Pholk Beauty: A Modern Take on Ancestral Rituals

Let’s talk about self-care! Although it has been around forever in various forms, the concept of “self-care” only started to take off within the last few years. It can mean entirely different things to different people. For example, I love to take walks, practice yoga, meditate, and unwind with candles and herbal tea. My husband, on the other hand, likes to bike, read outdoors, talk to his family back in Idaho, and meal prep healthy options for the week. Whether it’s a small daily ritual or a large weekly activity, it is more important than ever to carve out time for your overall wellness.

Self-Care Goes Skincare

One of the most popular self-care practices is skincare. Not only can this be a soothing treatment to help you relax after a hectic day, but it will also boost the vitality of your skin as you age. With so many products in the market, building a skincare regimen can feel daunting, which is why we always turn to the passionate makers who have been studying the field for years. One brand in particular that we have fallen in love with for their trusted expertise and incredible products is Pholk Beauty.

Ancestral Origin

Pholk Beauty officially launched in June 2018, but was in the works long before that. Founder Niambi Cacchioli started experimenting with formulation in 2003 while pursuing her doctorate in London. After exploring various markets and apothecaries across the city, she realized a lack of products tailored to Black and brown skin concerns, and began developing her own elixirs using wisdom from her grandmother. Sourcing only the highest-quality natural ingredients, she unleashed her knowledge of the African Diaspora's healing and herbalist traditions and ultimately brought the products to market as a way to give back to the community.

“Every Black and brown woman needs to know how to treat their skin with kindness,” she says. “The beauty industry often gives us the harshest products on the shelves, expecting our skin to be just as resilient as we are. While yes, we are a resilient people, our skin can be very sensitive and reactive.”

Growing and Glowing

Cacchioli has quickly grown Pholk into a natural beauty mogul because of her passion for people. She continues to center the needs of others when ideating new products, which sets her brand apart in the growing green beauty industry. Each and every product in the Pholk lineup is made in-house at their New Jersey lab and addresses the specific concerns for women of color. From Senegalese hibiscus oil to Chilean Rosehip Seed Oil, their vegan ingredients are as gentle as they are nourishing, leaving you with a luminous glow.

Get the Goods

After discovering Pholk, we immediately knew we wanted to partner with them to bring their skincare wonders to the M&P community. You can find their Glow Up Mask with Hibiscus and Apple in our refreshed ‘Gal Pal’ gift set, and we plan to add more of their products to our 2021 gift sets, so be sure to stay tuned!