Ginger & Honey grew from founder Robbie Lathan’s two-bedroom apartment in the Bronx into a beauty brand shaped by resilience and a belief that care should reach beyond the skin. Lathan draws on a background in psychology and more than a decade of natural formulation experience to create botanical skincare and wellness products for people seeking restorative, mindful routines.
Violets Are BlueAfter breast cancer treatment left Cynthia Besteman searching for safer beauty products, she founded Violets Are Blue in 2015 to make naturally derived skincare for the face and body. The company pairs its botanical formulations with a direct support mission: 10% of product purchases fund Beloved gift packages for women beginning chemotherapy at Mount Sinai’s Dubin Breast Center in New York City. Its work has earned Best In Show from the Indie Beauty Expo and recognition from the Beauty Shortlist.
Gallop HillGallop Hill grew from a childhood lesson about milkweed shared by founder Ann Feldman’s grandfather into a botanical skincare company with a purpose. Ann Feldman now makes its products in limited batches at the company’s lab in Tivoli, New York, for people seeking gentle care that helps restore the skin’s glow.
Testament BeautyFounder-led Testament Beauty makes skincare that pairs garden-grown ingredients with clinical actives, with formulas designed to bring radiance at every age. Based in Brooklyn, the brand draws particular character from Mediterranean beauty traditions, including Damascena rose harvested in Isparta, Turkey, while its products are made in the USA with responsibly sourced global ingredients. Founder Sophia Chabbott’s line has been featured in outlets including Allure, W Magazine, and Town & Country.
PRESTIDGE beautéNew York makeup artist and former esthetician Shawnelle Prestidge creates minimalist botanical skincare through PRESTIDGE beauté, including the brand’s signature Ageless Skin Serum. Drawing on more than three decades in editorial and celebrity beauty, Prestidge develops small-batch formulas in her Brooklyn studio and infuses them with Reiki and other energetic modalities. The line uses organic or wild-harvested botanicals, avoids animal testing, and is designed to replace a complicated routine with a few intentional essentials.BROOKLYN, NY