15 Black-Owned Fragrance Companies You Need in Your Collection

When it comes to fragrances, we’re accustomed to the Diors, Chanels and Marc Jacobs of the world. Sadly, these scents—however great—don’t reflect much diversity in the industry. With the recent uptick in interest to buy from more BIack-owned businesses, we’re seeing more brands emerge or finally get the shine they deserve. While these companies currently make up a small percentage of the $5 billion fragrance industry, we hope this will change in years to come. So, whether you’re in the market for a new scent or ready to gift a snazzy eau de parfum or candle to a friend, here are 15 Black-owned fragrance companies to check out now.

Started by three Black women, Malaika Jones, Tai Beauchamp and Nia Jones, Brown Girl Jane celebrates and supports the modern woman. Made to uplift and inspire, Brown Girl Jane fragrances are meticulously crafted to provide a sensory journey for its customers. No matter your scent profile, there's a fragrance for everyone, from sweet and gourmand to fresh and fruity.

Creator Mair Emenogu’s company started when she signed her name on a document at work and an executive told her that they envisioned seeing her name on a perfume bottle someday. Three years later, Emenogu made that vision a reality. Since 2015, the brand has focused on creating light scents that aren't overpowering and are derived from raw materials (like jasmine, amber and peonies) sourced from gardens and distilleries around the world. The first and most popular perfume in the line is called, “Remember When,” which has garnered positive reviews for its light floral scent and chic packaging.

While attending college, Maya Njie experimented with scent as a creative outlet. She soon became fascinated with the idea of connecting scents to past memories. Njie then sought to capture scents based on her family history, which included her Scandinavian roots and Gambian heritage. After years of teaching herself about the perfume world, she launched Maya Njie Perfumes. Every scent in the line features an intricate blend of essential oils (like ylang ylang and patchouli) and synthetic substitutes (like musk and ambergris). Combined with the bottle’s sleek designs and names that pay homage to her heritage, each fragrance holds a close connection to her background. 

With a background in luxury fragrance retail, Kimberly Walker never saw herself represented in the industry she worked in for a decade. This prompted her to learn about the science behind fragrance and she eventually created her own signature scent, Artsy, which is now the brand’s top seller. In six years, Kimberly New York has launched nine men’s and women’s eau de parfums. Whether it's “Diaspora’s” sweet blend of Fuji apple and rosé champagne or “Ether’s” smoky mahogany embers and cloves, there’s a scent for everyone.

Inspired by his travels, Chris Collins combined his love of luxury and fragrance to launch his own brand in 2018. His collections are designed to provoke feelings of attraction, adventure and freedom, while nodding to his time spent in cities like New York and Paris. Whether you're exploring the dark side of seduction with the Dark Romance Collection (filled with rich notes of cinnamon, cacao and vanilla) or stepping back in time with the Renaissance Collection (filled with nostalgic notes of cognac, rose and cedarwood), Chris Collins evokes an emotional experience with every scent he creates.

After experiencing a skin reaction from her favorite fragrance, self-taught perfumer Chavalia Dunlap-Mwamba founded Pink MahogHany, which focuses on gentle and light perfumes for sensitive skin. The mix of feminine, masculine and gender-neutral options has reviewers expressing their love for the scents themselves, and more importantly, their skin-friendly formulas are free from ingredients that can cause irritation (i.e., phthalates and alcohols).

Artist Chris Classic was working on a collaboration for his first fragrance line when it fell through the cracks. Despite the many obstacles he faced (and being ghosted by his work partner), he still launched Savoir Faire in 2017. Whether you’re grabbing “Sin Santo & Sage” or “Soul Cafe,” expect each unisex bottle to pack a memorable punch.

Perfumer Oswald Paré created Motif Olfactif in 2019 after immersing himself in the world of fragrance for years. Whether it was smelling perfumes at the mall or learning about the community through YouTube, Paré took careful note of everything before making his own scents. Inspired by his memories, family heritage and past experiences, each fragrance derives from a unique story and is placed in an eye-catching, chic bottle.

While working at the front desk of a luxury condo, founder Darryl X. Simpson II noticed how fragrance boosted the confidence of the residents he interacted with. Soon after, he began developing a business plan for his own brand, Zavies, which was inspired by his mother’s nickname for him. Zavies offers both feminine and masculine scents with citrus and musk notes, and the colorful bottles make the fragrances staples (and statement pieces) on our dressers.

At a young age, CEO Marilyn Jones lost her mother and the only memory she had left was her scent. This led Jones to create fragrances that hold special meaning for people and elevate their personal scent through light, sweet and soft notes (like jasmine, honeysuckle and amber). Bfragranced encourages your scent and accessories to “be the epitome of who you are, without saying much at all.”

Started by beauty, fashion and lifestyle content creator, Jackie Aina and her fiancé, Denis Asamoah, FORVR Mood is a home fragrance company made for the ultimate candle lover.  Aina has always been an avid lover of all things fragrance, and after building a loyal community in the beauty industry, she sought to share her impeccable taste with the world. The brand's mission: "Forvr Mood is all about enhancing the everyday, encouraging self-care, and making your life a little more lavish." The brand's candle scents range from fun, fruity and flirty to cool, calm and relaxing.

Octavia Morgan is a sustainable fragrance brand that brings sophisticated and clean-smelling products to your fingertips. Morgan's story begins at age five, when she first discovered her love of fragrance. Unfortunately, as she grew older, Morgan developed a sensitivity to mass-produced scents. So, using her scientific background, the CEO set out to find clean fragrances with the same strength and depth as mass-produced ones. Now, Morgan is the perfumer of her behind her own fragrances that are safe for the bodies and homes of people everywhere.

Founded by Queens native Dawn Marie West, La Boticá launched in 2018 with the idea of combining luxury perfumery with contemporary art to create unique fragrance experiences for consumers. Inspired by her Afro-Dominican roots and visual arts background, the brand is home to some of the most niche and sustainable products on the market, including its best-selling fragrance, Soho (which is filled with notes of violet, peach blossom, vanilla and sandalwood).

Inspired by her love of fragrance, jazz and the richness of Harlem, founder Teri Johnson created Harlem Candle Co. as a way of telling stories through scent. Growing up, Johnson was transfixed with the idea of sensory memory, and how specific scents had the power to transport you to a certain time or place. Today, the brand focuses on transporting consumers to the vibrant past of Harlem with products named after some of the neighborhood's finest, like the Love by James Baldwin ceramic candle. Inspired by the activist's garden, the candle features soulful notes of rose and sandalwood.

Ovation For Men’s motto is clear: to provide a fragrance that brings out “the confidence, style and attitude of today’s influential men of color.” Founders Shawn Crenshaw, FadeIf Jackson and Cecil Cross used their love of luxury fragrances to create a distinct scent that was previously not found. Their signature fragrance includes a blend of citrus and woodsy notes like bergamot, cashmere woods and cardamom.