5 Southern Beauty Brands to Try Now

“There’s a rich history, but a freedom to move forward in any way you choose,” says Kathleen Currie the creator of Smoke, a New Orleans-based fragrance brand. She’s talking about perfumes, but she could easily be talking about the area she calls home.

Southern stereotypes, as seen on TV shows like Duck Dynasty and Bravo’s Southern Charm, are alive and well. But a growing number of independent brands are proving that there’s more to the region than biscuits and fried chicken (though you can’t really go wrong with either).

Like the Alabama-based clothing line Billy Reid, a few beauty brands are drawing inspiration from the best of the South’s rich history and natural beauty and heading in a direction that’s more natural apothecary than it is Steel Magnolias. Here are five we think are worth heading down South for—just make sure you bring us back some biscuits.

Prospector Co.’s All-Purpose Dirt (Photo: Prospector Co.)

Prospector Co.
“We hold history and simple Southern luxuries close to our heart,” says Kyle Hinton of the inspiration for the line he started in 2010 with a few men’s shaving products. Prospector Co. now occupies a retail store in the Savannah Historic District and its extensive line of shaving products for women, home fragrances, creams, and cleansers can be found on the shelves of Barney’s. We love their Wormwood Absinthium Cream ($16), and All-Purpose Dirt ($32), a clay-based powder that cleans and clarifies, gives a whole new meaning to the saying “Rub some dirt on it.”

Smoke’s Artisan Perfume Oil (Photo: Smoke)

Smoke
Currie started Smoke in 2013 with a fragrance that captures what New Orleans smells like to her—don’t worry it’s not like Bourbon St. in the morning. It has a vetiver base, with notes of citrus and jasmine. Vetiver was originally brought to New Orleans when the city was a perfume port and the grass has also been used to shore up the levees. Smoke has grown to include a second perfume, two candles, and a salt scrub. In a nod to the significance of sugar to her state, Currie is working on a scrub made with sugar from nearby mills.

Sydney Hale Co.’s Bourbon and Brown Sugar candle (Photo: Sydney Hale Co.)

Sydney Hale Co.
Meghan Cook launched Sydney Hale Co from her kitchen in 2007. The Purcellville, Virginia-based home fragrance line now has 28 different candles and eight room sprays with scents like Bluegrass and Juniper and Bourbon and Brown Sugar. The fireplace-like Woodsmoke and Amber, captures the smoke-scented winter air that Cook smells while driving along country roads. Bonus: They donate 10 percent of their profits to dog rescue.

Golden Apothecary’s Under There Detox Deodorant (Photo: Golden Apothecary)

Golden Apothecary
A mutual interest in natural healing led massage therapists Julia Rizzo and Rachel Snyder to launch their own line of all-natural products last April. The California feel is intentional—Rizzo is from the Golden State and the name is a nod to it—but the Nashville-based brand tries to stay local when it comes to the ingredients of their products. The locally gathered poke root in their Under There Deodorant ($22) helps your lymphatic system.

Aster + Bay’s Facial Serum (Photo: Aster + Bay)

Aster + Bay
Inspired by the history of herbal healing, Erin Hammond started this Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman meets Parisian apothecary line in 2012. The products, which include bath salts, serums, and a grooming oil, have found their way into stores like Urban Outfitters and Steven Alan. They’re all handmade from raw, plant ingredients and contain no synthetics. The Purify Facial Serum ($32), with watermelon seed and myrtle is designed to help oily skin, but also reminds us of Southern summers.

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