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

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! 

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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)

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).

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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).