OUR STORY
WELCOME TO ÀWA MARKETPLACE
Founded in 2021, ÀWA (which translates to “Us” in Yoruba) is an online marketplace that helps melanin-rich customers discover safe, non-toxic skincare and personal care products. With Black-owned business in mind, ÀWA Marketplace seeks to create space for Black-owned skincare brands to thrive economically while gaining access to larger levels of promotion that they are often excluded from. With six high-quality brands (and growing!), this tech-forward platform’s mission is to redefine the shopping experience for frustrated skincare consumers who are tired of being told to use generic products with harmful ingredients.
ÀWA Marketplace is a safe space for people of color that are ready to ditch toxic products and adapt to a clean and sustainable lifestyle. We not only highlight vetted skincare products but also provide educational resources to help our melanin-rich customers shamelessly switch to a holistic lifestyle with ease. With in-depth guides, detailed ingredient lists, and authentic reviews, ÀWA Marketplace is priming itself to become your go-to destination for Black-owned skincare brands that hold themselves to a higher standard.
AT ÀWA MARKETPLACE, WE CELEBRATE:
BLACK
Mental Health.
Wellness.
Peace.
Skin.
Hair.
Wealth.
Lives.
Love.
COMMITTED TO CLEAN
OUR BRAND PROMISE
The secret to great skin is that there is no secret. What we need has been around us for centuries — nature has bestowed us with potent plants, pure ingredients and high-performing antioxidants that have the power to heal us from the inside and out. The big corporations don’t want you to know this, but the pretty bottles and jars on your drugstore shelves are often filled with heavy metals, parabens, artificial fragrances, and other genetically modified materials that deposit into your skin and can cause adverse long-term effects. In fact, research by the Environmental Working Group found that women of color are disproportionately exposed to harmful chemicals through toxic beauty and skincare products. At ÀWA Marketplace, plant-based skincare is just one aspect of living a clean lifestyle and thus we are committed to only showcasing products on our platform that are backed by these core values:
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY
We believe in plant-based products that embrace sustainability, especially given today’s climate change and environmental concerns. From sourcing to packaging to selling, we analyze each brand’s operational process to determine if they are leveraging sustainable practices in their production chains and remaining ecologically aware.By using sustainable products and supporting brands dedicated to this mission, we are making strides in helping to reduce carbon footprint and put more clean products in the hands of a community that is often left to choose less quality personal care and beauty essentials because of their socioeconomic standings, geographical locations, and other deterrents.
NO HARSH CHEMICALS
Up to 60% of the products we use go through the layers of our skin and end up in our circulatory system; this can be a breeding ground for future health concerns or adverse effects on our bodies, especially because we rely on personal care products every day. We are dedicated to promoting high-quality products that are created with plant-based, non-toxic ingredients that won’t wreak havoc on your skin or your body. Plants have long been known as superfoods because of their high-performing capabilities and their nutrient-rich formulas, which can actually be more effective than their mass-produced generic counterparts. At AWA Marketplace, we promise to do the heavy lifting for you. We wholeheartedly believe that you can kiss those nasty toxins goodbye, so we’ve curated this space to help you do it.
MADE WITH MELANIN IN MIND
There’s no sugarcoating the fact that most products are made for the majority and don’t often factor in the richness and uniqueness of Black skin. From deep oily textures to hyperpigmentation-prone sensitive skin, Black consumers are their own set of diversity and deserve to have access to products that have been crafted with their concerns in mind. At ÀWA Marketplace we put the Black consumer first so that they can have access to the best clean skincare and personal care products on the market that are carefully designed with their melanin in mind. We know that you are worth more than a shelf or an ethnic aisle in your local grocery store and thus we are committed to making sure that your shopping experience celebrates you each and every day.
WE LIVE AND BREATHE OUR VALUES IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
Through conscious business practices and empowering initiatives, we are creating a world where we scratch the toxic and embrace the natural. With that being said, you will never find the following ingredients in any products on ÀWA Marketplace.
VIEW OUR SCRATCH LIST
- Aluminum
- Diethanolamine (DEA), Monoethanolamide (MEA), and Triethanolamine (TEA)
- DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl & diazolidinyl urea)
- Mineral Oil
- Parabens (Methyl, Butyl, Ethyl, Propyl)
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- Phthalates
- Siloxanes
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SIS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) & Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Synthetic Fragrances (Parfum)
- Triclosan & Triclocarban
- Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde releasers
- Bronopol & quaternium-15
- Coal Tar
- Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
- BHA & BHT
- Hydroquinone
- Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Toluene
- Lead
- Octinoxate
- Talc
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Teflon)
- PFAs & PFCs
- Oxybenzonol
- Oxybenzone
- OM Cinnamate
- Benzalkonium Chloride
- Resorcinol
- Carbon Black
- Silicones
- Petroleum jelly
- PVP/VA copolymer
- Diethanolamine
- Dimethicone
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Dimethicone
- Retinyl palmitate
- Selenium sulfide
- Titanium Dioxide*
- *Micronized form only
VIEW OUR SCRATCH LIST
- Aluminum
- Diethanolamine (DEA), Monoethanolamide (MEA), and Triethanolamine (TEA)
- DMDM Hydantoin & Urea (Imidazolidinyl & diazolidinyl urea)
- Mineral Oil
- Parabens (Methyl, Butyl, Ethyl, Propyl)
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- Phthalates
- Siloxanes
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SIS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) & Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Synthetic Fragrances (Parfum)
- Triclosan & Triclocarban
- Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde releasers
- Bronopol & quaternium-15
- Coal Tar
- Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
- BHA & BHT
- Hydroquinone
- Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Toluene
- Lead
- Octinoxate
- Talc
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (Teflon)
- PFAs & PFCs
- Oxybenzonol
- Oxybenzone
- OM Cinnamate
- Benzalkonium Chloride
- Resorcinol
- Carbon Black
- Silicones
- Petroleum jelly
- PVP/VA copolymer
- Diethanolamine
- Dimethicone
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Dimethicone
- Retinyl palmitate
- Selenium sulfide
- Titanium Dioxide*
- *Micronized form only
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
MEET TEMILOLA ADEDIPE
“ÀWA HAS ALWAYS MEANT MORE THAN ‘US’ TO ME. FOR ME, IT MEANS OUR COLLECTIVE, OUR TRIBE, OUR COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE. ÀWA MARKETPLACE IS A TRIBE OF HUMANS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT INTENTIONAL LIVING AND PROTECTING THEIR MELANIN-RICH MAGNIFICENCE.”
For many years, Nigerian-American Temilola Adedipe suffered from breakouts and low self-esteem because of her oily, acne-prone skin. It felt like she had tried product after product as she struggled to find a solution that promised to protect her skin from harmful ingredients that could aggravate her melanin-rich skin. When she ultimately made the switch to plant-based skincare products and tried her first plant-based, inclusive brand Ayele & Co, she fell in love with her skin again. She found relief and experienced tremendously fewer flare-ups due to powerful natural ingredients.”When friends and family began to notice the transformation in her skin, Temilola would passionately talk about the products that cleared up her skin and boosted her self-esteem; she knew in those moments that she could help other men and women like her save time and money by curating all her recommended finds on one platform: ÀWA Marketplace.
Temilola is the passionate and visionary leader behind ÀWA Marketplace. As founder and CEO, she ensures that each product that appears on this site is quality tested and can deliver on its claims and promises. A naturalist at heart with a degree in biomedical engineering, Temilola prides herself on being able to help others embrace clean beauty and wellness in a balanced and organic way. But more importantly, her biggest wish is that you feel seen and at home at ÀWA Marketplace — no matter where you are in your clean living journey.
