Black-Owned Natural Hair & Skin Care Brands
Category 1 — Founded by Licensed Beauty Professionals
Taliah Waajid Brand
Based in: Atlanta, Georgia Founded: 1996
Founder:
Taliah Waajid
Education & Qualifications:[/B
]Self-trained from age 14; became a Licensed Master Cosmetologist and Natural Hair Care Specialist in the State of Georgia. Has trained thousands of stylists worldwide in chemical-free natural hair techniques.
Professional Licenses:
Licensed Master Cosmetologist Certified Natural Hair Care Specialist Master Natural Hair Educator
Licensed 30+ years — began styling professionally at age 14 in the early 1990s. Operated her own Atlanta salon for 25+ years.Products:Four natural, paraben-free, chemical-free collections — Black Earth Products, Curls Waves & Natural, Kinky Wavy & Natural, and Pure & Natural Shea-Coco — plus Uncle Jimmy Men's Grooming (natural beard, hair & body care).
Market Niche:Taliah created the very first complete line of natural, chemical-free products designed specifically for textured hair in 1996 — at a time when the market offered almost nothing. She is also the founder of the World Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Show, the world's largest natural hair trade and consumer event, now in its 28th year.
Brand Story:Taliah's mother refused to let her get a relaxer as a child, forcing her to learn to manage her own big, coily hair early on. That challenge became her calling. She started styling hair at age 14, became a Licensed Master Cosmetologist, and opened her own natural hair salon in Atlanta. By 1996, no product on the market worked properly for her clients' chemical-free hair — so she made her own. Black Earth Products was sold exclusively in her salon until demand overflowed. Taliah is widely credited as one of the original architects of the natural hair movement in America and is known as "The Queen of Curly, Coily Natural Hair."
Dr. Locs
Based in: Atlanta, Georgia (Kariel & Co. Salon) Founded: c. 2013
Founder: Chimere Faulk
Education & Qualifications:Built expertise entirely through hands-on practice over two decades. Became known as "The Natural Hair Lady" in Atlanta before developing her own product line. Traveled nationally to service clients and trained fellow stylists in loc care techniques.
Professional Licenses:
Licensed Natural Hair Stylist Professional Loctician Licensed 20+ years — dedicated specifically to the loc community, licensed in the State of Georgia.Products:Jinan Leave-In Conditioner, ACV Rinse, Clarifying Shampoo, Loc Butter, Hair & Scalp Oil — all-natural, buildup-free formulas designed exclusively for locs and dreadlocks.
Market Niche:The only hair care brand formulated specifically to solve product buildup inside locs — a problem mainstream and natural hair brands alike failed to address. Unlike loose natural hair, locs trap product and are uniquely vulnerable to mold and damage from buildup. Dr. Locs serves everyone from new loc starters to veteran wearers worldwide.
Brand Story:Chimere Faulk built a loyal following as a loctician and natural hair stylist in Atlanta, traveling across the country to service clients who sought her out by name. Her clients with locs returned frustrated again and again — every product on the market created buildup inside their locs. Chimere went to a local natural market, gathered ingredients, and went to work in her kitchen. Her very first formula — the Jinan Leave-In Conditioner — worked. Clients immediately begged to buy bottles to share with friends, and Dr. Locs was born. She was also moved to grow the brand after hearing about Black women being discriminated against and denied jobs in corporate America for wearing dreadlocks.
Beauty by Dr°K
Based in: Los Angeles, California Founded: c. 2015
Founder: Dr. Kari Williams, Ph.D.
Education & Qualifications:Ph.D. in Trichology (the scientific study of hair and scalp disorders), board-certified through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Licensed barber and cosmetologist in the State of California. Started styling hair in high school and became a licensed barber while still in college. Celebrity stylist to Brandy Norwood, Meagan Good, Willow Smith, and Ava DuVernay. Creator of the Goddess Locs technique (2015). Currently serves as Director of Education at Cécred (Beyoncé's hair care brand).
Professional Licenses:
Licensed Barber (California) Licensed Cosmetologist (California) Board-Certified Trichologist — Ph.D Certified Natural Hair Care Specialist & Educator Licensed 20+ years — began in high school. Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California State Board of Barbering & Cosmetology in 2013; served as Board President for 3 years through 2020. Owned and operated Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic in Los Angeles for 15 years.Products:Daily Spray (multi-purpose hydration mist), Curling Creme — natural, step-by-step "Dr. K Kit" system designed to guide consumers to healthy hair at home without damaging their natural curls and coils.
Market Niche:Trichology-informed natural hair care for curly and coily hair — specifically addressing scalp disorders, hair loss, alopecia, and eczema-related scalp conditions that mainstream brands consistently ignore. One of the only beauty brand founders in the U.S. with a doctoral degree in trichology.
Brand Story:Dr. Kari Williams discovered her passion for hair in high school, became a licensed barber in college, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Trichology — one of the rarest credentials in the U.S. beauty industry. She opened Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic in Los Angeles, blending salon artistry with clinical scalp science for 15 years. In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown appointed her to the California State Board of Barbering & Cosmetology, where she served as President. She launched AnnCarol Beauty (named in honor of her mother) and later relaunched as Beauty by Dr°K — bringing clinical-grade thinking directly to consumers whose natural hair was being damaged by products that prioritized curl definition over hair health.
Category 2 — Natural Hair Care Pioneers
Mielle Organics
Based in: Chicago, Illinois / Products made in USA Founded: 2014
Founder: Monique Rodriguez
Education & Qualifications:Registered Nurse (R.N.) — worked as a labor and delivery nurse for 8 years before founding Mielle. Self-educated in natural and organic hair care ingredients through extensive personal research and community building on social media.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Her professional credential is a Registered Nurse (R.N.) — a healthcare license. Formulation knowledge was self-developed through ingredient research during her nursing career, working alongside manufacturing partners and chemists after launch.Products:Shampoos, conditioners, the viral Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, styling products, body care — 10 collections, globally sourced natural ingredients. All products made in the USA.
Market Niche:Premium natural textured hair care for Black and multicultural consumers. One of the fastest-growing Black-founded beauty brands in history. Available in 100,000+ U.S. stores and 87+ countries. Acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2023.
Brand Story:Monique Rodriguez grew up in Chicago shaped by her mother's homemade hair treatments and always dreamed of working in beauty — but became a registered nurse instead. In 2013, following the devastating loss of her infant son Milan, she turned to creating natural hair recipes in her kitchen as a way to heal, sharing her journey on Instagram. Followers began asking about her products, she made her first online sale, and Mielle Organics was born. She and her husband Melvin launched officially in 2014, with Monique resigning from nursing on the very same day. The brand went globally viral with its Rosemary Mint Oil and was acquired by P&G in 2023. Rodriguez has since launched a venture fund to support minority-owned beauty and wellness businesses.
TGIN — Thank God It's Natural
Based in: Chicago, Illinois Founded: 2013
Founder: Chris-Tia Donaldson (1979–2021) ️ (Detroit, Michigan)
Education & Qualifications:A.B. in Economics (with High Honors), Harvard University. Juris Doctor (J.D.), Harvard Law School. Attorney at Sidley Austin, Jenner & Block, and in-house counsel at Oracle Corporation. Founding President of the Harvard Black Alumni Society. #1 Amazon bestselling author — "Thank God I'm Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Natural Hair" (hailed the "Natural Hair Bible" by Essence Magazine).
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Her credentials were in law. Hair care knowledge was developed through deep personal research, her own transition journey, and consultation with professional stylists. Her bestselling book on natural hair preceded the product line by several years.Products:Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, Miracle RepaiRx hair oils, body care, and a men's line — all natural, plant-based, and paraben-free.
Market Niche:Natural hair care for Black women transitioning away from chemical relaxers; deeply community-focused with a mission to empower women to embrace their natural hair in professional settings. Available at Target, Ulta, Walmart, Whole Foods, CVS, and Walgreens.
Brand Story:A Detroit native, Chris-Tia Donaldson earned two degrees from Harvard. As a corporate attorney in Chicago, she was transitioning from relaxers and found almost nothing that worked — and was even advised by colleagues that her curly hair wasn't "professional," wearing a wig for nearly two years in corporate settings. That experience ignited her. She first wrote the natural hair guide "Thank God I'm Natural" in 2010 (it became a #1 Amazon bestseller), then used $40,000 in personal savings to launch the TGIN product line in 2013. Target picked up TGIN for 250 stores by 2015 — the same year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She continued leading the brand and founded the TGIN Foundation to support uninsured women in cancer treatment. She passed away in November 2021 at age 42, leaving an enduring legacy of empowerment, resilience, and service.
Oyin Handmade
Based in: Baltimore, Maryland (still family-owned & self-manufactured) Founded: 2001
Founders: Jamyla Bennu & Pierre Bennu (husband & wife)
Education & Qualifications:Self-taught natural product maker — Jamyla calls herself a "Mixtress." No formal cosmetology license or business degree. Built product expertise over 20+ years through hands-on formulation using food-grade and natural ingredients. Built one of the earliest natural hair websites in 2003, well before social media existed.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Jamyla is a community-built expert — her authority comes from 20+ years of formulating, direct customer relationships, and being one of the pioneering voices of the natural hair movement online.Products:Honey Hemp Conditioner, Juices & Berries Leave-In Detangler, Whipped Pudding, Burnt Sugar Pomade, natural deodorants, men's grooming products — all food-grade, naturally derived ingredients (honey, shea butter, aloe vera, coconut oil).
Market Niche:Among the very first (2001) natural hair brands in America, at a time when virtually every "ethnic" product focused on relaxing or straightening. Pioneered food-based, moisture-rich formulas for highly textured, coily hair. Sold at Target, Whole Foods, and CVS. Remains a proudly small, family-owned, Black woman-led business.
Brand Story:Jamyla Bennu fell in love with the Yoruba word "Oyin" (meaning honey) as a little girl at a baby naming ceremony. By 2001, she was mixing moisture-rich products in her Baltimore kitchen — frustrated by a market that offered almost nothing for kinky, coily hair that wasn't about straightening it. She built a website in 2003 and began selling online, becoming one of the earliest voices in the natural hair community. Oyin became famous for its legendary "bottling parties" — loyal customers who came to the Baltimore storefront and literally helped fill and label the products. More than 20 years later, Oyin remains independent, Black woman-owned, and still manufactured in Baltimore.
Kinky-Curly
Based in: Los Angeles, California Founded: 2003
Founder: Shelley Davis (born in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Caribbean)
Education & Qualifications:B.S. in Business (Marketing major), Syracuse University. Supplemented with self-directed online cosmetic chemistry coursework. Previous full-time career in entertainment at a major television network. Partnered with a professional laboratory for preservation and shelf-stability testing.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Shelley's foundation is in business and marketing, enhanced with self-directed cosmetic chemistry study. In her own words: "I was a business major in school. I went to Syracuse... learning [chemistry] was like learning something new, so I basically took a class like how to make soap."Products:Original Curling Custard, Knot Today Leave-In / Detangler, Come Clean Shampoo, Spiral Spritz — all-natural, plant-derived shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, and styling products.
Market Niche:One of the earliest (2003) natural curl care pioneers. Products rooted in Caribbean botanical heritage — built a nationwide loyal following entirely through word of mouth before influencer marketing existed. The iconic Curling Custard remains a staple of natural hair routines.
Brand Story:Shelley Davis grew up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and came to the U.S. for college, earning a business degree from Syracuse University before landing in entertainment. On a trip home one summer, her hair products were misplaced and a family member made her a homemade herbal brew of Caribbean botanicals — and the results were unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Working full-time at a television network, she enrolled in online cosmetic chemistry courses in her spare time and began experimenting. In 2003, she launched with her first product — Jojoba Jelly — built a website, and grew entirely through word of mouth. Kinky-Curly is now nationally distributed and widely credited as a foundational brand of the natural hair movement.
Naturalicious
Based in: Lavonia, Michigan (Detroit metro area) Founded: c. 2013
Founder: Gwen Jimmere (raised in Cleveland, Ohio)
Education & Qualifications:B.S. in IT & Engineering, Kent State University (completed in just 2 years by taking college courses in high school). Background in marketing and corporate communications — formerly Global Digital Communications Director at Ford Motor Company. Self-studied patent law for nearly two years.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.In Gwen's own words: "I am not a chemist, and I am not a lawyer. My background is in marketing."However, she holds a distinction no other beauty founder in U.S. history had before her — she is the first Black woman to hold a U.S. patent for a natural hair care product, a milestone she achieved by self-teaching patent law over nearly two years.Products:Patented Moroccan Rhassoul 5-in-1 Clay Treatment; a 3-step wash-day system that replaces up to 10 products and cuts wash day time by up to 80%. All products handmade with premium natural ingredients — no fillers of any kind.
Market Niche:Simplified, patented natural hair care for curly and coily hair that dramatically reduces product overload and wash-day time. Available in 1,200+ retail stores globally including Whole Foods. Gwen also co-founded Pitch Proof, which teaches entrepreneurs how to grow businesses without debt.
Brand Story:Growing up in Cleveland, Gwen Jimmere was so academically advanced she finished her Kent State degree in just two years, before heading into a high-powered marketing career that took her all the way to Global Digital Communications Director at Ford Motor Company. When she was pregnant with her son, she watched Chris Rock's documentary "Good Hair" and was alarmed by what relaxers could do. She went natural and began experimenting in her kitchen. Then a layoff and a divorce hit simultaneously — with only $32 in her bank account and a toddler to support. With nothing to lose, she cold-called Whole Foods Detroit, talked her way into a meeting, and they ordered for 600 stores. She later spent nearly two years teaching herself patent law, ultimately becoming the first Black woman in U.S. history to patent a natural hair care product.
Category 3 — Heritage-Rooted & Global Brands
SheaMoisture
Based in: Harlem, New York City Founded: 1991
Founders: Richelieu Dennis, Mary Dennis (mother) & Nyema Tubman (Babson classmate)(Richelieu born in Liberia, West Africa)
Education & Qualifications:B.S., Babson College (Wellesley, MA) — ranked #1 in the U.S. for entrepreneurship. Began selling shea butter from his dorm room. Generational knowledge of African botanical formulation inherited directly from his grandmother, who sold shea butter in West African village markets to fund his mother's education.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Richelieu Dennis's credentials are in entrepreneurship and business. His formulation foundation is generational West African botanical knowledge passed through his family for generations.Products:Shea butter-based shampoos, conditioners, styling creams, African Black soap body wash, raw shea butter, curl-enhancing products, body lotions — all naturally derived, fair-trade, and ethically sourced from West African cooperatives.
Market Niche:Pioneered the natural multicultural beauty market in mass retail. Brought fair-trade African botanical ingredients (shea butter, black soap) to Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens for Black and Brown communities. Revolutionized retail shelf placement for ethnic hair care. Sold to Unilever for a reported $1.6 billion in 2017 — the largest acquisition of a Black-founded beauty brand at the time.
Brand Story:Richelieu Dennis grew up in Liberia during violent civil conflict, his family regularly fleeing between Liberia and Sierra Leone. His grandmother sold shea butter in village markets to fund his mother's education — a tradition she brought with her to America. After Dennis graduated from Babson College, he and his mother began selling shea butter, African black soap, and incense from a card table on the streets of Harlem. They formally founded Sundial Brands in 1991. It took 16 years of street vending and independent retail to reach major retailers. SheaMoisture hit Target shelves in 2008 and transformed the mass beauty market. In 2017, Unilever acquired Sundial for approximately $1.6 billion. Dennis used the proceeds to launch the New Voices Fund to support Black women entrepreneurs.
Category 4 — Prestige & Clean Beauty
Briogeo Hair Care
Based in: New York City, New York (East Village) Founded: 2013
Founder: Nancy Twine (grew up in West Virginia)
Education & Qualifications:B.S. in Finance, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia. Vice President at Goldman Sachs (Commodities Sales & Trading, Fixed Income, Equities, and FICC divisions) for nearly a decade. Mother was a physician and chemist who formulated home beauty products — Nancy's earliest teacher. Worked with professional cosmetic chemists to develop all formulas.
License Status:
No cosmetology, barbering, or esthetics license held.Nancy's background is in finance, supplemented by her mother's chemistry influence and years of self-directed research. She collaborated with professional chemists to develop all Briogeo formulations and bootstrapped the brand for 6 years before partnering with Sephora.Products:Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask, Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Shampoo, Curl Charisma collection, Style & Treat styling line — 90–100% naturally derived; free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, DEA & synthetic color.
Market Niche:Pioneer of the "skinification of hair" movement — bringing prestige, science-backed, clean formulations to all hair types and textures. Youngest Black woman to launch a product line at Sephora (age 29). Multiple Allure Best of Beauty Award winner. Acquired by Wella Company in 2022; Nancy remains Founder and continues in her role.
Brand Story:Nancy Twine grew up in West Virginia spending summers making homemade shampoos and conditioners with her grandmother. She studied finance at UVA and joined Goldman Sachs, rising to Vice President of Commodities Trading. When her mother — a physician and chemist — passed away unexpectedly in 2010, Nancy began a period of grief and soul-searching that led her back to the natural beauty formulas they used to make together. She began bootstrapping Briogeo nights and weekends from her East Village apartment, working with chemists and formulating with avocado, quinoa, and rosehip oil. At just 29, she became the youngest Black woman to launch a product line at Sephora. Less than 10 years later, in 2022, she sold Briogeo to Wella Company while remaining at the helm.
Category 5 — Science-Backed Skincare
Topicals
Based in: Los Angeles, California Founded: 2020
Founder: Olamide Olowe (Nigerian-American)
Education & Qualifications:Attended Howard University (HBCU). Background in beauty brand marketing. Youngest Black woman to raise $10 million in venture capital in the beauty industry. All Topicals formulas are developed in partnership with board-certified dermatologists who co-sign every product — a clinical advisory model.
License Status:
No cosmetology, esthetics, or medical license held.Topicals operates on a dermatologist-partnered clinical model — all products are co-developed with and co-signed by board-certified dermatologists, even though the founder herself does not hold a beauty trade license.Products:Faded Serum (hyperpigmentation & dark spots), Like Butter Mask (eczema-prone skin), Slick Salve, Tall Order Serum — science-formulated, dermatologist-co-signed, clean skincare for melanin-rich skin.
Market Niche:Science-based skincare targeting chronic skin conditions (hyperpigmentation, eczema, psoriasis) that disproportionately affect deeper skin tones — a historically underserved clinical gap. Mental health advocacy is core to the brand's identity — normalizing life with chronic skin conditions.
Brand Story:Olamide Olowe grew up navigating eczema and hyperpigmentation — conditions that mainstream skincare consistently failed to address for deeper skin tones. After studying at Howard University and building experience in beauty marketing, she launched Topicals in 2020 with a mission to reframe "flare-ups, freakouts, and everything in between." The Faded Serum went viral almost immediately, and she became the youngest Black woman to raise $10 million in beauty venture capital. The brand pairs dermatologist-co-signed formulations with radically honest messaging about chronic skin and mental health — continuing to expand through 2025–2026.
54 Thrones
Based in: Houston, Texas Founded: 2018
Founder: Christina Funke Tegbe (Nigerian-American)
Education & Qualifications:M.B.A. in International Business & Marketing. 10+ years in pharmaceutical and medical device sales — providing deep professional knowledge of ingredient science, skin biology, manufacturing standards, and regulatory compliance.
License Status:
No cosmetology or esthetics license held.Christina's pharmaceutical and medical device background gives her a scientific rigor for formulation that is arguably more technical than a cosmetology license for the skin care category. All sourcing partnerships are built directly with African farmers and cooperatives across the continent.Products:African Luxury Beauty Butters, Shea Butter Beauty Butter, body oils, natural body care collection — all sustainably sourced African botanical ingredients drawn from all 54 nations of Africa (shea, marula, baobab, kalahari melon seed oil, and more).
Market Niche:Luxury African botanical body and skin care celebrating the full biodiversity of the African continent — not just shea butter. Expanding into full facial skincare in 2025–2026. A first-of-its-kind model in luxury natural beauty that centers African sourcing and African attribution.
Brand Story:Christina Funke Tegbe was raised in a Nigerian-American family and spent over a decade in pharmaceutical and medical device sales, developing a rigorous understanding of how ingredients interact with the body. On trips back to Nigeria and across Africa, she was struck by the richness of African botanical traditions that luxury beauty brands were either ignoring or appropriating without acknowledgment or community benefit. In 2018, she launched 54 Thrones — named for Africa's 54 nations — building a brand that sources directly from African farmers across the continent and places Africa proudly at the center of luxury natural beauty.
Category 6 — Clinically Founded Brands
GIRL+HAIR
Based in: New York City, New York Founded: c. 2017
Founder: Dr. Camille H. Verovic, M.D.
Education & Qualifications:Medical Doctor (M.D.), board-certified physician. Decades of personal experience managing her own tightly coiled 4C hair through the demanding years of medical school, residency, and professional practice. Clinical expertise in scalp biology, follicle health, traction alopecia, and dermatological conditions.
Professional License:
Medical Doctor (M.D.) — Board-Certified Physician Practicing 20+ years.Dr. Verovic holds the highest clinical credential of any founder in this entire guide. While not a licensed cosmetologist, her medical training provides a clinical understanding of scalp and hair biology that directly informs every product formula. Not a beauty trade license — a medical one.Products:Under-Hair protective style line: nourishing cleansing rinse, scalp serum, shampoo, conditioner, edge care — specifically engineered for cleansing and treating the scalp and hair under braids, weaves, locs, and extensions without disturbing the style.
Market Niche:The first and only hair care brand formulated specifically for use under protective styles — addressing a massive unmet clinical need for Black women who wear braids, weaves, and locs. Directly targets traction alopecia prevention — a condition disproportionately affecting Black women.
Brand Story:Throughout her medical career, Dr. Camille Verovic wore wigs, weaves, and braids to protect her tightly coiled 4C hair through the grueling hours of medical training. She constantly faced an impossible choice — disrupt the style to clean her scalp properly, or sacrifice her scalp health. As a physician, she knew the clinical consequences: traction alopecia, scalp inflammation, and fungal infections from a poorly maintained scalp under a protective style. No product existed to solve this. She created GIRL+HAIR to fill that clinical gap entirely — products designed to penetrate and work under the style, keeping the scalp clean and nourished between salon appointments. Her M.D. credential shapes the formulation philosophy from the ground up.
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