It’s been difficult for me to put into words how I feel about the recent protests in honor of George Floyd’s life and the #blacklivesmatter movement. The thing is though, this isn’t about me, and I’m certainly not hoping to direct it towards me at all either, as this truly is a devastating moment in society. I do, however, want to be an ally to the black community, but sometimes I (and many others) don’t know how to do that respectfully and effectively.
What is happening with police brutality and the disgusting ongoing of systemic racism has been horrific to see over the years, and I am deeply saddened that there isn’t more I can do. However, I hope that this list of black owned businesses will show that I will always stand with those in need, that I will work to uplift communities that have been oppressed, and that I will do everything I can to simply be there for people.
Fashion
Brother Vellies
They honestly have the cutest platforms, heels, and sandals I have ever seen, and oh my word I need to buy every pair! Aurora James created this luxury accessories brand with cultural histories and timeless design in mind, and I am here for it!
Kahmune
The luxury footwear line Kahmune [ com·mune ] has created the most amazing shade line of nude heels I have ever seen from a company! I have heard the call for a wider range of shade selection from beauty brands, but had never thought of the need for this when it came to footwear! I’m so happy to have found this business that is inclusive and forward thinking thanks to their founder and brand director, Jamela A Acheampong.
Love, Vera
This saucy lil brand will have you feeling like a super model at any size thanks to their wide range of lingerie, bras and bralettes, sexy robes, and their “Curvy Collection”! I think I can speak for most everyone when I say, “We LOVE feeling sexy and confident in our own skin!” We owe that statement to the founders, Vera Moore and Nate Johnson, for, “proudly hiring black talent,” and women of all shapes and sizes to promote their “make your jaw drop” lingerie line.
Melanie Marie
Wonderfully trendy and fashionable “mompreneur” Melanie Marie’s jewelry and apparel is a brand I am excited to have discovered! The NYC born and raised business mogul has created delicate timeless accessories, and “in the now” clothing that stretches from kids, plus size, party, and more! Oh, and did I mention that she also coaches you on brand growth and your audience? What more could this powerhouse of a woman do?!
Wrap Life
From head wraps, headbands, bandies, and turbanettes, the founder, Nnenna Stella, of Wrap Life has got you covered! They have loads of tutorials on how to wrap up your do too, as well as an informative and welcoming page that discusses appropriation and how to navigate the realm of head wraps.
Beauty
KNC Beauty
Their aim is to keep you “naturally cute and effortlessly fresh”, and they most certainly live up to it! The all-natural beauty brand took off after CEO, Kristen Noel Crawley, fell in love with lip-masks, but found there weren’t any that promoted natural ingredients on the market. I’ve been using these lip masks for a year or so now and let me tell you, they are the real deal, but they have all sorts of products available in our favorite makeup stores and their website!
eLo Vegan Lifestyle
100% plant based and made in Brooklyn comes the sprouting of eLo Vegan Lifestyle aromatherapy and lip care products. Founded by Timothy George after continuously having to reapply lip balm that still left him chapped, he realized that he was the one that could make a balm that satisfied his (and others’) needs. Check them out and get your lips feeling buttery soft so you can get back to smooching, kisses!
Shedavi
Founded with the concept of “Cherish Oneself” came Shedavi (Sha-da-vee), the all-natural, holistic, and ethically sustainable line of products that promote healthy and strong hair, skin, and nails. After a wild battle of bringing her hair to the healthy and lush state it is now, the founder, Elizabeth Davis, finally obtained that coveted waist length hair in less than four years because of her research and efforts, now she wants to share that possibility with you too!
Golde
Co-founders Trinity Mouzon Wofford (CEO) and Issey Kobori created this lovely line of, “superfood-boosted essentials for health and beauty,” in 2017; they strive to ensure that their, “products are always natural, easy, and (most importantly) fun.” These products certainly will make sure that your lattes, smoothies, and facemasks will leave you feeling fresh and to your core, well!
Black Girl Sunscreen
Noting that melanin women needed a sunscreen that protected them began the journey of this black owned business thanks to founder, Shontay Lundy. She created a non-white residue sunscreen in 2016 that would avoid blotchy makeup and keep her skin protected from the never ending Florida sun. The brand is only continuing to grow, and you can even find them in Target now too! I’m so happy to see this business growing and booming, and what else they will be coming up with soon!
Home
Pur-Home
Pur-Home was created by Angela Richardson after making her very first bar of soap at home seven years ago. That moment sprung a whole new wave of eco-friendly living and natural products thanks to this innovative woman. This brand doesn’t stop at caring for the environment and the cleanliness of your home, they want to make sure your skin feels loved too!
Partake Foods
Ummm, yum! These delicious looking cookies came to us thanks to the founder, Denise Woodard, after learning that her daughter Vivienne had several food allergies. Of course their lives were going to change, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t still eat something that actually made their mouth water! After experimenting with making snacks and treats that her daughter could enjoy, she found that this could be a product that not only those with allergies could feast upon, but also for those who simply wanted to live more healthily!
Love Notes LLC
Brooklyn founder, Nya Kam’s, hand poured candles will transport you to a feeling of receiving the love note of your dreams thanks to these all natural soy wax, cotton based (lead free) wicks, and personally curated fragrances.
Unwrp
This amazing business founded by Ashley L. Fouyolle, not only hires artists to curate the most beautiful scarves, bags, wrapping paper, and home decor (seriously, some of the cutest designs I’ve seen in a while!), but they’ve created a relief fund for those artists in which 100% of every donation made is granted to an artist due to the COVID-19 pandemic! I mean really, how marvelous are they?! Oh yeah, you also get a little gift for your support too, talk about a win-win-win!
Godly Gorgeous
All prints and designs are created by the founder, Andrea George, with Christ and African American art in mind. The mother of two and entrepreneur developed this brand in the hopes of growing her wealth, respecting her body, and helping others do it too through Christ. We love Jesus here, and we love a lady who knows what she wants!
This is of course and incomplete list of the black owned businesses, but they are a sampling of the few that not only caught my eye, as well as where I will be shopping from in the future! If you know of other black owned businesses I urge you to share them in the comments with me below so I can begin broadening my support, and that you share this blog on your social media, with businesses I may have missed, so others can begin to show their support to the black community.
As always, I write with love,
Candace
#BlackLivesMatter
**All photos in this blog (except for the three of myself at the end of the blog page) were obtained from Google Images or the brand’s website, they have been noted as such in their image description.**
Cactis Candace 