Since the start of the decade, the number of Black business owners increased by 30% correlating with an increase of the Black population. However, self-employed Black business owners are only a third of what the white self-employed demographic is. Men are also more likely to be self-employed rather than women.
According to the 2019 State of Women-Owned business report, Black women are not letting this stop them; the number of Black female businesses increased by 50% in the U.S.
With the rise of Black Lives Matter protests striking the U.S., an integral part of the movement that people are keying in on is supporting Black businesses. The makeup industry is attempting to become more inclusive, and more beauty brands are coming out that are run by Black women. Here are three Black beauty brands with owners from Long Island to support.
1) Luxe Prism Aromatherapy and Beauty
Traveling MUA and business owner from Dix Hills, Elaine Williams always believed that makeup and relaxation connected with each other. She began her makeup journey in 2014 and got serious about the industry in 2016. WIlliams fell in love with editorial and later bridal makeup.
Luxe Prism sells lip glosses, body and lip scrubs in addition to soy candles, therefore connecting relaxation with glam.
“Luxe Prism really started as a journey for me for a deeper connection with myself and self care,” said Williams. “I started with the candles and that began more of a mental journey for me. Candles give you that sense of clarity. Then the lip glosses came. I’m an MUA so I know lip glosses.”
Her journey starting Luxe Prism was a little rough. She got laid off from her government job in January, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. During quarantine, she began focusing on her love for makeup and self-care and planning out her business that would eventually launch on July 28. Her inspirations for her products are her love for candles and how soy candles provide a cleaner burn, and Fenty Beauty.
Williams is the only employee of her business making all of the products by hand, packaging them herself, and even writing thank you notes to all of her customers. She is also in the process of expanding and rebranding her business. Her long-term goal is becoming the “umbrella” of skin care, and wants to get into making soaps and scrubs.
Luxe Prism products can be brought on the company’s website and on Facebook and Instagram marketplace.
2) INSPIRE By Shika My’Chelle LLC
Only beginning in June 2020, this self-care line is all handmade products by owner, Yashika M. Stewart-McDaniels from Wyandanch. Although not a makeup artist (MUA), she is a mother and big believer of God and his ways. She also has won a number of awards for her community work including The Phoenix Award from Babylon in 2015 and the Woman of Distinction Award from Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre in 2017.
Stewart-McDaniels’ line consists of body butters, soaps, lotions, body cream, hydrating lip balm in addition to serenity remedies like soy candles.
“My husband, son, and I have really sensitive skin and I also suffer from eczema especially in the summertime,” wrote Stewart-McDaniels in an email. “When the pandemic started everything was so hard to find so products for my family were difficult to come by. I started doing research on how to make certain products for my family and I fell in love.”
The selfcare line is an extension of Stewart-McDaniels’ brand “INSPIRE by Skika My’Chelle.” Inspire sells inspirational t-shirts, hence the name, to “inspire, uplift, and inspire others.” Inspire began in 2017 after being burnt out from investing three years into her startup nonprofit “Beautifully Unique Inc.,” that supports youth and community. My’Chelle added the self-care line because she felt it’s integral to take care of ourselves.
All products can be found on her website or on Etsy.
Self-taught MUA, Danielle Burney from Mastic Beach is approaching her mink lash line’s one year anniversary on Oct 1. Although she graduated from St. Joseph’s College with a Bachelors in Psychology, she has been a MUA since 2014 and learned her techniques through YouTube. She is also a lash collector and always tries to cater to all of her clients’ makeup needs.
Burney sells nine different lashes along with an applicator on her website. They all have different names like “Soft Glam,” “sassy” and “shy.”
“I feel without lashes, the makeup look just doesn’t come together,” said Burney. “I definitely want to bring this to my clients to be able to provide an upgrade for them.”
Currently, Burney is working on creating a custom lip gloss line right now testing and sampling with a wholesaler. Her inspiration for this came from her clients asking if they can have some lip product to take with them after their makeover is done.
Dani B. Beauty lashes are exclusively only on their website.
