Top 5 Black Owned Private Label Skin Care Companies (USA)
Working with Black-owned private label skin care companies can offer a competitive edge for skin and hair care brands that target the African American market.
These labs often have a deeper understanding of textured hair, melanin-rich skin, as well as marketing ideas that genuinely resonate with Black audiences.
That’s why we’re breaking down five of the top Black-owned private label skin and hair care manufacturers in the US below.
Whether you’re brand new to the industry or looking to scale your skin care brand, there’s a lab on this list that can support your growth and help bring your vision to life.
1. Envii Labs
About The Lab
Founded by Adrianne White in 2016, Envii Labs is a Black-owned, Texas-based cosmetics lab that specializes in natural formulations.
This manufacturer offers over 20 private label hair and skincare formulas, with options for semi-customized products (custom product creation).
Pros
Free from parabens, phthalates, toxic chemicals, harsh fragrance, and dyes as standard, this lab is a strong choice for clean skincare brands.
This option is particularly well-suited to small and emerging beauty brands, thanks to its ultra-low minimum order quantities (MOQs) - starting at just 60 units or 1 gallon per product.
Envii operates on an economies-of-scale model: the more you buy, the more you save. If you purchase 3 gallons or more of the same product, you automatically receive 15% off, with discounts rising to up to 40% depending on the quantity.
Plus, if you supply your own packaging (BYOP), Envii offers label application services for orders of 400 pcs or more.
Cons
Although their ingredient standards are impressive, there’s limited information about the natural or clean certification marks that each formula meets the standards for. Plus, their lead times of 2-3 weeks on average are quite long.
2. Luster Products Laboratories
About The Lab
Luster is one of the oldest family-owned, Black-owned hair and personal care product manufacturers in the world. With over 60 years in business, Luster is US-based and produces all of its products in Chicago, Illinois.
Famous for brands like Pink and SCurl, Luster is primarily known as a retailing brand under the name ‘Luster Products’. According to Beauty Independent, Luster also provides private label and custom manufacturing services to other beauty brands.
Pros
One of the biggest pros of Luster is its prestige position and strong brand reputation in the African American community. Although they manufacture a variety of personal care products, Luster is primarily focused on haircare.
Releasing a line of haircare products designed for the African American market? With over six decades of industry experience and large-scale in-house production, it’ll be hard to find a more trusted source.
Cons
There’s limited information available about Luster’s private label services online. It’s also likely that Luster caters primarily to larger businesses, which may make it more difficult for small brands to access or afford their services.
Reach out to their customer service team to learn more; however, be sure to scope out other manufacturers in case Luster is not a good fit.
3. Wholesale Natural Body Care
About The Lab
Founded by Valerie Rowan, Wholesale Natural Body Care is a Black-owned specialist in natural skin care, body care, and hair care products. Based in Alabama, all products are made in the USA at their in-house manufacturing plant.
This lab offers both private label, simple custom formulation services, and custom product creation services, making it a versatile option for brands seeking either ready-made or semi-customized skincare and other beauty products.
Pros
Formulations are advertised as paraben-free, cruelty-free, and made with high-quality ingredients, though full details on certification standards are not disclosed.
The lab supports a wide range of product types - including skincare, body care, hair care, men’s grooming, tallow-based formulas, and Korean-inspired skincare - making it one of the more diverse options in the skincare manufacturing industry.
A great fit for complete beginner brands, Wholesale Natural’s website is full of useful educational resources on how to get started with private label skincare and body care.
Cons
The website can be difficult to navigate, and the sheer volume of product choices may be overwhelming for first-time founders.
There’s limited transparency around natural certification standards, which may be an issue for small beauty brands hoping to make clean, natural, or organic claims.
4. BB Natural Co
About The Lab
Founded by India Shaw, BB Natural is a US-based, Black owned, and Christian-rooted company that specializes in plant-based hair care products.
In addition to private label services, BB Natural also offers retail and wholesale options, making it suitable for both professionals and beauty retailers.
Pros
A strong choice for professional hairstylists, BB Natural offers a private label package specifically designed for salon owners looking to create a tailored haircare line. Their products are designed for all hair types but with a focus on natural African American hair.
The range includes shampoos, conditioners, edge control, styling creams, leave-ins, growth oils, and even a dedicated men’s grooming line.
BBN is committed to cruelty-free and clean ingredient standards (free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and petroleum), and stands out for its website’s user-friendly layout and clear private label onboarding process.
Cons
The product range is limited to hair care only, with no options for skin or body care. The website appears infrequently updated (for example, still displaying a ‘Happy New Year’ notice in Spring), which can be a red flag for some founders.
5. U Private Label
About The Lab
Based in Michigan and founded by two African American sisters, U Private Label was created to foster economic opportunities within their community through long-term partnerships with their clients.
Although U Private Label currently only lists hair care products through its website, the company also states that it offers skin care options, including an unlisted moisturizing facial cleanser formula.
Pros
A great fit for brand-new beauty entrepreneurs, U Private Label focuses on simplifying the private label process with tools like an ingredient directory and an educational blog full of helpful advice for beginners.
Plus, the MOQ is small at just 60 units or 1 gallon for private label products - an accessible option for small-batch founders.
In addition to private label manufacturing, U also offers contract manufacturing and label design services (although they do not offer printing services), helping brands streamline the process from concept to shelf.
Cons
The current product range is limited, with only 13 private label options listed on the site, all in the hair care category.
While U Private Label claims to have a sample kit, there is no information on how to order it. Skin care products are not added to the main site navigation, however, some are visible through a site-wide search.
Innacos Labs’ Commitment To Diversity
At Innacos, not only are we female-owned, led, and run, but our team is also purposefully diverse.
Over 30% of our team identifies as LGBTQIA, and over 67% of the team identifies as BIPOC.
Plus, a total of 16 languages are spoken by our team.
We specialize in clean skincare and color cosmetics, with flexible, scalable, and adaptable manufacturing strategies for small home-to-lab entrepreneurs.
Plus, we offer the most rewarding loyalty program in the industry: get up to 200% of formulating fees or up to 150% of CPC fees back when you lock into a long-term manufacturing relationship with us.
Interested in sourcing your cosmetics from a lab focused on high quality ethical ingredients and with a commitment to diversity? Innacos would love to work with your brand! Get in touch by emailing: customerservice@innacos.com or calling: (812) 329-1105 for more information.
