THREE BLACK OWNED COSMETIC LINES YOU SHOULD KNOW PT. 1

​Between protests and riots, our world is more aware than ever. The beauty industry is not exempt from current events. The demonstrations that are being held as a result of countless deaths, blatant racism, and systemic racism, have rightfully crept into all aspects of life. Beauty companies are posting content to support the black lives matter movement, but is it really support or is it just a trending topic for them? With the #Pulluporshut up movement in place, we are getting an in-depth view of how many cosmetic companies are actually hiring black workers, and discovering if those workers are in higher corporate positions. 

Not every company has responded to the pull up or shut up movement. So in the meantime between time, I am giving you three black owned cosmetic brands that you can support today. One drugstore brand, one prestige brand, and one Indie brand. Now you can make the decision to support black people directly.

IMAN COSMETICS

IMAN Cosmetics is much more than a makeup brand—it serves as the premier cosmetics and skincare collection designed for all Women with Skin of Color. Offering over 10 best-selling foundation shades, IMAN works to meet the skincare needs in African American and multi-cultural makeup that other companies were lacking. This black-owned beauty brand features a full line of cosmetic and daily skin routine products to embolden your every day look no matter where you go. From primer to lipstick, IMAN offers the most variety in makeup for black women.

The drugstore brand is a popular and affordable choice that makes everything from foundation to lip products. The Iman Cosmetics Luxury Highlighter ($10) is great for contouring or adding a little shimmer.


Born in Mogadishu, the she was discovered by American photographer Peter Beard while studying at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Her first modeling gig was in 1976 for Vogue. In 2010, Iman received a Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Throughout her career, she worked with iconic designers and photographers, such as Yves St. Laurent, Versace, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Annie Liebovitz.


She has written two books (“I AM IMAN” and “The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color”), co-hosting on TV with Issac Mizrahi, and design a line of handbags, jewelry, and fashion accessories exclusively for HSN.com. Iman is also very active in philanthropic work. Iman works with charities such as The Children’s Defense Fund, Action Against Hunger and the RAISE HOPE FOR CONGO campaign.

LIPMATIC

Destiny Jones debuted her lip gloss line, Lipmatic, in 2014 with a collection of four stunning shades and an organic formula. Being the 20th anniversary year of her father Nasir Jones’ debut album, Destiny paid homage in her own sweet way with not only the name of her brand, but Lipmatic’s “color titles” – Life’s a Peach, P.L.U.M. State of Mind, Cherry Love and Cotton Candy Lane.

​ From a sultry nude shade to a vibrant plum, the collection has something for every girl who appreciates a smooth, non-sticky, long lasting and rich colored lip gloss with a delicious vanilla scent. “Since I came up with the concept for Lipmatic, I dove into researching the best ingredients. I’m super picky about my lip gloss!” says Destiny.

“When I found a formula that looked and felt great, smelled good and was 98% organic – that just brought what started as an idea to life.”

Jones got her first introduction to make-up at age ten. Carmen Bryan, Jones’s mother, purchased her first make-up kit, allowing Jones to make her own lipstick and gloss. “I started bottling them and giving them to kids as gifts,” recalls Jones.

It would not be until Jones turned 17, when she would think of pursuing cosmetics as a business, launching Lipmatic in 2014. After moving to Los Angeles at the time and “growing up,” Jones was encouraged by her friends to create her own line of lip glosses given her passion and knowledge on the product.

The name, Lipmatic, was equally developed through encouragement and discussions over lunch with friends.
Lipmatic also has a focus on organics. It sticks close to products infused with coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and cocoa butter, things that are hydrating and healthy for your lips.
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As she grows with the brand, Jones hopes to expand her products into countries like Nigeria. “Those areas in the world, make-up brands don't really pay attention to them. I watch their videos on YouTube and they're really good at makeup but the access isn't easy,” she says.
Inspired by her Nigerian heritage, Jones hopes to take what she has built and give back to the motherland.

UOMA

UOMA - pronounced OMA (uh-mah) means beautiful and we believe that beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself. We exist to re-write the rules of inclusivity and diversity to create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us.
Founded by Nigerian born, LA & London based former beauty executive Sharon Chuter, the UOMA Beauty range is rebellious, innovative and created for all.

At UOMA we are an empowered tribe. Our race is human, our people are free, our language is color. All are welcome to our beautiful tribe. 
Listed by WWD as one of the 50 most forward-thinking executives shaping the future of the beauty industry, Nigerian born Sharon Chuter, is a rebel with a cause and on a mission to go off the well beaten path to redefine the rules of inclusivity and diversity.

A visionary and seasoned beauty industry executive, Sharon has had a career that has spanned multiple continents and has worked with major multinational beauty and consumer brands including Revlon, L'Oréal, PepsiCo, GSK and most recently Benefit Cosmetics.

As the creative director of UOMA Beauty, Sharon has taken a very hands-on approach to create a makeup range that is forward thinking, radical and uncompromising. She draws inspiration from her Afro heritage and infuses it with fierce modernity to create a truly fresh aesthetic. The collection is made of products that are ground breaking in innovation, esthetically pleasing with instant payoff, skin loving, delivers maximum pleasure to all the senses and most of all suitable for all skin tones.
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In response to the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade, you’ve likely noticed some of your favorite beauty brands have taken to Instagram to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement—whether they’ve posted pledges to “do better” as a company or they’ve disclosed monetary donations. And while these public gestures aren’t a bad place to start—emphasis on the word “start”—Sharon Chuter, founder and CEO of Uoma Beauty, thinks the responsibility of these brands shouldn’t stop there. That’s why Chuter launched Pull Up or Shut Up on Wednesday: a 72-hour campaign that asks beauty brands to release the exact number of Black employees at their companies.