As a result of the overt racial injustice in the U.S., a major push to #BuyBlack has gained fresh energy. The news cycle is on overdrive with Black businesses you should support. While there have been several lists of Black-owned businesses to pop up across Instagram and Twitter, there are some forgotten companies that have a Black founder at the helm unknowingly.
Some owners are just super low-key while some brands boast such diverse and inclusive marketing that it’s easy to miss whose in charge.
Here are eight well-known beauty, fashion, and food businesses that you didn’t know were Black-owned.
Briogeo Hair Care
Often seen while scrolling through the Sephora app or YouTube hair tutorials, Briogeo is a clean-ingredient collection founded by Nancy Twine. The daughter of a chemist, Twine learned to make beauty products from scratch at a young age. Later, the University of Virginia alumna used that knowledge combined with her finance degree to launch a customizable line for several hair types and concerns. A fan fave? The Don’t Despair, Repair!™ deep conditioning mask.
KNC Beauty
Chicago-born It-girl turned jewelry designer Kristen Noel Crawley is the founder of an all-natural, celebrity-approved line of lip masks, lip scrubs, and eye masks. Fresh and simple, KNC Beauty leaves each targeted area of your face hydrated and moisturized, from a pillowy-soft pout to smooth, even-toned under-eyes.
Telfar
Telfar Clemens is one of the most popular Black designers of the moment. Hollywood stars to everyday people alike want their hands on his mini shopping bags, which prominently sport his easily identifiable circle-T logo. The Queens native is also adored for his unapologetically Black approach to design. In 2017, Vogue reports Clemens—popular for his masculine-meets-feminine aesthetic—won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize of $400,000.
Salamander Resort & Spa
You can experience some true R&R at this Black-owned resort founded by former co-founder of the BET network. Located in Middleburg, Virginia, their website says the luxurious five-star property sits on a sprawling countryside, featuring 168 guest suites and a 23,000-square-foot spa among other charming sites. It’s a premier destination for exceptional hospitality, just as Johnson — who owns a handful of other getaways — intended.
Phenomenal Woman
You’ve seen the T-shirts in all of its iterations on your Instagram feed: Phenomenal Woman, Phenomenal Girl, Phenomenally Trans, Phenomenally Black, and many more. Inspired by Maya Angelou’s widely celebrated poem, founder and tech entrepreneur Meena Harris launched the female-powered, social-impact campaign turned lifestyle brand to influence political change. All proceeds benefit Black Futures Lab.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBZHgt3jlOd/
Mischo Beauty
Founder Kitiya King is the Black female powerhouse behind the innovative line of non-toxic, aesthetically pleasing bottles of nail lacquer. Mischo Beauty graced the pages of InStyle, Glamour, and Marie Claire, and is a go-to staple for designers like Tory Burch.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B68PeWGHK7P/
Pipcorn
Jennifer Martin is the co-founder of Pipcorn Snacks, which produce those delicious brown bags of heirloom popcorn sitting on Whole Foods Markets’ shelves. Alongside her brother Jeff, the Chicago-based family business launched in 2012, according to Forbes. Now, Martin and her snack-loving tribe have expanded, offering cheese ball, corn dippers, and snack crackers.
Golde
This independent, Brooklyn-born brand creates superfood-infused health and beauty products. Led by Trinity Mouzon Wofford, Golde offers skin-supporting and immunity-boosting matcha teas, latte blends, and beauty masks. Wofford reveals — in an Instagram post — that she whips up inner and outer essentials that”feel good,” and she is building a community of wellness in the process.