August is National Black Business month, founded by John William Templeton and Frederick E. Jordan Sr. in 2004. Their mission was simple, “to drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African American businesses,” according to their website.
Here are Svn (7) BIPOC Female Owned brands in the Hemp & CBD industry you need to know now. You have the power to choose where to spend your money and make an impact by recognizing, supporting and shopping from BIPOC companies.
We hope that beyond National Black Business Month, you’ll learn more about these brands, meet the maker, read their story, buy and try the product and most importantly -- repeat. It’s how we shift the conversation and truly make a difference.
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1. Frigg – Founder Kimberly Dillon - newly launched (and long awaited) skincare, haircare and wellness brand Frigg enters the market. We’ve seen Kim pulled in 1000 directions, speaking on behalf of so many other CBD companies, we were excited to hear Frigg is finally here! Timing is everything congrats Kim on a beautiful line of product focused on restoring balance from our scalps to our face.
“In an age of burnout, modern stressors take a huge toll on our skin and hair. That’s why we’ve developed plant-based functional formulas that help support our emotional well-being while combatting beauty problems like dry flaky skin and scalps, thinning hair, and premature aging.
Our hero ingredient is the hemp plant, the ultimate adaptogen for bringing the body back into balance. We use a wide range of cannabinoids for their mood-supporting properties, but also because hemp is one of the most regenerative crops known to humankind. We use many parts of the plant in our formulas and plan to use it in our packaging as well.”
2. Urban Re-Leaf – Founder Denise Smith – from managing mortgages to an eye-opening meeting called “Cannabis and Real Estate”, enter Denise Smith, founder of Urban Re-Leaf who was inspired to start a cannabis candle company. Candles that pair cannabis essential oil with coconut wax and some amazing ingredients. We carry just a few of them and during times of stress? We go to our favorite – Calming Lily.
“As a woman owned business in the cannabis space I started in my home. As I continue to grow I would love to pass this business to my younger family members, especially the girls, Jersey and Avi. Our products are cannabis based and hemp home inspired products. We started with candles but are launching a CBD bubble bath, cannabis room spray, CBD soap, reed diffuser then moving into hemp textiles.
The cannabis plant is so amazing, and I am learning so much about its healing properties for me and the environment. After having two knee surgeries and a foot surgery, I use CBD cream/oil for pain relief. It also assists me with sleep. Running a business can be stressful.
I want to continue to bring you eco-friendly products that burn slow and clean, nontoxic, uniform burning, with no phthalate fragrances and essential oils. I am looking to build a tribe who can appreciate these types of products.”
3. Dehiya Beauty – Founder Mia Chae Reddy, PH.D. – we met Mia for coffee at our favorite coffee spot, Better Buzz in Encinitas and the rest is history ☺. We bonded over being half Korean and mesmerized with Mia’s vision to create “a plant-based, all-natural, vegan skin care line influenced by Moroccan folk beauty and modern women.” Did we mention inclusive? Ancestral? Simple? Sustainable? Effective? And so much more… Our favorite? Shop the Namaka Super C Sea Antioxidant Mask (say that 10x) for natural glowing skin.
“A return to simple, time-honored beauty… We are champions of diverse & inclusive beauty; passionate about creating highly effective, plant-based skin care. We use ethically sourced, highly active, native and wild botanical ingredients from all over the world. Through the combination of modern skin care practices and time-honored beauty rituals, our goal is to uncomplicate skin care routines for women everywhere.”
4. Undefined Beauty – Founder Dorian Morris – Dorian attended our 2nd Hempanna event where she debuted her new Indigo Rose Glow beauty oil in a bottle. Meeting this powerhouse of a woman, she was on her way to creating a movement with the evolution of Undefined Collective.
“Time has come to break the rules, change the narrative and democratize beauty- clean beauty without limits- just as it should be. Non-toxic, non-irritating and packed with powerful botanicals, we take skincare one step further by infusing social purpose into everything we do and all that we create- purposeful beauty unleashed.”
5. Pivot Cosmetics – Founder Doni Brown – What do you do when you see a huge void in the market? Doni answers with “develop a “CBD cosmetic line made for WOC by WOC”. A line dedicated to enhancing your inner glow including a hydrating hyaluronic serum and facial sheet mask. Recommended by our Svn Space community, we look forward to seeing what Doni comes up with next.
“Pivot Cosmetics is a CBD cosmetics line developed for women of color. Our mission is to not only cater to the common skin issues that women of color have, but also create a fun, self-care experience for the people that use our products. The idea for the brand was birthed when founder, Doni Brown, realized that there was a rise in CBD brands, but no one was directly catering to this group of consumers. It only seems right to develop the line, being that women of color are the largest consumers of beauty products, and some of the largest consumers of cannabis.”
6. Zula Essentials – Founder Carla Joseph – another company recommended by our Svn Space community, meet Zula Essentials. With so many CBD companies emerging, it’s nice to know that Founder Carla Joseph, is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in the health and wellness space AND an “advocate of mental health being the foundation of your self-care routine”. On a mission to educate and help other women of color enhance the quality of their lives.
“Zula Essentials is the premier CBD wellness brand for women who want to make wellness and self care a priority. The mission and vision for Zula Essentials is to help women lead a more harmonious life through the use of CBD and to become an internationally respected brand.
The founder of Zula Essentials, Carla is very passionate about shifting the stigma associated with Mental Health as it relates to women. In Carla’s personal and professional life she has encountered women of color who have battled with their mental health. As a result of these experiences, she understands the importance of having access to mental health resources and how essential mental health services are in moving past traumatic life experiences.
At Zula Essentials, we understand the importance of making an impact in the communities we serve. As a result, a portion of the revenue will always go to a non-profit organization that supports Black Mental Health and Self Care.”
7. Aliya Wanek – Founder Aliya Wanek – and last but not least… if you ever scroll through the depths of our Instagram feed, you’ll see our love affair of Aliya’s clothing. We’ve been crushing on Aliya’s Hemp clothes for a long time and the reason why? Her line is modern, all about slow fashion, made ethically just to name a few. There are so many reasons to love Hemp and couple that with Aliya’s modern and Japanese aesthetic, you include timeless pieces to your wardrobe to last a very long time. Quality over quantity.
“Founded in 2016, ALIYA WANEK is an eponymous womenswear label that focuses on exploring the connection between one’s identity and style. Our mission is to create comfortable, stylish clothing ethically and sustainably as an extension of the wearer’s individuality. If not sewing the garments herself, Aliya works with a production sewer and other local contractors in the Bay Area to produce and dye her garments, always taking into consideration ways to reduce the brand’s environmental impact.”