In honor of Black History Month, we want to recognize the importance of uplifting and supporting the Black community, as well as helping to keep wonderful small businesses afloat. If you're looking to support small shops and buy from Black-owned companies, we have some great ideas for you!
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Looking for some amazing products that will make your own fertility journey a little bit easier and more comfortable? Or maybe you're simply searching for some unique ideas for a friend or family member going through fertility treatment. No matter the reason, this fertility gift guide offers up some genuinely helpful suggestions.
Better yet, all of these purchases go directly towards supporting Black small business owners, so you can feel good and do good at the same time.
These are our top recommendations for Black-owned beauty and personal care products that not only make you feel good, but encourage you to slow down and take care of yourself.
Golde is a Black and female-led self care company that was founded in Brooklyn in 2017 by Trinity Mouzon Wofford. Their products are "a celebration of superfoods" that aim to enhance your daily routine and range all the way from morning smoothies mixes to skincare. They include only good, pure ingredients that treat your skin just right.
Why we love it: Aside from their founders and mission, Golde's range of products are not only supporting Black female entrepreneurs, but supporting your holistic wellbeing too.
When you're going through fertility treatment, it feels like there's nothing in your life you're truly in control of anymore. Some patients find that doing their hair or makeup can make them feel more confident, empowered and ready for a difficult procedure or treatment.
Why we love it: The Lip Bar, owned by Melissa Butler, is a vegan, cruelty-free, makeup brand that believes in inclusive ideals and easy-to-use products. A Detroit native determined to make her business a success, Melissa was turned down by Shark Tank - but ended up with an incredibly popular brand now sold at Target and other stores across the country!
Sometimes you just need a good self-care session to lower those stress hormones and help you relax at the end of a difficult day. These beautifully-packaged bath salts are the perfect addition to any warm, pampering bath.
Charmed Bath & Body is a small, handmade vegan skincare and body care brand run by Charmeas, an artisan based in South Carolina. All of her items are made with love, in small batches, to ensure the freshest products possible.
Why we love it: Charmed Bath & Body believes that "what goes on your body is as important as what goes in your body." Their products are always 100% vegan, cruelty free, and free of harsh chemicals.
{blade + bloom} is a female and Black-owned apothecary (think candles, aromatherapy oils, and skincare) making small batch products out of Chicago, Illinois. Founder Terri Foster believes that just because products are high-quality and stylish doesn't mean they can't be made in a sustainable, eco-conscious way.
Why we love it: Whether you're grabbing aromatherapy oils, candles, or any of their other beautifully-packaged products, you can feel good knowing that your purchases are supporting an awesome, ethical company - while also taking good care of you.
Born out of necessity after their daughter's food allergy diagnoses, Partake is a brand committed to delicious snacks that is also safe for those with multiple food allergies. Partake's founders work to raise awareness of the higher rates of food allergies in the Black community.
These Crunchy Ginger Snap cookies are our top pick, though their entire product line is super tasty. Bonus? You're supporting a local family-owned business with heart.
Why we love it: As a Black female CEO & founder, Denise is truly passionate about "raising awareness and support for Black and female entrepreneurs, as well as increasing opportunities for women and people of color seeking careers in the food industry."
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Making yourself a cup of tea can be so much more than a simple break in the day - for some, it becomes a calming, peaceful ritual. BLK&BOLD offers many different loose leaf tea options that all sound delicious! They also have some amazing specialty coffees.
Why we love it: In addition to supporting a Black-owned small business, you'll also be helping at-risk youth with your purchase. BLK&BOLD donates 5% of their proceeds towards various community organizations.
Finding it challenging to keep track of all your morning monitoring, consults, procedure or transfer appointments? Check out Godly Georgeous' beautifully-designed (yet simple) Happy Illustration notepad. With ample space to fill in appointment details or make notes for each day of the week, this notepad is a helpful tool for any fertility patient.
Godly Gorgeous is an Etsy shop run by Andrea, a wife and mom of two.
Tonya Lewis Lee, a women's health advocate passionate about the wellbeing of Black families, founded Movita with the mission to help women everywhere feel good and learn how to take back control of their personal health.
Why we love it: If you're going through a fertility journey, it's easy to feel like so much of the process is out of your hands. Choosing the appropriate supplements, including prenatal vitamins, can bring back some peace of mind as you navigate this challenging experience.
Note: Not all supplements and prenatals provide the nutrients you need on your own unique journey to parenthood. Speak to a fertility nutritionist about the best supplements to support your needs after going through a complete fertility evaluation.
Lighting a candle and filling your home with good scents goes a long way towards making you feel cozy. These beautifully scented candles from 228 Grant Street Candle Co. offer up the perfect excuse to take some deep breaths in and out - because we're sure you'll want more than one whiff!
Overwhelmed by all the amazing choices? The Cedar and Vanilla candle caught our eye. And if you're purchasing a candle for someone else, they even offer e-gift cards!
Why we love it: 228 Grant Street Candle Co. is owned by maker Kendal Brown, operates out of Baltimore, Maryland's Pigtown neighborhood, and has a heartwarming origin story rooted in family and community.
These comfy-looking, scrunchy Cloud Socks by Brother Vellies look like the perfect pair to pull on for your next appointment or procedure! Guaranteed to keep your toes warm and cozy.
Aurora James, Brother Vellies' Creative Director and Founder, says that one of the main goals of her company is to keep traditional African design practices and techniques alive while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs. That's a mission we can get behind.
Why we love it: Besides all of that, and their focus on sustainability and commitment to making goods in America, there's another extra awesome benefit of purchasing from Brother Vellies: proceeds from their Lavender socks fund their food distribution initiative in Kenya.
Planning for your future as a parent or have a friend who's pregnant? Check out Doula Kaytee's Postpartum Affirmation Cards! With gentle reminders for new parents in the overwhelming postpartum season, these are the perfect gift for anyone who is expecting.
Why we love it: In addition to providing in-person support as a birth and postpartum doula to families in Minnesota, Kaytee Crawford also offers virtual lactation and babywearing consultations and runs an online shop with T-shirts, stickers, cards and more that center the Black experience.
Expectful is a beautifully-designed digital health and wellness platform specifically built for moms-to-be. The app and online platform offer guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, and expert advice tailored to those who are trying to conceive or navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. Expectful also offers a wide range of courses, taught by experts in fertility, mental health, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.
Why we love it: CEO Nathalie Walton, a Black female entrepreneur (and mom), created Expectful after struggling to be heard and cared for by medical professionals throughout her pregnancy. She decided to turn her experience as a Black woman and mother into a useful tool to support other parents-to-be.
The Villij was founded by best friends, Kim and Shanelle, who believe women of color deserve access to tools that encourage wellbeing. After years of feeling excluded, isolated and overwhelmed in health and wellness spaces, the duo set out on a path to change the way women of color accessed tools to take better care of themselves and their communities.
Their mission, in a nutshell? To help women of color nurture their well-being through affirming wellness education, experiences and support. They facilitate walking clubs for women of color, yoga classes, mental health workshops, and much more.
Why we love it: It's easy to lose yourself in a fertility journey, especially when appointments, research, and everything else it involves consumes a lot of your time. Joining a community like The Villij is a great opportunity to reclaim a little bit of you during the roller coaster of infertility.
As with anything else when it comes to your health, we encourage you to ask your Illume Fertility Care Team (or your personal doctor, if not a patient at Illume) about the safety of any skincare ingredients or wellness practices before trying them out.
While these products are all fantastic and should be safe for you to consume or try, your own medical team will know best how to guide you through testing out anything new while you are trying to conceive or navigating pregnancy.