The first time I discovered A-beauty – an umbrella term for products derived from Africa – the name didn’t even exist. No phrases like that did – not K-beauty, nor J-beauty. 20 years ago, as I followed my aunties through the hair shops of Southeast London, and sat for hours watching them get their hair braided on a Saturday afternoon, the creams and gels I’d learn about didn’t have a set label. They were just what my family used. And naturally, I began to follow suit.
That’s the thing about African beauty and the ingredients and techniques rooted in Black communities around the world. They aren’t splashy 10-step trends or catchy terms you see regurgitated on TikTok like ‘glass skin’ or ‘snail serums’. A-beauty is made up of rituals rooted in tradition, using botanicals native to Africa and passed down through generations, rather than picked up via a hashtag.
“It’s a movement that brings together tradition and innovation, showcasing Africa’s rich biodiversity and the timeless knowledge behind its beauty practices,” says Amanda du-Pont, who founded her conscious skincare brand Lelive with a dedicated team in South Africa. “It represents innovation, sustainability and inclusivity.”
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A new era for A-beauty
While A-beauty isn’t an established category just yet in the same way as K-beauty is (the hashtag #abeauty on TikTok, for example, has 112.9k posts, compared with 2.3m for #kbeauty), things are beginning to change.
As YouTuber and makeup artist Jackie Aina explains, until just a few years ago, “the concept of Black-owned things, in general, was so foreign that people thought it meant it was only for Black people”. But now, a growing number of brands are bringing science into the equation, combining innovative new ingredients with African botanicals to create ranges that meet the specific needs of Black communities, while also catering to all skin tones and hair types.
“Don’t give up, and don’t play small – the industry needs your perspective.”
According to Technavio, Africa’s beauty and personal care market is one of the fastest-growing in the world. A scroll through the A-beauty hashtag on TikTok and Instagram also reveals more and more influencers (from ‘The Skin Priest’ Okikiola Emaleku to cosmetic chemist Javon Ford) waxing lyrical about the benefits of using African products and ingredients to target everything from dry skin and hyperpigmentation to hair breakage.
After all, not everyone has a Black aunty or family member to thrust a net sponge (or sapo) into their hands before a shower, reminding you to scrub every inch of your body to even begin to consider yourself clean. They might not have experienced the antimicrobial, skin-clearing properties of African black soap growing up. Or been subject to moisturiser produced with a flourish from a handbag while you’re in public, accompanied with a withering: “Ah, child, how many times must I tell you to cream your elbows?!”
But what most people in Westernised countries do have is a phone, or access to the internet. And right now, half of Gen Zs make their skincare purchases based on social media trends, with 58% buying directly from TikTok and Instagram. “Social media made African beauty reachable and relatable, connecting people globally to the roots and values behind each product,” says Amanda.
So those viral videos of Black content creators talking about the homemade turmeric masks their grandma used to brighten their skin, or the importance of actually washing your legs in the shower, are having an effect.
How A-beauty is reclaiming beauty practices
As the community grows, it's clear that with greater recognition comes more misconceptions. "One is that African beauty is niche, rustic or not scientific enough, when in reality, Africa’s biodiversity is one of the richest in the world, and its ingredients are incredibly advanced in their efficacy,” says Amanda.
But the tide is beginning to turn. The recent heightened awareness of the injustices faced by Black communities globally has brought with it a growing recognition that many of the trends and fashions that have been adopted by people in the West are firmly rooted in Black culture. (Though, let’s be honest, we still have a way to go when it comes to giving this acknowledgement to Black communities.)
That’s everything from braids (‘protective hairstyles braids’ is being searched eight times more on Pinterest in recent years) to contouring makeup techniques, which is rooted in Black drag culture. And, with this, comes an increasing use of the traditional products used to create these looks, from hair gels to nourishing oils.
As Sabrina Elba, co-founder of S’Able Labs skincare, recognises, “A-Beauty represents culture and tradition. We want an opportunity to reclaim some of these stories that have been a little appropriated along the way. I saw a lot of these when I was growing up, like going into a store and seeing baobab marketed as a beauty trend, but without any mention of where that ingredient comes from or the communities, often women-led, who source it. So, for us, it was important to make sure these ingredients are known not just for being trendy, but for being truly effective.”
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Tradition meets science
Many formulas from African brands have long been designed to target common skin concerns. Take hyperpigmentation, which Black people are more likely to experience due to their skin’s higher melanin content. “On lighter skin that might look like freckles or sunspots, but for Black skin, it’s something we’ve been dealing with for a long time," says Sabrina. "So, to look to us [A-beauty and Black-founded brands] as the experts in reducing inflammation and achieving glowing skin would be a really nice shift.”
Amanda also stresses that African ingredients are naturally rich in good-for-skin nutrients such as "antioxidants, omegas and vitamins that hydrate, tone and help protect the skin against environmental stress. For centuries, African beauty has been about protecting and restoring, shaped by some of the harshest climates on Earth. These ingredients have evolved to survive and thrive in extreme conditions, which is what makes them so resilient and effective in skincare.”
She cites a few key super ingredients used in her own brand, including: Marula oil, which is “rich in omegas 6 and 9, it supports and strengthens the skin barrier”; baobab extract, “packed with vitamins C and E, promoting vitality and glow”; and moringa oil, which “purifies and balances, leaving the skin soft and refreshed”.
In this new era of A-beauty, Amanda has supercharged these ingredients with a little science – for example, pairing turmeric, which has long been used for brightening, with niacinamide in her All Glow'd Up serum to gently even skin tone. While S’ABLE Labs has developed a patented technology alongside potent African botanicals to reduce the appearance of dark spots in its Okra Face Serum.
S'ABLE LABS Okra Face Serum
- Retinoid concentration: Not specified.
- Form of retinol: Bioavailable retinoid.
- Suitable for sensitive skin? Yes.
Why we love it: Meet the latest launch from S'Able Labs – a powerhouse serum that features bioavailable retinoid with youth-boosting properties. It also includes Okra, an innovative ingredient in skincare that is designed to minimise hyperpigmentation and stimulate collagen production. If you're someone who has sensitive skin, you'll be pleased to know that this face serum doesn't result in irritation either.
This transparency over these recognisable, organic ingredients is also welcomed by followers of the ‘clean’ beauty movement, which continues to grow. And, for those who grew up with these ingredients, it’s a comforting return to using them.
Of course, People of Colour do not always – and nor do they have to – use beauty brands founded by People of Colour. But it’s more likely that we do. According to McKinsey, Black consumers are 2.2 times more likely to feel that products from Black-founded brands will work for them, while 38% of Black women say they will pay more for hair care from Black-owned brands.
So why has it taken so long for A-beauty to make itself known?
Systemic biases embedded in our society still extend to the beauty industry. It’s taking time for the needs of Black consumers to be recognised by the industry – a recent survey found that Black consumers are three times more likely to be dissatisfied than non-Black consumers when it comes to the hair, skin and makeup options available.
And, as Sabrina explains, for the suppliers based in the Global South, the infrastructure needs to be addressed to allow them to continue to supply at a level that will meet consumer demand.
“In some cases [at S’ABLE Labs,] we’ve had to meet the farmers ourselves and help them fill out safety sheets, DHL forms – whatever’s needed to get their ingredients onto European portals so that not only we, but other brands, can source from them too,” says Sabrina.
“That infrastructure doesn’t exist because rural communities often aren’t seen as business people," she notes. "So instead, things go through middlemen, which can unfortunately lead to dangerous work conditions, unfair wages and even instances of child labour because of the over-demand for these ingredients.”
That’s why, Sabrina explains, it’s important to buy from brands who source their products responsibly – so that by investing in A-beauty, we’re providing a vital source of income for those who farm these ingredients.
“They’re the ones protecting the land and its biodiversity, and that’s something we don’t talk about enough,” she says. “These communities help feed the world and protect the climate by rewilding and reforesting areas. It’s a benefit of A-beauty that often gets overlooked, and a big reason why we should all be supporting its growth: there are people and stories behind these products.”
The true meaning behind A-beauty
She’s right. A-beauty is so firmly rooted in African culture because the ingredients are cultivated there and, while the people leading its charge might now extend across the globe, their lineage traces back to the continent.
What makes A-beauty so special is the ethos at its heart: the championing of people; of self-care; of established beauty rituals that have stood the test of time and have been passed down through generations.
The rich conditioning masks and thick curl creams infused with argan oil that I use to style my own hair might be more modern than those my aunties showed me, but their scent and base ingredients take me back to those days inspecting jars and bottles in hair shops as a teenager. And each morning, when I swipe a shea body butter across my dry skin, I'm immediately taken back to squeezing my uncle’s body cream onto my ashy knees before school.
For me, A-beauty is more than just tapping into a beauty ‘moment’. It’s a link to family and to history.
It’s clear that African ingredients have stood the test of time – and this growing focus on skin, body and hair care from the continent will no doubt bring more innovative concoctions, which will appeal to even wider audiences. Because, unlike many on-line trends, A-beauty is the opposite of fleeting. It’s always been here – the world is just beginning to see it.
6 hero A-beauty products to shop now
This oil is so effective, Charlotte Mensah brought it back to London from Africa herself to use in her award-winning salon, Hair Lounge. It’s deeply nourishing yet lightweight and leaves a beautiful shine, so great for all hair types. Tip: for anyone with coily/curly/prone-to-knotting hair, apply a few drops to your palms and rub into hands for the easiest finger detangling.
Of course, the brand is known for its unisex skincare range, but this new tinted version of its classic lip salve is a launch to get excited about. The vegan formula is packed with antioxidants and lipid-rich ingredients to condition and soften lips, with a hit of rich colour. This shade, named after the one and only jollof rice (if you know, you know), is a mood-boosting reddish-orange to suit all skin tones.
With hydrating marula oil as its hero ingredient, Epara’s Cleansing Oil gently melts away makeup without irritation – nor will it leave your skin feeling ‘tight’ once it’s washed off. It also contains liquorice root extract to gently brighten skin, along with plankton extract to tackle hyperpigmentation. The perfect first step in your nightly double-cleanse regime.
This powerful blend of ‘super fruit’ extracts not only deliver the skin-brightening benefits of vitamin C, but they hydrate, reduce redness and even help with the effects of sun damage. Its oily (not greasy) texture glides onto skin and sinks in like a dream, acting as a great base for makeup.
If your body skin is in need of a little boost, this Lelieve exfoliator is all you need. It’s a smoothing combo of physical and chemical exfoliators – think biodegradable jojoba beads paired with a host of acids – to effectively remove dead skin cells with ease.
This body oil is named after the Yoruba word for ‘magic’ – and it lives up to its title. The formula is made from 98.6% naturally derived ingredients with a cold-pressed coconut base: it’s solid when cool, liquid when gently warmed, and can be used across hair, face and body to smooth crispy ends and soothe dry skin, while leaving behind a beautifully subtle scent of tuberose.
