Keeshagaye Whitter founded MyEmollient in 2020 after her own eczema experience led her to seek gentler skincare, building on Jamaican plant-based traditions she learned from her grandmother. The Brooklyn brand handcrafts small-batch, water-free moisturizers for people with dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin.
Kate McLeodFounded in 2016 by trained pastry chef Kate McLeod, Kate McLeod makes solid, waterless moisturizers that melt into skin like a lotion bar. What began with cocoa butter in Kate’s Brooklyn kitchen is now hand-crafted by local chefs, bakers, and makers at the company’s Hudson Valley workshop. Its Body Stones use plant-based ingredients in plastic-free, refillable packaging, turning everyday skin care into a small self-care ritual.RED HOOK, NY
ko-cheKetron Wise founded ko-che in 2009 after developing body butters at home to help her son’s psoriasis and eczema. The minority-owned, woman-owned small business now creates small-batch, dermatologist-inspired skincare for dry and reactive skin, with particular attention to melanin-rich skin.PIKESVILLE, MD
Amoureux BeautyAmoureux Beauty makes high-performance skincare for people with sensitive skin and complex needs, including its Soft Serum and Cozy Cream. Founder and CEO Jeanine Mojum created the brand after managing eczema, PCOS-related breakouts, and damage to her own skin barrier from overly harsh products. Its formulas are clinically tested on sensitive skin and diverse skin tones, while remaining fragrance-free and vegan and cruelty-free.
& Tread WellFounded by sisters Emily and Claire in 2023 after returning to their family farm in New York’s Hudson Valley, & Tread Well makes 100% natural self-care for sensitive skin and senses. Drawing on backgrounds in clinical research and women’s health, the sisters formulate pared-back skincare and fragrance in small batches, blending and pouring products at their family-farm studio with plant botanicals sourced from around the globe. The brand’s dermatologist-tested, synthetic-fragrance-free approach is built around protecting the skin barrier while keeping ingredients recognizable and minimally processed.