When you think of makeup brands, you think of cosmetic giants like M.A.C, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Maybelline among others, but there are some good cosmetic brands that originate from Africa. Some are young companies, but regardless of age, it is good to know about and support African makeup brands. This is because these African-owned brands create makeup that caters specifically to women with darker skin tones that many cosmetic companies have ignored.

Make-up and beauty brands across Africa have tripled in the last decade, though not as recognized on an international scale; several have garnered that audience across the continent with Ghanaian brands at the forefront.

Turning our attention to Ghana, do you know any Ghanaian makeup brands that you think they are worth their name? Let’s talk about top 8 Ghanaian makeup brands that are worth knowing and definitely splurging on.

Colorbox Cosmetics

Colorbox Cosmetics was born out of a bold obsessive desire to create a brand where women from diverse backgrounds could enjoy superior quality products, without breaking the bank.

Founded in the cosmopolitan city of Accra, the brand focuses on providing high quality affordable products that inspire all women, no matter where they are in their beauty journey to look flawless within their budget.

Colorbox is passionate about promoting a message of women’s empowerment whilst helping continue to change the narrative of what quality looks like when linked with and coming from Africa.

Evita Joseph

Evita Joseph aims at offering the very best to the everyday woman, Beauty enthusiast and makeup artists. They were crowned the Ghanaian Owned brand of the year at the Makeup Ghana Awards 2018 and it is no surprise.

Named after its founder, Evita Joseph Asare, a trained Mechanical Engineer, they produce a wide range of beauty tools, stunning lip colors, and their flagship product is the Expert Brow Liner.

SO Aesthetic

SO Aesthetic is an African luxury makeup brand founded by Sacha Okoh. She started off as a make-up artist in Ghana, but her constant frustrations about finding the right shades motivated her to start up with her own makeup brand for women of colour. She’s known in the industry as the Beauty guru, with over a decade of knowledge and experience in the beauty industry.

SO Aesthetic features a wide range of products from primers, lipsticks, lip-glosses, eyeliners and eyebrow pencils, brushes to sponges, using ingredients ethically sourced and made with our health and the environment in mind to ensure the quality of the products, and the right shades.

Paba Cosmetics

Paba Cosmetics is a makeup line that is 100% cruelty free created for women of diverse skin tones. The line’s diverse shades planned to truly and seamlessly match their unique undertones. Felicia Sarpong, was inspired to create Paba Cosmetics after years of not being able to find her correct foundation shade.

Paba Cosmetics takes pride in helping women identify and match their true undertones, wanting women to feel good and comfortable about themselves wearing makeup. As well as breaking the stigma that makeup is a mask that hides who you are.

Yo’she Cosmetics

Yo’she Cosmetics is a fairly new makeup brand and their top sellers include their makeup brushes, matte lipsticks and their savvy eyeshadow palette which contains neutral tones and bold shadows.

Yo’she is that beauty brand that understands the fine line with combining makeup and the skincare that comes after. If you’re into that blend, then you’d definitely love their products which range in brushes, lashes, cleansers, etc.

L. A Girl Ghana

L.A. Girl Cosmetics is all about bringing artistry to life by providing prestige-quality color cosmetics to all makeup users alike - from the savvy beauty junkie to the inspired novice. L.A. Girl Cosmetics inspires beauty by creating fresh ways to ignite individual expression through colour. They’re a chic and savvy professional makeup brand that places the power of artistry in the hands of today’s aspiring makeup user.

L.A. Girl Cosmetics takes pride in offering on-trend, innovative, and exceptional quality products. With an amazing selection of high-quality cosmetic products that cater to makeup enthusiasts all over the world.

Black Secret Make-up

Black Secret is a Beauty brand concept developed for women of substance especially the ethnic woman to experience an exceptional product quality. Black Secret Mineral Makeup is a beauty brand devoted to expressing and enhancing natural beauty for women of colour everywhere.

With a mission to put smiles on the faces of all women of colour, their product ranges from the Pressed Powder, Crème to Powder foundation, loose Powder, waterproof mascara, lip-gloss, eye shadow and their award-winning facial wipes.

Sarkom Beauty

Sarkom Beauty is an online handmade lip care brand that aims at providing you with quality and yet affordable products made.

Sarkom Beauty is an organic beauty brand that aims at providing quality and affordable handmade lip glosses, lip balms and lip scrubs.

As with much in Ghana, the local makeup industry is influenced by both modern technology and traditional wisdom. Professional makeup artists were almost unheard of a decade ago, yet today they can count on a steady stream of customers. Women can now choose from a much wider range of cosmetics than before, with both local and imported products available.

I hope the next time you’re shopping for new makeup, you will definitely raid the stores of Ghanaians beauty brands. If you have already tried some products from them, leave a comment and tell me what your favourite product was.