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https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-owned-grooming-brands-mens-cosmetics/
Black men have historically faced unique skin, hair, and grooming requirements and issues that go frequently overlooked by the mainstream beauty industry. According to Rolling Out, Black individuals spent $9.4 billion on the beauty industry in 2023, and were projected to reach a valuation of $10.2 billion in 2024. However, 45% of Black men express a lack of representation in cosmetic products made specifically for them, Black Beauty Roster reported.
Fortunately, there are companies that cater to the cosmetic and grooming needs of Black male consumers. These seven Black-owned and Black-founded brands have developed products specifically designed for prevalent concerns such as razor bumps, hyperpigmentation, textured hair, and sensitivity.
1) Bevel
Bevel, founded by Tristan Walker, is a grooming line offering shaving systems, skin, hair, body, and beard care for men, especially those with coarse or curly hair and melanin-rich skin. Key focus is reducing razor bumps and irritation. Founded in 2013, Bevel expanded to include hair, body, and skin lines and wider retail distribution.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Quhlml3_O/?igsh=NjVxOXg0ZGZjZ3hz
2) Frederick Benjamin Grooming
Frederick Benjamin Grooming, created by Michael James, provides natural grooming and haircare products specifically for men of color. The range includes shaving essentials, beard care, hair styling products, and scalp treatments, addressing issues like dry scalp, coarse hair, and razor bumps. Located in New York City, Frederick Benjamin Grooming offers its products online and in retail locations, addressing the demand for clean-ingredient grooming solutions designed for textured hair and common irritation challenges faced by men of color.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzTqOoeuAiT/?igsh=dXdmZW05a2NqN2Nw
3) H.I.M-istry Naturals
H.I.M-istry Naturals, created by Darnell Henderson, is a men’s grooming brand providing natural and organic products for skin, shaving, beard, and body care. Designed to tackle acne, dryness, early aging, razor burn, and ingrown hairs, these products specifically serve men with textured skin and hair. Initially launched as a spa in South Florida, the brand grew and established significant retail partnerships in 2021.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DETmcY2y8XS/?igsh=eXQ5cmZlNHR2dHJl
4) Tracaris
Tracaris, a relatively new, independent brand based in New York, is serious about redefining masculinity and beauty for Black men. The brand offers luxury/indie skincare products (e.g., Hydrating Radiance Serum, Botanical Rose Toner) designed to shield skin from environmental stressors and suitable for all skin types, particularly melanin-rich skin. Tracaris products are available through its website and select boutique channels. The brand is dedicated to addressing the unique skin concerns of Black men while challenging norms related to masculinity and beauty.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwDTDTsLm1D/?igsh=MTlnaHpybGI0MTNieQ==
5) BLK/OPL (Men’s Grooming Collection)
BLK/OPL (Men’s Grooming Collection), a renowned beauty brand aimed at women of color, is now expanding into men’s grooming with a new collection that tackles razor bumps and post-shave hydration, specifically crafted for “melanin-rich” skin. Launched in 2025, the collection will be available through BLK/OPL’s channels and potentially broader beauty retail in the US. This extension is designed to cater to the unique needs of Black men, who have often been overlooked in the beauty aisle regarding products for melanin-rich skin.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNOBi-rtxFm/?igsh=MTg1NHBhcjJhbnRkaA==
6) Epilogic
Epilogic, created by Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton, is a skincare line designed specifically for Black and brown skin. It tackles hyperpigmentation, sensitive skin, and steers clear of unnecessary additives that may lead to irritation. Epilogic operates out of Brooklyn, New York, and can be found online.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DL5NdoBufBP/?igsh=MXI0bmNycWZvMmFyZQ==
7) Scotch Porter
Scotch Porter, established in 2015, is a brand that offers beard, hair, face, and body products made from clean ingredients. Founded by Calvin Quallis, the company seeks to deliver grooming essentials for men of color while encouraging wellness and self-care.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGWTds-SNjM/?igsh=MTY1cHlrajM3cTBsdw==
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Soul food — two words that immediately bring a smile to my face, with a nostalgia reminding me of my Nana in the kitchen. Soul food is an offering of food that comes from the heart and feeds the soul. It’s more than comfort food, having a legacy of its own. Soul food, in all its fried, pork-laden, and simmered-all-day glory, is a cuisine different from any other, brought by Africans to America during the days of slavery.
Historically, soul food began during the tragic years of slavery when the enslaved would get cuts of meat and vegetables that were considered inedible by their white masters. The Great Migration following the Civil War introduced soul food to the world.
Today, soul food can be found in every corner of the country. Many soul food restaurants focus on classic dishes, while others put their unique spin on them. These 10 soul food restaurants span from the East Coast to the West Coast and serve up delicious dishes that will please any soul.
Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Los Angeles
Adolf Dulan, known as the “King of Soul Food,” learned to cook on a farm in Luther, Oklahoma, from his mother. He watched her prepare fried chicken, collard greens, and much more. It all set the foundation for what would become his soul food empire. Dulan’s has two locations in California: one in Inglewood and one in Los Angeles. One of the best things about Dulan’s is the huge portions. My personal favorite: the smothered chicken.
Esther’s Cajun Café, Houston
This is probably the friendliest restaurant I’ve ever been to. Huge portions, and you can expect to find candied yams, oxtails, mustard greens, and cornbread. Esther’s has a legacy of Cajun cooking and the gumbo definitely honors that spirit.
Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles, various cities
Lo-Lo’s has locations in Arizona, Texas, and Nevada. The menu offers different variations on the classic combination of chicken and waffles. The Baby Ray has three pieces of chicken, waffles, homemade gravy, and onions. If your appetite is bigger, go for the KK’s, which has waffles, chicken, grits, and eggs. The primary objective at Lo-Lo’s is to infuse the fried chicken with as much love as possible.
Pearl’s Place, Chicago
In the early 1930’s, as the Harlem Renaissance was winding down in NYC, a new surge of Black creativity began to flow in Southside Chicago, known now as Bronzeville. This is where you’ll find Pearl’s Place — the perfect spot in Chicago for soul food. The menu offers Cajun food, in addition to shrimp and cheesy grits, smoked ham hock dinners, and fall-off-the-bone short ribs. The shrimp po’boy at Pearl’s Place is so good. It’s served on hot crunchy French bread.
Sweetie Pie’s, St. Louis
If you’ve ever watched the television series Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s, you will be familiar with Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust soul restaurant in St. Louis. The show centered Robbie Montgomery and her mission to spotlight her delicious cuisine. Yes, it’s the real deal. You’ll find fried chicken and big portions of creamy mac and cheese. Even the vegetables are a must on the plate. You have to leave room for the peach cobbler, or you’ll regret it — I promise!
Sylvia’s, New York City
Many of the picks on this list are from the South. However, New York City has to be present here because of the famous Sylvia’s. This restaurant is a Harlem staple that has been serving up soul food since 1962. The catfish, mac and cheese, and candied yams are legendary, and the ribs are always fantastic.
Niecie’s, Kansas City
My hometown certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the soul food game. Niecie’s specializes in soul food and gives customers fast, great service, serving Kansas City for over 30 years. Their motto is “Good Food, Served Right.” It’s the fried pork chops (fried right), eggs, and grits for me.
Heard Dat Kitchen, New Orleans
Heard Dat Kitchen in the heart of New Orleans serves a tasty spin on soul food by offering reimagined dishes that have all of the classic soul flavors with a fresh and fun presentation. Owner Jeffery Heard Jr., also known as Chef Jeff, believes in building good memories and delicious food, and he does just that. The menu offers several meal options; many are served with fries, bacon, ranch dressing, and perfectly spiced red beans and rice.
Benne on Eagle, Asheville, NC
Benne on Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina, serves upscale soul food with an elegant twist. Additionally, the menu has unique cocktails that make this restaurant the best date night spot in the city. The restaurant offers several delicious dinner options such as crispy fried green tomatoes with rich roasted mushrooms, candied lemon, and tart jackfruit.
Delilah’s Everyday Soul, Atlanta
This restaurant features a Southern favorite: mouth-watering variations of fried chicken. Sides such as fried green tomatoes, as well as a mac and cheese recipe stamped by Oprah herself show up as key favorites on the menu. Add the freshly squeezed, homemade strawberry lemonade, and you’ve got everything you need. Delilah also competed on the Netflix series America’s Barbeque Showdown.
As we celebrate National Soul Food Month, we remember the heritage and history of the foods of Black people and people from the African diaspora. All of these culinary contributions have made a deep-rooted impact on the American menu. Make your favorite soul food dishes for family and friends, or visit a soul food restaurant in your city.
The post 10 Soul Food Restaurants to Visit appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
It’s the 21st century already? I can’t believe we made it this far! World wars, global pandemics, that hole in the ozone, it’s a shock that we didn’t take ourselves out long ago. In spite of our good luck, the film industry has been busy dreaming up all the bangs and whimpers with which the world could end. Nuclear apocalypse, zombie apocalypses, climate apocalypse – are there any apocalypses we haven’t covered yet? While we’ve made it this far, humanity’s advancement into the 21st century means only one thing: we’re closer than ever to the end. To celebrate our inevitable demise, here are the 10 best post apocalyptic movies of the 21st century.
Night Raiders
Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders takes place in a near future dystopia, where environmental disasters have caused the emergence of a totalitarian government calls itself “The Regime” – real creative, feds. Squeezing between the fingers of the military dictatorship’s iron fist, Niska and her eleven year old daughter Waseese have managed to create an off the grid life for themselves in the woods – until Waseese hurts her leg stepping in a trap. After surrendering herself to the government in exchange for medical treatment, Waseese is forced into a brutal state academy that trains the next generation of soldiers – unless her mother can figure out a way to break her out. A nail-biting metaphor for the never-ending cycle of colonialism, Night Raiders is a post apocalyptic thriller in pursuit of liberation.
Our favorite Disney and Pixar characters are getting a brand new look—one wrapped in stunning collectible Chrome.
On September 24, trading card mogul Topps teams up with Disney and MLB for the first time ever to launch the Chrome Disney Card Set. Blending timeless characters with the tradition of baseball, fans can see their favorite Disney icons transform in a never-before-seen way.
Here’s a First Look at the 2025 Chrome Disney Base Cards
Complete with a 200-card Chrome tech base set, the release features special inserts, hand-drawn sketch cards, and authentic actor autographs of some of Disney’s greatest talent. Some base cards will even feature the faces of iconic Disney Live Action heroes.
The standout play of the set is seeing the classic trio of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy reimagined in original MLB trading card form. In never-before-seen fashion, each popular character steps up to bat sporting a Major League uniform—transforming the Disney icons.
The trio represents all 30 teams, each character repping a different division. Mickey covers the AL and NL West, Donald has the East divisions, and Goofy tackles Central. To add to the excitement, the three will rotate divisions each year, creating a fun and progressive chase for collectors. While the 2025 Chrome release spotlights home jerseys, away uniforms will be featured later this year in the Topps Chrome Update Baseball series.
The 2025 Topps Chrome Disney Trading Card Set will be available on Topps.com, select hobby shops, and major retailers. Boxes range over three price points—Hobby Box ($420), Mega Box ($70), and Value Box ($40).
Exciting both Disney fans and baseball lovers alike, it’s safe to say Topps knocked this set out of the park. Reimagining the classic characters we all know and love, the collection spectacularly combines the magic of Disney with the nostalgic love of the sport.
The post Disney, Topps Rolls Out First Ever MLB Trading Cards appeared first on Nerdist.