With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to help you find some ways to #buyblack for you and your loved ones. Black entrepreneurs are running things in any product genre you can think of. Some are small operations, while others can be found in Target and other major retailers. If you need some gift ideas all in the name of self-care, this list is for you.
Sweat in Style
These brands are devoted to inspiring people of color to celebrate their culture while focusing on their fitness goals in style. From sweat-friendly apparel inspired by the Motherland to yoga mats that show off Black culture, these brands are just a few that you should get to know for some great gym style:
1. Pru Apparel
“PRU” stands for Power Representation Unity! This brand fuses African prints into chic fitness gear. Cop a workout for you and your gym buddy this holiday season.
2. Glamourina
This brand is the “go-to activewear brand for culturally conscious women.” Gear from this brand comes in all sizes to fit all types of curves from sizes S-3XL.
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Care for Your Skin
Black skin is a glorious thing, but not all products are made with our skin in mind. Fortunately, several Black entrepreneurs have created products specially tailored to work with Black skin. Whatever type of skin you have, these brands tout beauty and skincare products that are free of toxins and full of natural ingredients that work best with your body.
1. Blk + Grn
Blk + Grn is a marketplace of organic wellness products from skincare to fertility all created by Black artisans. Blk + Grn is not one brand, but rather a major hub to find dozens of products created for—and by—Black entrepreneurs. You can be sure that the products in the Blk + Grn Marketplace are all-natural and developed with Black consumers’ unique needs in mind.
2. Epara Skin Care
“Epara is a brand born out of a need to provide luxury skincare products to women with dark skin tones. The skin issues women have present differently in Women of Colour.” Uniquely, all Epara products contain ingredients sourced from Africa, to curate products that you know are meant for our melanin skin.
3. Black Girl Sunscreen
This brand was founded in Miami in 2016 after the founders were fed up with the white residue that came from sunscreen on brown skin. Wanting to help Black women protect their skin without the hassle, the brand was formed. It has received numerous awards and is now kicking off a kids’ line.
4. Soap Distillery Body Scrub
Soap Distillery is known for its unique shower products that will remind you of your favorite alcoholic beverages. For example, if you’re a Rosé fan, you may want to check out the “Rosé Body Scrub”. This relaxing body scrub will make you think of a crisp, cool glass of wine.
Getting Stuff Done
1. Effie’s Paper
This stationery brand was created with the quest to surround women with “pretty things that make her heart leap.” The products are a mix of “casual elegance, motivation and social conversation that make using them fun and engaging.” This brand has everything you need to organize your life in style, including stationery, travel accessories, and office supplies.
2. PageElevenPaperGoods
The Page Eleven brand is an idea formed to inspire people to keep moving toward their goals or aspirations, founded by Elisha McGhee, a Dallas Texas native.
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3. Oh So Paper
This brand’s founder noticed that her local office supply store didn’t have anything that inspired her to be organized while showing off her personal style. So, she decided to make a line of stationery herself. Now, the brand is full of colorful notebooks, stickers, tote bags and so much more, with colorful images of Black women and their endless supply of Black girl magic.
4. Inner Workout Journal
Being on a self-care journey isn’t always easy. If you find yourself needing some additional help, Inner Workout’s unique quiz and subsequent classes will help you delve deeper into your self-care journey. Inner Work has a class that blends restorative movement, breath work, meditation, and journaling to help you dig deeper in multiple ways. You can also their journal to jot down all your thoughts.
We hope this helps guide your shopping this holiday season. Buy Black and support these amazing companies!
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
