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Home • Beauty

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
Wild Card/Miscellaneous
By ESSENCE Beauty Editors · Updated October 24, 2020

Some beauty products don’t fit into specific categories — but that doesn’t make them any less special. This is a round up off the best-of-the-rest, aka our favorite fragrances, toothpastes, gadgets, green beauty brands and beyond. Take a look and let us know what you’re obessed with! 

01
Best Black-Owned Beauty Brand

We love absolutely every single item in this line. The founder, Dana Jackson, has created a collection of nontoxic luxury potions that is primed to become a big deal in the beauty industry. Beneath Your mask Polish Detoxifying Body Scrub ($70, beneathyourmask.com)

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
02
Best Stain-Fighting Toothpaste

Stained teeth are no match for Colgate’s newest hydrogen peroxide–-formulated paste. That’s definitely -something to smile about. Colgate Optic White Platinum Stain-Less White Toothpaste ($4, target.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
03
Best New Fragrances

Finding a fantastic perfume is life- and mood-changing. There were plenty of fragrance launches over the past year, but these three really swept us off our feet. They all serve up a feminine floral vibe in very distinct ways: Ex Nihilo’s Viper Green is lavish, Ralph Lauren’s Woman is rich and spicy, and Giorgio Armani’s Sì Passione is oh, so sexy! Ralph Lauren Woman ($110, 3.4 oz, macys.com); EX NIHILO Viper Green ($325, 100 ml, bergdorfgoodman.com); Giorgio Armani Sì Passione ($86, 1.7 oz, giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
04
Best Budget-Friendly Finds

These treats deliver major hydration and color without breaking the bank. So you can totally skip feeling guilty when it’s time to re-up on these must-haves. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks ($5, target.com); OGX Beauty L Salon-Technology Restoring + Bonding Plex Collection ($9 each item, ulta.com); ColourPop Super Shock Shadows ($5 each, colourpop.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
05
Worth the Splurge

It’s an age-old dilemma for the chic crowd: prestige versus drugstore buys. And while we live for an -affordable makeup find, there are those goodies that are actually worth the extra coins. These luxury brands make some of the finest hair, body and makeup products around. Period. DIOR Diorific Matte Lip & Cheek Colour $38, dior.com; Oribe Côte d’Azur Luminous Hair & Body Oil $75, oribe.com; Byredo Bal d’Afrique Body Lotion ($65, byredo.com); Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IV: Decadence palette ($125, sephora.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
06
Best Green Beauty Brands

If organic, nontoxic blends are your thing, then make sure to add these four fabulous brands to your shopping list. They each have a clear focus on clean beauty—and we love them for it. Lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in b. dazzling, Virtuous Veil -Concealer & Eye Primer and Flawless Finish Foundation ($46, $44 and $48, lilahbeauty.com); Aba Love Apothecary Flower Crown Brightening Facial Serum ($68, abaloveapothecary.com); Susanne Kaufmann Witch Hazel Bath ($70, spacenk.com); REN Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic ($35, sephora.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
07
Best Gotta-Have Gadgets

When tech and beauty meet, pure magic happens. Any item that makes our routine more efficient, effective or, heck, more enjoyable is a clear champion in our book, and these products are all of the above. Dyson Supersonic Hair -Dryer ($400, dyson.com); Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Pro Facial Steamer ($149, sephora.com).

ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2018: Perfumes, Green Beauty, Black-Owned Brands and Beyond
TOPICS:  Best In Black Beauty 2018