There is someone in everyone’s life that seems to have everything. So when it comes to surprising those people, you have to reach deeper, and yes, shopping for them can be a daunting task, and challenges are always fun.
Here are some suggestions to make your shopping experience almost breezy.
THESE ARE ALL AFRICAN AMERICAN-OWNED BRANDS
Beauty
Created by Dana Jackson, in 2011, after she was diagnosed with lupus a diagnosis that completely changed her life. To deal with certain symptoms of the disease, she stepped into an all-natural approach to beauty and wellness. All the products have completely natural ingredients with her skin soufflé a cult favorite.
Evelyn Nyairo — an environmental scientist—founded Ellie Bianca crafting
vegan and cruelty-free skin-care products. The products that have caught the imagination are the Rose Skin Oil, Breathe Bath Salt, and the Luxe Day/Night Serum.
Kayla Phillips who is a touring musician and founder of Foxie Cosmetics deals with chronic pain so, in 2015, she started making soothing bath bombs and salts and later expanded to create hair, skin, body, and fragrance. These products are cruelty-free, sustainably made, handcrafted, packaged, and shipped by Phillips herself.
This Hair-care label Bread Beauty Supply is fairly new but is quickly becoming a daily essential for curly hair. Launched in 2020 by Maeva Heim who was inspired by the products she saw in her mother’s braiding salon. The brand carries its own wash, scalp serum, and two different oils.
Nigerian entrepreneur Ozohu Adoh started this skin-care line that includes a high-end face oil, night balm, and hydrating serum — made with Africa-sourced ingredients that are designed to focus on “dryness and discoloration caused by the sun, free radicals, and air pollution.
Lauren Napier created a line of face wipes that don’t strip the skin and instead hydrate it as it takes off makeup.
Hanahana Beauty is a clean beauty brand founded by Abena Boamah-Acheampong that sustainably sources its shea butter, paying
double the fair-trade price to its suppliers. The shea butter comes in a variety of scents including eucalyptus, lemongrass, vanilla lavender, and amber vanilla.
Kristen Noel Crawley founded KNC Beauty while traveling to Tokyo, where she observed the popularity of lip masks. Her products are all-natural collagen and retinol lip and eye masks with aloe, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin A.
Taking into consideration what stage performers need for their skin to counteract stage makeup, sweating in said makeup, and more,
performer Hassan Sayyed created Haus Urban. His line is all-natural and includes everything from body butters and oils to face washes and toners.
Highbrow Hippie is owned by beauty-industry veterans Myka Harris and Kadi Lee. Their line includes thoughtfully sourced wellness and beauty products, including their own line of small-batch honey-infused bath salts.
Nekawa Beauty
Second-year M.B.A. students Awa Diaw and Chelsea Trotter started Nekawa because they wanted to share the uses of shea butter for hair, body, and health and to bring “minimalism” to beauty. Senegalese-born Diaw sources the shea and oils for lavender and unscented butter and baobab face serum from Senegal and 10 percent of all proceeds go to Amref Health Africa, a health-development nonprofit.
Karen Young founded the body-care company that has the reputation of having great reusable, direct-to-consumer razors along with their
body gloss, a gel-to-milk in-shower moisturizer, and bikini-line masks.
Pat McGrath Labs
Let’s face it. It is Pat’s world. The creator of the most luxurious makeup products on the market.
Tony Johnson (son of Sierra Leonean immigrants) created his company using the natural ingredients from his country that are used to treat skin issues. Products include face, hair, and body oils formulated with African oils.
Brother Vellies, created by Aurora James, makes fine leather goods including shoes and handbags with a range that includes high-high boots and huarache sandals. Ms. James established the 15 Percent Pledge asking major retailers to devote 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
COFFEE
Simpli Press, a French Press without the mess features a stainless steel ultrafine double filter and coffee basket system that results in grit-free, flavorful coffee and easy removal of grounds. Inscribed with pre-measured brewing guidelines for that perfect cup each and every time. Design made with high-quality materials: borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and silicone.
CLOTHING
Founded in 2009 by Corianna and Brianna Dotson the goal was to create
sunglasses with solid detail and superlative quality. One of the fan favorites in the line is the Avatars.
Created by Hussein Suleiman, Jefferson Osei, and Abderrahmane Trabsini, this Amsterdam-based men’s and women’s clothing brand was made to easy, wearable, and stylish enough to wear separately or with other things from your closet.
Mother-daughter designers Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka started House of Aama to explore “the folkways of the Black experience by designing timeless garments with nostalgic references informed by historical research, archival analysis, and storytelling.”
Home décor
228 Grant Street candles are made with all-natural soy wax, braided cotton wicks, and scented oils, and are hand-poured and packaged in Baltimore.
Ilé Ilà — a Nigerian lifestyle and furniture design company—was founded by architect Tosin Oshinowo to celebrate her native Yoruba culture. All of the handmade pieces come from artisans in Lagos, Nigeria.
