Historically, the bridal industry has not always catered to various ethnic backgrounds which has made it difficult for those from said cultural backgrounds to be represented and included. To all the curly hair girls, this is a must-read if you are looking for representation from black-owned brands that will cater to all your bridal needs!
Essentials by Edwina
Essentials By Edwina is a vegan, cruelty-free, makeup collection for women of color. The Founder Edwina Kulego launched Essentials By Edwina in 2017 as a response to the lack of diversity in the beauty industry. In today’s beauty market finding your perfect nude shade shouldn’t be a hassle, yet it remains a problem that many women with darker skin tones face; The Legacy Collection serves as a solution. The Legacy Collection features 6 non-traditional nudes for women of color, each shade name inspired by various locations in Africa. Essentials By Edwina is known for its quality ingredients, due to the soft and creamy properties of the formula it allows for easy application while preventing dryness and creasing in the lips. Essentials by Edwina is overall a must-have for your wedding makeup look!
Ese
Ese is a bridal dress company founded by owner and Creative Director/Head Designer Esé Azénabor-Grembowski. Ese has made a huge mark on the bridal industry being a successful black owner. She is widely known for her exquisite couture designs and intricate detailing. Esé Azénabor offers a range of bridal dresses that combine luxury, elegance, and unique design elements. Each gown is carefully tailored to enhance the bride's figure, with meticulous attention given to every detail. From the placement of seams to the choice of embellishments, Esé Azénabor ensures that each dress is not only visually stunning but also comfortable and flattering for the bride on her special day. Overall, Ese is the right place to shop if you are looking for a breathtaking dress that will leave a lasting impression on all of your guests!
Duchess of Roses
Duchess of Roses is a dream come true if you are looking for the perfect roses for your wedding! Duchess of Roses is known for being customer centric. Their focus is to ensure you have a quality experience with every purchase, they verify the quality of each rose that they delicately procure to make your arrangement.
Moodeaux
Moodeaux is a black owned fragrance company and is the first black owned fragrance label to be sold at Credo beauty, which happens to be the world’s largest clean beauty retailer. Moodeaux has also had an appearance on the TODAY show and was able to partner with Sephora. The founder Brianna Arps, set out in October 2021 to introduce longer lasting, skin-nurturing fragrances. Moodeaux was able to back underrepresented entrepreneurs through Black in Fragrance. Black in Fragrance is building a global ecosystem of support among industry professionals, consumers, retailers and media outlets, each who pledge to help level out the playing field for Black perfumers. Moodeaux happens to be its founding label and leads most of their efforts. Overall, Moodeaux would be the perfect fragrance brand to shop from if you are looking for the perfect bridal scent!
Pear Nova
Pear Nova is a vegan, cruelty free, black owned nail company. Pear Nova was founded in December 2012 in Chicago, Illinois by Rachel James. Her passion for art and elegance is what inspired the brand we know today. After noticing a void in the representation of medium to dark skin tones in the nail world, she committed to not only bridging the gap but also celebrating that space. Pear Nova was created with the intention of building a global beauty brand that celebrates all skin tones while creating healthy, luxury nail + self-care products. Pear Nova is the way to go if you want your nails looking flawless on your wedding day!
Kahmune
Kahmune is one of the most famous nude footwear companies as the brand is very intentional in having a diverse amount of nude shoes that match various skin tones of all women. The product is designed with comfort as the ultimate priority and is handmade in Italy, which is recognized globally as the industry leader in shoe production.“When I started Kahmune, it was important to me to create quality products that will last for a demographic that is too often overlooked. I had to paint a pair of white pumps to match my skin tone and it's my goal that you don't have to”. Founder Jamele Acheampong was inspired to create Kahmune due to the severe lack of inclusion in the skin tone product category. Products are 100% genuine Italian Nappa leather. They source only from tanneries that adhere to strict European standards and work with factories small and large who ensure that their artisans are treated fairly. Kahmune would overall be the best brand to shop from if you are looking for a nude heel that will perfectly match your skin tone while giving you a flawless bridal look!
CURLS
Last but certainly not least, CURLS is a well-known beauty brand that specializes in creating hair care products specifically designed for curly hair textures. One of the key aspects of CURLS' is embracing natural hair textures. The brand recognizes that curly hair needs specialized care to enhance its natural beauty and manageability. With this in mind, CURLS develops products using carefully selected ingredients that nourish and hydrate curly hair, promoting healthy hair growth and providing optimal moisture balance. CURLS was founded in 2002 by Mahisha Dellinger. Mahisha sought to create a new brand that resonates with curly hair textures because of the lack of natural hair products with quality ingredients and dependability. Whether you have tight coils, loose waves, or anything in between, CURLS offers a range of products to help you achieve healthy, beautiful, and defined curls!
