May 2026

PictureNet Corporation / Getty Images Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… In just over one month, your flight will touch down in New Orleans for the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture. In the meantime, when it comes to festival prep, remembering what to pack may not be as fun as the Evening Concert Series. As you’re spending time rounding up your half-empty travel-sized skincare and deciding which makeup products can survive the Southern heat, knowing what’s worth your bag’s limited real estate is just half the work. Essence Festival is all about Black culture, which means your beauty bag should be the same. At the top of our list are Black-founded products: EADEM’s new sunscreen, The Hair Diagram’s Bold Hold Active, and, of...