This brand has been around for 25 years after being inspired by "the beauty and nuances of black skin." This brand was one of the first mass-marketed beauty and skin care range for women of color and was celebrated for its range of shades and options for black and brown skin. If you're looking to try something from the line, we particularly like the Invisible Oil Blocking Pressed Powder, $9.99.
Does it get more iconic than Pat McGrath? The legendary makeup artist founded her namesake line in 2015 and has been creating richly-pigmented, melanin-friendly makeup ever since. You basically can't go wrong with the line, but we're especially enamored of the eyeshadows (they're so buttery!). We can't take our eyes off of the Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette Bronze Seduction Palette, $125.
This is the first French beauty brand for women of color and specifically answers the needs of women with darker skin tones. These cosmetics are made to last you all day long (and wont leave you looking ashy after). The brand offers a truly great selection of velvet, matte and dewy finishes.
Founded by Martine Ho back in 2018, Filipino beauty brand Sunnies Face quickly gained notice for its affordable, universally flattering lipsticks. In an interview with Bustle, Ho said that the brand tried over 350 shades prior to the initial launch: "From Caucasian tones, to light-skinned Asian complexions, to fairer mestizas, to warmer tones, to richer morena skin — we tried it on everyone." Oh and did we mention that these Fluffmatte lippies are only $7?
This brand was created by iconic supermodel Iman and was inspired by her frustration with the beauty industry. The cosmetics company has over 10 shades of foundation designed specifically for women of color, which are broken up into three ranges; sand for olive skin, clay for dark olive to light brown skin, and earth for medium to ebony skin.
