Hey Family! We are KNEE DEEP into Women’s History Month, and let me just say that the support is REAL. Last week we were able to shine a spotlight on a woman-owned brand, Boujee Hippie and the response was spectacular. 

Did you know that 42 percent of businesses in the US are women-owned? While that number is extremely high, women owned businesses still fall extremely low on the resource list, with just 2.2 percent of all venture capital going to their businesses.

Needless-to-say, it’s time to shake things up for our girl-bosses.

That’s why we are bringing you, not one, but THREE women owned businesses to support this week. Let’s dig in: 

Black Women’s Lives Matter

There’s no way to celebrate Women’s History without shining a spotlight on Black Women’s History. Our friends over at Black Women’s Lives Matter are doing JUST THAT. In fact, every day their mission is to pay tribute and to celebrate and honor the lives of black women through cutting edge fashion. A portion of all proceeds from this product line will be donated to reputable, social justice organizations that support and uplift black women's interest. We aim to provide a memorable experience when you shop on our online store, offering quality products with a top rated customer service.

The founder, Dr. Jamila T. Davis, has a true ‘major comeback’ story that surely inspires the masses. Davis is an author, educator, community activist and entrepreneur. Featured on the hit shows “Love and Hip Hop” and VH1’s “My True Crime Story,” the CBS series “Pink Collar,” BET’s “Sister Circle,” Black Enterprise, Forbes, “The Breakfast Club” with Charlamagne tha God, as well as The New York Times, USA Today and a myriad other print, digital and broadcast media. Davis has used her real-life experience and story of redemption to create a platform to empower others.

Their noteworthy streetwear fashions have a crossover of making a statement while unapologetically making some folks uncomfortable. Each piece, strategically designed to empower and speak the truth about the Black Woman’s narrative will quickly make you question if you need a piece of merch in your own wardrobe. Check them out, we absolutely adore this brand. 

Laurelle Nail Color

Next up, Laurelle Nail Color; an exclusive woman-owned nail brand that provides quality ingredients in a market that you can’t always trust. The truth is for many woman, our nails is a form of expression. We love to show off our style through nail art, and pops of color; unfortunately that love can be jaded by chemically-toxic ingredients that do more harm than good. 

Owner Lakisha Laurelle saw that problem and decided to address it head-on. Growing up in Harlem, nail care was and remains a priority to self-care and expression. She spent many weekends running to the salon for a manicure to upgrade her style. Harlemites are known for not being afraid to wear bold colors that incorporate style and grace. So she decided to translate that same energy over to building a brand that offered the same stunning colors and styles that she grew up loving in Harlem, but with integrity through a vegan-formula that won’t harm your nails. 

Laurelle took things a step further by also incorporating a kid’s collection that was accompanied with scented nail polishes, emoji themed polishes, and a fun mommy & me collection. Take a look at all of the fly-girl colors Laurelle Nail Color offers here.

Luxury Snob

Now ladies –who doesn’t want luxury brand items, but with the not-so-luxury costs? We all do, right? Our girl and CEO Lynda D wanted to create a one-stop shop for fashion lovers who love to enjoy shopping for luxury items. Why is this so important? The truth is, we know that shopping for pre-owned luxury items isn’t easy –and nothing will ruin your day faster than finding out that the handbag you bought on an untrustworthy website turns out to be a replica. Owner Lynda D doesn’t PLAY when it comes to authenticity. Authenticity is the cornerstone of Luxurysnob. She even staffs in-house professionals and apparel experts that ensure every item sold is 100% authentic and in excellent condition. 

Why is this brand so dope? While you’re shopping for the most fabulous fashion items,  Lynda D is able to provide clients with some hard to find pieces or items that are no longer available in stores at remarkable prices. Another great factor is that they are able to help so many people get over financial humps with the ability to sell their items. Some people consign their items with Luxurysnob to help pay off debt, Pay for weddings, Buy a new home, & many various other reasons. Now that’s what we call taking care of your own. Go on and browse for yourself, friend … we know there’s something over there with your name on it. 

Stay tuned because we have a lot more in store. We will continue to highlight women-owned brands each and every remaining week of March with a sound understanding that we all continue to YELLE together. 

Happy International Women’s Month! While we love a good holiday to celebrate being women, it is always a good idea to support women-owned brands 365 days of the year. Women on average earn at least 30 cents less to every dollar a man makes, even less if they are a woman of color; on the women drive up to 80% of shopping decisions, so it’s important to put our money where it matters and back in the hands of those driving the culture. Let’s put main energy behind supporting women owned businesses! This is why we’re spotlighting 4 trailblazing female-founded companies we love for Women’s History Month. Let’s dig in:

Meet Boujee Hippie. - Serving BAWDY Since 2019. 

Boujee Hippie’s mission is to help every woman love and accept every version of herself. The brand does this by offering a diverse range of products that support women‘s wellbeing (mind, body, and soul). Established in 2019 by Black female entrepreneurs Tiffany Obryant-Mims and Ashley Antoinette, Boujee Hippie is a multimillion-dollar business that continues to grow. What started as a small idea between friends has transformed into an entrepreneurial anomaly founded by Black women and its success proves that Black women create magic. Black women can do it all, and their celebrity endorsement roster from B Simone, Supa Cent, Yandy Smith, and DaReal BB Judy, to name a few, proves just that. 20% Off their entire site. Use Code "IAMWOMAN". 

They have identified spaces where Black women didn’t exist like the health and fitness lane, the shapewear industry, and the reproductive care markets. Their new goal is to provide self-care for Black women in all areas we have been neglected by mainstream companies. They created a total body detox. They launched a sensual and shape reforming shapewear line that contours your problem areas and increases confidence. They developed a natural Apple Cider Vinegar supplement that gives you energy to tackle life at your best. They even developed a Period Panty that makes that time of the month easier for women of color who are known to suffer from longer and heavier periods. In a nutshell, they are taking up space and building tables that make their Boujee Babes better.  20% Off their entire site. Use Code "IAMWOMAN". 

Trimdown Transformation System

The Trimdown Transformation System is the ultimate weight loss kit.  It includes the IGNITE Fat Burner, Boujee Hippie Meltdown Detox and the Boujee Hippie Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies! The purchase of the system will also include the Downloadable 21 Day Transformation Meal Plan for FREE to jump start your new healthy lifestyle. See the benefits of each product below:  20% Off their entire site. Use Code "IAMWOMAN". 

IGNITE Fat Burner: A metabolic fat burner that doesn’t just incinerate unwanted body fat but helps align your mind with your body goals. Infused with ketones that keep your body in a calorie burning state, it helps reduce appetite and gives increased energy to help you tackle your day.  

Boujee Hippie Meltdown Detox: Weight loss detox that will jump start your weight loss journey.  The detox is designed to cleanse the body of unwanted toxins and provide visible results within 15 days.The Meltdown Detox supports digestive health, helps reduce bloating, and supports weight loss.

Boujee Hippie Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies: Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural energy boost without the jitters that come with caffeinated alternatives. It supports Immune function and improves weight management by curbing your appetite and promoting healthy digestion. It helps reduce bloating and encourages water intake as well.

If you think Boujee Hippie only has weight loss products, think again! Here is our favorite body shaper to help you shape and contour your midsection while you're losing all those pounds!

Made with super stretch material they mold even the most curvaceous figure while the ultra-compression keeps all your assets in the right place. Whether you’re working out or just in need of a super cute legging to finish off your casual day look, the Boujee Hippie yoga pant is for you.

Hey girl, hey! Yandy here –Happy Women’s Month! 

This is OUR TIME –Let’s recognize each other for our efforts; because frankly, we are doing the dang-thang! 

As a working mom myself, I know the workload is a lot, and finding a balance is nearly impossible –but sis, we have to keep the stress away!

Most working moms look to their networks of mentors, coworkers, and even loved ones for advice on balancing the competing demands of work and home. Unfortunately the advice that most get  isn’t always helpful. With so many professional women depending on this common wisdom, it’s no wonder the workforce isn’t budging and so many working parents report feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Although loved one’s share their insight, it’s not  always the most useful resource for the modern working woman. 

So let’s dig in. As a true BOSS MOM, I’m here to tell you –sis you can do it. Go girl, you can balance work, family, and maintain your stress levels and here’s how: 

Play into your strengths. Whatever skills and traits have made you successful at work (Is it organization? Creativity? Resilience? The ability to assemble a team?) will help enable your success as a working parent. A strong organizer juggles the demands and endless details of their dual role effectively with task lists on their phone; the creative thinker comes up with an unusual but happy child care arrangement that accommodates their frequent last-minute business travel. Think about what you do best and most naturally on the job, take confidence in that strength, and then use it when you are faced with parenting challenges. 

Have a vision of what your parenting goals are and insert your career into that equation. The reality is, family will always come first, remember that! So like your job, having a defined mission and clear goals enable you to set priorities, use resources, measure success, and be confident you’re on the right path. Keep that same energy in parenting. Having that clear vision for how you want to parent gives you the feeling of being in the driver’s seat — and gives you confidence in your daily decisions.

Bring efficiency home. Repeat after me, use your calendars and the shared work tools should be used at home. Downloading apps that help you maintain your schedule, or demands onto your phone can help you move from “overwhelmed and exhausted” to “busy but managing.”

Create flexibility –and sell it to your boss. This is where you work smarter and not harder. Create the lifestyle that you need to sustain both work and home. Telling the boss that working from home on Mondays and Fridays would save enough commute time that you could deliver the weekly reports early is more compelling than simply asking to work from home because “it’s a lot easier for me with the kids.” You have to paint the picture so that it benefits them.

Why is this so important to me? Because sis, I’ve lived it, and I am still living it! The more stress you have, the more damage-control you have to do. Your health declines, your skin breaks out, and you are no longer your normal self! No one wants those problems. If you’re struggling to find balance and you think the stress is taking a toll on your skin, then sis you need to run –not walk, run, over to yelleskincare.com and snag our 5 Piece complete system. This premier collection has everything you need to experience top tier skin while calming and soothing breakouts with its plant-based ingredients like Aloe, Chamomile, and Honey.

Working through motherhood is a tough management, leadership, and personal challenge for anyone, regardless of how gifted or hard-working they are — and it lasts for a full 18 years, or more. The reality is –you must create the life you want to live. With healthy boundaries you can say no to stress and yes to structure. Let me know if this was helpful, I’ll try to keep sending you monthly notes. Love yall! 

Xx, Yandy

Somehow face serum benefits seem to be one of beauty’s best kept secrets at the moment! But they shouldn’t be a secret; everyone should know exactly why they want that little bottle of golden goodness in their beauty regime. Fortunately, we’re here to share with you the top benefits of using a Face Serum. 

What is a face serum?

Serums are divinely smooth thin oils which deliver a concentrated amount of active ingredients and lock in moisture. The oil-base isn’t cloying but it enables the ingredients to really penetrate the surface of the skin, ensuring they are effective whilst also protecting your skin from the impact of daily living.

Why do we love them? 

Somehow face serum benefits seem to be one of beauty’s best kept secrets at the moment! But they shouldn’t be a secret; everyone should know exactly why they want that little bottle of golden goodness in their beauty regime. Fortunately, we’re here to share with you the top benefits of using a Face Serum. 

They are nourishing and smoothing.

Face serum will soothe those sensitive patches of skin, but it’ll also prove to be very soothing just to apply. It’s a really tactile process. Even if your skin is prone to oiliness or outbreaks, a face serum soothes the skin and helps to make you feel loved and cherished.

It gives your skin a boost!

Face serum gives the collagen in your skin a boost, helping to keep it firm and plumping out fine lines and wrinkles. Fine lines and wrinkles are a normal part of skin maturation, but it is dullness and dryness which makes them seem ageing. 

By using a serum, your skin will be more radiant and full of colour. It’ll be less dry, and fine lines and wrinkles simply look characterful and smoother, rather than a sign that you are tired and worn out.

You’ll stay hydrated.

Like many if you know, moisturiser cam sometimes need support and serums give it that. I really is simply put due to the oil-like consistency which keeps moisture in. Your skin can still breathe but it doesn’t dry out so easily.

Yelle offers 3 different Skin Serum variations included in our Awakening collection. One for dry skin, locking in intense moisture to last you a full day, the other scaling back in excessive moisture for oily skin; and the final finding a perfect balance of both for most of our combination girls. 

If you’re stumped on which serum you should try, click here to take our skin quiz. It’s the perfect way to evaluate your skin so that you can guarantee you’re using the exact products you need! 

Women of color have a standout,we’ve created a lane in beauty that is all our own. However, it has not always been acknowledged in the mainstream media and for decades it was often swept under the rug. Thanks to a select group of melanin-poppin’ ladies who broke through the mirrored glass ceiling, the beauty industry has made giant strides in celebrating the diversity of beauty in all of its various hues, textures and forms. 

It’s likely no surprise to modern cosmetologists that much of what we consider to be daily salon routines and how we treat hair has roots in Black salons and Black history—but we’re wondering if you’re aware of how much of modern cosmetology has been impacted and changed (for the better) by Black women.

To answer this question, provide insight, and honor Black achievement specifically in the cosmetology (hair, beauty, and skin industry,) we’re dropping a little knowledge this February with a list of a few powerful Black women in history who shook the cosmetology world to the core.

Madam CJ Walker

It is truly impossible to make this list without mentioning Madame C.J. Walker. The first self-made millionaire in history, she was a force to be reckoned with and an absolute powerhouse in the hair health and beauty industries.

With her products made specifically for Black women, Walker’s product line offered life-changing pomades, shampoos, conditioners, and beyond that didn’t force Black women to use the euro-centric beauty products that were not designed with them in mind. Her “Walker system” of hair care was sold by her highly-trained beauty culturists. With her knack for self-promotion and product perfection, she changed the cosmetology industry forever.

But more than that, she employed thousands of Black women, donated much of her money to the NAACP, the Tuskegee Institute, and the Black YMCA, and focused on teaching her employees about how to find financial independence.

Rose Meta Morgan

Rose Meta Morgan has humble beauty beginnings that quickly skyrocketed her to owning and operating the largest Black beauty parlor in the world by 1942. Always an entrepreneur, Morgan had a hair career going by the age of 14 years old. Morgan directly opposed the Eurocentric beauty standards being forced on Black women at the time—so she began making her own line of cosmetics, products, and staging fashion shows.

Her salon went on to amass more than $3 million in sales only a few years after it opened its doors and her success continued to grow beyond the world of cosmetology.

Pat McGrath

Just like it’s impossible to leave any of the former mentions on this list out, it’s also would be an enormous disservice to cosmetology—and MUAs, specifically—to not mention Pat McGrath. An absolute beauty mogul and icon, McGrath got her start shaping the fashion industry by conceptualizing makeup looks for celebrities spanning fandom.

McGrath is considered to be the most important person working in cosmetology and is lauded as the “most influential makeup artist in the world”—but the achievements don’t begin and end there.

McGrath’s invention creations launched worldwide trends, she’s the most requested makeup artist, and, of course, has had an enormous impact on luxury and mass beauty markets through both influence and product creation.  Though she’s teamed up with some of the biggest cosmetology names in the business, the real revolution came when she launched PAT McGRATH Labs in the 2000s.

As it states in her own bio on her site—Pat McGrath knows no boundaries.

Julee Wilson

Julee Wilson is Beauty Editor at Large at Cosmopolitan. Previously, Julee was Beauty Director at Cosmo and Global Beauty Director at Essence and has held various editorial positions at Huffington Post and Real Simple. She counts herself lucky AF that she gets to play with beauty products for a living and tell dope stories. And if you’re as obsessed with beauty as she is, make sure to follow her on Instagram for plenty of product recs, natural hair inspo, skincare testing, and Black girl magic shenanigans.

And lastly, our very own, Yandy Smith who found a need in the skincare industry to carve out a lane especially for Melanin-rich skin. Yandy, like many women of color, never had a beauty routine. So she set out to create one. YELLE Beauty is the New Standard in Beauty for Melanin Rich Skin.  A female owned company made up of 98% women, Yandy prides herself on being a practical beauty brand for the modern woman who needs hardworking products with multitasking benefits. She works with smart, innovative women to curate the heartbeat and distinct beauty needs of today’s multi-faceted woman of color.  Licensed beauty professionals, beauty centric research & development led by beauty/business executive thought leaders.

To learn more about Yandy’s inaugural and groundbreaking first collection, the Awakening collection, click here.