Now, more than ever, I have been taking the extra time to be conscious about the brands I’m supporting. From where I buy my groceries, to where I shop for clothes, I’ve been more diligent about researching what that company stands for and what causes they support. Very recently, some beauty brands have taken to their Instagrams to declare their support and advocacy for Black people, and what more they can do to actively amplify Black voices. In light of recent events in our country, I’ve been pleased to see that some brands I’ve been buying for years have spoken out and donated to organizations supporting people of color, and have been transparent about how they can continue to diversify their companies. I’ve also discovered brands that echo the same support for people of color, and have become their customer as well. I’m sharing 4 beauty brands for human rights you should buy now.
Cocokind – This San Francsico-based beauty brand has been one of the most vocal for the BLM movement I’ve seen to date. Their Instagram caught my eye on May 29, 2020, when they posted a colorful graphic of a quote by Desmond Tutu, and a caption pledging to donate $10K to the ACLU. That’s when I ran to Target and bought my first Cocokind product, the Turmeric Stick spot treatment. They didn’t stop there, though. On June 1, they also announced that for a full week (June1- June 8), they’d be donating 100% of their online profits to different human rights organizations, including Black Lives Matter, NAACP and Reclaim the Block, which totaled $55,110! I was floored. They’ve continued to show up and show out by shouting out over 150 Black-owned beauty and wellness brands, as well as calling on Black creatives, including photographers and influencers, to work with.
Acure – Acure has been a go-to brand for me for years now. Their well-priced, vegan line is a staple in several big box retailers, making it one of the more visible clean beauty brands. Over the last few weeks, they’ve taken that responsibility seriously by being extremely vocal in their support for Black people. In conjunction with making ongoing donations to the NAACP Empowerment Programs, they’ve also pledged to participate in local Florida HBCU recruitment fairs for more Black representation in their company (they divulged their company’s demographics, which includes 40% Latinx, 33% White and 13% Black.) As far as their social media outreach, they’ve also pledged to continue to reach out to Black influencers and ensure we are represented on their channels. I was super honored when on June 16, they borrowed my content for their Instagram feed that I’d created using their award-winning Brightening Facial Scrub, with the hashtag #amplifymelanatedvoices.
Versed – Versed, like Cocokind, was another brand I’d seen in stores but never had bought. With prominent shelf space in Target, they’ve got a large audience and consumers are watching. On May 30th, they announced they’d be donating to the NAACP and urged their followers to actively discuss anti-Black racism. Along with putting their money where their mouths are, the cool girl beauty brand has kept up their Black advocacy beyond the black box movement, notably when they asked Black creators to share what Juneteenth (!!!) means to them. On just about every trip to Target recently, I’ve picked up one of their products, my current favorite being their Shortcut Overnight Facial Peel.
Meow Meow Tweet – I wasn’t surprised at all to see one of my most beloved skincare brands stepping up for Black voices. My clean beauty mama introduced me to the brand’s Lemon Rose Cleansing Oil years ago, and I’ve been hooked on them ever since. Committed to being “made with spirit,” I already knew that every month, the clean/vegan company donates at least 1% of its profits to various organizations in Earth + Nature, Social Justice and Animal Rights. In May, those profit donations included some towards The Bail Project, in direct response to the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. They didn’t slow down in June either, pledging donations to the Black Trans Protestors Emergency Fund. Meow Meow Tweet has also pledged to hire (they released their org demographics which is 2 Asian people, 1 Arab person and 5 White folkx) and partner with Black people moving forward. This is one brand I hold very close to my heart, and I’m so excited to see their growth. Buy them right meow!
I’d love to hear more about anti-racist beauty brands. Have any favorites you want to share? Let me know in the comments!
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