This has been a year of being more mindful and purposeful in my choices overall, from reusable kitchen products to non-toxic cleaning products. I wanted to apply that same thinking to gift-giving this year and focus on how I can do the most good, with a small business gift guide.
While I can’t say I won’t do any shopping at Nordstrom or Amazon this holiday season, I’m excited to recommend gifts exclusively from small businesses, with a focus on female and BIPOC-owned.
I know how much joy I get from every $0.30 commission I earn from the blog so I hope that purchasing your holiday gifts from these makers will bring not only you and your loved ones but also the people behind them some much-needed joy this season.
Smaller businesses can’t often accommodate 2-day shipping with 0 processing time so there is some more planning involved (no December 23 orders), but that’s why I’m sharing this guide early! If you have any other great small business gifts please share them in the comments.
Beauty & Jewelry
Nail Polish/Kits from Olive and June
Whether your friends already like doing their nails at home or avoid it because it’s too difficult, this is the perfect gift. The Mani System and The K.I.T Kit are great starter packs for perfecting technique, while polish sets like The Sheer Set and Pink Sweater Kit are gorgeous and perfect if they know what they’re doing. Olive & June is female-owned and what they call “7-free,” which means free of seven harmful chemicals commonly found in nail polishes. Their formula is also vegan and cruelty-free and the polish brushes are flat for a super easy application.
Earrings from Humans Before Handles
Humans Before Handles sells a very cool range of unique jewelry designs. The red hearts (heartbreaker) and the cactus (desert babes) statement earrings are two of my favorites. HBH is Black & female-owned and according to Insta, approved by Beyonce.
Gold Link Jewelry from Oma the Label
Oma the Label was created by NYC Fashion Stylist Neumi Anekhe, who wanted to change the imagery and predominant representation that we see in fashion today. The pieces are plated with 18K gold and brass and very on-trend! My favorites are The Caroline Chain, The Patricia Bracelet, and The Keylin Bracelet.
Eye Masks from KNC Beauty
These starry eye masks are what dreams are made of. They’re cute enough to Insta and infused with Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol to give you an ‘8 hours of sleep’ look. (I’m making an exception to direct links here because purchasing smaller brands at major retailers proves that they have a strong customer base and allow them to grow their business by staying in those stores!)
Chai Spiced Latte Body Polish from The London Grant
I have no doubt that this body polish smells and feels amazing. It’s non-toxic, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free in eco-friendly packaging from an Atlanta-based Black-owned business making it a major win in my book. It’s also available in Honey Coco and Cocoa & Jojoba.
Home Goods
Soy Candles from Brooklyn Candle Studio
My former boss introduced me to this company so full credit to her because it’s an amazing find. These female-owned, 100% phthalate-free, and 100% vegan candles smell so good. My favorite scent is Montana Forest (also the only one I’ve tried so far) but I’d love to try Sweet Fig, Apple Cider, Catskills Escapist Candle, and Sunday Morning. If you or your friend is indecisive you can also try the Discovery Kit for 6 minis.
A Mindful Journal by Meera Lee Patel
Meena creates beautiful guided journals filled with quotes and illustrations. Teen Vogue says to “Pick up a copy for those in your life who may not make it to yoga or their therapist quite as often as they’ve been meaning to,” about her latest, “Create Your Own Calm: A Journal for Quieting Anxiety.” During this time who doesn’t have a little anxiety to quiet? Her first release “Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self Explanation” would also make a great gift.
Planters from The Jungalow
I’ve long been obsessed with Justina Blakeney and her company, The Jungalow. If your friends hopped on the plant trend this is such a cute gift. I love the Terracotta Mirrored Pots and the Oona Kaya Face Pot. More reasons to shop The Jungalow (besides the cute vibes): everything is sourced from female artists, at least two trees are planted with every single order, and it uses recycled, recyclable and compostable materials where possible, along with non-toxic finishes on ceramics. The Jungalow also donates to non-profits like the ACLU, Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code & more.
Prints from Arielle Vey
One of the first decor items I ordered for my apartment was this framed photograph from Arielle Vey. I constantly use her photos for my phone wallpapers (follow her on IG for those) and would love to get another one to go with my Paris print. If your friend or family member has a soft spot for California these are especially perfect.
Food & Pantry
Oil & Vinegar from Brightland
Brightland founder Aishwarya Iyer creates California-grown, family farmed olive oils and vinegar. From what I’ve read these products will make you rethink the value of good EVOO and as a bonus, the products look beautiful on very valuable and limited NYC counter space.
Hot Pepper Sauce from Shaquanda Will Feed You
Shaquanda’s Hot Pepper Sauce is farm to kitchen and kitchen to bottle, filled with fresh hot chili peppers, onions, ginger, apple cider vinegar and more. Andre named Shaquanda as an homage to where he grew up and the company is Black-owned and operated.
Sichuan Chili Crisp from Fly By Jing
Jing makes really cool seasonings like Chili Crisp, Dumpling Sauce, and Mala Spice Mix. She set out to bring the flavors of China’s culinary heritage to the world and redefine perceptions of Chinese food in the West while using all-natural ingredients. P.S. I found both Fly By Jing and Shaquanda Will Feed You through Pineapple Collaborative which is another woman-owned small business that highlights women in food and sells their own women-made olive oil and apple cider vinegar!
BLK & Bold Coffee
BLK & Bold is the first Black-owned nationally-distributed coffee brand and goes beyond coffee. It donates 5% of profits to nonprofit organizations to support at-risk youth. I don’t drink (and therefore don’t know anything about) coffee,, but it is one of Amazon’s best-selling coffee brands. You can shop online via its website or Target.
A Good Sauv Blanc from McBride Sisters
The McBride sisters have such an amazing story. One grew up in New Zealand, the other in California (both big wine regions!) without knowing the other existed. They came together and created an incredible wine label with almost no resources. For more on their story, definitely listen to their episode of the podcast, How I Built This. For wine, check out the full list here. The Black Girl Magic 6-pack would make a great splurge gift.
Cookbooks
A bookstore I’ve been supporting recently is The Lit. Bar, the only independent bookstore in the Bronx. It serves as a multi-functional and safe space for community members and especially Black and Latina women. We didn’t have a local family-owned bookstore I frequented growing up but Barnes & Noble was one of my favorite stores. I love what The Lit Bar stands for and that it’s small scale, serving a community that needs it. It’s also Black and female-owned. You can shop via BookShop.
I focused on cookbooks as I think they make better gifts since novel taste is very specific, but if you are looking for some novels here are all the 5-star books I’ve read recently, and here are all the books I want to read. In the same vein of spotlighting small businesses, my cookbook recommendations are largely focused on lesser-cooked cuisines and diverse chefs.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
This is an amazing cookbook because it not only gives you recipes but actually teaches you the principles of cooking. If you or your gift recipient is anything like me and has no idea what they’re doing in the kitchen this is a good starting place. If you still aren’t fully convinced, start with her Netflix special by the same name to get a taste of Samin’s style.
The Food of Sichuan by Fuchsia Dunlop
The Food of Sichuan is shockingly not written by a Chinese woman, but based on the reviews online and my best friend who is Chinese and recommended it to me, it is an authentic and delicious representation of Sichuan cooking. The book goes in-depth from cutting veggies to prepping meat which makes these recipes much more manageable. No surprise here, it was named one of NPR’s Favorite Books of 2019.
Honey & Co by Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer
Honey & Co is another recommendation from a friend and is focused on foods of the Middle East, written by a couple who fell in love over food. There are four books: The Cookbook, at home, The Baking Book, and Golden. She has and highly recommends at home.
The New Way to Cake by Benjamina Ebuehi
Although I haven’t seen Benjamina’s season of the Great British Bake Off yet, I love following her on Instagram. Her desserts are gorgeous. Her cookbook, The New Way to Cake, inspired by her journey on the show, her Nigerian routes, and growing up in London, has recipes for 60 easy, stylish cakes.
In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan
In Bibi’s Kitchen focuses on the recipes of eight African grandmothers and is actually a recommendation from Samin Nosrat herself. It represents the women through not just recipes but interviews and photos too.
P.S. You can shop the full list here.
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