The Undefeated’s newsroom has done it again. We’ve compiled 24 items that could get you through this tough holiday season as you shop for your loved ones. This year has been wild, but the items on this list will surely make the season jollier. Filled with Black-owned brands and the hottest must-haves, our gift guide could mean one less thing to worry about this year.
iPhone 12 Pro Max
For the techie in your life, give the gift of clearer pictures and faster internet right at their fingertips. The iPhone just keeps getting better and the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the proof. Starting at $ 999, the improved portrait mode and night mode makes this a must-have for your socially distanced selfies. The 12 Pro Max leaps from an 8 to 10-bit HD recording, allowing you to capture millions of colors for more lifelike videos. Released on Nov. 13, this is the perfect gift for your loved ones who like to stay on the cutting edge.
PS5
For the gaming guru, the PS5 is an easy choice. They’ve been dropping all the hints and doing extra chores, so go ahead and get your partner or kid the new PlayStation 5 they’ve been begging for. Sony’s fifth console release in 25 years recently dropped and it’s caused quite the fuss. Retailing at $ 499, this highly anticipated system comes with a PS5 gaming console, a dualsense wireless controller, ultra high speed, a USB Type-C to Type-A charging cable and more. Each console is preloaded with a free game to get you going, or you can download NBA 2k21 and pay homage to the late, great Kobe Bryant. To get your hands on one, you might have to wait a while, as they’re currently sold out everywhere.
Ivy Park
For the fashion-forwards in your life. Queen Bey is back with another apparel collection called “Drip 2.” The latest line of activewear, created by Beyonce’, has recently dropped and it’s flying off the shelves. Her new collection, all under $ 200, features vibrant colors with catchy names such as Honey Drip and De-Grassy, and her latest, the Black Pack, is a walk on the dark side. A partnership with Adidas, this collection has a plethora of items with inclusive sizing for women and men, and shoes and accessories to match. With styles ranging from sporty to a night on the town, it can easily be your one-stop clothing shop this Christmas.
Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross
For the curly girls, these products are the perfect gifts. As if Tracee Ellis Ross hasn’t blessed us enough with her roles as Rainbow Johnson on black-ish and Joan Carol Clayton on Girlfriends, she’s now provided a natural hair product line for curly girls and guys to enjoy. Whether you have high or low porosity, kinkier coils or loose waves, this hair care line is for everyone. Pattern Beauty has made Christmas shopping simpler by creating the perfect bundle kits starting at $ 24.
Telfar
There aren’t many places you can find Black-owned, unisex handbags, but the Telfar brand has you covered. Created by Liberian American New Yorker Telfar Clemens, these new, sleek “shopping bags,” hats, shirts, shoes and even durags are the gifts you didn’t know you needed. Various colors of shopping bags are available, starting at $ 150, and they sell out quickly so shop today.
The Spice Suite
For the quarantine cooks. At the Spice Suite, food is fashion, and this spice shop has the perfect gifts to complement your meals and your kitchen! Founded and run by self-proclaimed “Spice Girl” Angel Gregorio, this spice shop was a dream she didn’t know she had. The once vacant storefront stood out to her while walking by one day in 2015, and she followed her gut and pursued it. This led Gregorio to a successful shop of hundreds of spices from all over the world, and a small business incubator for minority women. If you’re in the Washington area, you can shop for some of the world’s most unique spices in person, and if you’re anywhere else, you can purchase your own SpiceBox, state-of-the-art utensils, glassware, dinner plates and more online, starting at just $ 30.
Henry Masks
For the fashionable friend, Henry Mask is the choice. Pandemic. Who says you can’t be cute during COVID-19? Created by two brothers Patrick Henry and Chase Morgan from Memphis, Tennessee, these chic masks are a great way to keep the men, women and children in your life stylishly safe. With a variety of colors and patterns, you’re sure to stand out with these masks, and with their buy one-donate one program, your purchase could help someone on the front lines. With every travel mask purchase, Henry Mask donates a mask to a health care worker or a family in need. A four-pack of these must-have masks is $ 39.99.
Heritage Hill
For your favorite HBCU (historically Black college and university) grad, Heritage Hill is a great option. The pandemic put a rain check on homecoming season across the country, but we can still look the part. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris being a Howard University graduate and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is reminding us that it might be time to show our favorite alums and Divine Nine members a little more love this season, and Heritage Hill can help do just that. Whether they’re an alumnus of Florida A&M or Fisk University, a lady of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. or a man of Alpha Phi Alpha, find the perfect paraphernalia here or customize your own, starting at just $ 20.
Air Fryer
For the health-conscious cooks in your life, the air fryer is a must-have. Move over Instant Pot, the air fryer is the new star of the show. Give someone special the gift of prepping their favorite fried foods without all of the oil, grease or guilt. The air fryer works by circulating hot air around your food of choice, creating a crunchy texture without having to deep fry it, thus producing lower calorie meals. This is a great gift for anyone and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Available at most retail stores with kitchenware, the air fryer can be found at Walmart for $ 69.99.
A Promised Land, by Barack Obama
For the bookworm, this is the right choice. Hot off the press! We might have just elected the 46th president of the United States, but we haven’t seen the last of the 44th. Released on Nov. 17, A Promised Land is former President Barack Obama’s first volume of his presidential memoirs. This vulnerable, intimate page turner details his journey from humble beginnings to the leader of the free world and beyond, and makes the perfect stocking stuffer. Find it here for as low as $ 23.96.
The Crayon Case
For the makeup mavens (and amateurs). The Crayon Case is a cruelty-free makeup brand that offers all of your makeup must-haves. Lipsticks, blushes, eye shadows, whatever you need, the Crayon Case has it and in a variety of colors. The nostalgic packaging for these cosmetics takes you back to grade school with their unique cases reminiscent of crayon boxes, No. 2 pencils and more. For the makeup artist, the makeup enthusiast or the makeup novice, this brand has everything a makeup lover wants, with prices starting at $ 6.
Melanin Haircare
For the naturalista, Melanin Haircare products are the move. Natural hair guru and YouTube star Whitney White, better known as @Naptural85, partnered with her sister Taffeta to create a natural hair care line with healthy hair and scalp as the focus. Naturally luxurious and highly effective are the brand’s promises, as it delivers nourished hair from the inside out without the harmful ingredients. These products are paraben, sulfate and silicone-free and work for a variety of textures. If you can’t decide on the right product, give the gift of options and purchase a gift card from their website. Products start at just $ 16.99.
The Lip Bar
For the beauty girls, The Lip Bar belongs on your list. This vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand is designed to make every girl feel special. Lipsticks, foundation, mascara, find it all here at this one-stop makeup shop. Founded by Melissa Butler while working on Wall Street, the company was birthed due to what she calls a lack of diversity in the beauty industry. These must-have colors have come a long way from Butler’s kitchen production and are now featured in Target stores across the country. The Lip Bar has made it super easy to have a professional makeup consultation without leaving the comfort of your own home with their popular Fast Face kits. Shop their many products, starting at just $ 8.
E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness App
For the fitness junkie. Maintaining a gym schedule has been a challenge this year. Most gyms were closed for months and many people aren’t comfortable returning as some reopen. E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness has a solution for your friend that needs their fitness fix. Founded by Loucious Dooley, E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness began with group workouts in a small garage and has morphed into a private gym with hundreds of members. Known for its high-intensity boot camps and colorful playlists, this gym is one of Atlanta’s best and it’s now available to anyone in the world. For $ 40, you can purchase the E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness app for a month of unlimited bootcamp, spin or “keddlesthenics” classes and give the gift of fitness this year.
Black Girl Magic Wine
For your friend that enjoys a good bottle of wine. Black Girl Magic is a movement to celebrate the accomplishments, beauty and resilience of Black women and girls all over the world. It’s a mindset, a state of being, and now, it’s a nice bottle of wine! The collection is produced by the McBride Sisters, a wine company led by two half siblings Robin and Andrea, oblivious to the other’s existence for half of their lives. Fate connected them as teenagers, and they learned that they share a father and later, a passion for winemaking. The Black Girl Magic collection gives reverence to the culture and story of Black women and is intentionally affordable, with each bottle under $ 25.
Harlem Candle Company
For the fragrance fanatic. The Harlem Candle Company is a luxury candle brand that honors the history, vitality and culture of the Harlem Renaissance. Created by lifestyle and travel expert Teri Johnson, the candles each represent her love for fragrance, jazz and Harlem. The collection includes candles that give nods to Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes and others. The fragrances are combinations of rose, jasmine and tobacco notes and more, and transport you right to the 1920s. Purchase an individual candle like the “Holiday” for $ 45 to set the Christmas mood, or select the Ultimate Candle gift box that includes four 12-ounce candles for your loved ones, on sale now for $ 180.
Just Savor
For the flavor lovers. Just in time for the holidays, celebrity Chef Huda has released her new premium and gourmet spice line, Just Savor by Chef Huda. The line features more than 20 specially curated spices such as jammin’ jerk, turmeric gold, garlic goodness, spicy garlic madness, maple sugar magic and more. As a top Food Network champion and American Heart Association ambassador, Chef Huda also features heart-healthy, salt-free options in her new line. All spices are vegan and gluten-free and contain no artificial additives or preservatives. The spices can be purchased for just $ 7.99.
VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam
For the kids who love the camera. This year has been a tough one for most of us, and kids are no exception. Virtual learning and little-to-no in-person interaction with friends has called for increased screen time for young people everywhere. With the VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam, your little loved ones can enjoy being in front of the camera a little more. This HD video camera, complete with a tripod, built-in microphone and special effects, will help your favorite youngster make memorable videos. Grab it for $ 59.99 at Target while they last.
LumiBloom
For the self-care lover. The woman and Black-owned wellness brand, LumiBloom, has put together the perfect holiday care packages for those of us who need a little more tender love and care this year. LumiBloom carries an array of products for beauty from the inside out, including hair, skin and hygiene care. The carefully curated packages include the “Relax” set for stress and anxiety that includes a sleep CBD tincture, CBD tea, lavender CBD bath bomb and body scrub. There’s even a “Stay Well COVID kit” that includes CBD hand sanitizer, CBD immunity capsules and a CBD immunity booster tincture.
Ubuntu
Purchase one of Oprah’s Favorite Things for one of your favorite people. The socially conscious lifestyle brand, Ubuntu, offers a vast collection of shoes, bags and accessories handmade from Africa. Select one of their unique bracelets starting at just $ 19 or a pair of their Lamu Mules, which are all under $ 100. The Kenyan-based brand was established to create opportunities that empower the local community to lift themselves out of poverty and has created thousands of jobs since its founding. These one-of-a-kind items can be found at Whole Foods, Nordstrom and Free People.
Talley and Twine
For the watch collector. If you’re looking to purchase a sleek, stylish timepiece for your loved one that rivals the pricier brands at a fraction of the cost, Talley and Twine is the perfect brand for you. Named after two intersecting streets in Virginia once known for high crime and now for vitality and progress, Talley and Twine exemplifies growth and a brighter future. Whether you select a gold, leather or canvas watch, you’ll find the No. 7 on each face, representing completion, and serving as a reminder to always finish what you start. Watches start at $ 125.
Mombasa
For the handmade jewelry lover. Mombasa is a jewelry and accessory brand that wants to redefine luxury as handmade or hand-touched items. The brand is named after the colorful city in Kenya and has an array of quality jewelry items ranging from multigemstone necklaces to leather bracelets. Mombasa collaborates with artisans from around the world to produce bold statement pieces and continue the cycle of women helping women. The brand’s leading ladies, Regbe Surafel and Hanna Wagari, both born in Ethiopia, combine their expertise in art and marketing to make Mombasa a worldwide brand. Browse through a plethora of handmade goodies starting at $ 30.
Powerhandz
For the athlete in the family, Powerhandz has the perfect accessories to level up your workouts. This black and women-owned brand produces weighted, fingerless gloves known as powerfit training gloves, to enhance hand and arm muscle strength during any fitness activity. Anti-grip weighted gloves for increased hand speed and pure grip gloves for resistance training are also among the Texas-based brand’s innovative products designed to boost human performance. Used by NFL and NBA players, as well as actors such as the late Chadwick Boseman as he trained for Black Panther, Powerhandz are sure to bring out the power in any athlete. Shop now for products starting at just $ 15.99.
Bevel
For the guys who love grooming. If your mister has been on the “nice” list this year, get something just for him from Bevel. Beard oil, body wash, state-of-the-art trimmers, you name it, Bevel has something to make the men in your life a little merrier this year. Complete with a fragrant body wash, body lotion, deodorant and bar soap, the Body Essentials bundle takes away the guesswork and offers a total package for just $ 23.99. Bevel is a brand by Walker & Company, designed to make health and beauty simpler for people of color.
