I know, I know. Lowkey, the last time I updated this blog was around Black Friday 2020. Forgive me — 2021 has been a wild one. Between starting a business with my husband (hey Station 1923) and starting a new job (hey Sunday II Sunday), ya girl has been bizzz-ay.

Oh, and I got married too. 💍

We'll catch up on life details in another post, but for now I wanna do what I came to do — show Black owned businesses some L O V E! 

If you've been rocking with me for a while, you're no stranger to my annual Black Friday // Small Business Saturday // Cyber Monday sale roundup. I couldn't let 2021 slide by without putting a list together, but given my bandwith challenges (aka everything mentioned above), I knew this year's list would have to be different.

So I set my sights on 20+ of my favorite Black owned brands in home and beauty to elevate and promote for Black Friday and beyond. The names on this list should be no stranger to you, as they've been around on the blog for years! And FYI: some of these sales are happening RIGHT NOW!

Don't forget to share this list with a friend!

Black Owned for Your Home

Station 1923 Rubs + Seasonings

www.station1923.com

Gonna be biased here and wax poetic about Station 1923 for a lil' bit. My husband Samuel is the flavor architect behind the brand — every single rub or seasoning developed is designed by his hand. He literally builds the recipe for each one by scratch with love, and a whooooole lot less salt than the Lawry's, Slap Yas, Goyas, and Tonys of the world.

All Station 1923 rubs and seasonings are complete — everything you need to season and cook up a meal is inside one bottle. Every flavor blend is crafted in small batches and are made with no gluten, dairy, artificial flavors or colors, fillers, or preservatives.

www.station1923.com

Sale Dates: (HAPPENING NOW!)

Promotion: Discounts on combos + free shipping on all orders of $50 or more

Code: No code needed

Exclusions: None

International Shipping: No

My Picks: ALLADEM. But if you're interested in seeing why I LOVE Station 1923 (and I'm not just being biased, it's literally all I cook with now) definitely check out The Originals, The Brunch Pack, and the Wing Lovers Pack.

Haume by Antoinette Arrington (formerly SupxDine)

www.welcomehaume.com

Sale Dates: November 25th - 30th 

Promotion: Free shipping on all orders 

Code: FRIENDSHIP

Exclusions: None

International Shipping: No

My Picks: Y'all know I loved my Autumn SupxDine luxury candle — and you best believe I'm on the waiting list for Outside/In.

Black Owned for Your Hair & Skin

SUNDAY II SUNDAY

www.mysunday2sunday.com

Sale Date: November 15th - 29th (HAPPENING NOW)

Promotion: Up to 40% off 

Code: No code needed

Exclusions: None

International Shipping: Yes

My Picks: I've talked about some of my SUNDAY II SUNDAY faves here. The best bang for your buck this sale is definitely the Moisture Balance Kit at 40% off!

It's that time again!!! I swear, the end of November snuck up on me! I can't be the only one who's shocked that Black Friday is like 5 minutes away.

I'm not gonna hold you though — here is the ULTIMATE Black Friday // Small Business Saturday // Cyber Monday Sale Guide! This year, I'm doing things a bit differently.

Normally, this list focuses on small, Black owned hair and skincare brands. But for 2020, we're going ALL THE WAY IN.

You'll find that this list is now organized into categories — including Food, Beauty & Makeup, Hair & Skincare, Home & Decor, Health & Wellness, Fashion and more. And 99.999987589% of the businesses listed are Black owned. I'll put an asterisk (*) on the ones that (to my knowledge) are not.

Yes, that's on purpose.

I'm no stranger to scalp drama.

Since 9th grade (don't ask what year that was, just mind your business 😭), I've been dealing with psoriasis on my skin — and especially my scalp. When my scalp flares up (like it is now), these flakes show no mercy. They come for my hairline, for the areas behind my ears, along my nape, and of course, anywhere I might even consider parting for a style. And now that we’re in the middle of fall and staring winter in the face, that’s exactly what I’m up against.

Psoriasis tends to be tougher on us in the fall and winter months, when days are shorter and direct sunlight is sparse. In the spring and summer, sunbathing and soaking up Vitamin D helps tremendously with keeping psoriasis plaques at bay. And as we stare down November (honestly I can’t believe I’m saying that 😭), this is the time of year that I get desperate for solutions and relief.

Honestly, I can deal with the plaques themselves. I can live without parts and protective styles. But what I absolutely cannot handle is the near constant itching, and the flakes falling everywhere as a result. It's annoying and sometimes embarrassing, but not as severe as it could be — so I'm thankful for that.

Luckily, I've found a good selection of products that provide relief from those annoyances — keeping me from scratching my scalp like crazy and washing my hair every other day.

I hope they can bring you some relief, too.

Between Wash Days, Try:

Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse

Over the course of the last month, I’ve been using the Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse along with the Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum as a part of my nighttime post workout scalp care routine. I’ve noticed that with regular use, my scalp isn’t nearly as dry between washes, and any itching I do experience is almost immediately relieved.

When we sweat, our thick, dense, textured strands trap dirt, bacteria, and salt against our scalp — leading to itching, dryness, and flakes. Over time, the high salt content of sweat can actually dehydrate our already difficult to moisturize hair, leading to brittleness and breakage.

For me, this is where the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse absolutely SHINES. While the most straightforward solution for removing dirt, bacteria, and salt from the scalp is to co-wash or shampoo, over-manipulating natural hair can lead to even more breakage and damage down the line. Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse is the perfect alternative. It’s formulated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients like apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, and myrrh to gently cleanse and purify the scalp between wash days.

After my workouts or any time I have a case of the itchies, I spritz my scalp directly with the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse and massage it in. The sweet relief is near instantaneous.

Oh and by the way, if you ever wondered what a waterless or dry shampoo for natural hair should look like, it looks exactly like Root Refresh Micellar Rinse. 

Sunday II Sunday Soothe Me Daily Serum

If the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse is like a shampoo substitute, then the Soothe Me Daily Serum by Sunday II Sunday is definitely the conditioner. It’s jam-packed with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and scalp soothing extracts like cordyceps, turkey tail mushroom, and peppermint. When I do a full review, we’ll take a further dive into the ingredients Sunday II Sunday formulates their products with. They’re super fascinating and honestly unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

And y’all know I’ve seen a lot of ingredients over the last 8 years.

The Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum is clear, lightweight, and does a great job at tackling itching and dryness between wash days. Because of thick psoriasis scales, oils don’t always penetrate all the way through to the scalp — and minutes later, you’ll end up with itchy scalp all over again. Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum is water-based, it penetrates easily, hydrates my dry scalp, and gets to the root of my itchy woes to provide relief that lasts.

As a matter of fact, I'm using it right now as I type.

Curls Blueberry & Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment

I’ve raved about this product since it was released because it contains one of my absolute faaaaavorite ingredients for tight, sore-feeling scalp — menthol.

Yes, the same menthol that’s in Vick’s vapor rub.

When my scalp feels dry and tight, or gets a little sore (my roots feel tender when my hair enters a growth spurt, and psoriasis exacerbates that), I always reach for the Curls Blueberry Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment. It works like a charm every single time.

I'm always adding a bottle to my drive-up order at Target.

If you love a cool tingle, this right here is the one! Catch my review on the Curls Blueberry & Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment here.

On Wash Day, Try:

TPH by Taraji Never Salty

Confession: I used to throw major shade at scalp scrubs. I never understood their purpose, and I was very much of the mindset that your fingers could get the same job done without wasting extra time fussing around with goopy scrubs.

I’m not above admitting when I’m wrong. So, I was wrong. And it was Never Salty from TPH by Taraji that helped me see the light.

This scrub y’all, is life. The cool tingle is next level, courtesy of my (already mentioned) favorite ingredient,  menthol. Never Salty also contains apple cider vinegar, peppermint,  sweet almond oil, and coconut oil — softening, soothing, and invigorating the scalp as it helps to lift stubborn flakes. The scrubbing sensation feels heavenly, and the oils prevent the scalp from feeling stripped after rinsing.

I bought one tube from Target, and went back for three more the next day. It's that good.

Home Health Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash

I've gone through my fair share of salicylic acid shampoos and cleansers over the years, and most of them weren't much to write home about. But then I stumbled across the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash by Home Health on Amazon.

Of all the psoriasis shampoos I've tried, this one is the absolute best at lifting flakes and scales. I use the pump to apply it directly to my scalp and let it sit for 30 minutes or so with a shower cap, just like I would a deep conditioner. After 30 minutes has passed, the scales come up with minimal effort. This is such a critical function for folks with psoriasis — trying to lift scales forcefully can cause scratches and bleeding that leads to a vicious cycle of even more inflammation, scaling, and hair loss.

For loosening scales, the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash is that jam. I love that it contains absolutely no artificial fragrance or colors. But be warned, it is not friendly on natural hair. It has no slip, and can leave you in a bad bind if your hair is super tangled before you use it.

Which leads me to the final must-have on my list:

Be Kekoa Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner

Yes, my absolute most favorite, undeniable holy grail nearly 6 years and running is also one of my must-haves for handling scalp psoriasis.

And here's why.

As a co-wash, it absolutely has that lovely itch-soothing tingle I love, and does a great job at softening psoriasis scales for removal. When I don't want to go all-in with a shampoo (either the Home Health Psoriasis Wash or Be Kekoa's own Be Clair), Be Clean is what I reach for. But beyond that, I've found that it's absolutely essential to use Be Clean before I put the Home Health Psoriasis Wash on my scalp.

As I mentioned earlier, the Home Health Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash has zero slip. Like, none. Not even on detangled hair. It's a medicated shampoo with sulfates, and not at all designed to be friendly for natural hair. So in order to not destroy my strands, I coat and detangle my hair with Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner prior to using the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash. Important to note: I don't rinse the Be Clean out before applying the Home Health Psoriasis Wash.

The end result? My scalp gets the attention it needs, without making my textured strands suffer. For more on my love affair with Be Clean, read my review here.