When we think of perfume, it’s often instinct to think of France and the big designer brands such as Dior and Chanel. The perfume industry, valued at $31.4 billion, has been an industry where the skill is being passed down from father to son. Modern access to the perfume industry is limited by many factors, such as educational and physical barriers being the most prominent. Perfumery schools are often expensive and located in Europe. As a result, there’s a big diversity problem in the perfume industry.
Progress is being made however, so soon enough it shouldn’t be this hard to find BIPOC-owned and created perfumes. The perfect fragrance can change your whole day. From the first spray in the morning, to walking down the street, fragrance can change your mood. Here are five Black-owned perfume brands helping to push the category forward, and they smell divine.
Maya Njie Perfumes
Maya Njie Perfumes was founded in 2016. A niche perfume brand with a clear focus on high-quality artisanal blends, the scents are deeply rooted in founder Maya’s Swedish and West African culture. Her background lies in surface design and photography, which she studied at the University of the Arts in London. To further communicate her work, she began experimenting with the sense of smell as an added medium. As a company, Maya Njie supports Ecologi by helping to fund their climate projects.
Savoir Faire Fragrances
This perfume company provides bold and sensual perfumes by the perfumer, Chris Classic. Classic is an artist/songwriter who specializes in creating original songs for TV, film, and for ads. Originally from NYC, he moved to Atlanta, where he creates his perfumes himself. “I define it as an olfactory statement for those of many layers,” says Classic about his perfume brand. The line offers three fragrances, Beau Noir, Soul Cafe, and their Signature Scent. If you are looking for scents that have musks, woods, and leather, this is the line for you. Savoir Faire has also teamed up with Black Men Smile, a platform that promotes radical self-love for Black men everywhere.
World of Chris Collins
This brand is from the visionary perfume designer Chris Collins. He created a world of scents and pleasure through notes like vanilla, cinnamon, and musk in his Dark Romance collection. Besides creating a sensual mood, the scents also tell the stories of New York and Paris and their cultural exchange, from the Harlem Renaissance through today. His products are available in-store in NYC, California, London, Paris, Doha, Dubai, and also online. “I create fragrances the way a composer writes music. The name of the fragrance is like the title of a song. The notes are the lyrics. The way they mix together is the music and melody,” says Collins on his website. “I’m inspired by a story, a memory, a place, or, in some cases, a specific fragrance note. I’m very much inspired by music, art, and love. The end result are only those fragrances that I fall madly in love with, that elicit a strong emotional response.”
Pink MahogHany Fragrances
Pink MahogHany is an independent fragrance brand owned and operated by Chavalia Mwamba, a self-taught niche perfumer from Longview, Texas. With a background in both music and education, Mwamba treats each composition as an alluringly intriguing song that takes the wearer on a unique, unforgettable journey. She created her perfume line in 2005 on Etsy that showcases her experience with notes like pineapple and sugar to give you a sweet but sensual experience. Mwamba aims to educate and provide transparency, all while helping others feel more confident about using fragrances on their skin and in their space.
Nick Ricardo Collection
Nick Yeast is the proud founder of the Nick Ricardo Collection, a gender-neutral fragrance brand breaking gender barriers in the beauty and cosmetic industry. This brand’s mission is to slash gender norms and elevate the narrative of people of color, non-binary, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals. This perfume collection provides beautiful scents for everyone on the gender spectrum with this gender-neutral line.
