Holiday shopping with Black Owned Businesses. Like it or not, the holiday season is upon us. You promise yourself you’re not going to go overboard every year.
Even with the pandemic and Covid, you’re prepping for the holidays. Technically, they begin with Halloween. Don’t celebrate Halloween? Doesn’t matter, it’s still all over the place. So is the chocolate that meets you at every turn in the grocery store.
You get serious for Christmas and Kwanzaa. Beauty products are always a good choice.
Sample Kits make great gifts. Why? Because you can give a friend or family member a way to test a new product. Skin care sample kits make great gift items. Whether it’s for a basic regimen, acne or hyperpigmentation, a sample kit will give the recipient a chance to explore options.
Natural perfumes allow artisans to create aromatics that can be worn daily. Typically made with essential oils, perfumers create sample kits for purchase. Some create by scent family. Others create based on mood or therapeutic usage.
Body butters have always made great gift items. For hands, feet or your body as a whole, butters make great products for gifts.
Bath salts have been staple gift items for decades. Whether for sore muscles or an aromatic soak in your tub, bath salts to the rescue.
Hair accessories make great gift items. Head bands in assorted colors. Combs and clips, studded or plain are great gift items also.
Why now? I mean, let’s face it. Black beauty businesses have been selling products for generations. I make it a point to Buy Black at all times. The key is to be conscious of the quality. I don’t buy Black because you’re Black. I purchase Black owned products because of styling and quality.
If you’ve every shopped a market, trade show or street festival, you will find some of the most interesting items to be seen. Creativity is off the charts. I steer clear of skin care and body products in extreme heat at festivals. It’s just my personal pet peeve. However, it doesn’t mean I can’t purchase perfumes, hair accessories, hats, clothing items or hand bags.
Did you know that there was a time when we could only Buy Black? That’s because Black Folk weren’t allowed to shop in “other folks” establishments. Designers creating everything from hats, to ball gowns, to wardrobes for First Lady’s.
Even today, the creative ones in the back of top-notch designer houses look like you and me. They make the patterns, grade them to size, make the first sample for fitting, yet never get the credit.
We do our best work, when we create from the heart and not copy what’s being done by others. When you create from the heart, you set the trends, you don’t follow them.
Make it a point to seek out Black Owned Businesses, whether it’s natural skin care, apparel or a custom blend of perfume. This is how you build neighborhoods that support you and your creativity.
That’s it for this week. As always …
Dedicated to Your Beauty,
Juliette Samuel,
Esthetician/Author/Publisher,