Shop women-owned this holiday

forget Amazon, shop these women-owned stores instead

In this newsletter: a women-owned holiday gift guide, chocolate mousse, and virtual shopping in Morocco

Pandemic be damned, I’m determined to make this December feel festive. The tree is up. The lights are strung. The stockings are all hung in a row. I’ve replaced CNN with a non-stop holiday movie marathon and am layering whipped cream, candy canes, and chocolate crumbs on top of my steaming hot cocoa.

Tis’ the season for giving and this month, Unearth Women is giving back to a very important non-profit. Since 1993, Women for Women International has helped 500,000 marginalized women in countries affected by war and conflict. Their non-profit offers support, tools, and access to life-changing skills to move women from crisis and poverty to stability and economic self-sufficiency.

For the month of December, we’ll be donating 20% of all new paid Unearth Women newsletter subscriptions to Women for Women International.

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Women-owned holiday gift guide

Forget about Amazon and support these women-owned businesses instead

While behemoths like Amazon and Walmart have more than doubled their profit in 2020 (raking in an estimated $133 billion in combined revenue), small business owners have been fighting to keep the lights on. This holiday season, rather than throw your money into the hands of big businesses, here are some of my favorite female-founded businesses to support instead.

Diaspora Co. - Diaspora Co. is a direct trade, single-origin spice company dedicated to building a better spice trade and supporting Indian farmers. I’m especially loving their Pragati Turmeric, which you can add to just about everything, from eggs to roasted veggies.

Brightland - This family-run, Californian farm cultivates custom-blended olive oils with zero preservatives. I bought their Chili Olive Oil a few months ago and put it on absolutely everything. From salads to pasta to soup, it makes all my food taste better.

Arrow Beauty - There really is no excuse to not shop for clean, vegan, and cruelty-free products nowadays. I love Arrow Beauty’s daily face lotion.

Around the World Beauty - Founded by Stephanie Flor, Around the World Beauty is a travel company offering beauty tours and experiences. Her curated beauty boxes feature hard-to-find ingredients ethically sourced from around the world.

The Qi - I absolutely love their blossoming rose tea, which is cultivated in Shangri-La at 10,000 feet above sea level. Order their daily ritual set, which is just about the prettiest before bed, self-care practice you can ask for.

Jonathan’s Journal - Jonathan’s Journal is my favorite dog Instagram account. Illustrated by a local dog mom in my neighborhood, her Etsy shop sells everything from cute Christmas cards to holiday sweaters to custom pet portraits.

To unlock our complete women-owned holiday gift guide early, say yes to becoming a paid newsletter subscriber.

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An easy-to-make chocolate mousse

An almond milk chocolate mousse made with just three ingredients

It ends up there are many ways to make chocolate mousse at home. Some recipes require gelatin packets (no, thank you), while others require a myriad of ingredients. This recipe only requires three ingredients: almond milk, bittersweet chocolate chips, and marshmallows.

For this chocolate mousse recipe and more exclusive content, say yes to becoming a paid newsletter subscriber.

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Things to do this week

Virtual shopping in Morocco, online travel bodegas, and Taylor Swift

Head over to Rani Cheema’s online bodega, which spotlights products made by womxn, people of color, and those within the LGBTQ+ community. Rani is a Culinary Travel Curator who combines her passions for food and travel into retreats and private getaways. Get to know Rani by listening to this Unearth Women podcast episode. Check out Local Purse, a new company that allows you to meet and buy from artisans around the globe. They recently partnered with Intrepid Travel for two virtual shopping experiences that support local Moroccan artisans. Get into the holiday spirit with this vintage vinyl from Capitol Records or turn on Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” marathon and leave it on until January. I have now watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas three times this week.

Log in to your Spotify and check out your 2020 music year in review. Unsurprisingly, I spent the year listening to songs like “I feel like I’m Drowning” by Two Feet and the entirety of Taylor Swift’s Folklore album. If you enjoy this newsletter, leave me a comment. Somewhere between non-stop Christmas movies, chocolate mousse eating, and listening to Taylor Swift on repeat, I promise to respond.