7 Native-Owned Beauty Companies Making Waves in the Market

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What qualities do you seek in beauty companies? It’s a conversational subject with varying responses depending on who you ask. To provide a space where the Indigenous youth feel seen and heard as well as represented, more Indigenous-owned beauty companies are emerging as the beauty industry expands. Their culture is seen throughout the packaging and formulations of these Indigenous-owned beauty companies, blending their products with both heritage and culture. They were inspired by their traditional clothing and the brilliant color patterns from their original upbringing.

All of the founders of these Native American beauty brands have the same objective: to build a community where Native Americans feel represented in the beauty industry and can exchange customs and rituals that have been passed down from generation to generation. They may have founded their businesses for various reasons, such as the inclusivity of shade ranges or an inspiring dream. Their shared goal of giving back to their community while pursuing diversity and sustainability is another similarity.

Yukon Soaps Company

 

The Yukon Soaps Company was founded by Joella Hogan to introduce people to the Indigenous culture and territory of Canada’s Yukon province. Hogan’s community of elders and employed young have hand-selected the native, wild botanicals used in the creation of these hand-crafted soap bars, shampoo bars, and essential oil blends. The Body & Soap Combination is available from The Yukon Soaps Company online or at farmer’s markets all around Yukon.

Blended Girl Cosmetics

Sh-Fawn Chee, the company’s founder, observed little to no representation of Indigenous culture in the aisles of some of her favorite beauty stores, which led to the creation of Blended Girl. Chee set out to develop a cosmetics brand that represented her ethnicity sans the Pendleton/Aztec motifs that were frequently used on the beauty goods in her culture after falling in love with makeup at the age of 22. Warm neutrals named for daily affirmations are included in the Indigenous Goddess Eye Shadow Palette, which serves as a gentle reminder to the user to value themselves when wearing makeup.

Cheekbone Beauty

Founder Jenn Harper had a dream about small brown children with pink cheeks applying gobs of gloss across their lips and giggling gleefully which gave her the idea to start her own beauty company. You may find Sustain Liquid Lipsticks with names of Indigenous women from across North America in the Cheekbone Beauty line. The names of the berry rose, and brown Sustain Lipsticks are taken from Native American languages (Harper has Anishinaabe roots). The pinks that Harper observed on the cheeks of her dream girls are available in the Sustain Blush/Bronzer Duos. Cheekbone is a representative of the upcoming generation of Indigenous children that require empowerment because she is a member of a disenfranchised community, the author claims.

Prados Beauty

Cece Meadows, the founder of Prados Beauty, who has ancestors from New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Mexico, says, “I adore splashes of color. We are vivid and colorful people, and this can be seen in our art, jewelry, clothing, textiles, and cosmetics. Meadows’ multicolored, beaded earrings and vivid costumes are reflected in Prados Beauty’s The Matriarch Palette’s watermelon blush, coral lipstick, and punchy eye shadow hues. On the package, the phrase “unapologetically gorgeous” is printed. It will grow on you, she claims if you read something every day that serves as a reminder of who you are. And I want anyone who uses my products to constantly think of themselves as being lovely.

Ah-Shi Beauty

LaFrance-Chachere had never seen herself portrayed in beauty commercials while growing up on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. She instead looked LaFrance-Chachere never seen herself portrayed in beauty commercials while growing up on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Instead, she looked to her family’s female members, who blended readily available base colors to complement their skin. The foundation of her brand is this recollection. The shade selection of Ah-Shi Beauty’s Hi-Def Foundation was developed by LaFrance-Chachere using the deep brown skin tones of her family as a starting point. She gave Diné, the Navajo language, a name for her company. She explains, “Ah-Shi Beauty means ‘this is me, this is my beauty.

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Sequoia Soaps

Michaelee Lazore started Sequoia Soaps in 2002 to highlight the value of sustainability and future generations. Sequoia Soaps is owned and run by Indigenous women. Consider Blackberry Sage Body Scrub, whose two major components—the aromatic aroma of sage and the sweet and tart scent of blackberries—are ethically and regionally sourced and are frequently used in herbal remedies.

Photo credit Pexels

By Finn