Petite Style, Clean Skincare + Baby Goods by Black Owned Brands

It’s been a long-term goal of mine to support and share more women-run businesses, such as these handmade jewelry shops, these clean-focused beauty lines (Follain, Kosas & Ilia to name a few), and many of the baby brands we feature. While this continues to be a priority, I also want to make a dedicated effort to promote brands with more diverse ownership and representation. As part of my everyday, I patronize and mention a lot of Asian-run businesses (although I want to do a better job of highlighting their founders and leaders), and want to be more conscious about featuring other minority groups that are underrepresented in business like the Black community.

I spent the past week researching and learning about Black-owned brands relevant to categories that I know EP readers love. A few of these are brands I’ve purchased from in the past, and several are new-to-me which I look forward to trying!

Wellness + Beauty

• Organic Bath Co. (also available at Follain ). Organic Bath just gave me code EP20 for 20% off their site! And Follain gave me JEANWANG for 10% off (free ship on all orders, 6/15 only!).
  • Bath & body company based right in the Boston area! The founders, husband & wife duo Gianne Doherty and Jay Weeks, wanted to create a line using only organic and natural ingredients from an ethical supply chain.
  • My top recommendations:
    • Body butter in either Naked (no fragrance) or Zesty Morning, formulated with shea butter, argan oil, almond & jojoba oil and is extra rich. It’s nearly solid so I scoop some out with a small spatula or my fingers, warm it up in my hands and pat onto skin after showering. I used organic shea butter all throughout my pregnancy with Nori on my belly, thigh and chest so this has also been great for that purpose!
    • Bar soaps – We use these in the shower and love the gentle exfoliation and ALL the scents! “Java jolt” is Nick and my favorite – refreshing just like a mint coffee.
• Briogeo (also available at Sephora and DermStore)
  • A clean haircare company that is “6-free” meaning they don’t use harsh sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, DEA or synthetic color.
  • Founder & CEO Nancy Twine believes in “nurturing our hair in the same way we care for our skin – by detoxifying, hydrating and protecting it.”
  • Best sellers: Scalp Revival Exfoliating Shampoo + Don’t Despair, Repair! hair mask
• Golde (also available at Blk + Grn, a marketplace of all-natural products by all Black artisans)
  • Beauty + wellness products (by co-founders Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Issey Kobori) made with superfoods like matcha, turmeric, and cacao that are organic, vegan, and cruelty free.
  • Best seller: Clean Greens Face Mask which left my skin feeling smooth and refreshed (though it truly does smell like a green smoothie)

Size Inclusive Style

These are on the pricier side, so I’d love to hear more affordable recs in this category! 

• Byron Lars (sizes 00 petite & up)
  • Romantic and whimsical, these are some of my favorite romantic lace dresses (see on me). 00 petite fit like a glove on me pre-pregnancy. I’ve recommended the white lace option before as a beautiful bridal shower or rehearsal dinner outfit!
  • Lars first learned how to sew in 10th grade from a neighbor, and continued to teach himself. He started making his own patterns, and designed and sold prom gowns for his classmates (I loved this tidbit as I also sewed prom gowns in high school)!
• DIARRABLU (garments are tailor made based on your height)
  • Focused on sustainability and versatility, pieces feature convertible and adjustable designs, and are hand crafted to order in a small atelier in Senegal.
  • Sizing is a little more general (i.e. XS/S), but you input your height when ordering and the garment is made accordingly. Per my inquiries, they shared: “We basically use your height alongside the size selected to derive sleeve length, dress length, and other measurements. If we need more info we may follow up to request your waist or hip measurements.” 
  • Diarra, the founder, has an interesting story and teaches high school math while running this business. Having moved around a lot in her life, she references mathematics as a universal language that inspires her and all the prints on her apparel.
• Color Inclusive Shoes. As a collector of nude pumps, I know one shade does not suit all!
  • Kahmune (sizes 4 – 13)
    • From Jamela Acheampong, the founder: It’s my goal to ensure that ALL women have “nude” products that celebrate the diversity of the human complexion. I’m proud to be one of the few high-end labels offering a product that caters to all tones.
    • Very size & color inclusive, with 10 different nude shades from extra light to dark, 4 heel heights, and lots of styles. Shoes are made of premium leathers and crafted by artisans in Italy.
    • Prices start at $100 when on sale, around $300 retail. Free ship & returns in the US and UK.
  • Rebecca Allen
    • From Rebecca Allen: As a black woman navigating corporate America, I always needed a go-to nude pump in my closet, and I could never find a shade that was MY nude. This drove me to begin working on Rebecca Allen…Today, I’m driven by the opportunity to bring together like-minded women who want to celebrate one another and share in each other’s wins.
    • A smaller style & size range (6-11) with 3 clean-cut, everyday shoes in 5 shades.
    • Prices start at $150 when on sale, with free ship & returns in the US.
• Tracy Reese
  • This designer has a pretty established following, but I wanted to point out her sustainability-focused Hope for Flowers line at Anthro includes a few pieces in petite sizing each season.

Baby & Kids

• Pretty Please Teethers
  • Founder Kelli’s mission is to create safe and natural products for little ones that are also contemporary and minimalist in style. Their products are handmade in Utah with 100% food-grade silicone and natural beechwood.
• Le Petite Organic
  • Founded by Sanjay, a mama of 3 and based in NYC, their focus is on curating the best in sustainable, hand-made and vintage inspired products for little ones.
• Dolls
  • HarperIman
    • These beautiful handmade dolls created by Kathryn and Cynthia (a mother-daughter duo) have been a popular share and are currently almost sold out. Their focus is on “reinforcing each child’s beauty and strength by providing positive affirmations of themselves that they can identify with.”
  • Ikuzi Dolls
    • Another great option created by Ozi Okaro (a designer, children’s author and mama of 4, who wanted to ensure that every little girl has a doll that looks like her.

I hope some of you enjoyed learning about these brands and women as much as I did, and I’d also love to read your recommendations of more businesses to add to these lists!