Consumers were encouraged to invest and buy products from Black businesses this 27 June in the first Black Pound Day. The day began as a way to celebrate black businesses and “to empower the community, to create a new economy, which will in turn underpin long term financial growth”.
It was created by UK artist Swiss, who was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Considering all that is going on in the world today, it is more important than ever to show support however you can. The aim of Black Pound Day was to not only show support on a single day, but for people to learn about Black-owned brands which they can continue to support in the long run. Black Pound Day is set to occur on a monthly basis from now on, so here are some brands specifically owned by Black women for you to support.
- LIHA beauty (https://lihabeauty.com/)
Founded by best friends Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan this brand offers natural handmade skincare products using vegan and ethically sourced ingredients. Combining their knowledge of aromatherapy and Nigerian beauty tradition, this amazing duo were able to establish an organic range of products featuring the best of both worlds.
- Anita Grant (https://anitagrant.com/)
After ending up in hospital with a bad reaction to lotion that contained propane-1,2-diol, Anita Grant began experimenting with creating products containing natural ingredients found in her kitchen (virgin coconut oil, sugar, flaxseeds, etc.). She began making hair and body oils, scrubs, shampoo and conditioner and hair gel. Now she offers a range of handmade hair, skin and body products made from natural ingredients ethically sourced from farms and organic traders.
- Manicure You (https://www.manicureyou.com/)
After many years of having acrylic nails and shellac polish manicures, Nicola, the founder of Manicure You, noticed that her natural nails had undergone some damage. She decided to create nail polish that allowed her nails to stay healthy and grow, whilst looking amazing. The brand offers a range of shades that are affordable, cruelty-free and toxic-free.
- MDMflow (https://mdmflow.com/)
In a world where most well-known beauty brands advertise themselves to White consumers first and everyone else second, it’s amazing to find a brand that is incredibly inclusive whilst catering specifically to the need of Black consumers. MDMflow is a makeup brand founded by Florence Adepoju. They offer a range of highly pigmented handmade lipsticks, which can be found in Topshop, Harvey Nichols and other stores as well as online.
- Made You Look BLVD (https://www.mylblvd.com/)
This brand offers a range of affordable cruelty-free vegan lip gloss that can be worn by everyone everyday regardless of ethnicity, sexuality or gender.
- Kionii (https://www.kionii.com/)
This brand offers incredible personalised jewellery inspired by Black culture that are amazing quality and affordable.
- Ashanti Swimwear (https://www.ashantiswimwear.com/)
Founded by Yasmeen Opare, this brand offers African swimwear using traditional Ghanaian Kente print. On top of offering beautiful swimwear, Yasmeen uses her platform to educate people about Ghanaian culture.
- WMNS WEAR (https://www.wmnswear.com/)
This is a brand created for women by women, they offer transitional athleisure style clothes that can be worn anywhere and anytime.
- Kai Collective (https://kaicollective.com/)
Kai Collective was established in 2016 by fashion and travel blogger Fisayo Longe. Offering a range of ethically sourced luxury clothing, this brand is all about embracing and expressing your femininity.
- Nubian Skin (https://www.nubianskin.com/)
As a person of colour, it is almost impossible to find nude or skin tone clothing. If you do a quick Google search of nude clothing or makeup, you’ll find that there is practically nothing that compliments dark skin tones. Ade Hassan decided that it was time for a change, to redefine what nude meant, and thus the creation of Nubian Skin. This brand offers a range of nude lingerie, swimwear and hosiery for people of colour.
- Kem Kouture (https://kemkouture.co.uk/)
Founded by 20 year old Justina Nwofor, this brand offers a range of stylish clothing for women. Inspired by the vibrant and bold clothing by male designers Gsuwoo and Shane Justin, Justina wanted to create a brand for women to allow them to be their best, boldest self and look amazing doing that.
You may be confused about how buying a couple of items from these brands can help the BLM movement, but when you think about the systemic racism that has been in place for many years, it has been very hard for many Black businesses to thrive, despite their originality and creativeness. On top of that, it is also quite difficult to find these brands, as they are constantly overshadowed by large fast-fashion brands such as Pretty Little Thing or Fashion Nova. This list is just a small glimpse into the world of black owned brands, there are many resources and directories out there that can help you connect with Black owned brands from a wide range of sectors:
- https://blackpoundday.uk/
- @blackcowries (Instagram)
- @officialblackwallstreet (Instagram)
- @buyitblackowned (Instagram)
These directories are constantly being updated so you’ll almost always find something you need. It is also important to remember that buying products is not the only way you can show support; be mindful to leave reviews, tell your family and friends, share on social media and be part of the movement.
Black Lives Matter & Happy Shopping!