Velvet Root: In Our Tallow Girl Era

Beef tallow is having its moment, yet most of it is arriving in brown apothecary jars that smell faintly of the farm. Rachel Merck, a new mother who needed clean ingredients without compromise, saw an opportunity. She blended tallow with mood-supporting adaptogens to develop the Velvet Root line: a natural deodorant, lip balm, and our favorite, an underarm mask. Everything smells like a "what are you wearing?" waiting to happen, and calms you down while it soaks in. We built the brand the way Rachel built her formulas. Every element was designed as an ordinary ritual you look forward to. Look closely. Gold foil where the category prints kraft. A cosmetic bag in velvet, of course. Tote bags illustrated by hand. A little hello printed where only the owner will find it. All of it one invitation, to savor the moment, wherever the day takes you.

From the original award submission.