There are growing populations of indigenous people in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. But the beauty industry under-represents and under-serves these people.
For this reason, indigenous people have founded beauty brands to cater to their skin type. Their brands merge indigenous ingredients with botanical science to produce great skincare, thus reshaping the industry.
This article discusses innovative indigenous beauty brands setting trends and how you can emulate them to drive sales.
Table of Content
Market growth for indigenous beauty brands
5 innovative indigenous beauty brands to watch
Moving forward
Market growth for indigenous beauty brands
There needs to be more representation of indigenous people in the beauty industry worldwide.
In the U.S., Native American beauty consumers spend US$ 2.2 billion on beauty products each year. They also have a higher spend per buyer than an average buyer due to rapid population growth and a rise in native american-owned businesses.
Indigenous beauty brands recognize the growth potential of the market. That’s why they’re leveraging traditional ingredients with modern technology to make products rooted in culture.
But even with all these, the markets are underserved, allowing you to expand your customer base and maximize sales. So, here are five indigenous beauty brands you can learn from for a competitive edge in 2024.
5 innovative indigenous beauty brands to watch
To carve your way into the market, you must invest in products that make indigenous people feel represented and seen.
Ingredients with inspiring cultural stories could attract non-indigenous customers’ curiosity, giving you an opportunity to convert them.
The following brands’ stories will teach you what trends to follow:
1. Sḵwálwen Botanicals
Sḵwálwen Botanicals is a luxury indigenous plant-based skincare company in Canada. In honoring the Squamish First Nation culture, the brand uses indigenous plants. Their products include salves, body oil, and toner mists, among others, that are all ethically harvested.
Sḵwálwen uses natural ingredients like wild roses and calendula in their products. Wild rose soothes skin irritation and hydrates dry, mature skin. It’s also gentle for sensitive skin and has Vitamin C that smoothes fine lines and repairs pigmentation.
Additionally, it stimulates collagen production, providing structural support and elasticity to the skin.
Calendula is rich in antioxidants that neutralize free radicals that damage the skin. Besides nourishing the skin, it gives it a smooth and supple appearance, protecting it from redness and inflammation.
Emulate this trend by including products with sustainably harvested ingredients in your inventory. Highlight their potency and sustainability to appeal to customers.
2. The Yukon Soaps Company
This brand is trending because it cultivates a relationship with its community by employing locals in Yukon, Canada. Local elders and youth run workshops and harvest wild native plants to connect with nature.
Yukon Company makes shampoo bars, soaps, and oils from juniper berries and lavender oil.
Juniper berries have Vitamin C, great for customers wanting brighter and younger-looking skin. Their products contain compounds that fight bacteria, fungi, and yeast infections. Furthermore, it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties promoting skin health.
Lavender, on the other hand, is a traditional remedy for burns. It also moisturizes the skin and treats other skin-related ailments like eczema, acne, and rashes.
Provide handcrafted beauty products with ingredients like these to attract customers who want high-quality and unique skincare. In addition, employ locals and engage the community in other ways to cultivate a positive image for your brand.
3. Ah-Shí Beauty
Ah-Shí Beauty is the first Native American-owned luxury beauty product brand in the United States. They aim to push beauty boundaries by producing inclusive skincare products with ingredients like vegetable glycerin and avocado oil to promote skin health.
Vegetable glycerin helps regenerate new skin, even out skin tone, and moisturizes it. It also cleans the pores, eases itchiness and dryness, and improves the skin’s elasticity.
While avocado oil contains healthy fats that help reduce the signs of skin aging. It also contains Vitamin E, D, and other nutrients that help boost skin regeneration.
To make the most of this trend, prioritize selling anti-aging indigenous brand soaps to attract customers of an older demographic. You may upsell them on complementary hair products to help them retain their youthful glow.
The next indigenous brand on the list does this and is making a killing with it.
4. Dilkara
Dilkara is an aboriginal-owned hair and skincare brand that uses ethically harvested ingredients like papaya to cater to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander skin and hair types.
Papaya contains papain, an enzyme that removes dead skin cells, giving the skin a supple look. It also helps clear blemishes and pigmentation by removing dirt and oil in the skin, thus reducing wrinkles.
Dilkara also includes Vitamin E in its products to help customers reduce ultraviolet damage to the skin, boost blood circulation, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
If there’s one thing you can learn from this brand, it’s that skin and hair care products complement each other. So, if you’re looking to hop on this trend, create a personalized experience by asking customers about their hair type and skin condition, as well as their desired results.
Then, offer them products with local ingredients that best suit them. This will ensure excellent customer service and recurrent patronage.
5. Rohr Remedy
The Rohr remedy brand combines indigenous medicinal plants with science to create effective formulations. Their products are non-toxic and accessible to all, including pregnant women and nursing mothers.
As an aboriginal brand, they use Kakadu plum for its medicinal properties. Kakadu plum is rich in Vitamin C and other antioxidants that protect the skin from aging. It also boosts collagen production, making it radiant and plump.
Rohr Remedy also includes aloe vera in their products to attract customers with eczema and psoriasis.
Skin ailments aside, aloe vera extracts have other wonderful uses like fighting acne and fading dark spots, making aloe vera-based products a go-to for several skin types.
Moving forward
There you have it: Five innovative beauty brands with innovative trends disrupting the indigenous market!
There are many take-homes if you want to borrow a leaf off their playbook. For starters, stock your catalog with more sustainable products to appeal to environmentally-conscious consumers.
For those looking to break into the indigenous market, go for indigenous brands with locally sourced natural ingredients. Your customers will get better results, leading to increased patronage.
