Black Wellness Holiday Guide 2020

We’ve got you covered this holiday season!

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This holiday season, I thought it would be dope to put together a guide for those of us who are looking to #buyblack, and for those of us looking to give the gift of wellness to ourselves and others. I know almost all of these individuals on this list personally, which makes this list even more special. I’ve even added some personal anecdotes, personal favorites, and promo codes for you to save while you shop!

So! take your time, browse, and share this guide with your people.

Let me know if you purchase an item or service from the guide!

Life Coaching with Mia Dunlap of Adversity Yields Audacity

Mia Dunlap is a published writer, educator, consultant, certified life coach, public speaker, talk show host, founder of AYA—Adversity Yields Audacity, and most importantly, one of my best friends.

Her brand, Adversity Yields Audacity, is inspired by her own narrative of how she overcame the extreme hardships that she experienced during her childhood and adolescence to now having the audacity to curate the life of her dreams.

Through journaling, questioning, and coaching, Mia helps others to “do the work,” by unpacking the mindsets that hold them back.

Whether you’re looking for the confidence to start a new career, heal generational trauma, or simply understand what makes you happy, Mia has the experience and credentials to support you, your school network, or your organization every step of the way.

Email her at speak@miadunlap.com for 10% off of any workshop or coaching session. Be sure to mention Black Mat Yoga for the discount.

eLo Vegan Lifestyle

eLo is one of my favorite brands! I am personally in love with the PLEASURE lip balm and have worn it for years. The sleek design, vegan ingredients, and scent win me over each time. Here’s a word from Timothy, the founder of the brand.

Our mission is to reduce waste by simplifying and elevating the everyday products we consume.

Our newest product is CLEAN: a moisturizing hand sanitizer that needs CDC standards.

Our lip balms are wax-free and petroleum-free. All colors and scents are derived from fruit, flowers, and spices. Our aromatherapy is alcohol-free and packed full of mood-boosting essentials oils.

Free shipping is also available for orders $25+

Use the promo code SELFCARE15 for 15% off of any item.

Love Yo Self Shop by Michell C. Clark

Michell C. Clark is a brother that wears many hats, the Love Yo Self dad cap being one of them. See what I did there? lol. I met this good brother on a panel where we discussed Healing the Divine Masculine for Dive In Well.

It wasn’t until I followed him on social media that I was able to put a name with a post. You see, I was very familiar with Michell’s work—you probably are too. His affirmation based content, memes, & tweets have gone viral several times over, and he’s even written a book called 100 Daily Affirmations for Millenials who are tired of Being Called Millenials.

Michell creates affirmation-based content, merchandise, and apparel that helps Black creatives and entrepreneurs to love themselves while becoming their best selves. His most recent line of Love Yoself T-shirts are fire. I legit have never received more compliments on a T-shirt—which is pretty dope because the shirt is an affirmation itself, and others are affirming the shirt that’s affirming you, see what I mean?

Michell’s got lots of merch that I guarantee will lift your spirits.

Check out the site and use the code 10OFF for 10% off of your purchase until Dec. 20th.

Brooklyn Tea

Brooklyn Tea is one of my favorite places to go and brands to support for a few reasons. First, the tea is the bomb! It’s ethically sourced, and they support the community.

Second, I went to college with one of the owners, Jamila Mcgill, so there’s lots of Spelman and Morehouse love there.

Brooklyn Tea also showed me lots of love as a new yoga teacher, allowing me to host my first yoga series called Tea & Tadasana in their tea room.

Brooklyn Tea has been featured in NUMEROUS write-ups and publications—even featured in Beyonce’s Black Parade AND in Shonda Rhime’s Twitter mentions since the start of the pandemic, and I couldn’t be any more proud.

You can’t go wrong with any of their loose leaf teas, but here are my favorites in no particular order:

1) Masala Chai—it’s warm, spicy, and delicious.

2) Daydream— I’m not sure how to describe this one, but I love it. It’s what I drink after sleeping in Saturday morning.

3) Cream Earl Grey—it gives vanilla, bergamot, and other warm flavors. It’s extremely fragrant, and it stays in my rotation.

Use the promo code TEA for 15% off of your order and find your favorite!

Team Bailey Fitness

I’m so proud of Team Bailey Fitness — Cedric and Schnequaw Bailey are my cousins from Dallas, Texas. I’ve watched them grow their business from training a few, to opening their own facilities and changing entire communities.

While they are based in the Dallas area, they have online and mobile training app that can be customized to meet your fitness needs. Whether you’re looking to bulk up, lose weight, tone, maintain, create a new meal plan or entire nutritional overhaul, they’ve got what you need.

The Nice Plant

Taking care of plants and developing my green*ish thumb has become a new passion and source of pride over the last year. I’ve certainly learned my fair share of patience, trial & and error, and forgiveness the more that I raise these sometimes stubborn plant children.

When The Nice Plant reached out to me on social media, my interests were peaked because I was definitely vibing with marketing—lots of double entendres on the website, which the English major in me loves, AND it appealed to my inner micro-influencer aspirations. A lot of y’all do be asking me about _____, lol.

The LA-based brand is Black-owned, and the CEO and founders Jasmine Nicole and Andre Cisco really did something with these plant-based products and self-care in a box gifts. While I don’t know them personally, I feel connected to the Blooming Energy Box that I featured on my personal Instagram page.

The Blooming Energy Box is perfect for seasoned plant lovers or new plant parents and includes a unique, already potted succulent with plant care directions. It also features an all-natural and eco-friendly lip balm, sage smudge stick, and Palo Santo sticks with instructions for a mood/space reset and our Ease Your Mind room spray to re-energize your mind/space with one spritz.

I burn sage and palo santo religiously, especially before meditating to get my vibes right. I used the lip balm (that’s heavy on the shea butter - LOVE) all the time. And since it’s heavy on the shea, I would also use it when on my hands in between my fingers when I’d get a Lil ashy or if I applied a little too much on my lips. Y’all know what I’m talking about.

The succulent included in the box is perfect for new plant parents because they’re easy to keep alive AS LONG AS YOU HAVE SOME LIGHT. AND I use the room spray before and after my yoga sessions. I’ve recently realized that that person who stank after class in the studio might have also been me. So… the spray is great for a good refresh whenever you might need it. TMI? I’m just keeping it 100.

Whether you’re looking for a little treat for yourself or someone special, my code Eric10 for 10% off of your Blooming Energy Box is still active and ready for you to use!

Mbabazi House of Style

On a trip to Memphis (Pre-Covid), I was introduced to the most charming store called Mbabazi House of Style. There were clothes for all genders made with Ankara prints in the window. Obviously, the clothes and shoes were amazing—I snagged a pair of shorts, but the real gem for me was the Ankara print yoga bag that I also purchased.

What I love the most about the brand is that I found out that the founder Grace Byeitima named it after her single mother (Mbabazi Loy Rujumba based in Uganda) to appreciate her for the skills she taught her at an early age and teaching her the value of hard work.

Since founding, Grace and her mother have managed this Fair Trade business committed to advocating African designs through modern fashion and quality products. They are committed to training and employing women and men, providing them with opportunities to make a fair living. Mbabazi has 12 permanent employees, 4 trainees(apprentices), and 6 part-time employees.

Use the code BLK20 for 20 percent off of your purchase.

Worth Wisdom Wellness Center

The Worth Wisdom Wellness Center, or 3M Center, is founded by my Spelman Sister, DR. Marcuetta Sims (note the respect placed on her name).

Since undergrad, I’ve known Dr. Sims and could not be any more proud of how she is choosing to change the world by providing multiple healing modalities for her community.

The Worth, Wisdom, and Wellness Center exists to inspire growth, change, and transformation by creating spaces for Black women to show up fully in their wisdom and reclaim their healing. They are an inclusive space for marginalized identities and offer healing through therapy, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and other holistic practices. The center is grounded in the belief that therapy and holistic interventions can cultivate an individual’s ability to know their worth, trust their inner wisdom, and enhance their overall wellness. With this foundation, people who commit to engaging in this journey will experience healing, growth, and transformation.

They are currently offering fully virtual services.

If you are located in the state of Georgia, you can receive virtual therapy sessions from one of the therapists at the center and virtual yoga classes that can be accessed anywhere in the world. They also offer workshops, training and serve as panelists regarding mental health, wellness, and holistic health.

Sign up for their newsletter to access the yoga and meditation schedule. Use the promo code WWWC20 for one free yoga or meditation class. Expires 1/31/21.

Blaque Fitness

T’Nisha Symone is the founder of Blaque and is someone that I’ve come to admire quite a bit. We connected via Instagram at the start of the quarantine and quickly began to partner on projects.

Blaque is the first luxury fitness program specifically curated and designed with Black people in mind. Fitness for the Culture if you will. They were set to open a physical space in 2020, and have since pivoted to developing an online fitness cohort and have plans to open the physical space in 2021.

Blaque is comprised of several fitness professionals, certified to meet your fitness needs.

Hearing T’Nisha share the vision of Blaque and WATCHING that vision come to fruition is so exciting.

If you’re not in NYC, don’t fret. You can join a fitness cohort that will launch January 2021 and help hold you accountable to your personal goals.

OM Savage

When I think about my yoga journey from practitioner to teacher, there are a few folks that I will always bring into the conversation. Beau is one of them.

Beau is a yoga teacher and pilates teacher with expert training, certifications, credentials, yoga studio manager, cosmetologist, amazing individual, and creator of the vegan brand Om Savage.

I remember laying in Shavasana after one of the best yoga classes that I had taken from her and being anointed with the most invigorating and beautifully smelling oil that opened my mind and cleansed my energy. I could literally feel it on my mat.

Since then, I’ve used her products—specifically the deodorant and room spray.

OM is the universal sound with a varied meaning— all referencing peace. Its original spelling "AUM" holds its true meaning, the "A" signifies the waking state, "U" the dream state, and "M" is the state of sleep. Fully symbolizing both Mind and Body. SAVAGE is defined to be fierce or a beast. In life, we often need both to persevere. Her products support both your peace and your power.

If you’re a savage, or savage adjacent and looking to try these products, use the PROMO code OM20 for 20% off of your purchase.

Art by Jannah Williams

I met Jannah through her older sister who happens to be one of my colleagues turned friends. Not only is Jannah an educator committed to teaching and nurturing our Black and Brown babies, but she is also a freelance illustrator and creative artist that makes DOPE things.

Jannah says that she makes art for the collective Black community. Especially for our children, so that they feel seen and loved.

When you look at her designs, you immediately see themes of Afro-futurism, womanism, liberation, and rest. In her store, you’ll find her art on everything from stickers, to face masks, to home furniture.

My favorite prints are Stalli—an ode to the Hotgirl herself Meg Thee Stallion, A Girl Can Dream (pictured)—A celebration of our current Jamaican, Black, and South Asian American Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and everything that she represents, AND I Dream of Gentle…—featuring two male presenting individuals, one with purple hair strolling through a flower garden and the other resting nearby. This one speaks loudly to me and really represents living life softly, taking rest, being free, and appreciating beauty in the present moment. That’s how I wish to live my life. That’s wellness, chile.

The whole store is on sale! Shop now to save!

Here is a list of the promo codes for easy access:

• Adversity Yields Audacity: Email speak@miadunlap.com for 10% off of workshops and life coaching until 12/25/20.

• eLo Vegan Lifestyle: SelfCare15 for 15% off of any item.

• Love Yoself Shop: 10OFF for 10% off of your purchase until 12/20/20.

• Brooklyn Tea: Use code TEA for 15% your purchase.

• The Nice Plant: Eric10 for 10% off of your Blooming Energy Box.

• Mbabazi House of Style: BLK20 for 20% off of your purchase.

• Worth Wisdom Wellness Center: Use code WWWC20 for a free yoga or meditation class after subscribing to the newsletter until 1/31/21.

• OM Savage: Use OM20 for 20% off of your purchase.