founder of V-TOX™️ Intimate Health & Wellness
After two decades in the publishing industry, Nakea Murray launched V-TOX™️ Intimate Health & Wellness in 2014. The brand offers a range of nature-based feminine care and beauty products— including an intimate cleansing bar, menstrual care items, and herbal Vsteam treatments. She later launched BRWN GRL Wellness Studio and BLK GRL Spa Club™️ in Bala Cynwyd, PA to help minority women prioritize self-care.
The philanthropist also launched Nakea’s Black Wombs Matter™️ Initiative, which provides underserved women and girls with hygiene products and reproductive health education.
Philomina Kane, Founder of KIN Apparel
Philomina Kane (also known as NaturallyPhilo), is a haircare content creator and the founder of KIN Apparel. Her functional fashion brand has crossed into the beauty industry thanks to its renowned satin-lined hoodies and hats, designed to protect hair while maintaining style.
The idea for KIN Apparel emerged when Kane faced hair loss during her freshman year at Princeton University. Driven by her natural hair journey and the needs of her vibrant YouTube community of over 200,000+, she set out to blend functionality with fashion, giving rise to the popular brand.
Renae Williams, Founder & CEO of CoCoBella Natural
Renae Williams has made it her goal to help women un-learn some of the negative stereotypes surrounding natural hair. After experiencing hair loss, the ‘accidental influencer’ began educating herself about natural hair care before launching CoCoBella Natural.
Since 2019, the beauty brand has been dedicated to empowering women with textured hair through high-quality, natural hair care products that enhance the beauty of curls. The brand’s flagship Complete Curl Care System has transformed hair care routines with its comprehensive approach to defining, moisturizing, and maintaining healthy curls.
Dr. Ryan Turner, Carrie Pickett, And Aimee Bailey of TRNR Skin
TRNR Skin aims to bring skin-credentialed expertise to the masses, so that everyone has access to science-backed skincare, even if (or rather, especially if) they can’t see a dermatologist regularly.
The mission of TRNR Skin is to expand education beyond the walls of its diverse Manhattan dermatology practice and provide formulas that can fit seamlessly into any at-home skincare routine, no matter age, identity, skin issues, lifestyle, or skin type.
Shelley Davis, Founder of Kinky-Curly
Kinky-Curly is a natural hair care brand that’s become a cult-like favorite for natural and curly hair enthusiasts. Known for its OG Curling Custard, the brand was founded over 20 years ago by Shelley Davis.
Davis learned the value of herbs and plant-based ingredients while traveling to her homeland St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From there she was fueled to create products free from alcohol, petroleum, and mineral oil for those with natural kinky, curly, and wavy hair.
Shirley Menard, Founder of Beurre Shea Butter Skincare
Beurre Shea Butter is dedicated to creating beauty products that cater to its customers’ clean and vegan lifestyles— from individuals managing eczema to moms seeking safe, non-toxic options for their children.
The non-toxic and eco-friendly brand was created by Shirley Menard, an Ivy League-educated lawyer born in New York and raised with Haitian roots who was inspired by a simple encounter with a block of shea butter. Since launching, she has maintained her commitment to creating effective skincare solutions for everyone.
Sylvia Brownlee, Founder of Skin by Brownlee & Co.
With over 29 years in the beauty industry, Sylvia Brownlee has dedicated her career to transforming lives through skincare. In 2017, she founded Skin by Brownlee & Co., driven by her belief in the transformative power of proactive skincare for adults dealing with acne, hyperpigmentation, and aging concerns.
A journey inspired by her own experiences, Brownlee is passionate about educating others on how to care for and love their skin, aiming to instill a deep sense of self-worth and well-being in her customers.
Tabitha Brown and Gina Woods, Co-Founders of Donna’s Recipe
After deciding to get a big chop in 2017, Tabitha Brown went on a natural hair journey the following year to grow out her curls. During this time she partnered with social entrepreneur Gina Woods to create Donna’s Recipe, a haircare brand featuring natural and vegan ingredients.
Think yummy haircare products with high-quality rich ingredients like sweet potato, shea butter, avocado butter, mango butter, and rosemary oil.
Taraji P. Henson, Founder of TPH by Taraji
Taraji P. Henson founded TPH by Taraji to empower women to shine and embrace their unique beauty. As an advocate for mental health and wellness, Henson believes that self-care is crucial for reigniting your glow and is an essential practice for well-being. This is why her hair and skin care brand is about giving yourself permission to take control and recognize your worth.
Tia Mowry, Founder of 4U by Tia
Tia Mowry launched 4U by Tia to cater specifically to the needs of curls.
The fully vegan curl care collection is formulated with an infusion of high-performance biotech and natural, plant-based ingredients like chia seed, apple cider vinegar, and acai to nourish strands, protect against breakage and humidity, and lock in moisture without weighing down your curls. It also features the hydrating silicone alternative Hemi-15 to deliver salon-quality treatments at home.
Tiffany Rose Dean, CEO and Founder of Hollywood Hair Bar
Tiffany Rose was inspired to launch Hollywood Hair Bar after years of searching for an all-natural regrowth product that worked on all hair types.
Her Regrowth Serum quickly rose to popularity and ultimately led her to create a wide range of hair growth products designed with natural ingredients that cater to women, men, and children.
Tisha Thompson, Founder of LYS Beauty
Tisha Thompson is a 20-year beauty industry veteran and former makeup artist who’s dedicated to redefining beauty standards and making clean beauty accessible for all skin tones, types, and textures.
Thompson launched LYS Beauty in February 2021 with the mission to prove that clean beauty, inclusive shade ranges, and high-performance products can coexist at an affordable price. Notably, LYS Beauty entered Sephora at launch as the retailer’s first Black-owned, clean makeup brand and is now one of its fastest-growing brands.
Yanick Dalhouse, Founder of Uniquely Driven LLC
Yanick Dalhouse is the creative force behind beauty brands Brownkind and CellSound Aesthetics. With a background in broadcast journalism and extensive experience in public relations and marketing, Dalhouse launched Uniquely Driven LLC in 2023 to empower BIPOC companies and communities.
Her work spans domestic and international markets, making her a key player in the beauty and communications industries.
