Today’s post was originally scheduled to be a roundup of my personal favorite small shops to support right now, in the hopes of helping small business owners particularly affected by the pandemic. But in my learnings + reflections of this week especially, I realized I didn’t have any Black-owned small shops represented on the list. It wasn’t intentional – but it was still problematic. Looking around my office and my home, I didn’t actually HAVE much that I knew came from a Black-owned business…maybe you’ve done the same?
So, time for some retail therapy – I’ve been intentionally adding to cart from Black-owned businesses and am sharing ten favorites I’ve come across, in case any of you have been looking and/or trying to do the same.
From left to right, top to bottom: Golde, MISHAL, A Dozen Cousins, McBride Sisters, Briogeo, The Lip Bar, Shop Amber Richele, Oma the Label, Estelle Colored Glass
- Estelle Colored Glass –Â A luxury brand of modern, hand-blown colored glass, made my artisans in Poland. Founded by a black woman and based in Charleston, South Carolina. They’re described as “jewels for your table” and I’m OBSESSED – how pretty are the pastels, especially for entertaining?!
- – Something to grab on your next Target run! I learned about this line from a Black influencer that I follow on Instagram who said the shade range is perfect.
- – I’ve used quite a few products from this hair care line before but had no idea it was a Black-owned company! They’re sold in Sephora besides their own website – highly recommend their . Briogeo products are vegan + cruelty-free, and they’re also donating 50,000 meals to people in need after COVID!
- –Â TIE DYE ALERT. Oversized tees, leggings, biker shorts – even scrubs sets. This girl’s Etsy shop launched this year – show her some lovelovelove!
- Golde – Per their website, “An independent, Brooklyn-born brand centered in making superfood-boosted essentials for health and beauty.” Products that look good, taste good, and help you feel like your best self – I mean, can I get an amen? Golde has everything from turmeric to matcha, face masks and more. Sold at Sephora, Urban Outfitters, Goop, + locally.
- McBride Sisters – A wine label owned by two Black sisters (the McBrides), making wines from California + New Zealand. They also have a wine club (bless up). SHE CANS would be so great for summer happy hours! AND they have a SHE CAN Professional Development Scholarship Fund to help empower women via career development + continuing education.
- Oma the Label – NYC-based label with edgier clothing styles + bold gold jewelry. A new set of jewelry pieces drops tomorrow! Hearts eyes for this bracelet…
- A Dozen Cousins – Soulfully seasoned beans that come ready to eat! They look SO YUMMY – they’re inspired by traditional Black (+ Latino) recipes, made with avocado oil + good ingredients, and are gluten-free, vegan, BPA-free, etc. You can add a pack to your Amazon cart here!
- MISHAL – An indie fragrance brand – I’m getting a Coconut Sienna candle!
- Melanie Marie – A modern jewelry brand started by a Black woman passionate about helping others in entrepreneurship. She also does custom pieces, as well as baby jewelry! I can’t wait for this bag to come back in stock so I can grab one for Liv – she’s going to loveloveLOVE.
For any of you looking to diversify your retail therapy, I hope this helps. The world is obviously moving and shaking right now, with so much being said and done. I’ve been on a personal journey of self-reflection, listening + learning before taking action, and “taking action” will likely look different for all of us.
Some may speak out publicly, some may speak up privately, others may put money where their mouth is, while others may pray for inward healing first + foremost.
I pray that we are able to come together with compassion, grace, kindness, and lovelovelove to create unity. Unity that I admittedly hadn’t even realized was seriously lacking until the past two week’s events really unfolded.
Gandhi didn’t say “talk about the change” – he said BE the change. Shopping can be frivolous, but supporting a small business owner’s hard work + dreams is anything but. I hope you TREAT YO’SELF this weekend to a Black business owner’s craft!