National Lipstick Day: 5 Black Celeb Owned Beauty Brands

The beauty industry has evolved in ways that have become more inclusive for deeper skin tones. Prior to Rihanna's launch of Fenty Beauty, there were very few makeup brands that offered a wide selection of foundation based on undertones for deeper skin tones. The change was made apparent when the deeper shades began to sell out first when Fenty Beauty launched its 40 shades of foundation (which has since expanded to 50) in 2017. Following its debut, the beauty brand was honored as one of the 25 best inventions by Time Magazine.

Fenty Beauty's slogan is "Beauty For All" and she told the publication at the time how it also encompasses the future of the brand. "It was important that every woman felt included," Rihanna said, adding, "I love challenges so I’m going to continue to have fun and push the boundaries in this industry."

Shortly after Fenty Beauty's launch, other makeup brands, such as Makeup Forever began to follow suit and target women of color in their campaigns and in their products.

Fenty Beauty has since expanded, including concealers, highlighters, mascara, and more. The same year the foundation dropped, so did the Red Stunna Lip Paint lipstick. Rihanna is known for wearing bright red lipstick, so it was a no-brainer that one of the first lipsticks the company put out was bright red. After its success, the makeup brand expanded the collection to include other colors like soft pink, chocolate brown, black, deep purple, and nude peach.

Besides lipsticks, Fenty Beauty's other claim to fame was their "gloss bombs." Retailing at $21.00, the lipglosses come in shimmering pink, rose nude, diamond milk (clear with extra sparkles), soft pink, rich brown, clear, and rose mauve nude. She has also expanded that collection to include "heat" lipglosses with a plumping effect. Fenty Beauty products are sold at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and online at fentybeauty.com.

Take a look at four other makeup brands founded by Black women below:

Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017. Her brand shook up the beauty standard when she launched her foundation options ranging in over 40 shades (now 50) to grab an inclusive audience. Some popular products at Fenty Beauty are the gloss bomb, the Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil highlighter, and Pro Filt'r soft matte foundation.

Explore more here.

Rapper Bia launched Beauty For Certain in 2022. The name of her beauty brand is a play on words from her 2020 EP For Certain. Beauty For Certain sells lipstick, eyeshadow, highlighters, and more.

Learn more about Beauty For Certain by Bia here.

Alicia Key's brand Keys Soulcare moved into the beauty sector in 2022. Keys named the collection Make You which offers a tinted lip balm, a cheek tint and brow gel. You can learn more about her products here.

Iman Cosmetics was founded by supermodel Iman in 1994. It launched to give women of color applicable shade ranges for makeup and supplemental skincare choices not available in variety at the time. You can learn more about Iman Cosmetics here.

Celebrity makeup artist turned entrepreneur, Pat McGrath is known for one of the most pigmented makeup lines to date. She curated this line with melanin in mind as all of the colors in her eyeshadow palletes, blushes, lipsticks, and more compliment fair and deep skintones. You can learn more about Pat McGrath Labs here.