Business
The only thing in the world that feels better than securing a bag is spending a check, and this list of black woman-owned businesses has arrived to help you do exactly that. This year's ElevateHER Crawl is the place to be for young, black, creative women and please believe, I'm in there like swimwear. Along with a gang of special guest speakers and entrepreneurial workshops, you can also experience a one-of-a-kind vendor utopia with so many of the brands that we all know and love.
I'm wiiling to bet all the coins in my purse on the fact that buying black is the best decision you'll ever make, and with this year's ElevateHER Crawl only days away (August 3), it's time to take the power of your dollar back to black. When you shop with Black women, not only are you granted the joy and satisfaction of using your purchasing power for the betterment of our community, but you have the opportunity to shop pieces that are especially curated for black women like you, by black women like you.
So without further ado, here are 25 vendors that you can catch up with at ElevateHER on August 3:
Apparel
Cee Cee's Closet
Created by sisters Chioma and Uchenna Ngwudo, Cee Cee's closet is the West African head wrap company you didn't know you needed in your life. With each item handmade and shipped directly from Nigeria, this accessory brand promises to bring the motherland straight to your closet door.
▲Swank Blue
Grown ass women just wanna have fun and look bomb while doing it, and Swank Blue allows us to do exactly that. The brainchild of celebrity fashion stylist Olori Swank, this brand offers uniquely curated pieces at affordable price points.
▲Beulah Swim
It's coming close to the end of July and the sun has no plans of cooling down anytime soon, and neither does Beulah Swim. With each bikini, one-piece, and coverup handcrafted in Los Angeles, this black-owned company has your has all of your swimwear needs covered.
▲SHIFT StyleHouse
Years ago, Michigan-born entrepreneur Jasmene Bowdry left her corporate job as a fashion buyer to open her own boutique and proved that good things come to those who hustle. Jasmene recently debuted her collection at The Market @ Macy's in Lenox Mall and will be sliding through xo's ElevateHER event to graciously spread the drip.
▲Suakoko Betty
Suakoko Betty owner, Charlene Dunbar, immigrated from Liberia when she was only 11 years old, and today she is well on her path to living her version of the American Dream. After taking notes from her mom and other Liberian women at church on all things style, Charlene developed an affinity for bold colors and pattern mixing that can be seen in her unique clothing collection.
▲J Dow Fitness
When you look good, you feel good; and thanks to these dope finds from J. Dow Fitness, you can do both at the same damn time. Created by public health professional, Dr. Jacqueline Dow, this activewear collection was made with both fitness and fabulousness in mind.
▲Beauty
The Glamatory
Mimi Johnson is one Mother/Hustler that you don't wanna sleep on. As a celebrity makeup artist and media personality featured on Bravo, Oxygen, and VH1, Mimi is on a mission to help other women learn how to GrindPretty. Along with tending to celebrity clients like Angela Simmons, Kenya Moore, and Da Brat, Mimi spends her time curating bomb makeup products and accessories for women on the hustle.
▲The Lip Bar
After facing a devastating rejection on an episode of Shark Tank in 2016, Melissa Butler, the creator of The Lip Bar bounced back in a major way. Melissa started the company seven years ago after noticing that there were no companies that offered a nude lipstick that matched her complexion. On a mission to change the way the beauty industry sees women of color, The Lip Bar is now is 450 Target stores across the nation.
▲RANGE Beauty
Alicia Scott couldn't find a foundation that was affordable, matched her skin tone, and didn't make her skin breakout, so she created one. With a range of products made from high-end, paraben-free vegan ingredients specially curated to improve, highlight, and enhance (not cover) your beauty.
▲Food & Drinks
1987 Juices
When La'Keasha Brown left her hometown in South Carolina, she had no idea that at 32, she would be a full-time business owner helping women achieve their health goals on a daily basis, but God has a funny way of pushing us into our dreams. In 2014, La'Keasha started juicing in an attempt to make some major lifestyle changes, and only a few years later, 1987 Juices serves as a hub for creatives to sweat & sip on her deliciously curated beverages that are all inspired by the power of music.
▲Just Add Honey Tea Company
You can have your cup of tea and sip it too when you shop with Just Add Honey. New Orleans-born entrepreneur, Brandi Shelton, also known as 'the tea lady', discovered her love of herbs while studying fashion abroad, and now she and her husband, Jermail Shelton, or Mr. Just Add Honey, sell their products wholesale as well as run a retail location and tea room in Atlanta.
▲First Batch Artisans
Home of Atlanta's best vegan ice cream, First Batch Artisians is one ElevateHER vendor you'll want to make sure to pull up on. The hardest thing about going vegan is saying goodbye to some of your favorite treats, but First Batch CEO, Dymetra Pernell, has you covered with her wide array of dairy-free ice cream.
▲Haircare
Curlkalon
Your leave-out hits a lil' different when it actually matches the texture of your hair, and Curlkalon is the answer to your coily-weave related woes. In 2015, founder Shavone Riggings set out to revitalize the synthetic hair extension industry with a low-maintenance, affordable options that blend seamlessly with natural hair textures.
▲Koils by Nature
Ten years ago, South Carolina-born ARMY veteran, Pamela Booker used her love for all things natural to develop her plant-based, vegan hair company that was suitable for all hair types and she has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. With her initiatives to promote healthy haircare choices and recycle money into the black community, Pamela proves that buying black isn't just a transaction, issa lifestyle.
▲Homegoods
ComfiArt
Wearable art isn't just for celebrities like Beyonce and Miss Tina Knowles, and ComfiArt wants you to have it at a reasonable price point. Created by artist and digital marketer Dionna Collins in 2016, ComfiArt offers exclusive decor that won't break the bank.
▲Posh Candle Co.
Entrepreneur, glow-getter, and mother-of-two, Tay Watts created these candles for book hoarders, and boss ladies, and black girl magicians alike. The brand uses catchy quotes, positive affirmations, and deliciously smelling soy candles to promote self-love, positive vibes, and laughter and encourage every kind of dope woman to stay lit.
▲Jewelry & Accessories
Candid Art
You're not always going to be everyone's cup of tea and not everyone is going to like you, but one thing they can't deny is how dope your earrings are. When you get ready to retire your gold hoops for a jazzy conversation starter, head over to CANDID ART, a company dedicated to making all of your modern abstract jewelry needs come true. Established almost a decade ago by Howard University graduate Candice Cox, the company offers a vast variety of decor and jewelry made from recycled metal and African textiles.
▲Fabulina Designs
Fabulina Designs has everything you need to look like a rich auntie while still minding your budget. With elevated pieces including but not limited to bracelets, necklaces, purses, and earrings, founder Charline Shelby has been featured in more than 175 boutiques in four countries and is now bringing her elevated pieces to our marketplace right here in Atlanta.
▲Love Peridot
Stop worrying about what you'll get your best friend for her birthday next month and head on over to Love Peridot to fulfill all of your gifting needs. Inspired by her grandmother's distinctive style, D'Cher Whitaker is on a mission to help women make a statement with specially curated travel, lifestyle, and decor accessories.
▲86 & Norman
Sometimes your accessories speak louder than your words, and these handbags from 86 and Norman will likely make you the talk of your inner circle. Full-time business analyst and professional DIYer Cheryl Williams created the brand in 2015 to help women elevate their personal style, and now, the company has evolved into a brick and mortar as well as a mobile shop.
▲Skincare
Goddess Skin + Body
Destiny Fomby, creator of Goddess Skin and Body believes that nature has natural healing powers, and that's exactly why her plant-based products are made straight from the earth. This collection of skincare products seeks to make you look and feel good at the same damn time, and are infused with ingredients that aid in relaxation and healthy skincare.
▲Jade & Fox Co
As a customer of Jade & Fox Co, I can confirm that it's cool to believe the hype. Offering a number of all-natural hair, skin, and body care products both at a storefront in Little Five Points and online, this company just might be the answer to your acne.
▲Bask & Bloom Essentials
Bask & Bloom promises to cater to every hair type with natural products that are free of synthetic fragrances, parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, and mineral oil. Bahamas-born creative Candera Thompson founded her brand with a dedication to clean beauty and island flavor after giving birth to her first child and making a decision to transition her hair from relaxed to natural.
▲Wellness
Essential Wombman
Wands, and teas, and yoni eggs, oh my! When it comes to vagina wellness, The Essential Wombman has you covered with their unique collection of sacred crystal wands, yoni steams, yoni eggs, and detox teas that promise to get your reproductive system all the way together.
▲Play Pits
Kids smell like outside, this is a fact of life. Although the little ones in your life may be a little too young for standard-level deodorant, you can mask a little bit of that stank with this kid-friendly alternative. Mom-of-three, Chantel Powell created the product after noticing that her six-year-old son sometimes smelled more like a 16-year-old, but wasn't quite ready for Old Spice. It was then that Chantel created Play Pits, a mild deodorizing option for kids with active lifestyles.
▲Featured image by Instagram/TheEssentialWombman.
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