Nordstrom Beauty Is Launching a Category for Black-Owned Brands
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The easiest way to support the Black community is by investing your money, and Black-owned beauty brands deserve to be supported now and every day.
From patented skincare formulas, to pigmented, extended shade ranges that look gorgeous on every single skin tone, these Black entrepreneurs are setting the beauty trends and creating new standards across all product categories that other brands eventually follow.
Nordstrom is recognizing the talent of the Black innovators in the beauty industry by expanding its beauty selection online with a focus on Black-owned brands. Inclusive Beauty at Nordstrom is a curated shop of products from some of the best leading and emerging Black-owned haircare, skincare, and makeup brands.
There will also be Inclusive Beauty outposts at 27 brick-and-mortar Nordstrom stores.
RELATED: The Best Black-Owned Beauty Products to Shop in 2020
Nordstrom is kicking off the new Inclusive Beauty category with seven brands, including Ron Robinson's Beauty Stat, Nancy Twice's Briogeo, Karamo's MANTL, Hannah Choi & Shannon Kennard's Baby Tress, Cashmere Nicole's Beauty Bakerie, Lulu Cordero's Bomba Curls, and Ozohu Adoh's Epara.
When choosing the initial brands to carry in its Inclusive Beauty category, Nordstrom focused on product efficacy and formula innovation.
"Product efficacy was a top criteria for brands that were selected for the new category," Autumne West, beauty director at Nordstrom tells InStyle. "This is just the beginning and we look forward to adding more Black-founded brands, Latinx-founded brands and brands created by other people of color to our Inclusive Beauty category in spring 2021 and beyond."
The creation of Inclusive Beauty is also in response to Nordstrom customers wanting the retailer to carry more Black-owned brands.
VIDEO: 12 Black-Owned Indie Beauty Brands to Keep on Your Radar
"Customers have told us they want Nordstrom to offer more products that meet the needs of everyone, no matter their skin or hair type, tone, complexion or texture, as well as those that are uniquely designed by and for people of color," West shares. "They’ve also told us they want it to be easier to find and shop these products in one place."
Ahead, learn more about the brands in Nordstrom's Inclusive Beauty category. Then, shop some of their hero products.
BeautyStat
Cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson formulated skincare products for some of the biggest brands in the beauty industry until creating his own brand, BeautyStat, in 2019. His first launch is also his brand's hero product. The Universal C Skin Refiner is a triple-patented vitamin C serum that doesn't oxidize, which means the last drops are equally as effective as the first. Robinson has recently expanded his line with a vitamin C CBD eye cream and ceramide-rich moisturizer.
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To buy: $80; nordstrom.com.
Baby Tress
Thanks to Hannah Choi and Shannon Kennard, your edges are officially laid. The duo created Baby Tress' 3-in-1 Edge Styling Tool after noticing there was a lack of innovative styling tools for baby hairs on the market. This multipurpose tool is designed to replace the handful of different brushes women often use to treat and style their baby hairs, like toothbrushes and rat tail combs. Better yet? It comes in a several colorways and only sets you back $15.
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To buy: $15; nordstrom.com.
Epara
Crafted using the finest African botanicals, Ozohu Ado's Epara transforms any at-home skincare routine into a luxurious experience. The founder kept the needs of melanin-rich skin in mind when creating Epara's skin and body care products, but they can benefit all skin tones and types. Take the Brightening Night Balm, for example. The rich, nourishing formula includes naturally-derived brightening actives that target hyperpigmentation and dullness.
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To buy: $140; nordstrom.com.
MANTL
Queer Eye's Karamo co-founded MANTL to help men celebrate and embrace their baldness, whether they experience hair loss or shaved it off in a cathartic release. The products include blotting sheets, face and scalp cleanser and moisturizer, and most importantly, sunscreen. The SPF 30 formula is designed to provide protection without leaving a white cast — on your face or your scalp.
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To buy: $27; nordstrom.com.
Briogeo
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Beauty editors of all hair types and textures swear by Briogeo, a clean haircare line that's formulated with plant-derived ingredients as well as vegan and cruelty-free. While founder Nancy Twine has created products that specifically cater to the needs of curly and coily hair, there are options in the range that benefit all textures. Case in point: the Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask. The intensive treatment can be used weekly to deeply hydrate and nourish hair that's dry and brittle from chemical processing and heat styling.
To buy: $38; nordstrom.com.
Beauty Bakerie
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Pigmented eyeshadows that offer vibrant color without any shimmery fallout? Yup, it's possible if you're applying one of Beauty Bakerie's eyeshadows. On top of the Proof is in the Puddin' palette, Cashmere Nicole's brand offers a full range of high-performance makeup with shades for every skin tone, like the cult-favorite Lip Whips.
To buy: $40; nordstrom.com.
Bomba Curls
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Lulu Cordero founded Bomba Curls after dealing with traction alopecia, hair loss that can develop as a result of wearing wigs or protective styles, making Black women more susceptible to it. Cordero turned to tried-and-true DIY hair remedies from her Dominican heritage to create products made with organic ingredients that promote hair growth and health. One such product is the Dominican Forbidden Hair Oil, a blend of coffee seed, castor, and black cumin seed oils, as well as rosemary extract. The multipurpose treatment can be used to moisturize the scalp and as a shine-boosting serum.
To buy: $22; nordstrom.com.
