Black beauty has never been confined by borders. Some of its most influential ingredients, rituals and trends can be traced back to the Caribbean, where generations have relied on native botanicals, beauty traditions and cultural storytelling long before the industry took notice. As Caribbean American Heritage Month continues, EBONY spoke with four founders who are using beauty to celebrate their island roots while introducing a new generation to the richness of Caribbean culture.
Karen Young, Founder of Oui the People
People tend to relegate the aromas of the Caribbean to tourism tropes like coconut and sunscreen. But Karen Young aims to showcase what it smells like when you live in it. Her Guyanese background bleeds into each of her fragrances, bringing the scents of the Caribbean to life. For example, Sunday Lime, a favorite of Young’s, is inspired by memories of limin (Caribbean slang for relaxing) with her uncles. It captures the scent of salty air and tropical flowers blooming in the heat but also has a hint of vanilla. With Oui the People, Young is shifting the narrative of traditional fragrance. “My brand allows me to contribute a perspective to fragrance that has historically been monotone and co-opted. We’re honoring our stories while remaining modern and globally relevant,” she says. Each scent is thoughtfully composed to do both, whether it’s being spritzed onto the skin or rubbed in as one of the brand’s beloved body glosses.
Price: $130
Price: $130
Chelsea Pinky, Glynn Pogue and Sade Parham, Founders of Blue Water Girls
When the trio of best friends behind Blue Water Girls set out to create a beauty brand, they knew they had something special. “Growing up, we saw firsthand how colorism impacted our communities. Many women were told not to get darker, to stay out of the sun, or to avoid embracing their natural skin tone, but our experiences taught us something very different. Seeing our moms soak up the sun on the islands of Trinidad and Grenada, along with the various beautiful shades of our people, empowered us,” says co-founder Sade Parham. Those memories, and their own love for the sun-kissed glow achieved from traveling home, led to the development of a line of melanin-friendly glow-boosting products. From the message to the breezy island scent, Blue Water Girls is putting their own spin on beauty. “It’s about embracing the skin you’re in, and we’re especially proud to create a space where women of color feel seen, represented, and celebrated,” says Parham.
Ayesha Curry, Founder and CEO of Sweet July
Ayesha Curry started Sweet July with one goal: to introduce people to the Caribbean ingredients and beauty secrets she grew up with. “My mother and grandmother swore by simple, natural ingredients from the islands that would transform their skin, and that became the foundation for Sweet July,” she says. The products range from skincare essentials to lip treatments and highlight some of the island’s most nourishing ingredients such as lychee, papaya, and soursop. But natural resources are just the foundation of Sweet July. “Each one of our formulas tells a story, and pulls in something unique from the sensorially rich properties of the Caribbean. Our eye cream is a prime example. It uses caffeine extract from Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and has an ingredient that fills in lines, ” says Curry. Even better? Sweet July’s offerings are vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Nicol Varona Cancelmo and Cory Varona, Founders of Ocoa Beauty
As the first Dominican founders to launch a haircare brand at Ulta Beauty, Nicol and Cory are changing the curly hair narrative. “In today’s beauty landscape, being a Caribbean founder means breaking the walls of hair assimilation and proving our cultural stories, ingredients, and unique texture needs belong at the forefront,” says Cancelmo. That mission drives Ocoa Beauty, from its curly-hair products to its community and even its name, which means a place between mountains in the indigenous Taíno language. “Being Dominican shapes our beauty standards, formulation choices, and brand mission. From the tropical scent of mango and citrus recalling Caribbean summers to our fully bilingual packaging honoring our Afro-Latina identity in the U.S., our heritage is reflected in every detail,” she says.
Together, these founders are proving that Caribbean beauty is far more than a trend. It’s a living archive of traditions, ingredients and stories that continue to shape the global beauty industry. From Guyana and Trinidad to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, they’re ensuring the next generation sees Caribbean culture not as inspiration for beauty, but as a driving force behind it.