Though it’s great to shop BIPOC-owned brands anywhere you can, shopping Black-owned beauty brands from Etsy can help you support smaller companies that might not have the capital to get into a big store. You can actually find small-batch, handmade goods such as haircare, skincare, nails, body products and even hair accessories. One of the best parts about Etsy is all the legit reviews so you can trust what you’re ordering is as great as it looks.

There are hundreds of Black-owned brands on Etsy so this is not even close to a comprehensive list. But it’s a good place to start with a variety of different types of shops from all over the country. Shop skin salves from New York City, shampoo bars from Maryland, hair gel for curls from Georgia and headbands from Texas. Get in on the hair accessory trend with kitchy pins made in Flordia and DIY your own mani with press-on nails from New Jersey. The possibilities are endless.

Don’t just stop with these seven shops. Continue through Etsy’s massive database of quality goods, many of which are seriously affordable. Stock up for your BFF’s next birthday, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Image: Etsy.

Harlem Roots

This New York-based brand hawks custom teas, hair oil and all kinds of salves, including this eczema relief cream.

Image: Etsy.

Indulgence Spa

Shop body butter, hair masks and shampoo bars from this Maryland-based shop.

Image: Etsy.

Fro.ology Haircare

Based out of Georgia, Fro.ology creates everything you need for healthy curls, including deep conditioners, hair tea rinse and flaxseed gel.

Image: Etsy.

Black Upsurge

This Texas-based company works to “celebrate being Black every day.” In addition to tees, notebooks and pins, we’re loving these knotted headbands made from African fabrics.

Image: Etsy.

BoyyyBye

Don’t skip over this chic accessories brand based out of Flordia. It sells kitchy hair clips, as well as earrings and necklaces.

Image: Etsy.

Carrington Company

Missing your usual talons? Order some press-ons from this New Jersey-based company. We love these orange coffin nails, as well as the crystal-adorned styles.

Image: Etsy.

Kalone Kazmediks

Save your dry skin and hands with this ultra-calming moisturizer. (It comes with a cute key chain!)

While full-coverage, matte foundation is nice for special occasions, it can often be too heavy for day-to-day wear—especially when you’re working from home or having a lazy day in with friends. Well, grab those reward points because some of the best tinted moisturizers can be found at Sephora. From lightweight hydrating coverage to buildable tinted moisturizer with sun protection, there’s an option for everyone and every skin type.

What’s so great about tinted moisturizer is that the shades are pretty flexible. Most people will match with a few hues so it’s easy to find that work for you. Just look at what you get from each product to decide what works best for your skin type. Worried about fine lines and wrinkles? Look for complexion products containing neuropeptides. Or if hydration is what you’re after, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E will smooth even the flakiest skin.

Pick up one of our favorite tinted moisturizers below that will even out your skin tone and feel fresh throughout summer and beyond.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Image: Sephora.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Fans love this tinted moisturizer for its natural-looking coverage and sun protection.

Image: Sephora.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 – Oil Free

The oil-free version of this OG favorite is a Sephora best-seller thanks to the way it controls oil but gives a healthy glow.

Image: Tarte.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen

For medium, matte coverage, Tarte’s BB cream is your jam. It can be used under foundation as a primer or on its own.

Image: Sephora.

Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Serum Broad Spectrum SPF 20

This lightweight foundation contains neuropeptides so it helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles while you’re wearing it.

Image: Dr Jart.

Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45

Even those with the most sensitive skin love this beauty balm for the way its smooths and hides any flaking.

Ilia.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation

Part skincare and part foundation, Ilia’s Skin Tint provides lightweight coverage with

Image: Sephora.

Sephora Collection Weekend Warrior Tone Up Cream

This vegan complexion booster smooths skin and provides lightweight coverage.

It seems like there are a bunch of trendy sunscreens everyone wears each summer. They work well with broad-spectrum SPF. Well, Consumer Reports best sunscreens 2020 just came out and it didn’t choose any of them. Of course, that doesn’t mean your favorite sunscreen isn’t a stellar choice. The organization looks at four types of sunscreen: lotions, sprays, mineral and those without the oxybenzone (meaning they’re safe for coral reefs). It evaluates the SPF claim making sure it stands up to what it promises, as well as how long you’re protected and the effectiveness of UVB blockers that shield you from the rays. A lot goes into this choice.

Each sunscreen is then ranked between 0 and 100, with 81 being the marker for the stamp of approval. Those that got an 81 and higher are considered to be Very Good or Excellent choices when it comes to UVA/UVB protection. It’s the seventh year Consumer Reports released this data. It can really help you choose sun protection for the summer and all-year-round because you know, you need SPF even if it’s cloudy.

The best part about this best-of list? Most of these choices are some of the most affordable sunscreen options out there. It turns out, you don’t have to spend big bucks to protect your skin.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Best Lotion

Image: Coppertone.

Coppertone Ultra Guard Lotion SPF 70 sunscreen

Whether this colorful packing or the regular Coppertone one, its 80-minutes of sun protection got a top score.

Image: CVS.

CVS Pharmacy Sunscreen Sun Lotion Broad Spectrum, SPF 70

CVS’s in-house sunscreen is lightweight but packs a punch with 80 minutes of of water resistant UVA/UVB protection.

Best Spray

Image: Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s Nourish Spray Sunscreen SPF 50+ Broad Spectrum

This continuous spray sunscreen is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.

Image: Neutrogena.

Neutrogena Beach Defense Water + Sun Protection Spray SPF 70 sunscreen

This summer favorite contains oil-free sunprotection for up to 80 minutes—even while sweating.

Best Without Oxybenzone

Image: Hawaiian Tropic.

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion SPF 50 sunscreen

This reef-safe sunscreen smooths and brightens skin with mango fruit extract, shea butter and vitamin E.

Image: Amazon.

Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport Ultra Light Spray SPF 30 sunscreen

This lightweight, water-resistant spray is non-greasy and reef-safe.

Best Mineral

Image: California Kids.

California Kids #supersensitive Tinted Lotion SPF 30+ sunscreen

This sunscreen creates a physical barrier (instead of a chemical one) offering the best sun protection.

Image: Amazon.

Badger Active Natural Mineral Cream SPF 30 Unscented sunscreen

This mineral sunscreen has only five ingredients and is great for sensitive skin.

Whenever I tell people about our minimalist lifestyle they invariably say they love the idea but have a hard time letting go of stuff. My partner and I don’t really get it since we’re not particularly sentimental.

I wasn’t always like this. As a young adult, I was very attached to my belongings. I remember having a complete meltdown when I ruined a pullover my mom knitted for me after washing it on the wrong setting.

It took losing her to Alzheimer’s to grasp that memories are stored in our hearts, not our possessions. The things she’d once held so dear meant nothing to her and yet, her face would still light up with joy when I visited.

Why Do People Have a Hard Time Getting Rid of Stuff?

There’s a reason some people have a hard time getting rid of stuff. A study conducted at the Yale School of Medicine found that for many, letting go of clutter is literally painful.

By tracking brain activity, researchers noticed that participants with a tendency to hoard showed increased activity in two regions of the brain when confronted with their own junk.

People hold onto stuff for any number of reasons. Understanding why you’re having a hard time letting go is an important first step. Once you have a handle on that you’ll be better equipped to move forward.

For some, it’s not having the time to sort through the clutter. For others, it’s getting the rest of the family’s buy-in. It could be that a certain item allows you to maintain a connection with a loved one you’ve lost.

Another reason is that you’re hanging onto things that belonged to a past version of yourself. Maybe you feel guilty about spending so much money on an impulse buy that didn’t pan out.

Tips for Letting Go of Your Stuff

According to Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist teaching at Stanford University, the technique of surfing the urge, which helps addicts resist cravings and dieters resist temptation, may help us deal with our anxiety around decluttering.

Dealing with anxiety is important, but you also need to be practical. Start by deciding which items you need and which you don’t. It requires a level of ruthlessness, but the end result will be worth it.

If you don’t like an item, if you haven’t used it in a month of Sundays, if you own 37 of it when four will do fine, let go already. Of course, that’s fine if we’re talking kitchenware, but what about getting rid of sentimental items?

Believe it or not, it is possible to simplify your stuff and honor your memories at the same time. One way is to make stuff useful. For instance, you can start using that beautiful dinner service you inherited. Don’t wait for a special occasion, serve dinner on it tonight.

Letting go of other people’s stuff is particularly tricky, especially when the items in question are family heirlooms. But that’s still not a good enough reason to keep something you don’t like or use.

Give yourself permission to give the heirlooms away. If your family doesn’t agree with your decision, tell them they’re welcome to keep the items at their house. That’ll make them think twice.

The Many Benefits of Decluttering

The psychological benefits of ‘Kondoing’ your house are many. In her bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo explains how releasing yourself from the clutter will leave you feeling significantly lighter – psychologically, spiritually, and otherwise.

There are also emotional benefits to decluttering, such as creating space and time for investing in relationships and making way for new possibilities. It can even serve as a way to release grief.

Decluttering won’t just make you happier and more productive, it’ll save you money too. You might not realize it but your clutter is costing you. Between disorganized finances, unnecessary expenditures related to misplacing your thing, and hefty monthly bills for self-storage space, it’s easy to see why.

Downsizing will leave you less stressed and better off financially. When you think about it like that, hitting the mall seems like a really lame idea. (Unless you’re going to the movies, then have at it!)

Finally, nobody likes to think about it, but old age and death are imminent for all of us. It may sound a tad morbid, but there’s something to be said for the gentle art of Swedish death cleaning.

What If You Need Something You No Longer Have?

Okay, but what if you get rid of something only to discover you need it six months down the line? The short answer? You rent it.

With more and more people opting to rent products instead of buying them, online rental marketplace platforms are fast becoming the norm. Sites like Stuff4Hire (US) and Fat Lama (UK) connect people who need things with those who have them.

There are numerous benefits to going this route. For starters, it’ll save you money, because renting an item you only need every now and then is a lot cheaper than forking out the full price.

Renting allows you to pursue new interests without a big financial outlay, and it also means you can safely downsize without worrying that you might need something in the future.

Perhaps the best reason of all to rent instead of buy is that it’s better for the environment. Think about it – you can help the planet and have access to the things you want or need. It’s a classic win/win.

Do you have a hard time letting go of things? Are you holding onto something just in case you might need it someday? Do you have heirlooms you don’t particularly like, but keep out of a sense of guilt or nostalgia? What would it take to declutter? Let’s have a conversation.