Female-Founded Brands That Give To Women All Year Round

Beauty News
by Shanice Chrisel |
Thu, 24 Mar 2022

via Giphy

This March, we’re celebrating Women’s History Month, and we’re applauding eight female-founded brands that have truly gone above and beyond for their community. They’ve done it all – from carving a spot in a crowded retail market, persevering through personal trials, and juggling their business goals alongside school deadlines – making sure their businesses climb every rung of the ladder. Plus, they’ve done it all WHILE giving back. Nothing makes us happier than women supporting women, so this month and every month that follows, we’ll be shopping from these incredible brands.

1. Tower 28

Feel good: Though her resume boasts A-list companies, Founder Amy Liu’s eczema held her back from being able to test makeup products – one of the greatest joys of being a beauty executive! That’s why she decided to break free and launch the first beauty brand that’s 100% clean, vegan, and free of known skin irritants. Since she understands sensitive skin firsthand, her formulas undergo rigorous testing to get a stamp of approval from the National Eczema Association and offer a variety of shades at budget-friendly tags. We love.

Do good: Amy spearheads the Clean Beauty Summer School, a collaborative effort by beauty industry leaders and founders to support the growth of majority BIPOC-owned small clean beauty businesses. The initiative offers budding entrepreneurs a grant valued at $10,000 from the New Voices Foundation and $20,000 worth of services from HeadKount to help kickstart their ultimate #careergoals.

What to shop: Tower 28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly, $15.

2. LYS Beauty

Feel good: MUA turned CEO Tisha Thompson cashed her 15 years’ worth of experience in the product development realm to disrupt the beauty-sphere with LYS Beauty. She prioritized skin over everything else and worked with the lab to create universal shade offerings that will benefit your skin. The result of her hard work? Sephora’s first Black-owned Sephora Clean Color Cosmetics brand. Iconic.

Do good: Partnering with Gyrl Wonder, their Give The Gift of Confidence Scholarship offers $1,000 to five young women toward their academic fees to help cope with any financial pressure due to the pandemic.

What to shop: LYS Beauty Triple Fix Full Coverage Brightening Concealer, $18

3. PERIOD.

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Feel good: Nadya Okamoto and Vincent Forand didn’t let their school assignments stop them from launching a movement to end global period poverty. From googling business terms and participating in pitch competitions to partnering with other non-profits, they soon leaped to provide menstruation necessities to anyone in need. Now a global youth-fueled movement, PERIOD. is dismantling period stigma, misinformation, and appealing the tampon tax to #NormalizeTheNormal.

Nadya has since gone on to create her own brand of menstrual care August, which is according to their bio “sustainable period care that ACTUALLY works.” As you’d expect, they also never shy away from any period-related topics and advertise their menstrual care with blood.

Do good: When you donate $5 to PERIOD., you directly provide a menstruator in need with a cycle’s worth of period products and direct delivery. As for August, 10% of August profits are donated to their nonprofit partners at the end of every quarter to support their work in ending period poverty. Plus, if you are ordering from any of the 30 states that still have a tampon tax, they will be covering it. You can also join their network and support the cause in your local community (find out more deets here).

Shop: August Tampons, $11.

4. Hanahana Beauty

Feel good: Overwhelmed by the number of skincare products on the market, Founder Abena Boamah-Acheampong went right back to the ingredient she *knew* would work – nkuto (shea butter). Inspired by her family’s concoctions, her skin and body elixirs whisk African ingredients together for two reasons: a) to protect African ancestral beauty traditions and remedies, b) to create the perfect addition to your self-care Sundays.

Do good: As shea butter is an important ingredient used in their luxe offerings, Hanahana Beauty is committed to paying twice the Fairtrade asking price to the Ghanaian women who work hard to produce it. They also organize breast cancer screenings and healthcare checkups for families in the Katariga neighborhood, a small community in northern Ghana.

What to shop: Hanahana Beauty hanahana discovery set, $35.

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5. Honest Beauty

Feel good: Actress and #BossBabe, Jessica Alba created Honest Beauty out of necessity. With too much fluff and barely any solid info in the beauty world, she decided to launch a conscious, honest brand that provided safe products, simple formulas, and transparent labels for everyone. And can we just say we’re LOVING the minimal branding! You’ll be pressed to find just one fave from their diverse collection of makeup, skincare, bath, body, and mama-care staples.

Do good: Their donate-at-checkout feature lets you treat yourself and give back to communities in need. Simply shop, round up your order amount, and select a charity to contribute to. You can either provide vulnerable communities with basic baby essentials with Baby2Baby or support new mamas and their little ones with March of Dimes.

What to shop: Honest Beauty Organic Beauty Facial Oil, $30.

6. Beauty 2 The Streetz

Feel good: After the passing of her son, Shirley Raines channeled her pain into volunteering work on Skid Row, one of LA’s largest unhoused populations. As a self-taught MUA and hairstylist, she quickly noticed how many people would benefit from some beauty care. Raines used her skills to launch a one-woman show that literally brings Beauty 2 The Streetz providing free makeovers to unhoused families. She tearfully described her passionate calling when awarded CNN’s ‘Hero of the Year’ in 2021: “I am a mother without a son, and there are a lot of people in the streets without a mother and I feel like it’s a fair exchange.”

Do good: What started as a solo gig is now an outdoor beauty salon with licensed barbers, stylists, and braiders eager to give back to humanity in whatever way possible. Every member, including Raines herself, chooses to contribute their time, money, and effort into giving Skid Row free haircuts, styling, and facials… Along with lunch and a hug.

What to shop: Okay so this isn’t exactly a brand, but we wanted to shout an awesome woman doing something incredible. If you would like to contribute or share your support, you can find ways to get involved here.

7. RANAVAT

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Feel good: Paying homage to her South Indian heritage, Michelle Ranavat’s luxe skin and hair care line blends premium Ayurvedic ingredients and Indian spices like saffron and turmeric for transformative results ‘proven by science and rooted in ritual.’ Adored by celebs like Mindy Kaling and Hailey Bieber, RANAVAT is officially the first South-Asian founded Ayurvedic Skincare brand launched at Sephora.

Do good: Staying true to her roots, RANAVAT donates 2% of all earnings to the Desai Foundation, a non-profit located in India, which works to improve the lives of women and children situated in India and the U.S.

What to shop: RANAVAT Brightening Saffron Serum – Radiant Rani, $135.

8. Thrive Causemetics

Feel good: At its core, Thrive Causmetics is beauty with a cause. MUA Karissa Bodnar cooked up her beauty formulas in her kitchen, packed orders in her 1-bedroom apartment, and self-funded her business to honor the legacy of Kristy, a beloved friend who battled cancer. Embodying Kristy’s generous spirit, the brand joyfully donates proceeds from its makeup and skincare offerings to help women thrive.

Do good: Thrive Causemetics team has philanthropic ties with over 18 organizations, including the UMOM New Day Centers and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, to help financially empower women dealing with houselessness and cancer. They’ve also committed $100,000 to the University of Louisville Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Nursing to help university students thrive and achieve their full potential.

What to shop: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions™ Mascara, $24.

Check out how this Black-owned brand is shaking up the fragrance industry.

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. Although some brands allow affiliate links, we never take payment to review products, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.