A New Beauty Brand Who's Getting Active Like The Late Great Nina Simone
Nina’s Bowl Of Sugar is a small indie butter and scrub brand founded in Brooklyn, New York. After having a bad breakout from her chronic eczema, founder Arlean Gillin started to make her own moisturizers to remedy the irritations.
It wasn’t long before research pointed her in the direction of shea butter, cocoa butter and pure coconut oil as a foundational base for her products. With a little bit of trial and error, she found a solution that had the perfect consistency.
Photo by melaninASS
“I needed to trap as much moisture in the skin to start the healing process - not too light, not too dense and whipped.”
After a push from her friends and family to begin selling her creations, Arlean founded this brand of homemade beauty products that leave you moisturized for the whole day. The name Nina’s Bowl of Sugar was inspired by the late Nina Simone. "I love Nina Simone – I’m obsessed with her. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl is my favorite song by her." Nina is a warrior with a powerful and magnetic presence. Similarly, these products have the same manifesto.
Nina Simone
With using essential oils like lavender, lemongrass along with healing properties like neem oil, aloe vera, jojoba, sunflower oil and tea tree oil, Nina’s Bowl of Sugar is an all natural brand that leaves you moisturized and not greasy. Arlean, confesses her love for layered textured scents and in the near future will be playing around with herb scents like rosemary and basil.
Photo by melaninASS
Photo by melaninASS
With very simple branding and ingredients and a very “home cooked meal” vibe, Nina’s Bowl of Sugar creates products for everyone! However, as a proud black woman she is definitely passionate about having people who look like her support the brand.
“Beauty, It’s very personal. When you look in the mirror, whatever that is – that’s beauty.”