As we welcome ease and rest back into our lives, we can all try to prioritize moments of self-care – no matter how brief.
The beauty and wellness industry often tries to overwhelm us with more products than we know what to do with and constant calls to consume. Holistic self-care has nothing to do with consumption and can take many forms, which are often found in quiet moments outside of the capitalist system.
But skincare and wellness rituals often do allow us the space to slow down. So, if you are looking to treat yourself or trying to find an end-of-year gift for a loved one, we wanted to share 15 BIPOC-owned beauty and wellness brands to keep your skin healthy and glowing in the winter months.
These are all brands that are self-proclaimed natural beauty and wellness brands. In general, this means that no harmful ingredients have been used and that the ingredients are usually plant-based.
If you want to know more about what exactly ‘natural’, ‘organic’, and ‘non-toxic’ actually mean, in the context of skincare, read this guide by Madeleine Wisecup of The Wise Consumer.
Note that the guide contains partners and affiliates. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!
Now, let’s get into the round-up:
1. Aba Love Apothecary
Founded by Certified Aromatherapist Aba Gyepi-Garbrah, this holistic skincare brand focuses on harnessing the essence of nature and plant medicine. Aiming to heal through the senses, ingredients are chosen based on energetics and healing properties, and special attention is put into ensuring that ingredients are sourced with care.
Wellness wishlist: Body tonic // Toning body oil ($42)
Conscious Elements: Plant-based, Organic, Wildcrafted and non-GMO ingredients
2. Becalia Botanicals
Inspired by stories from founder Jazmin Guerrero’s Mexican heritage, culture, and traditions, Becalia Botanicals encourages people to reconnect with themselves and their roots by creating nourishing skincare made with natural ingredients. Their focus is on making self-care an intentional practice and allowing it to soothe your skin from the inside out.
Wellness wishlist: Hibiscus Clay Mask ($26)
Conscious Elements: Botanically-derived ingredients
Check out Becalia Botanicals (U.S.)
3. Cocokind
With a focus on simple, quality ingredients, sustainable production, and affordable pricing, Cocokind is an all-natural brand that is truly committed to doing good for your skin and the planet. Based on your skin type and routine, Cocokind recommends which products will suit you best, and they also have a ‘Routine Builder’ function that can help you put together a routine if you are not sure where to start.
Wellness wishlist: Rosewater facial toner ($17)
Conscious Elements: Plant-powered, cruelty-free
Check out Cocokind (U.S.)
4. Golde
Originally inspired by the healing properties of turmeric, Trinity Mouzon founded Golde intending to make wellness more inclusive and accessible. Through their offering of superfood-based skincare products and edible wellness products, this brand focuses on cultivating outer radiance from within. Golde creates products that fit your lifestyle, from facemasks to healing lattes and smoothie boosters.
Wellness wishlist: Cacao Turmeric Latte Blend ($29)
Conscious Elements: 100% natural ingredients, vegan-friendly, superfood-based
Check out Golde (U.S.)
5. Hanahana Beauty
Born out of the lack of transparency in the industry, Hanahana Beauty is on a mission to bring humanity into the beauty space, and to create awareness about the importance of transparent ingredients sourcing, accessibility, and sustainability. Drawing on founder Abena Boamah’s Ghanaian heritage, the brand uses shea butter sourced from Katariga Women’s Shea Cooperative in Ghana.
Wellness wishlist: Lemongrass Shea Body Butter ($28)
Conscious Elements: Natural ingredients, fair and transparent sourcing, cruelty-free
Check out Hanahana Beauty (U.S.)
6. Ilera Apothecary
Inspired by founder Chinonye Akunne’s Nigerian roots, Ilera Apothecary aims to keep West African wellness practices and philosophies alive through their products. Specifically focusing on people with dry skin due to aging, eczema, and the environment, Ilera Apothecary has created a range of nourishing skincare products to revitalize your skin. Shea butter, lavender, chamomile, coconut oil, and cocoa butter are just a few of the ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients that you will find used in this brand’s offering.
Wellness wishlist: Revitalizing Night Oil ($29.99)
Conscious Elements: Plant-based, ethically-sourced ingredients
Check out Ilera Apothecary (U.S.)
7. Jai Eden Beauty
Tamanu oil has been used for centuries in the Pacific Islands and is known for its antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties. This is the key ingredient of Jai Eden Beauty, which is a beauty brand that focuses on formulating high-quality natural skincare to help you feel confident in your skin while creating jobs for women of color and inspiring other entrepreneurs.
Wellness wishlist: Lavender Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover ($13)
Conscious Elements: Vegan, all-natural ingredients
Check out Jai Eden Beauty (U.S.)
8. Kaike
Kaike (pronounced ‘cake’) is a clean beauty and skincare brand with a holistic focus on creating products that are good for the mind, body, and environment – all while having fun too! Catering to all different kinds of skin types and concerns, Kaike focuses on creating minimal, multi-use products with the ethos that less is more.
Wellness wishlist :Frosting Hair + Body Butter ($25)
Conscious Elements: Vegan, all-natural, cruelty-free, multi-purpose products
Check out Kaike (U.S.)
9. Kobee’s Organic Lip Balm
Using the same four key ingredients — beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and mango seed butter — in all of their products, Kobee’s Organic Lip Balm is committed to creating simple, no-fuss, nourishing lip products in compostable and biodegradable packaging. This brand is also committed to extending their impact by donating a percentage of their total sales to non-profit organizations that are committed to cleaning our oceans and lakes, efforts to replant and curb deforestation and providing cleaner air for our future.
Wellness wishlist: Peppermint Eco Balm ($4)
Conscious Elements: Organic, plastic-free packaging
10. Limegreen
We often get convinced that we need to buy a different product for almost every aspect of our lives. Founders, Talima and Allison, believe in the power of simplicity and have drawn on the wisdoms of their grandmothers — who used whatever simple ingredients they had for a multitude of uses — to create their natural, vegan, multi-use skincare brand. Using organic, wild-harvested, and fair-trade ingredients, each Limegreen product has three uses and can be used by anyone.
Wellness wishlist: Multi-oil ($32)
Conscious Elements: Multi-use products, vegan, all-natural
Check out Limegreen (U.S.)
11. Nopalera
Inspired by the nopal cactus — one of the most sustainable, nourishing, and versatile plants in the world — Nopalera is a skincare brand that uses Mexican botanicals and celebrates Latinx culture. The Nopalera cactus is an ancient symbol of Mexican culture and can be eaten, textiles can be made from it, and can be used to hydrate your skin and hair. Nopalera’s products for bath and body harness the soothing properties of this multi-use botanical to create nourishing products with clean ingredients.
Wellness wishlist: Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap ($14)
Conscious Elements: Cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free, free from synthetic fragrances
Check out Nopalera (U.S.)
12. Shocks of Love
Shocks of Love is a part of the “scent for self-care” revolution. This all-natural, skincare aromatherapy brand creates products that allow you to boost your mood and nourish your skin. These aromatherapy fragrances – which are free from alcohol – harness the essence of mood-enhancing, natural ingredients, that allow you to create moments of scent-filled self-care every day. 5% of the proceeds are donated to a Black-owned, trans-led artist residency – Activation Residency – in New York.
Wellness wishlist: Dreamlover (relaxing) ($65)
Conscious Elements: 100% plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, eco-friendly packaging
Check out Shocks of Love (U.S.)
13. Pholk Beauty
Tailored to your skin type, Pholk Beauty provides soul food for your skin with their range of products incorporating natural, healing ingredients and inspired by the beauty rituals of Black women from African diaspora communities. Their heirloom botanicals are sourced from small Black, BIPOC, and women-owned farms in Africa, the Caribbean, and the American South. This brand focuses on preserving age-old healing practices and wisdoms, while taking care of your skin.
Wellness wishlist: Glow Replenishing Face Wash ($20)
Conscious Elements: All-natural, non-toxic
Check out Pholk Beauty (U.S.)
14. Velvet Origins
To fulfill her personal mission of finding natural skincare for her family, Aashima Kapoor was inspired to embrace her Indian roots and the long-standing tradition of Ayurveda to create Velvet Origins – a selection of all-natural, curated beauty boxes filled with hand-picked products that align with your skin’s needs. The process begins with each customer taking their ‘skin quiz’ to learn about the specific needs of their skin and then products are picked from women-owned, plant-based brands in the US, Canada, and India.
Wellness wishlist: Bloom Box ($36)
Conscious Elements: Plant-powered, ethically-sourced ingredients, all-natural
Check out Velvet Origins (U.S.)
15. Yukon Soaps
As an Indigenous-owned and operated business, Yukon Soaps, creates hand-crafted, community-made soaps, shampoo bars, and essential oil blends that are inspired by the land and founder, Joella Hogan’s, familial and cultural heritage. This brand uses local plants from the Yukon area in their formulations, employs local youth, uses Na-cho Nyak Dun beadwork and plant knowledge, and draws on Northern Tutchone language wherever possible.
Wellness wish list: Petals + Patchouli ($8.50)
Conscious Elements: Small-batch production, plant-based
Check out Yukon Soaps (Canada)
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If this article has gotten you in the wellness and skincare mood, and you want to find more BIPOC-owned beauty and wellness brands that you can invest in and support, take a look at these platforms:
- BLK + GRN – Founded by Dr. Kristian Edwards, BLK + GRN is an online marketplace for all-natural, non-toxic beauty and wellness products created by Black artisans.
- Melanin & Sustainable Style – Founded by Dominique Drakeford, Melanin & Sustainable Style is an online, interview-based magazine dedicated to bringing MELANIN to the forefront of Sustainable Fashion, Natural Beauty, Wellness & Agriculture. On the site, you can find a beauty section and wellness section, each filled with interviews with many inspiring brands.
- Pink Moon – Founded by Lin Chen, Pink Moon is a wellcare platform sharing a selection of female-founded, sustainable, mindful brands for women in every phase of life.
- Shop Latinx – Founded by Brittany Chavez, Shop Latinx is an online marketplace for small, Latinx-owned businesses and they have a dedicated beauty section on the site.
Wishing you a winter of glowing skin and self-care moments that soothe your soul.
About the Author
Stella Hertantyo is based in Cape Town, South Africa, and is currently completing her PGDip in Sustainable Development to accompany her undergraduate in Multimedia journalism. She is a slow-living enthusiast and a lover of low-impact fashion.
She is passionate about encouraging an approach to sustainability that is inclusive, accessible, and fun as we try to figure out how to create a more sustainable and just world, together.
When Stella is not in front of her laptop doing uni work, you’ll probably find her reading, writing, illustrating, or baking/cooking. A dip in the ocean, or a walk in the mountains, are the two things that bring her the most peace.
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