This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ithaca chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
It’s Women’s History Month!
It is that time of the year where we honor contributions women make to our world that may have been overlooked. We love supporting women all year, but now is the best time to recognize women owned businesses and companies. If you do not know about the beauty empires women are building, here are some you could choose to support this month (and all the time) that are vegan and cruelty free!
Glow Recipe.
Sarah Lee and Christine Chang are the CEO’s and founders of Glow Recipe, a Korean Beauty brand about being “fruit forward”. Sarah explained that as a child she would do skincare DIYs with her mother and grandmother at the Korean bathhouse. Christine would also be there to splash milks and teas on her face with her family. They both understood from a young age that skincare can be fun and about the benefits of caring for yourself. They met at a Sephora they both worked at in Seoul, Korea and joked they both had “mutual passion for beauty, but also Korean barbecue and soju”. They started their brand in New York City and would ship the packages themselves with personalized letters to each customer. They leaned on each other to support the business. They went on Shark Tank and declined the offer they were given,but their brand ended up skyrocketing on its own.
Glow Recipe is a brand that has many options to choose from. They have glass skin sets and fruit infused “rituals” like the Prickly Pear bundle. Their best sellers are from the Watermelon Glow line which includes Niacinamide Dew Drops, PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner, Oil-Free Refillable Moisturizer, and many more. This brand is also Carbon Neutral Certified and makes products that can be recycled. If you don’t know what to get, because it all looks amazing, they have guides on their website on what products help with what, as well as a skin quiz!
The Original MakeUp Eraser.
Yep! That soft cloth you use to wipe off your makeup every night was made by a woman! Elexis McCarthy from Washington wanted to find a way to take off makeup in a non harsh and chemical free way. That’s why she invented The Original MakeUp Eraser! “One day it finally hit me, I had not used or purchased a single makeup wipe or removal product in over 10 years! I knew this was something I NEEDED to share with the world” is a quote from the website by Elexis herself! This sustainable way of removing makeup was revolutionary to the beauty industry. 1.3 billion makeup removing wipes are thrown away every day, but using the washable MakeUp Eraser can decrease that number significantly.
Their best sellers include the MakeUp Eraser in different designs and colors like Hello Kitty and Friends and Neutrals. They also have other trending beauty products like the Drip Eraser Set, which includes wristbands and a headband, and the Calming Cloud Cleanse Balm to help melt away your makeup! They also have the MakeUp Sponge which is machine washable!
Tower 28.
Amy Liu, founder and CEO of Tower 28, grew up with sensitive skin and eczema. After working in beauty for over fifteen years, she decided she was going to make a fun and less scary brand for all skin types. Tower 28 is the first and only skincare brand that is accepted by the National Eczema Association, National Rosacea Society, and National Psoriasis Foundation. The Medical Advisory Board is also composed of women, including Dr. Joyce Park and Dr. Kelly Killeen. All of the plastic used is 50% recycled.
The bestsellers include the Swipe Serum Concealer (which has hyaluronic acid, a skin hydrator!), the SOS Rescue Spray which is dermatologist approved with a pH of 4.5, and the MakeWaves Mascara infused with castor oil that comes in brown and black shades! The website has options for skin types as well. If you have sensitive skin, this brand could help you clear up!
cocokind.
Priscilla Tsai set out to create cocokind in 2015 “to change the status quo of the beauty industry and break the cycle of “aspirational beauty”. What a queen! Being the founder and CEO, she wanted to build her company with honesty and transparency when it came to formulas. The company focuses on mental health and highlights how we are good enough. They also measure and share their carbon footprint and reduce it every year.
The best sellers include their double cleanse duo, which has the oil to milk hydrating cleanser and the AHA jelly exfoliating cleanser, the resurrection polypeptide cream, a firming moisturizer that supports the skin’s collagen fragrance free, and the ceramide lip blur balm, a promise to plump lips with ceramides and peptides. The last products listed above are dermatologist tested and National Eczema Association Accepted.
Juvia’s Place.
Chichi Eburu is the founder and CEO of Juvia’s Place, a company known for its inclusivity. Chichi grew up in Nigeria where finding colors for her skintone was a struggle. She only saw the Western-influenced beauty standards. She started by making her own beauty products in her small apartment, and when she saved up enough, she launched Juvia’s Place. She drew inspiration from African kingdoms and rulers to get her perfect line. “We believe in being BRIGHT, BOLD, AND PROUD” is on their website, and they were not lying.
While this company is not certified vegan, they are actively attempting to get rid of their non-vegan ingredients. Double check the ingredients for carmine, or E120 dye, if the product is red it could be an older product with carmine. Their best selling products include the Bronzed Duo Bronzer and the Blushed Duo Blush with shade ranges for everyone, as well as the Egyptian Pencil Eyeliner that comes in Kajal, Ivory, and White. It would be unfair to not mention the skincare side of the company, Juvia’s Skin, which has serums and treatments for a range of skin concerns.
women founded brands.
These beauty brands all have a motivating factor that most (if not all) people who use beauty products can align with. A little motivator to support women founded brands this month as well as all year round!
