Essence Magazine is a magazine for African American women between the ages of 18-49. It was first published in May of 1970. In 1968, Essence Communications, Inc. was founded by Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth, and Jonathan Blount. In 2000, Time Inc. purchased 49% ownership of the magazine. In 2005, they purchased the other 51% of the magazine. In January 2018, Essence Communications was purchased by the founder of Sundial Brands, Richelieu Dennis. He also owns the beauty company, Shea Moisture. The company is based in New York City, New York. The magazine has over 1 million subscribers. The current Editor is Vanessa Bush. Essence Magazine has won 12 New York Association of Black Journalists awards, winning in multiple categories, including Investigative, General Feature, International, Business/Technology, Science/Health, Arts & Entertainment, Personal Commentary, Public Affairs, and Online.

Essence Magazine is a magazine primarily for African American women. There are various categories and topics included in the magazine. Some topics covered include Celebrity, Fashion, Beauty, Hair, Love, Lifestyle, News, Events, and Shopping. The magazine includes positive stories about embracing who you are and loving yourself. Various celebrities have covered the magazine, including Oprah, Audra McDonald, Barack and Michelle Obama, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Naomi Campbell, Janet Jackson, Viola Davis, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Taraji P. Henson, and more.

Subscriptions are available. You can get a one-year subscription for $10. As a new subscription, you will receive a bonus gift and digital edition of Essence Magazine. Issues are mailed on a monthly basis. It may take 6-8 weeks to receive your first issue. If you would like to cancel Essence Magazine, follow the cancellation instructions on this page. The instructions outline how to effectively cancel your subscription and stop it from being mailed to you.