Reclaiming Our Beauty Story

A journey toward remembering, reclaiming, realigning, and renewing through intentional skincare

The beauty industry has a story to tell, and for too long, that story hasn't centered our wellbeing. A powerful new report from the Environmental Working Group reveals what many of us have felt in our bodies: the products marketed to Black women contain higher levels of harmful chemicals than those without demographic marketing. But this isn't just about statistics. It's about reclaiming our narrative and choosing love for the skin we're in.

The Truth We Already Knew

Out of 4,011 personal care products marketed to Black women, only 21 percent rate as low hazard compared to 27.4% of products without demographic marketing. These numbers tell a story of environmental injustice that extends far beyond beauty aisles. They reflect systemic patterns that have historically excluded us from safer choices while pressuring us toward products that may harm the very body we're trying to nurture.

The research confirms what beauty justice advocates have long understood: products like hair relaxers and chemical dyes carry elevated risks of breast and uterine cancer, particularly for Black women. Even more concerning, companies are becoming less transparent, with undisclosed fragrance ingredients increasing by 6.4 percentage points since 2016.

Ingredients That Don't Love Us Back

The EWG report identified several concerning ingredients still showing up in everyday products:

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. These conditioning agents in hair products can trigger asthma, skin reactions, and reproductive harm.

Undisclosed Fragrances. Behind this label can hide dozens of chemicals, including allergens and hormone disruptors that our bodies were never meant to process.

Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives. Found in 25.9% of hair relaxers, these compounds release cancer-causing formaldehyde directly onto our scalp.

Harmful Parabens and Preservatives. These synthetic compounds disrupt our body's natural hormone balance.

When we understand what these ingredients can do to our bodies, choosing differently becomes an act of self-love.

Our Intentional Response: Whole-Plant Medicine

At Urban Bubble, we believe love begins with the skin. That's why our approach centers botanicals rooted in the practices of African-American and Indigenous peoples of the Americas—plants that have nurtured and protected skin for generations.

Crown Scalp Serum: Honoring Ancient Wisdom

Our Crown Scalp Serum represents a return to ingredients that actually love us back. Every component is intentionally chosen:

Sacred Base Oils: Organic coconut oil provides deep nourishment while hemp seed oil and black seed oil (Nigella sativa) carry forward generations of healing wisdom for scalp health.

Botanical Allies: Red clover and aloe vera soothe and restore, while turmeric and green tea offer their anti-inflammatory gifts. These plants work in harmony with our body's natural processes.

Aromatic Medicine: Wild-harvested frankincense and eastern red cedar connect us to the earth's healing energy, while organic lavender and peppermint essential oil provide therapeutic aromatherapy that calms both scalp and spirit.

Face Duo Collection: Four Pathways to Radiance

Our Face Duo collection—Breathe, Glow, Receive, and Soothe—offers targeted solutions using only organic and wild-harvested botanicals. Each formula represents whole-plant medicine at its finest, featuring ingredients like calendula, helichrysum, and wild-harvested frankincense that have been cherished across cultures for their skin-healing properties.

These aren't products designed to mask or change who you are. They're formulated to help you remember and reveal your natural radiance.

Supporting Our Community Through Every Purchase

When you choose Urban Bubble, you're supporting more than clean beauty. You're supporting BIPOC and urban growers through intentional sourcing and fair compensation. You're investing in community engagement that promotes social and economic justice. You're choosing brands that center your wellbeing rather than exploit your insecurities.

Make Your Own: DIY Brightening Toner

Your journey toward intentional skincare can start right now. A simple, brightening, elevated witch hazel toner can be made at home by combining witch hazel with ingredients like rosewater, apple cider vinegar, and essential oils. This DIY toner can help balance skin pH, tighten pores, and address hyperpigmentation.

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 cup witch hazel (alcohol-free)

• 1/4 cup rosewater

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2-3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

• Glass jar or spray bottle for storage

Instructions:

1. Combine witch hazel and rosewater in a clean glass container

2. Add apple cider vinegar and mix gently

3. Add essential oil if desired and shake well

4. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months

How to Use: Apply with a cotton pad or spray directly onto clean skin, morning and evening. The witch hazel acts as a natural astringent, rosewater soothes and hydrates, while apple cider vinegar helps brighten and even skin tone over time.

The Path Forward: Remember, Reclaim, Realign, Renew

The EWG report reminds us that knowledge is the first step toward liberation. When we understand what's truly in our products, we can make choices that align with our values and our wellbeing.

Remember the wisdom of our ancestors who used plants to heal and protect. Reclaim our right to products that nourish rather than harm. Realign our beauty practices with our deepest values of self-love and community care. Renew our commitment to supporting businesses that see us, value us, and create for us.

Your Skin, Your Love Story

Beauty has always been about more than looking good. It's about feeling good in the skin you're in. It's about honoring your body as sacred. It's about recognizing that the way we care for our skin is a daily practice of self-love.

We celebrate the beauty and diversity of our collective skin and spread positivity, love, and wellness through every product we create. Because when we choose products that truly nourish us, we're not just caring for our skin—we're participating in a larger movement toward beauty justice and bodily autonomy.

The beauty industry is changing because we're demanding better. And we don't have to wait for everyone else to catch up. We can make intentional choices now, support brands that align with our values, and create some of our own solutions along the way.

At Urban Bubble, every product is formulated as an act of love—love for your skin, love for our community, and love for the earth that provides these healing botanicals. Because true beauty isn't about conforming to someone else's standard. It's about nurturing and celebrating the radiant being you already are.

Ready to begin your journey of intentional skincare? Explore our collection at urbanbubble.biz, where every ingredient is chosen with love and every product is crafted to help you remember your natural radiance.