Why NEXTY Award-Winner Humanist Beauty is the Most Important Beauty Brand in the World Right Now
As a model, fitness enthusiast, and consciously evolved male human being, I have become increasingly aware of the way I have been marketed to over the years, particularly fashion, beauty, and grooming products. Aspirational image? Check. Superior features and benefits? Check. Decent value? Check. Cares about me more than my wallet? Hmmm…
Lately, I have been contemplating my relationship with brands. I decided to go on a search for hidden gems — the best-in-class examples of brands that are really doing it right.
While on a mission to find people, companies and brands going beyond the call of duty to change the world for the better, I discovered Jennifer Norman, Founder of The Human Beauty Movement and skincare brand, Humanist Beauty.
To me, Jennifer Norman is the Audrey Hepburn of the beauty industry. Radiating with compassion, humility and grace, Jennifer breathed life into her company, giving it a heart and her beauty brand a soul to connect more deeply with those who have been left in the beauty industry’s wake.
A statement on The HBM website sums it up:
According to Jennifer, the global beauty industry needs a wake-up call. Too many people still suffer from low self-esteem. Too many products still contain harmful ingredients. Too many natural resources are still wasted in production. Too many people still feel marginalized, underrepresented, prejudiced and discriminated against. Jennifer believes we can, and must, do better.
Given that pop culture and social media seems to have done more to harm our mental health, I’m relieved to find indie leaders that aren’t afraid to call it out and take a stand for holistic wellness.
Founded only in March 2019, The Human Beauty Movement was quick to earn Certified B Corporation status (July 2020) in recognition of its profound dedication to inclusivity and environmental impact.
This August, the fully accessible Humanist Beauty.com website went live, and this September, its first products started shipping. Among them, the Herban Wisdom™ Facial Oil is a 100% plant-based, vegan, Leaping Bunny® certified cruelty-free, CBD topical serum with ancient traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ayurvedic herbal undercurrents. An accessory item, the Herban Wisdom™ Facial Oil Braille ID Band, is offered for visually impaired customers.
And what’s even more amazing, this October, the Herban Wisdom Facial Oil won the NEXTY Award for Best New Personal Care or Beauty Product. In the natural products industry, winning a NEXTY is like winning a Grammy for Best New Artist.
To me, thought leaders like Jennifer Norman, purpose-driven businesses like The HBM and conscious brands like Humanist Beauty are helping change the world by veering the spotlight away from uninspired superficiality toward the deeper essence of self-love. I can only imagine the positive impact that this indie powerhouse will have on the beauty industry in years to come.