As we celebrate Black History Month, now is a timely opportunity to reinvigorate our commitments to activism. For me, that means intentionally supporting Black creatives in everything I do. I’ve doubled down on reading more Black authors, supporting Black creatives on Instagram, and filling my beauty shelf with no shortage of Black-owned beauty brands. Being purposeful about focusing on Black-owned brands always reminds me of the vibrant diversity that exists in the beauty space. Though unfortunately, much of it often goes unnoticed.
The best way to bring awareness to cool brands with fascinating stories is to talk about them. A lot. I send skincare recommendations to my friends, crowdsource advice from my group chats, and solicit opinions on my Instagram stories. I’ve found that the products I’m most excited to share aren’t just the trendy buys with pastel packaging. Instead, I value the ones with stories that resonate with me—and many of those are often Black or POC-owned.
It’s a common story: Black beauty founders starting new ventures because they were sick of being ignored by the industry. I’m always inspired by founder who decided to create the products they wanted to see themselves. They’re each filling a gap that has been ignored by mainstream skincare for too long, and thanks to their work and vision, my list of favorite product discoveries continues to grow. Full disclosure: These aren’t just placebos in pretty packaging. They have powerful ingredients which ease the frustrations of marginalized beauty lovers and fill the gaps for other consumers as well.
Katini Skin Collagen Facial Oil
Inspired by founder Katini Yamaoka’s cultural heritage, Katini Skin makes face oils derived from native ingredients found in Japan, Africa, and Australia. Raised plant-based from birth and educated at a neo-humanistic school, Katini takes a responsible and sustainable approach to emphasizing natural healing and ancient traditions in beauty. Katini Skin uses powerful flora to produce facial oils that will nourish and enhance your natural beauty.