4 Black Woman-Owned Brands You Need In Your Skincare Routine
Elevate and chill is the wave, and every week, xoNecole is highlighting four black woman-owned brands you should support and follow. Join us on August 3 to support businesses like these in real life at our first annual ElevateHER Market event.
As I've grown older, my skin has come to feel like less of a point of pride and more of a burden on my to-do list. While, as a young, spring chicken, I didn't have to worry about the perils of cystic acne and sebum-induced sadness, now it seems like it's all I think about.
My Google search history is riddled with natural remedies that have either left my skin inflamed or had little-to-no effect at all. It wasn't until I decided to buy black that I realized the value in consulting and confiding in experts that look like me and therefore have the same problems as you (as well as the right solutions).
While the ULTA lady tried her hardest to help me understand how the latest cult cleanser that's about $100 more than what I've budgeted for is the key to healing my hyperpigmentation, sis just couldn't relate. If you're like me and have spent hours on end looking for a suitable skin solution, look no further.
Below, I've compiled a list of black-owned skincare brands created by boss women that look like us that will help remedy all of your skin-related woes in the process:
Minimo Skin Essentials
Less is definitely more when it comes to skincare products, and according to Minimo Skin Essentials, minimalism isn't their mission.
Created in 2016 by Houston-based entrepreneur, Mary Ware, this company seeks to deliver high-end, paraben-free beauty products that will help you say goodbye to bad skin and revel in your glow like the queen that you are. Minimo's line of all-natural, reasonably priced products includes facial scrubs, serums, and dark spot correctors that will get your skin all the way together.
Shop Minimo Skin Essentials here.
Jade & Fox Co.
If you're in the Atlanta area, make sure to swing by Little Five Points, where Jade & Fox Co. can fulfill all of your natural skincare needs. This company uses products that can be found in the confines of your pantry to create a cocktail of skincare magic that will give you that glow all year round. I've ordered from this company twice before, and while I miss their package deals, I can really appreciate what these clever concoctions have done for both my acne and my hyperpigmentation (the Darla Cleanser paired with their Fineapple Face Mask is the key to true happiness).
Jade & Fox Co. offers a number of organic solutions to suit all of your personal needs and offers a range of products, including but not limited to aluminum-free deodorant, linen spray, and body scrubs.
Shop Jade & Fox Co. here.
Brown and Coconut
Brown + Coconut is a plant-based, non-GMO skincare company based in Boston that was created by melanated sisters, Letisha and Zeena Brown, who developed the business after suffering from years of severe acne.
Letisha and Zeena cured themselves of their dermatology-related woes from the inside-out, starting with changing their eating habits and later compiling years of research and testing to create organic, chemical-free skincare solutions that would be suitable for every skin type. Using household ingredients like thyme, honeysuckle, and kale, these sisters have created a line of scrubs, masks, and cleansers that will have your skin on 10.
Shop Brown + Coconut here.
Uni Beauty Blends
When it comes to sunscreen, serums, and scrubs, Uni Beauty Blends has you covered. Based in Baltimore, Uni Beauty Blends offers plant-based solutions for all skin types that help with problems like hyperpigmentation, eczema, and psoriasis. Most of their products are under $20, making this collection perfect for the sebum-burdened beauty on a budget.
A woman like me can't say no to an effective facial system, and according to several customer reviews, this company has exactly what you need. You can purchase these products for a steal as a part of a bundle deal or try them out individually a la carte. According to many customers, Uni Beauty Blends' Apple Crisp toner is a crowd favorite that will have you looking 10 years younger.
Shop Uni Beauty Blends here.
Featured image by Instagram/@MinimoBathAndBody.
Show your support to black-owned businesses created by women in real life by buying a ticket to xoNecole's first-ever ElevateHER Market event today!
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy