gift guide
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Representing Black Businesses on Ujamaa, the Fourth Night of Kwanzaa
The fourth day of Kwanzaa represents Cooperative Economics and how we can come together to support Black businesses under one roof. Black marketplaces have been growing and become a collective space for people to display their work with other businesses and creators. Ujamaa embodies community and collective work while supporting Black businesses. africaboutik africaboutik.us is…
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Wrapping Paper Roll Call: Make This the Blackest Friday (to Cyber Monday) Ever
There have been few bright spots to celebrate in 2020—and even those have often been bittersweet. Take, for instance, the unprecedented uptick in interest in Black-owned businesses and creators (something we’ve always been invested in, but we digress) since non-Black America suddenly seemed to wake up to the centuries-old realities of racial inequality this spring—and…
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Wrapping Paper Roll Call: To Market, to Market
OK, kids—we’re now officially five weeks out from Christmas—and only a week from Black Friday (or, as we’ll be calling it here at The Glow Up, the Blackest Friday). But the pre-deals are already out there and in full effect as TGU rolls out our Wrapping Roll Call—our running list of our favorite Black vendors…
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More Love for Mom: Mother's Day Gifts to Help Make Staying-at-Home a Sanctuary
Kids, we don’t need to tell you that this won’t be any average Mother’s Day. Aside from the fact that it’s occurring relatively early in the month this year (Sunday, May 10), if you’re lucky enough to be with the mother figure in your life and both of you are healthy, safe and financially stable,…
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Send Her Your Love: Don't Let Quarantine Stop You From Showing Mom You Care
It may feel like a strange time to be celebrating anything, but if there’s ever been a time to cherish your loved ones, it’s now. While we may not be able to be close or indulge in much-needed hugs (our header pic is wishful thinking—I’m quarantining with my mother and she won’t even hug me),…
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Better Together: This Valentine's Day, Choose Gifts That Let You Share the Love
The moment I saw the afro pick, I knew it was love. Black love. During my childhood in Chicago, it was impossible to ignore hometown haircare brand Johnson Products’ hero product, Afro Sheen, which was ubiquitous in black households across America from the ‘60s through the ‘80s. And while its popularity may have waned in…
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The Glow Up's Guide to Giving: Make Scents With Hive Luxury Fragrances
Do you smell that? That’s the scent of a swiftly approaching holiday—and if you’re still looking for something for that special someone, what could be more special than a signature scent; especially one you can gift in time for Christmas? Perfumer Bambi Montgomery is a synesthete—that is to say, she experiences the senses differently than most,…
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Step Ya Beard Game Up With Some Golden Grooming
Every man isn’t blessed with the God-given genes to grow a full beard. But, if you are one of those men, it is essential to groom it the same as you would the hair on top of your head. As my scalp has given way to baldness, grooming my beard has become a daily ritual.…
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The Glow Up's Guide to Giving: The Brims Have It
There are hats, toppers, lids—and then, there are Brims. Founded in 2016 by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers Archie Clay III (Tuskegee) and Taj Crutch (Troy University), Brims’ collection of limited-edition fedoras and caps is made in America and made to “inspire confidence in everyday life.” “We wanted to be American-made and focus on finding…
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The Glow Up's Guide to Giving: This Holiday, Do the Right Thing for the Cinephiles in Your Life
It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since Spike Lee’s groundbreaking film, Do the Right Thing hit cinemas, but we recently got a reminder that the film many consider Lee’s magnum opus is older than many of our readers (making those of us who saw it in theater feel…well, let’s just say it still…