Here in the UK, October is Black History Month, a celebration that we at Halcyon Naturals are all about getting behind!
The truth is, the achievements and massive contributions that African and Caribbean Brits have made within the UK are too often overlooked. Almost completely in a lot of cases! Historically and systematically, the powerful stories of black business owners and entrepreneurs are pushed aside. From George Africanus who in just 1793 launched an employment agency, to Margaret Busby OBE, Britains youngest and first female book publisher. From stories that stretch back centuries to the entrepreneurs who are creating business magic in 2020. It’s absolutely crucial to recognise that, as Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones says, ‘British history is black history’.
On top of that, the space that we exist in as a company is overwhelmingly white. Wellness. Self-care. Aromatherapy. All of these areas frequently exclude black people and few understand the physical and mental health implications of race.
That’s why we today wanted to share 10 brilliant, black-owned businesses that we believe are making history within the self-care field. To celebrate Black History Month, we encourage you to support these incredible entrepreneurs and show them the love that they deserve.
LIAH Skincare: 100% vegan. Cruelty-free. Paraben-free. Natural. What more could you want from a luxury skincare brand?
Perfect for any time you want to indulge in a spot of self-care, LIAH was founded by lifelong friends Liah and Abi with the mission to mix the “rich botanical life of West Africa with traditional English aromatherapy and folk remedies.”
Michelle founded Bouclème as a way to help women to embrace their curls. The brand specialises in clean products for all curly hair types, with a mission that is as sustainable as it is empowering.
All farmers that grow their ingredients are paid fairly, all packaging can be recycled and their ingredients are also biodegradable. Plus, the preservative which they use to prolong the shelf-life of their products is eco-certified.
Sancho’s Described as “The Home of sustainable”, Sancho’s is an online department store that offers up all of the best in slow style. It was co-Founded by the brilliant Kalkidan Legesse and Vidmantas Markevicius. They also offer a range of gloriously comfortable sleepwear, perfect for your next Self-Care Sunday.
Thés Lac Rose: 
Ethically sourced and naturally flavoured, Thés Lac Rose craft black and herbal tea blends that are undeniably luxurious. They even have a collection inspired by powerful women!
: Founded by Nnenna Onuba, LBB was created with one mission in mind: To help busy people commit to self-care. Their high-quality products offer holistic beauty solutions that can fit into even the most packed of days. They are also completely vegan and cruelty-free!
Persona Abode:
This innovative interior design studio was established to create spaces that encourage wellness and kinder living. It’s all about “your personal idea of beauty”, meaning that you’re left with a home that truly reflects the needs of your lifestyle. Persona Abode was founded by Jecks, who wanted to build a business that respected people, place and planet.
It’s safe to say that she’s done just that!
Anita Grant: 
Inspired by her own journey with using natural products, Anita Grant was founded from a passion for creating brilliantly effective sensitive skin and afro hair care with what the earth has to offer! Handmade, small batch and all cruelty-free, the brand dishes up a whole host of clean beauty for your wellbeing.
New Beacon Books : This brilliant book shop has been specialising in African and Caribbean literature since 1966! As well as having a location in London, they have an online store so that you can support them no matter where you live. After all, what’s a self-care day without a good book?
Angel Dee: 
We were lucky enough to partner with Angel this month, to bring you free guided meditations via our Instagram Live each Sunday in October She is a brilliant yoga teacher and offers 1-1 Zoom Meditation sessions, which are perfect for helping you to find calm from home. Seeing Angel work her magic in wellness spaces which are typically very white is truly incredible!
Halcyon Naturals: 
That’s us! Our wonderful founder Sarah launched our black-owned business as a way to help you create freedom through the power of aromachology. We offer hand-poured luxury candles, room mists and diffusers, all of which are formulated using 100% essential oils.
On top of creating high-quality and luxurious products, our packaging is also 100% recyclable, everything that we sell is vegan and we have a returns scheme to make our processes even more sustainable.
Do you have a favourite black-owned business that you think everybody should be supporting? Send us a DM on Instagram so that we can share them with our community.