#ShopAmerica: Health and Beauty gift ideas

By Lauren Donia

All things considered, a universal commonality of all human beings is our need to keep our skin healthy. Some people fall into the minimalist category – perhaps having clean skin is enough. Others tend more toward pampering — they want the exfoliators, moisturizers, polishes, powders, and anything else they can find.

So, as part of the Alliance for American Manufacturing's (AAM's) ongoing effort to help you Buy American for the holidays, we've compiled a list of Made In America health and beauty products. Whether you have a minimalist or a pamperer in your life, we bet there’s an appropriate gift somewhere out there for you!

  • Let’s get those minimalists out of the way first: Georgia-based Fox Hill soaps produces natural, organic, sustainable soaps in foam, gel, and bar form. And they offer a number of “earthy” scents to choose from, like Cinnamon Lime and Citrus Mint.
  • For the person who compulsively washes his or her hands, try Camille Beckman's hand therapies. Made in Eagle, Idaho, these blended moisturizers come in a variety of scents. Unscented, too, for the person who doesn’t want to spend the day smelling like Tuscan Honey or English Lavender.
  • You may know one, or several, people who don’t like chemicals in their skincare products. Benedetta probably has a great gift for them. Their products are 100 percent botanical, and sourced from small family farms around California. In addition to specific facial and body products, Benedetta also offers ideas on how to take care of teenage, aging, and sensitive skin.
  • Big people aren’t the only ones whose skin needs care. Babies' sensitive skin needs to be take care of too. Los Angeles-based Episencial's Babytime products are organic, gluten-free, and allergy-tested. Episencial offers a range of gentle washes, lotions, and balms. And for a little post-bath fun, these cute hooded baby bathrobes are made by Silly Phillie in Brooklyn.

No health and beauty list would be complete without the following: shaving and cosmetics.

  • Minetto, New York-based SallyeAnder makes (hypo-allergenic) shave soaps and brushes (with stands). And, 75 percent of Los Angeles-based Josie Maran’s cosmetics are made in the United States. If you’re shopping online and don’t have the benefit of being able to flip the packaging over to check, make sure to contact Josie Maran and ask.
  • Image from Benedetta's website.

Looking for more American-made gift ideas? Check out AAM's Holiday Guide. Looking for more  ways to support American manufacturing? Check out our Take Action page to learn how you can take steps to help re-build our manufacturing sector.