Africa’s beauty sector has long been rooted in indigenous knowledge systems, time-honored ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, marula oil, and black soap, as well as a deep, intuitive understanding of melanin-rich skin. However, over the past decade, global attention on African beauty has exploded. Brands born on the continent are expanding internationally, spurred by a surging diaspora eager to reconnect with their roots and by global consumers increasingly seeking authenticity and inclusivity in beauty offerings.

“The globalization of African beauty brands has opened tremendous doors,” Sneha Mehta, co-founder and CEO of Uncover Skincare, told BeautyMatter. Uncover Skincare is a rapidly rising African skincare brand leveraging African ingredients and Korean beauty technology for melanin-rich skin. “It has allowed African brands to participate in global conversations around beauty, showcasing that we can compete at the highest levels of manufacturing and formulation, efficacy, and branding,” she continued.

From a business standpoint, globalization offers tangible advantages, including diversified revenue streams, expanded markets, and elevated brand prestige. Yet, as Mehta acknowledged, success abroad can sometimes come at a hidden cost at home.

The Price of Global Prestige

One of globalization’s most visible impacts has been on pricing and accessibility. As brands pivot toward international markets—adjusting their standards, packaging, and pricing strategies accordingly—local consumers often find themselves priced out.

“It turns out that most products are no longer created primarily for local consumption,” explained Olowo-n’djo Tchala, who is a Togolese natural beauty manufacturer deeply embedded in West Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape and the founder of ​skin and haircare brand, Ayeya. “When targeting Western markets, products are made with foreign consumers in mind, leading to premium packaging, imported materials, and, inevitably, higher prices. For the average local consumer facing fluctuating exchange rates and stagnant incomes, it becomes nearly impossible to afford these products,” he said.

Indeed, the pursuit of global quality often necessitates compromises. Uncover Skincare, for instance, manufactures its products in South Korea to ensure world-class standards. While Mehta noted that the brand strives to maintain affordable luxury positioning, even taking financial hits to buffer consumers from volatile currency shifts, she admitted the balancing act is delicate​.

The African continent is rife with a class divide where some can afford to pay relatively high amounts for a product, while others may be unable to. “Skincare can still be a luxury for many consumers here,” she said. “We aim to strike a sweet spot, [which is] delivering products with the efficacy of a $70 serum at a $30 price point.”​ Yet, for some African consumers, even $30 remains aspirational when matched with local currency.

Globalization’s Hidden Costs: Perception and Economics

There is a lingering colonial mindset that foreign-made products are inherently superior. This perception has deep roots, and it continues to shape purchasing behavior today. “Even when a high-quality product is made locally, there is resistance,” Tchala said. “People want the imported package, the foreign label, even if the ingredients are the same. It’s the internalization of colonial thinking—a mistrust of our own capabilities,” he lamented.

This mindset poses a major challenge for African beauty brands trying to maintain authenticity while also appealing to modern consumer tastes. Sentiments like this aren’t new to Mehta, as she shared that during customer feedback sessions, some consumers admitted they preferred products manufactured abroad, associating them with higher quality​. Their thought processes may not be far off, especially because Africa still has to put a few infrastructures in place to match the global ecosystem.

Navigating the Complexities: Toward a Balanced Future

So, how can African beauty brands navigate these pressures of expanding globally without alienating their home market? For Tchala, the solution lies in creating relevant local economic opportunities. “We must not only manufacture with export in mind but also ensure that affordable, high-quality products are available locally,” he said. “Economic activities—job creation, local manufacturing, value addition—must grow alongside globalization.”

He also advocated for a simplification of packaging and a focus on local creativity to keep costs manageable without sacrificing appeal. “We don't need to import expensive jars. Local materials, creatively presented, can bridge the gap between affordability and desirability,” he said.

Mehta agreed that proximity to the consumer is crucial. While Uncover Skincare manufactures abroad for now, the company is firmly rooted on the continent, especially in East Africa and West Africa. “Being based here [in Africa], close to the consumer, hearing their needs daily, is one of our biggest strengths,” she revealed.

To enhance accessibility, Uncover Skincare introduced smaller, travel-sized products, allowing consumers to experience premium quality at a lower initial cost. The brand also aggressively negotiates with suppliers to secure better raw material prices, recognizing that high price points are unsustainable for their core markets​. Over time, as the continent’s manufacturing capabilities, scientific research, investment landscape, and technological infrastructure improve, Mehta envisions a future where African brands will not only be based on the continent but also fully manufactured there.

Nonetheless, experts and brand owners are clear-eyed about the challenges globalization brings, but neither dismisses its transformative potential. “Today, globalization is concentrating wealth among elites,” Tchala noted, “but long term, Africans being part of the global beauty conversation is crucial. It prevents a future where others define beauty for us​.”

Mehta is similarly optimistic. “Globalization, when done thoughtfully, doesn’t mean abandoning the local consumer. It means elevating African voices and products onto the world stage, while staying deeply connected to the communities that shaped us​,” she said

The African beauty industry currently stands at a pivotal crossroads. Globalization has flung open doors of opportunity, but it has also introduced stark new inequalities. The brands that will thrive are those that embrace global ambitions without losing sight of local realities.