17 Black-Owned and -Founded Hair-Care Brands That Will Elevate Your Routine
Black hair has historically been both policed and overlooked. Cosmetology training programs have long ignored textured hair in curricula, school dress codes have banned protective styles, and the mainstream hair-care market tends to prioritize products for looser curl patterns. But anti-Blackness and discrimination against Afro-textured hair have only pushed Black people to create what we need to care for our naturally curly and coily textures. The number of Black-owned and -founded hair products on the market has increased over the years, creating more options to care for our hair—and more avenues for sustainable wealth within the community of Black entrepreneurs.
In the early 2000s brands like SheaMoisture, Miss Jessie's, and Carol's Daughter paved the way with formulations that worked for a range of natural textures and with marketing that celebrated the beauty of Black hair. Two decades later, more Black-owned natural hair brands are lining shelves with leave-ins, deep conditioning treatments, and oils that nourish, style, and treat our hair. Outside of wash-day staples, now we have a bevy of stylish accessories such as satin-lined turbans and colorful headwraps to protect our delicate coils.
The brands here are owned or founded by Black people, but that doesn’t mean they work only for Black hair—all races and textures can benefit from these products. Take a scroll below through some of the Black-owned and -founded brands and products Allure editors believe deserve a spot in your routine.
Melanin Haircare
You can't talk about the natural hair movement of the 2000s without mentioning Whitney White. The hair blogger’s YouTube channel, Naptural85, was an invaluable resource for millions of people learning how to style and care for natural hair. In 2018, after years of reviewing other brands’ products and sharing DIY recipes, White launched her own line, Melanin Haircare. The brand’s current product range includes a cleanser, moisturizer, scalp oil, and hair accessories.
Star product: After just one use, you'll be a fan of the extremely nourishing Multi-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner. It’s formulated with moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera, argan oil, and baobab seed oil.
Bread Beauty Supply
Bread Beauty Supply founder Maeva Heim launched her brand in 2020 with a simple ethos: “Embrace your frizz.” She kept to the basics—shampoo, deep conditioner, and oil—for the initial offerings. Today her collection includes 13 products that are simply great.
Star product: The Hair-Foam: Curl Defining Mousse defines curls without weighing them down or leaving them crunchy. Keratin fibers increase humidity resistance, while glycerin keeps stands hydrated.
Cécred
Many people forget that, long before she was captivating audiences worldwide, Beyoncé was once a preteen sweeping up hair in her mother’s Houston salon. With the help of her mom (who goes by Mama Tina), Beyoncé tapped into her love for hair care in 2024 with the launch of Cécred. The line includes a deep conditioning mask, a clarifying shampoo, and a fermented rice protein treatment that got the Allure team buzzing over its innovative packaging—the rice protein powder comes with a shaker bottle to mix the treatment with water and dispense directly onto the hair.
Star product: “The Moisturizing Deep Conditioner is the product I’m recommending to all my friends who want to try Cécred,” says Allure editor in chief Jessica Cruel. It has a luxurious consistency that is heavy-duty enough to moisturize thick coils and curls.
Curls Dynasty
Nickie Nougaisse started Curls Dynasty in her kitchen in 2014, with a mixture of oils called, fittingly, the Organic Oil Blend. Since then she's expanded the brand's offerings to include a full range of natural hair products that will take you through all the steps in your wash-day routine.
Star Product: We love the sulfate-free, hydrating Cocoa Mint Moisture Rich Shampoo with a nozzle cap for targeted application to the scalp.
Pattern Beauty
Tracee Ellis Ross has always been known for her voluminous curls, so it made perfect sense when she launched her hair-care line, Pattern Beauty, in 2019. "I was dreaming about doing this all through high school," Ross previously told Allure. The first Pattern Beauty drop included a shampoo, three different conditioners (medium, heavy, and intense), two hair oil serums, a brush, a clip, and a microfiber towel. Ross has added items like an Afro pick, a scalp serum, and the brand’s newest launch, a curl-conscious blow-dryer.
Star product: The Pattern Beauty Scalp Serum is like a cool drink of water for your scalp. The nozzle tip makes it easy to apply the thin gel, especially if you’re wearing a protective style. The peppermint and rosemary oil help to soothe and offer a light botanical scent.
Alaffia
In 2003, Olowo-n'djo Tchala founded Alaffia, offering hair, skin, and body products that share one staple ingredient: shea butter. The brand sources this ingredient through cooperatives in the West African country of Togo. Its Beautiful Curls collection is specifically created for type 4 curls and features 10 products, including shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and curl-defining gel.
Star product: We love the Curl Reviving Tonic, made with aloe vera juice to refresh and moisturize the hair.
You Go Natural
Headwraps are a staple accessory for people with Afro-textured hair and You Go Natural understands that perfectly. In 2016, Monique Little started her company to provide a quick styling option for those with little time to do their hair. The brand now offers a selection of satin-lined turbans, wraps, and bonnets that all look cute while protecting delicate curls and kinks. The products come in several patterns, including African Ankara prints, and solid colors.
Star product: The brand’s most unique offering is YGN Swim, a collection of waterproof turbans you can wear poolside. The Sand Swim Turban, made with fast-drying Lycra, can be wrapped in your desired style and fits snuggly to protect hair from water.
TPH by Taraji
Like many people, Taraji P. Henson got very into self-care during the pandemic. In 2020 she turned that passion into TPH by Taraji. The beauty line includes hair- and body-care products such as the New Levelz conditioner, the Master Cleanse scalp wash, and the Anything Glows body oil.
Star Product: The Slick Edge Control is perfect for touching up edges on the go. The tube packaging makes it easy to bring anywhere, and the flat top makes it great for creating those time-consuming, protective styles. Instead of squeezing out the gel multiple times, you can squeeze out a lot of product to sit on the flat surface of the cap for fast and easy use.
Sienna Naturals
For years, Issa Rae tested products for her sister-in-law Hannah Diop’s hair-care brand, Sienna Naturals, which launched in 2012. In 2020, Rae joined Diop as co-owner, just in time for a rebrand. The company makes plant-based products for all natural hair textures.
Star product: The Dew Magic Leave-In Conditioner has a lightweight, milky texture that sinks into the hair and adds moisture to even the coarsest textures.
The Doux
Maya and Brian Smith were high school sweethearts before becoming business partners and cofounders of The Doux. Maya, a licensed cosmetologist, opened her first salon in Germany in 2008, while her husband was stationed there in the military. Three years later, when they relocated back to Atlanta, the couple launched The Doux. The brand is most known for products that create well-defined, long-lasting styles like twist-outs and wash-n-gos.
Star product: The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam is one of the brand’s most popular items. It adds a non-flaky hold to any natural hairstyle while nourishing hair with glycerin.
Design Essentials
A mainstay in many salons that specialize in textured hairstyling, Design Essentials has all you need to properly care for every curl pattern. Entrepreneur Cornell McBride launched the Design Essentials hair-care system in 1990 after years of working in the health- and beauty-aids industry. The brand now offers a wide range of products you can shop based on curl type, hair needs, and ingredient collections—there really is something for everyone.
Star product: A quality mousse is a necessary tool in every naturalist’s arsenal. In our opinion, it doesn’t get better than the Almond & Avocado Curl Enhancing Mousse, which keeps frizz at bay, defines curls, and adds a light sheen.
Adwoa Beauty
Founder Julian Addo named her hair-care brand after her Ghanaian traditional name, Adwoa. Addo began her career in hairstyling when she was just 14 years old and 24 years later launched Adwoa Beauty in 2017. While natural hair has many needs, Adwoa Beauty recognizes that moisture is pretty high on that list. Each product contains moisture-boosting and -sealing ingredients like glycerin, baobab oil, blue tansy, and shea butter.
Star product: We love the Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel so much that we gave it an Allure Best of Beauty Award in 2022. The lightweight gel adds definition to curls without leaving flaky residue.
Flawless by Gabrielle Union
After Gabrielle Union experienced hair loss while going through IVF, she teamed up with her longtime hairstylist Larry Sims to launch Flawless by Gabrielle Union in 2017. The duo relaunched the line in 2020 with new branding and formulas but kept the same mission to provide affordable products for natural hair. The brand has products for those who wear their natural hair out often and for frequent protective-style wearers.
Star product: The Flawless by Gabrielle Union Nourishing Scalp Spray is great for refreshing the scalp while wearing a protective style like braids, twists, or locs. Peppermint, rosemary, and aloe in the formula help to relieve a dry and itchy scalp.
Charlotte Mensah
This Ghanaian-owned hair-care brand is as luxe as it gets. Founder Charlotte Mensah is an acclaimed British hairstylist and salon owner, so when she launched her eponymous brand in 2016, it was no surprise that the hair-care line quickly became popular, especially in England. The brand’s Manketti Oil range features six simple products that will take you through your entire wash day, transforming it from a chore into a luxurious ritual.
Star product: The Manketti Oil is a rich formula that locks in moisture when used on wet hair and adds shine to dry hair after styling.
Camille Rose
Janell Stephens started Camille Rose in her kitchen to address the eczema on her children’s skin and scalp. In just three years, Stephens grew the brand, entering retail partnerships with stores like Target, Sally Beauty, CVS, and Ulta Beauty. There’s a Camille Rose product for every hair concern: The brand’s vast product range focuses on dryness, breakage, and dullness. The styling line’s gels, mousses, and leave-ins are sure to upgrade your favorite natural hairstyles.
Star product: The Camille Rose Curl Maker is the secret weapon for your twist-out needs. The lightweight gel defines curls while adding a soft hold.
TGIN
After getting a law degree from Harvard, Chris-Tia Donaldson pivoted to her passion for beauty, starting TGIN (Thank God It’s Natural) in 2009. The brand, now helmed by CEO Aris Singleton, is sold at retailers like CVS, Sally Beauty, and Target. TGIN may be a bit more low-key in profile, but if you’re in the know, you know how effective its products are.
Star product: The Honey Miracle Hair Mask is great for thirsty strands that need a healthy dose of moisture. Raw honey and jojoba oil give hair deep nourishment that lasts long after wash day.
Briogeo
You’ve probably seen the Black-founded hair-care brand Briogeo while walking down the aisles of Sephora or Ulta Beauty. Wella acquired Briogeo in 2023, but founder Nancy Twine stayed on as CEO, continuing her involvement with the brand and championing its mission for women of color. Briogeo is known for formulating solution-based products, leaving out potentially concerning ingredients such as microplastics and aerosols.
Star product: The Don't Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Conditioner won an Allure Best of Beauty Award in 2021 (and has won our Readers’ Choice Awards six times) for its moisture-packed formula that is chock-full of amino acid-rich marine algae extract.
Discover more Black-owned and -Founded brands we love:
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All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
