Launched in 2019 and based out of Pennsylvania, InnerSoul seeks to supply love and light through its dynamic line of clean beauty products that harness the power of tradition to ignite your inner glow. Nasreen Bhatt, president of InnerSoul, employs highly personal techniques in sculpting her beauty treatments by drawing on childhood memories in Southeast Asia that shaped her own self-care rituals, highlighting the diverse benefits of ingredients like ginger root, Indian gooseberry, and turmeric, among others. These botanicals form the base of her craft but only represent a fraction of InnerSoul’s capabilities in the skincare sectors. The reality is that InnerSoul speaks for everyone, everywhere. This cruelty-free beauty line inspires a lifestyle devoted to the self, offering an expansive array of eye-catching products including mud masks, facial serums, and an ultra hydrating hair oil, ideal for days spent by the pool. With Summer knocking at our back door, it’s high time to check your must-haves and make sure you’ve got only the best in your weekend bag. InnerSoul reminds us to look within and nurture the flame that makes us shine, and if clean beauty products are important to you, then InnerSoul’s therapeutic regimens are the gold standard in self-care.
2. Green Goo
Incredible things can happen when people with a shared vision come together. So goes the story with Green Goo, a powerhouse plant-based body care brand whose goodness touches many different corners of the globe. Founded in 2008, Green Goo is one branch of the Sierra Sage Herbs family, which also includes the sexual wellness brand, Southern Butter, and the full-spectrum CBD brand, Good Goo. Sisters Jodi and Jen Scott co-founded Green Goo with their mother, Kathy, each contributing their own individual expertise and knowledge, including herbalism, permaculture, and health psychology, with the common goal of producing clean, all-natural alternatives to chemical-laden legacy brands. Utilizing a proprietary lipid-infusion process to amplify the benefits of the botanical ingredients and maximize the potency and efficacy of their products, Green Goo is a plant-based pantry fully stocked with the finest herbal ingredients built to sustain and enhance your regular routines. Of their many dynamic offerings, Green Goo excels with all-natural, cruelty-free body care, inclusive beauty, and portable, ready-response first aid remedies. Green Goo also supports a stronger community through active philanthropy. The brand works closely with foundations like 1% for the Planet, World Vision, Keep a Breast, and Pacific Crest Trail Association, to name a few, and their status as a certified B Corp ensures their vision is as clean and impactful as their product line. Green Goo products have not only been selected as gift bag offerings at the Oscars, but over a decade after their initial launch, the success of this family operation continues to break boundaries in plant-based beauty with purpose.
For many of us, tea time is ‘me time.’ Our unique experiences with tea deserve intentional treatment to redefine our relationships with tea and the world around us. Tease Wellness, the women-owned, Ottawa-based herbal outfit, is brewing a new era of ceremonial self-care through artfully designed tea blends and dedication to detail. Conceived and developed by tea drinkers, Tease officially launched in 2013 in Toronto by Sheena Brady, a service professional by trade and a sommelier by heart. Having taught coworkers the gentle support obtained from regular tea drinking, Brady embarked on crafting her own herbal legacy, looking to steep her vision in unconventional corners and take tea to new heights. Tease does more with their blends by activating a stylish allure in their packaging, identity, and flavor profiles, positioning each blend as both a beauty tool and a moment of rest. The sophisticated palettes of Tease are experiential by nature, inviting more time for wellness against our busy schedules. True beauty begins from within, and the blends curated by Tease complement their creative line of herbal utility, like the matcha face mask or chamomile soak. Tea is a worldly provision that has the power to improve many different facets of our communities, as is the case with Tease and their sister program, Founders Fund. This initiative offers support for women in leadership by founders themselves, placing the power of tea at the heel of systemic progress. At its core, Tease is a proprietary blend of herbal artistry rooted in community. If their message isn’t made clear through smart packaging and process, you’ll understand the difference once you take the first sip.
Lifeboost is the answer to so many concerns by coffee drinkers around the world. Oftentimes, there is a strong misunderstanding of coffee’s effects on the body, and these broken soundbites are largely responsible for some people’s distrust of coffee as a beverage. Lifeboost, the innovative “clean” coffee roaster, is on a mission to correct those narratives and provide a product that is transparent, beneficial, and effective in its purpose. Coffee beans are known to be highly acidic, which can lead to discomfort in the stomach for some people. Dr. Charles Livingston, founder and CEO of Lifeboost, draws on his background in chiropractic work to target quality coffee that doesn’t sacrifice a strong flavor profile. All of Lifeboost’s beans are single-origin, mountain-grown, ethically sourced from small, family farms, and carefully roasted to amplify the personalities of each bean while minimizing acidic impact. This yields a robust batch of coffees that support the farmers, bloom with intoxicating aromas and provide the maximum amount of health benefits we can receive from coffee, which is naturally high in antioxidants. Coffee inspires community, conversation, and quality time spent with others or yourself, and it’s critical that we feel just as good as what we put in our bodies. Lifeboost might just be the solution we’ve all been searching for: a delicious cup of coffee that drives a new era of self-care one brew at a time.
5. ZYN
Co-founded by brothers Asim Qasim Khan in 2016, ZYN is a natural solution to so many of our common health concerns, packing a punch in their authentically crafted wellness drinks. Pulling inspiration from centuries of Eastern medicinal strategy, ZYN promotes healthy choices through the strength and endurance of Mother Nature, teaching us that everything we need could be in our backyards. The Khan brothers noticed a need for holistic rejuvenation in the West after visiting family in Pakistan, where they were able to alleviate their father’s severe neuropathy with a homemade paste of turmeric and olive oil. This discovery led to the creation of ZYN through extensive testing and experimentation in their own kitchens, resulting in a dynamic batch of clean beverages that tackle an array of common issues. The Khan brothers are eager to present their iteration of life-affirming solutions to supporting healthy lifestyles through craftsmanship and community growth. ZYN partners with selected organizations that also share this vision. Presently, ZYN works closely with One Mile, a group dedicated to sustaining health and wellness within veterans’ communities. Pour a little life into your routines with ZYN leading the way, your body and spirit will thank you later.
6. Clean Plates
If you haven’t been paying attention, now is the time. Clean Plates, founded by Jared Koch in 2009, has swept the health and wellness space clean and rejuvenated with its honest approach to personal well-being. What started as a nutritional journey for himself quickly turned into a movement, and Koch embarked on a mission to challenge the ways we observe and engage in “healthy” choices. At its core, Clean Plates is your one-stop shop for making informed decisions that support your lifestyle. Beyond this, however, Clean Plates is teaching us to be intentional with our food, to enjoy what we eat, and to have fun while doing it. Their efforts have been recognized by Deepak Chopra, along with Oprah (yes, that Oprah) who praised the company’s published text, “The Clean Plates Cookbook”, co-written with Jill Silverman Hough. With a pantry full of steel-plated advice, recipes, and how-to’s, Clean Plates has managed to foster a thriving community of individuals seeking an elevated state of wellness through personal gain, illuminating the space to reveal a bounty of choices and opportunities for creativity. Building a positive relationship with food is no easy task, and Clean Plates works to correct the narratives surrounding healthy lifestyles to include all walks of life. So, what does your clean plate look like?
7. Jelenew
Athletic women will change the world, so why not do it with style? Jelenew, the ultra-chic sports apparel brand based worldwide, is reshaping the silhouettes of women’s athletic wear by designing threadwork that is made specifically for women, as many market offerings design their shapes based off of the existing men’s template. The fashion of Jelenew speaks to every demographic, from competitive athletes to regulars in physical fitness circuits. Even though Jelenew is an athletic label, their sleek designs are something to strut. Di Liu, the creative director for Jelenew, previously worked at Chanel for their “Haute Couture” line, as well as serving as the editor-in-chief for “Aret Et Mode”, the French fashion and culture magazine. It’s safe to say that Jelenew is crafted with sophistication and elevation in mind, and since its debut in 2021, the team has expertly driven a renaissance in women’s athletic apparel that will become the envy among athletes everywhere. The difference with Jelenew is their commitment to the everyday woman, meeting her wherever she is and enhancing her routines to conquer the world, draped in luxurious finesse. Jelenew has taken the fitness quarters by storm, and the forecast is looking hot (haute?) and brighter than ever.
8. Sudor
We hear plenty of buzz surrounding personal fitness apps, and other digital domains that support a healthy lifestyle. But, what about the trainers? Launched in February of 2020, Sudor is the latest and greatest wellness application aimed at better connecting trainers and instructors with clients from around the world so we can all stay on top of our grind. Emma Heap and Marc Balkin, co-founders of Sudor, noticed a gap in the number of people who had access to affordable fitness routines and quality workouts, and, according to the World Health Organization, 28% of the population remains inactive, most likely due to unreasonable costs in personal training and guidance. Sudor’s vision is to connect the world to a common goal of improving the self. On the surface, Sudor is a smart app built for strengthening health and well-being. Beyond that, however, it is a thriving fitness community that gives you access to some of the world’s top trainers, and on the other side, plenty of control and opportunities to coach potential clients on how to meet (and exceed) their goals. With Sudor taking the lead, we can all put our words of affirmation into action with a single tap. Of course, you’re still expected to bring your A-game.
Revitalize Sports is a hemp-based, athletically-charged wellness movement breaking down barriers in fitness circuits with its line of CBD-infused products ranging from sports drinks to gel shots. There is more we can do to maintain and sustain our bodies before and after each workout, setting ourselves up for success that lasts longer and feels good even after the burn. Revitalize Sports is redefining our approach to self-care by meeting the demand for well-being and physical fitness and serving up an array of innovative tools to help with muscle soreness, fatigue, and full recovery. Their sports drinks contain no sugar and are packed with necessary electrolytes and nutrients that make for a stronger workout routine. The beverages are free of THC and only contain the regenerative properties found with naturally derived hemp extracts. Additionally, the team has developed two dynamic recovery gel shots, one for adults and one for kids. The shots are built to boost the immune system so you can stay strong no matter where the day takes you.
10. Clean Juice
Launched in Huntersville, NC in 2015, Clean Juice brings a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables to the table so you can focus on living life harder, cleaner, and with plenty of nutrition. With over 100 retail locations juicing in 23 states, this homegrown initiative is making daily wellness more accessible and highly sought after for our increasingly busy schedules. Kat and Landon Eckles, the husband-and-wife power duo behind Clean Juice, discovered a rush of nostalgia in starting their business, looking back at their own nutritional journeys to pave the future of juicing as we know it. Sourcing only the finest ingredients for their rotation of power provisions, each Clean Juice location feels like stepping into a catalog kitchen spinning with acai bowls, wellness shots, and juice cleanses made especially for you and your body’s anatomy, expertly driven by a team of dedicated juicers who crave a healthy mind and an even stronger spirit. The recipe for success is a trade secret with Clean Juice, backed by household names like Tim Tebow, a direct partner with the brand. Eating your daily dose of fruits and veggies never felt simpler, and with Clean Juice leading a new line of self-care, quenching your thirst for a better way of life just got easier.
Written in partnership with Ascend
