Celebrating 250. Remembering 161.

This year, America celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

For me, this holiday is also an opportunity to pause and reflect on another milestone.

One hundred sixty one years.

One hundred sixty one years since the end of slavery in the United States.

Those aren't competing stories.

They're one American story.

I believe patriotism isn't pretending our history was perfect. I believe it's loving our country enough to celebrate what we've done well, acknowledge where we've fallen short, and continue building something better for the generations that come after us.

Because of those who came before me, I have opportunities my ancestors could never have imagined. I own a business. I vote. I get to create products with my own hands and share them with people all over the country. That freedom didn't happen overnight. It came through the resilience of countless people who endured unimaginable hardship, and through others who stood beside them believing that freedom should belong to everyone.

As I reflected on that this year, I found myself thinking about something unexpected.

The ingredients I choose.

Recently, I received my updated DNA results, and they inspired me to do something I hadn't done before. Rather than simply looking at percentages on a page, I started researching the regions my family came from and asking a different question.

What ingredients have nourished the people of these regions for generations?

Not the latest skincare trends.

Not what was popular on social media.

What did families rely on long before modern beauty marketing existed?

The deeper I researched, the more I realized many of the ingredients I've always loved have incredibly rich histories connected to the places my ancestors once called home.

My DNA traces primarily to West Africa, including Nigeria, Benin and Togo, Ivory Coast and Ghana, Mali, Senegal, and Cameroon. It also reaches into England, Scotland, Ireland, and Sweden. Each region has its own traditions, resources, and way of caring for the skin, and I found myself appreciating those traditions in a whole new way.

One ingredient that continually appeared throughout my research was raw shea butter.

For centuries, women throughout the West African shea belt have harvested, processed, and traded shea. It has been used to nourish dry skin, protect against harsh climates, and support communities where the knowledge of producing shea has been passed from one generation to the next. Today, many women's cooperatives continue that work, preserving traditions while creating economic opportunities for their families.

That story matters to me.

Every time I formulate with raw shea butter, I'm reminded that I'm working with an ingredient that represents far more than skincare. It represents generations of craftsmanship, resilience, and knowledge that deserves to be celebrated.

Then there is cocoa butter.

As I continued learning about West Africa, I spent time reading about cacao and the regions where it has been cultivated for generations. Countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are among the world's largest cocoa producers today, and cocoa butter has long been valued for its ability to help soften and protect the skin. I love the rich, velvety feel it brings to my products, but I also appreciate the generations of farmers whose work has made this remarkable ingredient available to the world.

But my story doesn't stop there.

Researching my English, Scottish, and Irish heritage reminded me that skincare traditions looked different depending on the land and the resources available.

Families often rendered tallow and lard from their livestock, not because it was trendy, but because nothing was wasted. These traditional fats became soap, candles, leather conditioners, cooking fats, and countless household essentials. They understood that what the land provided could be transformed into something useful, nourishing, and lasting.

That philosophy speaks to me.

It reminds me that good formulation isn't about chasing trends. It's about respecting ingredients that have stood the test of time.

When people ask why I formulate with both rich plant butters and traditional animal fats, the answer is actually pretty simple.

It's because that's my story.

One side of my heritage inspires me to work with ingredients like shea butter and cocoa butter. Another reminds me of the value of traditional tallow based soapmaking. Rather than choosing one over the other, I've chosen to honor both.

That has become part of the heart of Black Girl in the Wild Soaps.

Every bar I make is rooted in curiosity, respect, and gratitude. I don't use these ingredients simply because they're popular. I use them because they have nourished people for generations, and because I believe there is wisdom in honoring those traditions while combining them with modern formulation practices.

As we celebrate Independence Day, I'm grateful for the freedom to build a business that reflects who I am.

A business inspired by faith.

By family.

By history.

By science.

By craftsmanship.

And by the generations of people whose perseverance made my opportunities possible.

So yes, this weekend we're celebrating.

We're also remembering.

And I hope that every bar leaving my workshop carries a small piece of that story with it.

Looking for products inspired by these traditions?

If you'd like to experience some of the ingredients that inspired this journey, here are a few of my favorites:

🌿 Raw Honey & Coconut Milk Soap features nourishing raw shea butter and cocoa butter for a rich, creamy cleanse.

🍯 Carrot Turmeric & Honey Facial Bar combines traditional ingredients with skin loving butters to create one of my favorite facial soaps.

🌹 Quiet Calm | Chamomile Lavender & Honey Soap brings together carefully selected botanical oils and nourishing fats in a bar designed for a gentle, luxurious cleanse.

🥥 Wild Charcoal Detox Bar is rich in shea butter and other nourishing ingredients chosen to comfort dry, sensitive skin.

✨ My grass fed tallow soaps honor the traditional European soapmaking practices that inspired another part of my family story, proving that some of the oldest ingredients are still some of the best.

This Fourth of July, I'm celebrating America's 250th birthday while remembering the 161 years since emancipation. Both have shaped the country I call home. And both have shaped the woman and maker I am today.