Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
A wide range of Black-owned skincare brands provide products for the face and body, and many of these brands focus on skin issues many black people face. There’s no secret that the celebration and promotion of these black-owned businesses have been scarce within the beauty industry for years. But, after a closer examination of the racial relations sparked during the pandemic, Black-owned beauty is starting to get its well-deserved time in the limelight.
Contrary to what many believe, most Black-owned brands create beauty products that cater to everyone. They just put an emphasis on the beauty needs of the melanin-rich who have been underserved for years. In the overly saturated world of skincare, many thoughtful Black-owned skincare brands have luxuriously efficient and effective products with fragrance-free ingredients.
So, here’s a round-up of some black-owned skincare brands with fragrance-free products.
Black Owned Skincare Brands With Products For Sensitive Skin
I’ve included the black-owned skincare brands below because they sell products that have either:
- Worked well with my sensitive, eczema-prone skin, or
- Piqued my interest based on their ingredient list and the positive feedback from other bloggers and experts I trust.
54 Thrones
Founded by Christina Funke Tegbe, 54 Thrones is inspired by her Nigerian heritage and therefore focuses on skincare products that sustainably honor the rich natural resources of Africa and the authentic beauty rituals handed down from generation to generation.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Ivorian Cocoa + Ghanaian Coconut Beauty Butter
AbsoluteJOI Skincare
AbsoluteJOI Skincare is an inclusive skincare brand founded by Dr. Anne Beal. She was inspired to create her skincare line because she was frustrated with the lack of options available for her and her daughters’ skin issues. Every product in the line is fragrance-free and formulated for sensitive skin. I even have a dedicated blog post reviewing the products, and they’re in this year’s Best In Beauty List.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Sunflower & Moringa Fresh Cleansing Oil, Hydrating Gel Foam Cleanser, Skin Refining Night Oil
(Get 10% off your purchase using code BEAUTY_IN_COLOR_10.)
Beauty Stat Cosmetics
Because this brand has an industry veterans at its helm (including former beauty chemist and product developer Ron Robinson), a built-in consumer base, and a digital marketing platform, it’s no wonder why its a cult favorite. BeautyStat started its skincare line in 2019, and they are backed by extensive research, definitive clinical test results, competitive testing, and exclusive patents.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Universal C Skin Refiner, Universal Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream
Black Girl Sunscreen
Founded in 2016 by Shontay Lundy, Black Girl Sunscreen is all about formulating sun protection options for melanated skin. This OG sunscreen contains natural ingredients like avocado, jojoba, and sunflower oils and leaves no unwanted white cast behind. Because all Black Girl Sunscreen products are made without fragrance, oxybenzone, octinoxate, silicone, or aluminum, they are great for sensitive skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, Make It Glow Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 30
Bolden Skincare
Founded in 2012 by Nigerian sisters and entrepreneurs Chinelo Chidozie and Ndidi Obidoa, Bolden Skin Care creates effective skincare options that answer the needs of women of color. Since launching, they have expanded the line to include facial and body products.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Hydrating Cleanser, Unscented Shea Butter Oil
Buttah Skin
Founded by actor and recording artist Dorion Renaud, Buttah Skin is another brand born out of the founder looking to address his skin issues. This brand is based on shea butter that nourishes the skin for a radiant glow.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Facial Shea Butter, Oil Free Gel Cream Moisturizer, Whipped Body Butter
The Butterland
The Butterland is a skincare and haircare line founded by twins, Paris and Aaris Pearsall. All of their products are designed to promote healthy hair and skin for everyone, including babies. The twins also own a fantastic catering business Dos Catering in the DMV area (their cupcakes are AMAZING!).
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Whipped Shea Butter, Cane Sugar and Honey Scrub
Cay Skin
Cay Skin was founded by supermodel Winnie Harlow after she suffered a severe sunburn on a photoshoot because she couldn’t find a sheer, clear sunscreen to protect her skin. The line of SPF products and moisturizing essentials are designed with all skin types and tones in mind. And everything is silicone-free, vegan, cruelty-free, reef-friendly, and dermatologist-tested.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Isle Glow Body Lotion SPF 45 with Sea Moss and Cocoa Seed Butter
ConditionHER
Founded by Wendy Rose Berry and Eugenia Marshall, ConditionHER sells a moisturizing cream for your intimate area. So, this moisturizing cream is perfect for use after waxing, lasering, or shaving. It balances the pH, fights ingrown hairs and chafing, softens the hair (if present), and soothes irritation.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Moisturizing Cream
Eadem
Founded by Marie Kouadio Amouzame and Alice Lin Glover, EADEM creates gentle-yet-powerful skincare products designed with the unique needs of melanin-rich skin in mind, using a combination of science-backed ingredients and heritage botanicals to effectively care for skin of color.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum
Epara Skincare
Founded in 2017 by Ozohu Adoh, Epara Skincare is a UK-based luxury skincare line formulated with high-performing African botanical ingredients. The Epara Skincare collection focuses on promoting hydration and dissolving hyperpigmentation, which are concerns that are prevalent among women of color.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Hydrating Mist, Hydrating Crème- Gel
Epi.Logic
Founded by Brooklyn-based board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton in 2019, Epi.Logic Skincare uses science-backed research and efficacious ingredients for maximum skin impact. All of the products are fragrance-free and gentle enough for sensitive and post-treatment skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: True Calm Cleanser, Daily Dose Serum, Master Plan Bioactive Face Serum, The Total Package Cream
Hanahana Beauty
Abena Boamah started Hanahana Beauty in 2017 with a mission dedicated to increased transparency of ingredient sourcing, accessibility of products, and responsible environmental practices. Hanahana Beauty creates products made with shea butter directly from the Katariga Women’s Shea Cooperative in Ghana, combined with natural oils.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Unscented Shea Body Butter, 2-in-1 Body Bar, Skin Nutrition
Humanrace
In 2020, Pharell Williams launched his skincare brand Humanrace, which focuses on products that work together to lightly exfoliate, nourish, and hydrate skin, leaving you with a more youthful glow. Pharell consulted with his dermatologist, Dr. Elena Jones, on the brand to ensure it was effective, inclusive, and straightforward. The brand is also conscious of its sustainability efforts, focusing on reusable, refillable, and recyclable packaging.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Rice Powder Cleanser, Humidifying Face Cream, Humidifying Body Cream
Hyper Skin
Hyper Skin is another skincare line born from the skincare issues of its founder, Desiree Verdejo. Founded in 2019, Hyper Skin is an accessible, results-oriented skincare brand rooted in multiculturalism, focusing on treating dark spots and discoloration for all skin types and tones.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Gentle Brightening Gel Cleanser with Mandelic Acid, Hyper Even Brightening Clearing Vitamin C Serum, Fade and Glow AHA Mask
Ilera Apothecary
Ilera Apothecary is a Detroit-based, sustainable skincare brand that specializes in African plant-based skincare. I was introduced to the brand when I moderated a panel at the Posh & Popular Fashion & Beauty Summit in my hometown a few years ago. All of their products are organic, vegan, and made with ethically-sourced ingredients.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Shea Butter with Vitamin E, Mellow Moisturizing Body Butter, Revitalizing Night Oil
Karité
Founded by three sisters from Ghana (one sister is a board-certified dermatologist who helped create John Legend’s skincare line), Karité is a skincare brand all about shea butter. Unlike other shea butter moisturizers that often have low concentrations of highly-processed, refined shea butter, Karité’s all-natural, antioxidant-rich products feature high concentrations of raw, unrefined shea butter and palm oil sustainably sourced directly from Ghana.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Crème Corps Hydrating Body Cream, Baume À Lèvres Lip Balm, Hand Cream
Keys Soulcare
Founded in 2020, Keys Soulcare is a dermatologist-developed clean skincare and wellness brand co-created with celebrity artist Alicia Keys. The collection contains self-care products (including skincare, body care, and more) formulated with your skin’s and mental health in mind.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Truly Becoming Multi-Benefit Peptide Serum
Klur Botanics
Klur Botanics is a sustainable skincare brand founded by a holistic esthetician, Lesley Thornton, focusing on achieving healthy skin for all skin types, ethnicities, and conditions, using multi-tasking formulas that deliver long-lasting results.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Gentle Matter Daily Moisture Cleanser, Immersion™ Serum Concentrate
Lana Ogilvie Cosmetics
Lana Ogilvie Cosmetics is a beauty brand founded by Lana Ogilvie, the first black model to sign an exclusive contract with Cover Girl Cosmetics. As Lana suffers from eczema and has allergic reactions to many synthetic dyes and fragrances, the beauty line focuses on gentle products that do not create trauma for the skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Renew Facial Oil, Rewind Facial Serum
Nichole Avonie
Founded in 2021 by Christene Carr, Nichole Avonie’s skincare products are created with science-backed, clean ingredients to offer multi-correctional benefits to all skin tones, types, and textures.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Unscented ButterCream Body Moisturizer
Oui The People
Founded by Karen Young, Oui The People has a simple lineup of high-performance body care products, designed to help you feel great in the skin you’re already in. All their ingredients are chosen for their efficacy, and their products are free from the usual suspects (parabens, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, and animal testing).
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Featherweight Hydrating Body Gloss
Rose Ingleton MD Skincare
Rose Ingleton MD Skincare was developed by a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Rose Ingleton, who infuses all of her products with a blend of antioxidant-rich fruit extracts native to her Jamaican roots. Her goal was to create a simple, targeted skincare line that mimics the regimens she curates for her patients. Check out my Instagram post when I met her in 2020 and learned about her line.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: SuperFruit Brightening Cleanser
(Get 15% off using my code BEAUTYINCOLOR15)
Rosen Skincare
Jamika Martin founded Rosen Skincare while she was in college! It’s a natural skincare line targeted towards millennials and Gen-Z-ers with acne-prone skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Tropics Moisturizer
Sade Baron
Founded in 2016, Sade Baron is a woman-owned skincare line that focuses on providing effective body care for all skin types, especially for people with dry skin and skin conditions like eczema.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: TAI Body Oil, Bond Healing Body Salve
(Get 15% off using my code BEAUTYINCOLOR)
Shani Darden Skincare
Shani Darden Skincare was created by a California-based celebrity esthetician, Shani Darden. Using simple yet effective solutions, Shani Darden is known for her results-oriented approach to skincare.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Cleansing Serum, Retinol Reform, Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum
Skinbuttr
Skinbuttr is a skincare line created by America’s Next Top Model contestant, Tatiana Price, to simplify your routine and sustainably promote healthy glowing skin. They are well known for their body scrubs and body butters.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Au Natural Buttr
Sknmuse
Sknmuse is a beauty brand championing inclusivity and sustainability in luxury. Their skin and body care line uses West-African women’s clean-beauty products and practices to bring nourishing products that protect, heal and maintain the skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Cacao Body Butter
Talula Skincare
Alexis Richardson created Talula Skincare products for those suffering from dry skin, eczema, and related skin disorders. The brand’s mission is to provide quality products with all-natural ingredients that effectively soothe, moisturize, and nourish irritated skin.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Ultra Moisturizing Body Butter
Topicals
Topicals was founded by Olamide Olowe in 2020 and is devoted to solving chronic skin issues such as hyperpigmentation, eczema, and psoriasis. Each product is formulated in partnership with a skincare advisory board for effectiveness and efficiency.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Like Butter Hydrating Mask
The Wellness Apothecary
The Wellness Apothecary was founded by licensed clinical pharmacist and wellness expert Tayiana Reed, who wanted to curate affordable, clean, and natural health & beauty products to cultivate a holistic lifestyle. The brand’s products are free of carcinogens, parabens, sulfates, silicone, and talc.
FRAGRANCE-FREE PRODUCT(S) TO TRY FROM THE BRAND: Calming Blend Bath Salts, Cacao & Shea Body Butter
Continue to shop this list when looking for a new skincare product.
Remember, when you buy from these brands, please be patient with them. While some carry products in larger stores like Sephora, Ulta, Amazon, and Nordstrom, many are smaller and sometimes independent companies that cannot compete with providing quick service like larger ones. I don’t expect you to compromise on quality or customer service, but shop knowing that the brand could be a one or two-person operation.
This blog post is a developing list, so I’ll be adding new sensitive-skin friendly, black-owned skincare companies as I come across them.
If you don’t see your favorite black-owned skincare brand on this list and think they have products that work well for sensitive, eczema-prone skin, please include them in the comments below. And since this is a developing list, please let me know if there are other skincare brands I should include.
Have you tried any of these brands?
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Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog post.