Nicole Simonek

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Black Women-Owned Brands to Support This Black Friday (and Everyday)

Discover the best Black women-owned brands and products for your holiday shopping!

Disclaimer: I do use affiliate links in this blog meaning that if you purchase anything through my affiliate links I receive commission at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products that I have heavily researched, tested and loved, and/or used for several years.


Did you know that Black women-owned businesses are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., with a growth rate of 32.7% between 2019 and 2023? Women-owned businesses in the same time period had a growth rate of 12.1% (see full Wells Fargo report here). By supporting Black women-owned businesses, you are not only investing in innovative, quality products but also contributing to the economic empowerment of Black entrepreneurs and communities. There is no better time to make a positive impact on economic growth, the wealth gap, a more inclusive marketplace, and empowerment of Black women for generations to come than the holiday season!

Beauty:

  • AMI COLÉ: Ami Colé is a very popular Black-owned beauty brand that focuses on creating high-quality, clean beauty products specifically for melanin-rich skin tones. Founded by Diarrha N'Diaye, Ami Colé aims to provide inclusive and effective skincare and makeup solutions that cater to the unique needs of Black and Brown skin. Their most popular products include the Skin Enhancing Tint, Lash-Amplifying Mascara (Allure Best of Beauty Award), and Lip Treatment Oil (Best O-Wards Winner). You can purchase Ami Colé from their website, Sephora, and Amazon.

  • PAT McGRATH LABS: Pat McGrath is a renowned British makeup artist often referred to as the most influential makeup artist in the world. Her innovative and groundbreaking work has completely revolutionized the beauty industry. In 2021, she made history by becoming the first makeup artist to be awarded a Damehood by Queen Elizabeth II. I am still in awe of the glass-like makeup looks she created for the the Maison Margiela Artisanal Spring/Summer 2024 show. Her luxury cosmetics line, PAT McGRATH LABS, is known for high quality ingredients, luxurious and innovative packaging, amazing pigmentation of colors, and limited release collections. You can shop the products on their website, Sephora, Ulta, Bluemercury, Nordstrom, and more.

  • FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna: Rihanna needs absolutely no introduction! Fenty Beauty is renowned for its inclusive approach to beauty, offering a wide range of 50!!!! shades of Fenty to cater to all skin tones. This revolutionary move challenged traditional beauty standards and made Fenty Beauty a game-changer in the beauty industry. Some of Fenty Beauty’s best sellers include the Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation, Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer (I also love the Heat version), and the Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara. You can shop on the Fenty Beauty site, Ulta, Sephora, and Target.

  • BREAD: BREAD Beauty Supply is a 40+ award-winning haircare brand founded by Maeva Heim (read her Harper’s Bazaar interview here). It's known for its simple, effective, and inclusive haircare products designed to nourish and enhance all hair types, from coily to straight. The brand is all about essentials, just like bread! You can feel good about purchasing BREAD’s products as they are all clean, vegan, and cruelty-free. Some of their most popular essential products include the Hair Oil Multi-Use Styling Gloss, Mud-Mask Deep-Cleaning Hair-Mask (currently sold out, but linking bundle here), and the award-winning Scalp-Serum Exfoliating Scalp Treatment. You can shop BREAD on their website, Sephora, Ulta, and Space NK.

  • Kreyòl Essence: Kreyòl Essence is a Haitian haircare brand known for its high-quality Haitian Black Castor Oil. Yve-Car Momperousse is the driving force behind the brand, leveraging her passion for Haitian culture and natural ingredients to create products that are both effective and sustainable. The brand is committed to providing natural and ethical solutions for hair growth, moisture, and overall hair health. The original Haitian Black Castor Oil can be purchased here. Other popular scents include Rosemary Mint, Mango, Papaya, & Coconut, and Lavender Hibiscus. You can shop Kreyòl Essence on their website, Ulta, and Amazon.

  • Gilded Body: Gilded Body was founded by Blair Armstrong, who set out to address the gap in the skincare market — body care products. The name of the brand is inspired by gilding — the ancient and timeless beauty practice used to protect what is precious. Gilded Body is known for their high-quality, effective, and luxurious body care products designed to provide a minimalist routine. I personally have their stunning and luxurious marble body brush, which I had to hunt down after selling out at Saks, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom last year. I have also gifted the marble body brush — it is the perfect self care tool to treat someone you love! You can purchase from the limited inventory at Saks here, or on the Gilded Body website (more colors available). Other popular products include the Supreme Body Balm and Skin Brightening Polish.

  • PATTERN: Pattern Beauty was founded by none other than the fabulous Tracee Ellis Ross! The brand focuses on natural hair care, specifically catering to curly, coily, and tight hair types. Pattern offers a range of products designed to hydrate, define, and nourish hair. The Pattern blow dryer was recently named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2024 List! Other popular products include the Detangling Nectar (GLAMOUR Beauty & Wellness award), Treatment Mask (BAZAAR winner), and Leave-In Conditioner (#1 bestseller). You can shop directly on the PATTERN site here, at Ulta here, or Sephora here.

Wellness:

  • HOMEBODY: HOMEBODY is a 100% self-funded wellness brand that specializes in CBD-infused wellness bath rituals using high quality holistic herbs and botanicals. They offer a range of products using 176+ antioxidants, herbs and botanicals, premium organic hemp CBD, superfoods, active ingredients, adaptogens, vitamins, salts, moisturizing butters, oils, and rare minerals designed to promote relaxation, stress relief, and overall well-being. Homebody’s overarching purpose is to serve, and the brand supports BIPOC, female-led, and/or LGBTQ+ small businesses. The owner and founder, Rebecca Grammer-Ybarra, is an incredibly accomplished single mom of 2 children and found previous success being a 2x Food Network champion alongside her sister (and first black women to win a televised dessert competition show!). After the difficult decision of closing down Suite 106 Cupcakery, Rebecca founded Homebody through that challenging time with the newfound discovery of the healing powers of self care. You can purchase Homebody bath rituals on their website here, at Ulta here, or Revolve here. This is the perfect self care gift for the holidays!

Jewelry:

  • OMA The Label: Oma The Label is a fashion jewelry brand that offers a range of quality jewelry staples to add to your collection. Founded by New York-based fashion stylist Neumi Anekhe, Oma represents diversifying imagery in fashion, increasing POC representation, and creating a unique collection with a blend of Scandinavian and African influences. The brand has been featured in Vogue, Elle, InStyle, Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and New York Magazine! Some best sellers include their The Bente Hoops, The Filippa Necklace, and The Patricia Bracelet. They carry some unique body jewelry such as The Wahala Body Chain. The tennis collection is also stunning and a perfect gift for someone special! Update: you can also find Oma The Label at Macy’s!

Food:

  • Pipcorn: Pipcorn is a gourmet popcorn company known for its unique heirloom corn and a variety of delicious flavors. You may have seen Jennifer Martin and her brother, Jeff, appear on Shark Tank in 2015, seeking an investment of $200,000 for 10% of Pipcorn. Barbara Corcoran (my fave!) offered them a deal of $200,000 for 20% of the company and they accepted — and from there Pipcorn took off! They offer a range of snack varieties including popcorn, balls, twists, crunchies, dippers, and even fries! Pipcorn uses high-quality, non-GMO ingredients and avoids artificial flavors and preservatives. You can purchase bundles straight from their website here, or purchase from Target, Amazon, Thrive Market, and Hive Brands. These delicious, healthy snacks will make for great stocking stuffers!

Personal Care:

  • The Honey Pot: The Honey Pot Company is a revolutionary feminine care brand founded by renowned entrepreneur Beatrice Dixon. It aims to promote female health through plant-derived products, offering a range of natural and organic feminine hygiene products. As I write this blog, just yesterday my best friend gave me a handful of The Honey Pot products and emphasized the importance of organic feminine products — you can take my word that I am now a lifelong convert! Especially with recent research published of oral contraceptives being a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization, and toxic metals (arsenic) in tampons — it is of utmost importance that we invest in companies that champion women’s health! You can conveniently purchase The Honey Pot products from Ulta here, their website, Target, and Amazon.

Glassware:

  • Estelle Colored Glass: Estelle Colored Glass is a luxury brand that specializes in hand-blown colored glass pieces, primarily stemware and cake stands. Founded by Stephanie Summerson Hall, the brand is best described as “jewels for your table” and inspired by vintage aesthetics. The brand itself is inspired by Stephanie’s grandmother, Estelle (aka “Big Mama”), who loved antiquing, looking for new treasures in small neighboring South Carolina towns, and using colored glass for Sunday dinners. I personally own two sets of Estelle champagne coupes (rose and viva magenta), and they are the most gorgeous addition to my extensive, curated glassware collection. You can shop directly on the Estelle website, or at Bloomingdales, West Elm, Nordstrom (some sets 25% off!), and more! These glassware pieces make for excellent gifts your loved ones will be sure to love!

Wine:

  • The Wine Concierge: The Wine Concierge focuses on curating and providing high-quality wines, particularly those produced by women, BIPOC, and culturally diverse winemakers. The owner and Chief Discovery Officer (CDO), Leslie Frelow, has a mission of building a community of wine lovers that crosses gender, racial, and economic lines. The Wine Concierge offers a variety of services including: a wine club, curated selection of wines, wine tasting events, educational resources, and giving back by contributing a portion of sales to the Black Winemakers Scholarship Fund. You can shop their selection of wines here, and sign up for or gift their wine club membership here.

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