6 Black Creators On The Beauty Brands They Trust Most
Including under-the-radar picks that are perfect for melanin-rich skin.
These days, the way we shop and discover new products for our #beautyshelfie is forever changed (thanks, Instagram and TikTok!). But before we even get to the add-to-cart stage, there’s a level of trust that needs to be established. A quick scan of #BeautyTok will reveal that it’s still a struggle for Black and Brown creators to find brands that cater to their needs. A failed foundation fiasco is nothing new, but thankfully, brands like Fenty Beauty and Danessa Myricks Beauty have turned the beauty business on its axis by offering significantly larger shade ranges. As a result, many brands have stepped it up when it comes to creating products for different hair textures, skin tones, and makeup preferences. But when it comes to choosing which of these products to invest in, it can all feel overwhelming.
No matter how amazing Ulta’s return policy is, the process of trial and error can be exhausting. To help sift through the clutter, we asked some of the industry’s most-followed Black creators to share the exact brands and products they trust wholeheartedly to cater to their needs. Ahead, find the beauty brands creators like Nyma Tang, Tiara Willis, and more reach for again and again.
Achieng Agutu
MAC Lipglass Clear: “I love it because it enhances any lip look, it's moisturizing, and it lasts long. It's my daily go-to gloss.”
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Grateful: “It's versatile and you can use it as a blush or eyeshadow, and it looks good on my skin tone.”
Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin Caring Glow Hydrating Foundation: “This is the best one in the game and it goes on the skin like butter. It stays on and there is no transfer. I love that it has a variety of shades.”
SouKeyna Diouf
Sonya Dakar: “Starting with an oldie but goodie, one of my favorite skin care brands is Sonya Dakar. The Organic Omega Oil, Fade Away, and the Nano Mask are my essentials. With my science background studying biology & chemistry in school, I really value research and science in my skincare. The Nano Mask I use almost every day before I wear makeup. I think of it like skin food. The Organic Omega Oil is the only face oil I apply to my skin — it’s literally made for oily/acne-prone skin types. Lastly, the Fade Away is responsible for clearing ALL my hyperpigmentation. I have the before/after photos to prove it. It’s so hard for melanated people to find products to clear hyperpigmentation without bleaching our skin. This product also refined my skin texture, which was a plus.”
Dior Beauty: “Dior is home to two of my favorite fragrances at the moment: Sakura and J’adore. J’adore is another classic that was just reimagined by the fragrance king himself and the creator of the infamous Baccarat Rouge: Francis Kurkdjian. In the fragrance world, this is the collab of dreams. When it comes to fragrance, I’m a floral girl. I love beautiful serene notes that encapsulate or even translate to the meaning of my name. Both Sakura and J’adore do this for me.”
Pat McGrath Beauty: “One of my many favorite makeup brands is by Pat McGrath, aka MOTHER. She’s mastered pigment! If I’m ever looking for color payoff, she is my go-to. Eyeshadow is one of my favorite ways to bring back attention to the eyes (after a flawless base, of course). She creates some of the prettiest shimmers; her highlighters and Skin Fetish: Divine Powder Blush are to die for!”
Tiara Willis
Topicals: “Topicals is a brand I trust because they take research on ingredients and formulas seriously, while maintaining a message that it’s okay not to have perfect skin. My favorite product is their Faded Serum because it has multiple ingredients that make it effective at treating hyperpigmentation.”
Coloured Raine: “This is a brand I trust because it’s Black-owned and makes an effort to promote diversity while creating high-quality products. They have a wide range of products, from eyeshadows to lipstick to foundation. I’ve used Coloured Raine for years and they never disappoint. My favorite product are their lip liners because the shades are flattering on brown skin and are long-lasting on the lips.”
NARS: “NARS products make up most of my makeup routine because they’re high quality and I can always find a shade for me. My favorite product is their Soft Matte Complete Foundation because it comes in a wide array of shades and leaves a finish that’s matte, but not drying.”
Nyma Tang
Huda Beauty: “The setting powders are top-tier, period. Huda Beauty killed everything that needed to be done with their setting powder. It doesn’t dry out my skin and it’s really lightweight. It also has a good shade range.”
NARS: “NARS was one of the first few brands that I worked with early on in my career. Every foundation they’ve come out with, I can always find my shade. Specifically, the Light-Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation looks like literal skin. Highly recommend.”
Lancôme: “Lancôme is a brand that I could truly rely on from the beginning when brands weren’t catering to me or my skin tone. They had one of the first few foundations that I tried when I started playing with makeup that actually worked for my skin tone. Even though Lancôme is a bit pricy, knowing I can always rely on them makes it worth it. Also, having Lupita as the face of the brand for a very long time made me feel like I could always see myself within the brand. It was beautiful marketing.”
Chizi Duru
La Roche Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser: “As a dry-skin girly, I usually can’t use foaming face wash, but this one still keeps my skin barrier intact and cleanses my skin, especially after working out.”
Ole Henriksen Glo2OH Dark Spot Toner: “I’ve tried a lot of skin care, but I can wholeheartedly say this toner is incredible for keeping my skin clear and acne at bay — plus, it brightens my skin.”
Khat Rabbani
HairAreUs: “I take a lot of pride in my hair and like most women, our crown is glory and we don’t easily put that trust into anyone’s hands. Therefore, I created a brand that I could wholeheartedly trust to fix the problems many African Americans face when finding true hair texture-matching when wearing extensions: HairAreUs. It was always difficult for me to find the perfect match for my naturally kinky coils within other brands. Therefore, my favorite product of choice from HAU is my Brazilian Kinky Straight Textured Clip’ins. I’ve ensured them with the highest quality human hair in the industry and top-tier materials. Anytime I wear them, I have full confidence that my natural hair is blending to perfection.”
Eccentric Skkn: “I’m just as protective about the skin on my face as the hair on my head. I’ve been so blessed to have found the brand Eccentric Skkn back in 2018. The product formulas are simply incredible. The entire line of products is plant-based and infused with medicinal herbs and botanical ingredients. They have really transformed my skin completely. And did I mention the brand is female Black-owned? It’s an all-around win. My favorite product is the dynamic duo of skincare serums: Niacinamide + Hyaluronic Acid Serum and the Willow + Babassu Restorative Serum. Both these serums are the keys to my youthful, glowing skin, along with doing at-home dermaplaning every four to six weeks with the Eccentric Dermaplanning Tool.
Palmer’s: “Palmer's Coco Butter Brand is an OG staple when it comes to the skin on my body. I trust them because the formulas of the products have been the same since I was a kid. I suffer from excessively dry skin on my arms and legs throughout the seasons, and there aren’t many products that deeply moisturize those areas of my body like Palmer's Original Formula Body Oil and Intensive Body Lotion.”
