Pride Month officially started the first of June, but the celebration doesn't stop after the month comes to a close. Long past June, we are continuing to honor and recognize the LGBTQ+ community by supporting their businesses.
Highlighting some of these LGBTQ-owned brands is lifestyle expert Amy E. Goodman, who recently shared with TODAY some of her favorites to shop. From custom letterpress greeting cards to DIY candle-making kits, each of these businesses and their products are just as vibrant and compelling as the stories they tell.
Keep reading to discover some of our favorite LGBTQ+ businesses to support now and forever.
LGBTQ-owned brands seen on TODAY
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Ink Meets Paper Greeting Cards
Nothing is more meaningful than sending a little love via card to a special someone. One of Goodman's favorite brands to shop is Ink Meets Paper by couple Allison and Jamie Nadeau, who create their custom-designed greeting cards in South Carolina. "They are a stationery destination for custom letterpress greeting cards, journals and more, and include a Pride collection," she says. "Their motto? 'text less, write more.' I couldn’t agree more."
Reisfields NYC DIY Candle Making Kit
Unsure of your summer travel plans? Bring the destination to you with these DIY candle-making kits from Reisfields NYC. The brand has "a 'cities' collection that will transport you to various destinations across the globe: NYC, Seville and Marrakech," mentions Goodman. "Founder Reis Chester came up with the idea of each fragrance when traveling the world with his husband. The kits contain everything you need to make your very own luxury candle including natural soy wax, wick and essential oil."
"Other DIY signature scent kits include Santal 6 and Geranium Balsam 13, all available for $40 each," she adds.
Beauty
Biology Fragrances Functional Fragrance Set of 6
"Founded by Steve Sun, Biology Functional Fragrances are formulated with natural and organic ingredients to help boost your desired mood and restore your being," says Goodman. For instance, the six-pack above includes a selection of your choosing, from Fragrance 1- Joy and Fragrance 2- Calm, to Fragrance 4- Immunity (each $35) and other scents you can test to discover your desired aroma.
"They are natural — paraben-free, phthalate-free, animal cruelty-free, and made in small batches," she adds. And they can also be purchased individually if you already have your eyes set on one (or a few!).
Mara Beauty Sea Silk Lip Balm
Drench your lips with tons of hydration with these celebrity-loved and award-winning lip balms. They're algae-infused and vegan for a formula that makes the lips feel and look like silk. "The algae is wild [and] source collected in France and Ireland, making them sustainable," notes Goodman. And, "the balms are infused with immune-boosting brown and/or red algae, which help to plump and create a fullness to the lips," she continues.
Fashion
Freshy Brites Sneakers
"Freshy is a 'sneaker company with attitude, founded by Scott Willman, who in his teenage years says he didn’t quite fit in as he wanted to wear colors in a sea of neutrals," explains Goodman. "Now, his company embraces boldness and stepping forward with confidence."
From front to back, Freshy Brites sneakers come in a range of six technicolors that capture the entire rainbow. But they're also vibrant in other ways, too: The shoes have a cloud-like sole for a pillowy step, a temperature regulating lining (that's NASA engineered and SPACE certified!) and a Freshy unicorn logo to always remind you to celebrate your uniqueness.
And even better: Exclusive to TODAY viewers, use code FRESHYTODAY on their website until July 8 for a special discount. Plus, Willman's foundation will be donating Freshy Brites to LGBTQ+ youth prepping for college.
Limitless Slides Customizable Slides
Spread positivity with each step you take with these Limitless Slides by founder Lisa Rizzo. No matter if you wear them to the beach or while running errands, the slides have an array of insert options that you can switch around according to your mood.
The slides themselves come in two colors (black and white), and come with a quad of affirmations. "The inserts are called TIBAHS or 'habits' spelled backwards and have phrases like: Self-love, Slay, I Am Inspired, I Am Worthy, I Am Driven [and] LGBTQ+ Proud," notes Goodman. You can even customize your own with your own special saying. That, along with positive affirmations, are embedded in the interior of each shoe.
How we chose
Lifestyle expert Amy E. Goodman shared with the Shop TODAY team some of her favorite LGBTQ+ brands to shop year-round, as well as her top products from each.