6 Afro-Latinx Influencers Share Their Go-To Black-Owned Beauty Products
"It's important we invest in our communities."
Thanks to social media visibility, Afro-Latinx influencers are on the rise and celebrating their Blackness across all channels. At the same time, many beauty brands are striving for diversity and inclusion, but there’s a better way to support minority communities. Hence, lots of Afro-Latinx content creators have turned to using Black-owned beauty brands. They see themselves in them, and so they support them.
We follow them on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels, so we tapped them to find out which beauty products they stan and asked them to share their cultural experiences, too. Here are six of our favorite Afro-Latinx beauty influencers and the products that make them look and feel good.
1. Kay-Lani
Kay-Lani is a beauty influencer and makeup artist who provides natural hair tutorials, makeup tips, and speaks out on injustices against the Black and Brown community. “Black brand owners have always and continue to work twice as hard to be recognized for their accomplishments. Using my platform to help create a bigger push for these brands is the least I can do to show much I appreciate the movement they have created,” says Kay-Lani of the responsibility she feels to use her voice.
When it comes to highlighting Black-owned female entrepreneurs, the Afro-Puerto Rican is a fan of Juvia’s Place makeup brand created by Chichi Eburu. “I love every single eyeshadow palette that Juvias Place has,” she says. “Every palette has a powerful story with beautiful colors from natural to bold.” The mesmerizing packaging features Nubians queens and pays homage to African culture, and the shadows are highly pigmented and last all day.
2. Monica Veloz
When it comes to speaking out on colorism and debunking European beauty standards within the Dominican culture, Monica Veloz is unapologetic. “Since I was little, I felt I had to hide because I wasn’t Dominican enough due to my darker complexion and tighter hair texture,” she shares. Now, she is much more comfortable in her skin and proud of her heritage, and she’s using her platform to amplify Black and Brown voices. “I am negra, which means Black, and I will forever support Black businesses.” For voluminous and dramatic lashes, the Afro-Dominican star uses Uoma Beauty Drama Bomb Extreme Volume Nourishing Mascara.
3. Iris Beilin
YouTube sensation and makeup artist Iris Beilin is known for her uber-glam makeup looks, sharing skincare tips, and raising awareness of Panama’s social injustices. She’s aware her beauty platform comes with a huge responsibility to inform followers on human rights and social issues, so she uses it to bring attention to issues close to her heart.
When it comes to championing Black-owned brands, Beilin says she admires Melissa Butler, founder of The Lip Bar. “She started her company from her kitchen and it’s now sold at Walmart and Target,” she says, adding that she loves the brand’s Tined Moisturizer. The three-in-one medium-coverage formula is made with hyaluronic acid for hydration and sunscreen for protection. Oh, did we mention the brand is vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and non-toxic? Yeah, it’s awesome.
4. Kilenny K
The Florida-based fashion and makeup guru is winning over the hearts of her diverse and multicultural audience. “I am Dominican—our culture is influenced by African ancestry,” she says. “Acknowledging my fair skin privilege as an Afro-Latina, I use my platform to speak up and celebrate fellow Black creators while continuing to educate myself, too.”
When it comes to her makeup holy grails, she uses Mented Cosmetics Sun-Kissed Bronzer for a peachy glow and glamorous finish. The brand was created by and for women of color, so it has an inclusive shade range of stick foundations, blushes, bronzers, and more.
5. Ryan Alexandra
Ryan Alexandra is a proud Venezuelan-Haitian woman shifting the industry toward a more inclusive culture by unapologetically embracing her natural hair. “Black girls are the purest form of art, which is why I’m [all] about supporting Black hustle,” says Alexandra.
As a skincare lover, she uses Temple Zen skincare and body products as they’re packed with vitamins and nutrients for brighter, healthier skin. Launched by Jashiro Dean, the Black-owned skincare and lifestyle brand bridges the gap between beauty and mental health with scrubs, essential oils, and more.
6. Bianca Kea
The Detroit-made creative and founder of Yo Soy AfroLatina, Bianca Kea, has made it her life mission to shed light on Black Latinidad duality. The Afro-Mexicana says she’s inspired by Black female beauty bosses, so she began collaborating with fellow Black and Latinx content creators to help amplify and educate communities on Afro-Latinx history and the current social climate. “It’s important we invest in our communities because they’re the same people who support us and buy from us. Shopping Black-owned is more than a trend to me; it’s a way of life,” Kea says.
She found Pholk Beauty on Instagram while searching for new Black-owned skincare brands and was drawn to their mission, and she’s been using them ever since. According to Kea, the Glow Replenishing Face Wash topped with the Rose Gardenia Skin Nectar is a must-have combo for glowing skin. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later,” she says. Both products work for all skin types and target hyperpigmentation and dullness formulated with vitamins E and C, antioxidants, and omegas 3 and 6 for a supple and radiant complexion.
