WASHINGTON — How’s this for a winning shopping combination?
Supporting small business AND protecting the environment!
Here are a few small-business brands that create products not just better for you but for Mother Earth.
Hair Care
Let’s start at the top of our body, our scalp and hair.
TRU Balance Hair Care
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![](https://media.wusa9.com/assets/WUSA/images/95224ade-0a8c-434a-88ef-6e1fbe3c43b2/95224ade-0a8c-434a-88ef-6e1fbe3c43b2_1140x641.jpg)
TRU Balance Hair Care is a black, female owned business that focuses on the health of the scalp and hair.
The line of products were created by hairstylist friends, Keinya Beasley and Tracy Brown, who is also a Certified Licensed Trichologist and Hair Loss Specialist.
TRU Balance Hair Care uses natural, safe and effective ingredients to rejuvenate and protect your hair and scalp.
Skin & Body Care
Now let’s talk about the largest organ of our body… our skin!
Buff Experts
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Buff Experts was founded by a husband and wife duo who were tired of the face getting all the attention and the lack of products with quality ingredients for the skin. This botanical beauty brand is Leaping Bunny Certified meaning they are the most trusted when it comes to non-animal tested products! Buff Experts is not only cruelty-free but their upgrading your skincare with plant-based high quality products.
Co-founder (and wife) Sina Zere is African-Canadian and encapsulated the flora and fauna of her heritage into their products. The plants and ingredients that have been used in African women's beauty routines over the centuries, like mango, aloe vera and sunflower seed oil, are honored in Buff Experts.
SPRAISE
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SPRAISE means SKIN PRAISE! The brands founder, Dominique Boseman, struggled with eczema and dry, itchy and sensitive skin for years! So, she set out to create her own health and luxurious products. SPRAISE is a black, female owned beauty brand that offers vegan and plant-based skin nourishing products. (My favs are the Vanilla Body Wash and the Lavender Body Soufflé)
SPRAISE is Clean Beauty + Intentional Skin Praise.
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Home cleaning & décor
Equo
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![](https://media.wusa9.com/assets/WUSA/images/08fdab28-9f80-4e39-9a1a-bd32239ee9a6/08fdab28-9f80-4e39-9a1a-bd32239ee9a6_1140x641.png)
Equo (pronounced ee-kwo) is on a mission to supply eco-friendly solutions to everyday items, like truly compostable drinking straws and utensils.
Founder Marina Tran-Vu was inspired by her toddler nephew and wanted to help create a sustainable future for him and generations to come. Equo products are 100% natural, plastic-free, non-toxic, chemical-free & biodegradable and compostable. The straws are made from rice, coconut, sugarcane, grass and coffee (I have used the rice straws. They didn’t get soggy like the paper straws and didn’t change the flavor of my drink!)
Marina reminds us that easy solutions like compostable straws are so much better for the Earth than those plastic straws that will out live us all.
Cloth + Bristle
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![](https://media.wusa9.com/assets/WUSA/images/538087c9-344b-4f60-ba50-8e0b5b61769d/538087c9-344b-4f60-ba50-8e0b5b61769d_1140x641.jpg)
When it comes to cleaning our homes, we don’t need to spray chemicals on the surfaces we touch or in the air we breathe. What about an all-natural product that can tackle the toughest jobs?
Cloth + Bristle was founded by April Sargies, a mother of 3 and owner of a cleaning company in Maryland. She was searching for a product that could clean a variety of surfaces without chemicals. Cloth + Bristle’s patent pending No. 001 cleaning product can handle rust, lime, mildew etc. It’s eco-friendly AND strong!
Green Philosophy Co.
![](https://media.wusa9.com/assets/WUSA/images/e92e6f5f-e9fa-41d3-90be-8b19030f0b94/e92e6f5f-e9fa-41d3-90be-8b19030f0b94_16x9.jpg)
![](https://media.wusa9.com/assets/WUSA/images/e92e6f5f-e9fa-41d3-90be-8b19030f0b94/e92e6f5f-e9fa-41d3-90be-8b19030f0b94_1140x641.jpg)
When you are surrounded by the green of nature, do you ever find it calming? Or inspiring? Why not bring those feelings into your home with some décor? (No green thumb needed)
Green Philosophy Co. combines artistic design with natural design to bring you fun, funky and functional décor and gifts. Every design is inspired by a specific plant. They aren’t just focused on the indoors space though, Green Philosophy Co. has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant trees in developing countries and communities for every product sold.
There are lots of ways to protect not just ourselves from harsh chemicals and toxins but the Earth as well. Sustainability is key to protecting our world for future generations.