Earth Day is here, a day for all of us to reflect on the impact of climate change and consider ways we can take better care of our planet. After all, it’s the only one we’ve got…right now. But being kind to the environment doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice looking great. There are lots of Black-owned beauty brands that create gorgeous products that are environmentally friendly. These are just a few of my personal favorites.
54 Thrones founder Christina Funke Tegbe was inspired by her Nigerian heritage to create a line of clean skincare products that incorporates some of the rich natural resources, like shea butter, which Africans have used in their self-care routines for centuries. The line includes cleansers and moisturizers for the face and body that will leave your skin feeling super smooth.
She’Neil Spence and Nicolette Graves co-founded Base Butter after realizing that the products in their personal care routine were doing more harm than good. A daily gel face moisturizer, decadent body butter and sustainable makeup removal cloths make up their line of clean products that are suitable for all skin types.
Nail polish has never been known for being the safest beauty product. But in 2013, Kitiya Mischo King set out to change that. While pregnant with her son, she had a hard time finding colorful, high-quality nail polish that wouldn’t harm her or her unborn child. So she put her degree in Chemistry and licenses in Cosmetology, Esthetics and Makeup Artistry to work to develop Mischo Beauty. The vegan nail polish has received numerous awards, including the coveted Alllure Best of Beauty.
For cruelty-free makeup that comes in recyclable packaging and is made in the USA, look no further than Plain Jane Beauty. Founder Lake Louise, wanted to make safe, green beauty products accessible to people of color. And she did just that with a line that includes Earth-friendly eye makeup and 17 different shades of foundation.
Founder, Latrice left the corporate world to launch Liplove, a line of plant-based and cruelty-free beauty products. In addition to the bold lip shades, the line also includes body oils and the Lovestick, which does double duty as a lip and cheek balm. All of their ingredients are responsibly sourced.
Trinity Mouzon Wofford and her partner Issey believe that looking starts on the inside. That’s why their Golde products include smoothie-boosters and face masks that are 100 percent natural and vegan-friendly.
Smooth on your foundation and blend in your blush with this eco-friendly makeup tool that was a Time Magazine Best Inventions winner. The Yubi Miracle Brush is an interchangeable brush and sponge designed to do the job of nine different tools. And as a bonus, it’s made with vegan bristles that will help your makeup last longer.