The global beauty industry is a force to be reckoned with – just last year, it was worth $511B, and is only trending upwards (commonthreadco.com). As women, we’ve never had so many options, and it can be an overwhelming process to choose which brands you’d like to throw down your hard earned cash for. Especially now that many of us want the brands that we support to stand for something, have ethical practices, and curb their carbon footprint. Given the growing number of beauty companies out there, as consumers we want what we wear, use, and recommend to our friends to align with our values, and I’ll say it, our personal brand. Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we all project a certain image to the world and have the ability to influence our communities, however small they may be. One easy way to narrow down the abundance of choice is to support female and minority owned brands. What’s better than women supporting women? The brands below are all founded by women, are vegan and cruelty free, and make sustainability a priority. I hope you find your next obsession!
Susan Yara – Naturium
Before Yara became a full fledged business owner, she garnered a loyal following for her skincare focused YouTube channel, Mixed Makeup. Using her knowledge from working in the beauty industry for many years, Yara created a space on the internet for skincare enthusiasts, beginners, and experts alike. Her brand, Naturium, is ingredient focused and formulates affordable products that beat out their pricy contenders any day.
Selena Gomez – Rare Beauty
Actress and singer Selena Gomez is the founder and face behind beauty’s latest obsession, Rare Beauty. Beyond making beautiful formulas that melt into the skin, they strive to “[break] down unrealistic standards of perfection”. They’re all about enhancing your natural beauty and promoting the idea that you are one of a kind, and perfect just the way you are. Rare beauty also sets themselves apart by advocating for mental health care access through their Rare Impact Fund. The goal of the fund is to “raise $100M over the next 10 years to help give people access to mental health services”. What more could you want from a brand? Plus, their gorgeous packaging doesn’t hurt!
Miranda Kerr – KORA Organics
Founded by supermodel Miranda Kerr, KORA uses certified organic ingredients and potent actives to make high quality skincare products. By the way, they don’t just tout the word organic because it’s trendy – they put their money where their mouth is. Their products “are formulated with highly active certified organic and naturally derived ingredients that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids. [They] work with leading chemists to find the most effective and innovative organic ingredients from around the world” (koraorganics.com). If you’re an organic food queen and want to make the switch in your skincare as well, KORA is a great place to start.
Rihanna – Fenty Skin
If you are someone that wears makeup, chances are you’ve heard of Fenty Beauty. Rihanna’s line is a favorite for many – her Gloss Bomb lip luminizer has a hold on me that isn’t letting go any time soon. Rihanna has been steadily expanding the brand, and most recently added a skincare line that is a hit. What makes the products unique is their thoughtful formulation, which isn’t found in many celebrity skincare lines. You can tell that Rihanna doesn’t just slap her name on anything. Fenty uses antioxidant rich fruits, like the Barbados cherry (Rihanna’s home country, btw), along with other cutting edge ingredients that pack big results. This is a line that any skin care enthusiast can get behind.
Liah Yoo – KraveBeauty
KraveBeauty was founded by YouTuber and skincare connoisseur Liah Yoo out of a desire to make skincare as simple as possible. Their slogan “#pressreset” says it all. Their products are formulated with sensitivity as well as efficacy in mind. As they state on their website, “we never wanted to be the “million step routine” brand or the “launch 20 products at once” brand. We didn’t want to fit the mold, we wanted to break”. If you’ve gone a little wild with your routine and need to pare it down, Krave might be the brand for you!
Marianna Hewitt & Lauren Gores – Summer Fridays
Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores built Summer Fridays with the intention of filling the gaps in skincare that they noticed as beauty influencers. In their own words, they were “left desiring a line of products that ticks all the boxes: easy-to-use, clean ingredients, immediately satisfying, and so pretty you’d want them on display”. It’s safe to say that Summer Fridays checks these boxes. Their products not only look they deserve a place on your skincare shelf, but work like they do too.
Winnie Harlow – Cay Skin
Following a “a severe sunburn and sun damage from an all-day outdoor photoshoot, that permanently changed her [autoimmune condition] vitiligo”, supermodel Winnie Harlow began creating her own skincare line, Cay Skin (cayskin.com). The company combines the best of both worlds – sun protection and skincare – to formulate products that nourish the skin while keeping those UV rays at bay. Next time you’re in the market for tanning oil, you might want to reach for Cay Skin’s SPF 45 version. It’ll leave you glowing and moisturized, but above all, protected.
Olamide Olowe & Claudia Teng – Topicals
Topicals was founded by Gen-Z entrepreneurs Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng, both of whom decided to forego medical school after college and team up to build their own brand. Topicals treats skin concerns in style, but don’t be deceived by their candy colored packaging. Their treatments pack a punch, and were carefully developed due to Olowe and Teng’s personal experiences with skin conditions. According to a CNBC profile, Olowe grew up “with hyperpigmentation and post barbae folliculitis, a type of skin inflammation”. Similarly, Teng “spent her childhood in and out of doctor’s offices seeking treatment for her severe eczema”. If there’s anyone I would trust to create an effective skincare line, it’s two ambitious young women who have experienced severe skin conditions themselves.
