Nigerian beauty brands have overtime taken big steps in the journey of building a culture of inclusivity in the fashion and beauty space. This they have done through the incorporation of diversity and representation in their creative models.
However, Nigerian beauty brands are still facing some challenges with the most prominent of these being the limited range of skin tones that are available in the products on offer. According to history and what is observable, many Nigerian beauty brands tend to focus more on products for lighter skin tones. This practice or preference has left those with darker tones with little or no options.
Also, Nigerian beauty brands have failed in promoting diversity and representation in the areas of marketing campaigns. Many brands still opt for models that are Eurocentric in nature which doesn’t portray the diversity of Nigerian women. Nigerian brands should strive for more inclusivity by featuring models of different ages, skin colours, body types and hair textures. Doing this in their marketing promotions will help project and reflect the diversity of their client base.
Furthermore, Nigerian beauty brands in order to achieve this diversity and properly represent the culture of their business environment should consider making changes in some key areas. The first of these should be in the diversification of the hands they employ in product development. If these hands are drawn from different backgrounds and experiences, it will ensure that products are manufactured with a wider range of cultures.
Despite the lapses in projecting diversity and properly representing a model that’s uniquely Nigerian or Afro-centric, Nigerian beauty brands are doing remarkably well and some of them are represented below.
House of Tara
House of Tara is undoubtedly the first Nigerian beauty brand on the list of beauty brands in Nigeria. Established in 1998, House of Tara by Tara Durotoye, the beauty brand has become a household name in Nigeria and all over Africa. It has played a pioneering role in the beauty and makeup industry in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. It is also a pacesetter when it comes to areas of retail, distribution channel management and education. Among some of its numerous achievements is the pioneering of the bridal make-up profession in Nigeria in 1998. The beauty also launched the first bridal directory in Nigeria in 1999 and also conducted the first-ever series of bridal seminars in 2000.
House of Tara became the first beauty brand to have a make studio and make-up school. The Tara Product line commits to promoting ethics and ethnicity and empowering young women for economic independence without moral compromise. House of Tara currently runs 17 studios in 9 Nigerian states and plans on opening others across Nigeria in Warri, Calabar, Akure, Ogbomosho, Bauchi, Jos, Abba, Makurdi and more, and outside Nigeria in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
UOMA Beauty
Sharon Chuter; a Nigerian-born and London-based former beauty executive owns Uoma Beauty. The philosophy behind it is the belief that beauty starts the moment you state to believe in yourself. The brand seeks to rewrite the rules of inclusivity and diversity to help create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us. This belief is exemplified through its rebellious and innovative model.
Zaron Cosmetics
Zaron Cosmetics is a Nigerian beauty brand that has done remarkably well within and outside of the country. The goal is to become Africa’s leading cosmetics brand for women of colour and to attain global domination. The brand’s primary objective is to enhance the well-being and quality of life of all people. Development, marketing, distribution and sale of quality lifestyle products are some means the brand is using to achieve its goals.
Okey Maduewesi started Zaron Cosmetics in 2010. The brand has customized products that fit into international standards and also suit different environmental conditions and people of colour. Interestingly, Zaron has branches in different parts of Africa including Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
BMPro
Banke Meshida Lawal owns BMPro Makeup which is only a branch of a multi-faceted business. The others are a training school, a beauty advisory and an online magazine. This Nigerian beauty brand offers all kinds of skin products and services for women of all skin colours.
Lise Beauty Range
This is another Nigerian beauty brand that is helping to protect the diversity that is inherent in the Nigerian beauty space. Founded and run by Funmi Ajilo Ladipo, Lise Beauty Store offers all kinds of skin products for women of all skin tones.
Nuban Beauty
The duo of Nuhu and Banke Alawaye own Nuhan Beauty. As a Nigerian beauty brand, it offers all kinds of skin products for women of all skin tones that give the skin a lustrous skin-like finish. It has products like
foundations, powders, concealers, makeup bases, highlighters, setting sprays, lipsticks, and primers.
Its products are available in 16 gorgeous shades. Also, the packaging is in a portable, non-breakable, dropper bottle, so you can dispense only what you need.
Kayge Cosmetics
Nigerian lady Kalanne Ebiye Koripamo owns and runs this Nigerian beauty brand. As a brand, its core belief is that remaining beautiful in and out is a lifestyle that can be achieved by anyone. This brand runs the Kayge lip line, a colourful line of lip products with lots of skin benefits which has lipsticks, lipglosses, lip stains and lip pencils.
Elsas Pro
Mrs Amaka Okeke; a beauty practitioner who has been in the business for more than ten years owns Elsas Pro. This Nigerian beauty brand has been in the market for a time now and has done remarkably well. It has developed brilliant products using the best materials that are of international standards.
Yanga Cosmetics
Yanga Cosmetics ranks among the best and most successful Nigerian beauty brands. Jennifer Lisa Uloko started this beauty brand in 2014. Since then, it has gone on to produce cruelty-free products that are considered highly innovative. Yanga Cosmetics has everyday Nigerians as target consumers and that is visible in its product line. Some of its products include eyebrow tints, brow lotions, beauty blenders, and matte lipsticks.
Zikel Cosmetics
This is an eponymous Nigerian beauty brand that was founded by Kelvin Ezekiel. As a beauty brand, it is produces top-quality and affordable products for Nigerians. The brand commits to maintaining sustainable practices and as such invests in clinically tested products to provide climate-friendly products. Some of this brand’s products are a glow kit, HD foundation, concealers, face definers, and eye pencils.
Dabota Cosmetics
This is another eponymous Nigerian beauty brand that has its name after its founder the ex-beauty queen, Dabota Lawson. The brand’s main focus is on makeup products for all skin types. Interestingly, it boasts hypoallergenic, paraben-free, mineral-based, and allergy-tested products. It is mostly known for its powder and powder pallet and other products like eyeshadow, lipstick, and foundations.
Hegai and Esther
Hegai and Esther started in 2002 and the founder is Gbemisola Adebayo. Initially, the beauty brand started out with eyebrow cream. After a hiatus, it came back with a new set of products. Over time, it has made a name for itself and is currently known for its powders, foundations, contour kits, eyeshadow, etc.
Taos Beauty Brand
Vanessa Onwughalu owns and runs this Nigerian beauty brand. It has a collection of affordable and accessible products for Nigerians. Interestingly, Taos Beauty Brand’s products are from natural ingredients. This is in a bid to help protect people with sensitive skin. The brand is mostly known for its Taos glow as well as its highly pigmented eye shadow. Shimmer oil, lip glosses, eye shadow, lipsticks, and bronzers are some of the other products it offers.
In conclusion, these Nigerian beauty brands are just a few out of the many that are out there. This list is not exhaustive and the listing is random however, the listed brands have done remarkably well over time in projecting the diversity inherent in the Nigerian beauty space.