Afro-Latina Owned Clean and Cruelty-Free
Beauty Brands
By Alejandra Tolley
For National Latinx Heritage Month, we’re celebrating these Afro-Latina owned clean and cruelty-free beauty brands! When we make conscious decisions within our consumerism, we should support brands breaking a traditional beauty brand’s stigma and western narrative. We must buy our beauty products with intention. Historically, the cosmetic industry has centered on western beauty standards in their media and marketing. Along with this, most beauty products are formulated for particular skin and hair types, making certain luxuries not usable or accessible for Black and Afro-Latinx folks.
It’s important these listed brands continue to take up necessary space, ensure everyone feels included in the beauty industry, and provide products made to nourish and nurture our hair, skin, and bodies.
With the focus on handmade products, efficacy, and sustainability, founder Rafaela Gonzalez makes sure to provide potent antioxidant protection for deeper skin tones. These effective ingredients relieve any damage from the sun or air pollution with gentle, high-performing natural formulations.
Photos from Glory Scent Beauty
Creator and founder Adassa Ramirez is letting curly-haired women know that there is no such thing as “bad hair/malo hair.” MicMas ReMix formulates products intentionally made to nourish coily and coarse tresses through fair-trade and Non-GMO ingredients. They also help aid youth in Puerto Rico through Backpack Operation, where essential school supplies are provided for communities.
Photo from MicMas ReMix
Founder, Rocio Nuñez, is creating more space for beauty content creators of all backgrounds. This indie beauty brand provides different textures and earthy colors from glitters, bronzers, and eyeshadow pallets. Their bronze theme runs through their Instagram page, where you continue to see pigmented swatches and different vibrant looks.
Photo from Midas Cosmetics
Sister-preneurs Cory Dahlia and Nicol Varona want everyone to have an easy and affordable hair routine filled with clean and effective ingredients. Their mission is to make affordable and natural hair care accessible to every community and empower everyone to take back control of their health. Their website provides an extensive list of their quality ingredients while also letting folks know which ingredients to stay clear of.
Photo from DN Organics
Clean beauty advocate, Maia Alejandro, centers on community, mental well-being, and color psychology in her revolutionizing non-toxic nail care line. FOR TMRW is free of the ten most harmful ingredients, allowing their products to be vegan and gluten free. With a background in mental health, Maia donates a portion of their sales to Sad Girls Club, a non-profit prioritizing community for BIPOC women in their mental-wellness journey.
Photo FOR TMRW
Jessica Jade created a brand that confronts the severe pain of red, itchy, and dry skin by formulating products to hydrate and heal the discomfort from eczema. Using familiar ingredients we love, like turmeric, jojoba oil, and shea butter, this brand makes sure to provide affordable and nourishing products for BIPOC women dealing with flaky, irritated skin.
Photo from Sun Kiss Organics
Afro-Dominicana, Lulu Cordero, gathered all of her native Dominican secrets and ingredients to formulate Bomba Curls. A hair care brand celebrating all hair types! While also promoting hair growth, her products focus on scalp nourishment to rejuvenate natural hair textures without compromising the broad range of beautiful, bouncy curls.
Photo from Bomba Curls
Dominican-American sisters Mabel and Shaira Frías, celebrate their culture through their bright and lively makeup products. Centering the vibrancy from their heritage, they bring high-performing cosmetics to the industry that continue to challenge traditional beauty standards in media.
Photo from Luna Magic Beauty