Our Founder’s Well-Aligned Gift Guide

Thoughtful gifts from women-founded brands I love. Inspired by alignment, nourishment, and feeling good from the inside out.

This season, I wanted to create a gift guide that felt personal and purposeful, not a roundup of “things,” but a collection of offerings that support alignment, presence, and everyday well-being.

These are all women-founded brands I genuinely use and love. Some are local to my community here in Marin, and all share values that resonate deeply with Etalon: intentional living, clean beauty, high-vibration rituals, and caring for your body with gentleness and gratitude.

Whether you’re shopping for someone you love (or gifting yourself some well-deserved nourishment), I hope these help you move through the holidays feeling a little more aligned, supported, and inspired.

1. ILIA Multi-Stick - My Everyday, Don’t-Think-About-It Essential

Female-Founded • Clean Beauty • Effortless Rituals

If I had to choose one makeup product for the rest of my life, it would be this. The ILIA Multi-Stick is the definition of “simple, small, transformative” - a single swipe on cheeks or lips instantly makes me look like I slept eight hours, drank enough water, and went on a walk in fresh air.

What I love most is how alive and natural it feels. No fuss, no perfectionism - just a soft flush that wakes up your face the same way good posture wakes up your energy.

Why it’s special:

Sasha Plavsic, ILIA’s founder, created the brand from a deeply personal place - her mother’s health journey, her own desire for clean beauty that actually performs, and a West Coast philosophy of approachable, elevated well-being. I love supporting female founders who build things that make everyday life feel more intentional.

SHOP THE MULTI-STICK →

BRAND & FOUNDER STORY →

2. True Botanicals Mama Glow Set - Pure, Grounded Nourishment

Female-Founded • Clean Skincare • Marin Local

True Botanicals is one of those brands that truly honors the intelligence of the skin. Their Mama Glow set feels like a warm hug - deeply nourishing, ultra-safe, and made with the kind of integrity you can feel.

The founder, Hillary, is also based here in Marin - another mother who built her company from a desire for products that are both clean and luxurious, rooted in science but created with heart. I love supporting a brand that values transparency, sustainability, and the well-being of women in every season of life.

This set is especially lovely for pregnancy, postpartum, or gifting to any woman who could use a moment of softness in her day.

SHOP THE MAMA GLOW SET → 

BRAND & FOUNDER STORY →

3. Aphora Botanicals — Recovery Night Face Oil

Female-Founded • Sacred Botanicals • Slow Beauty

I met Faye at the Mill Valley Farmers Market - one of those unexpected, serendipitous conversations where two women instantly connect over the things they care about: healing, alignment, and the quiet wisdom of nature.

Her story stayed with me. When her son was a baby struggling with painful eczema, she became the mother who would do anything to ease his discomfort. She blended gentle herbal balms by hand in her kitchen - little jars of relief made from whole plants, patience, and love. That experience bloomed into Aphora Botanicals: a line created slowly, intentionally, and always with a nurturing spirit.

The Terra Glow Recovery Night Oil is my favorite. It’s rich with Prickly Pear, Rosehip, Pomegranate, and Bakuchiol (nature’s own retinol), plus precious CO₂ extracts like Frankincense. It feels like a ritual - the kind that reminds you to slow down, soften your shoulders, breathe deeper, and return to yourself.

Faye pours so much heart into every bottle, and you can feel it.

SHOP THE NIGHT OIL →

CHECK OUT THEIR INSTAGRAM →

Find her locally: Mill Valley Farmers Market on Fridays

4. Zarina Saffron — A Daily Ritual of Joy & Brightness

Female-Founded • Mood-Boosting Ritual

Soha, the founder, is a dear friend - the kind of woman who radiates warmth and intention. As a Persian woman, she taught me so much about saffron: how each delicate thread must be hand-picked from the center of a single crocus flower, how tens of thousands of blooms create just one pound, and why saffron is valued like gold.

I love brewing it in the morning. It’s a “happy herb” - naturally uplifting, heart-opening, and deeply grounding. There’s something special about starting the day with something so carefully harvested, so full of history and labor and love.

Zarina’s saffron is exquisitely sourced, potent, and joyfully packaged. It makes a beautiful, meaningful gift (or a self-gift, which counts too).

SHOP ZARINA SAFFRON →

BRAND & FOUNDER STORY →

5. A Gift Card to Your Local Yoga or Pilates Studio

Movement as Medicine • Community-Rooted

Movement is one of the simplest paths back to alignment - body, mind, and spirit. Supporting your local studio is supporting a whole ecosystem of women who teach, guide, and hold space.

If you’re in Marin, I always recommend Metta Yoga. It’s where I completed my teacher training, and where I took prenatal and postnatal classes. Their community is warm, supportive, and beautifully grounded.

Gift cards range from accessible to generous splurge - perfect for someone who wants to begin or deepen their movement practice.

METTA YOGA GIFT CARDS →

6. Kaleidoscope Yoga Towels — Art You Can Move With

Female-Founded • High-Vibration Design

I met the founder and discovered Kaleidoscope Yoga Towels at the Title Nine PitchFest.

After years of practicing yoga on towels that didn’t quite work - slipping, bunching, or feeling a little too uninspired - she created her own solution: a towel that blends function with beauty, designed to elevate the entire experience of practice.

Her approach is rooted in color therapy, self-expression, and the belief that what we surround ourselves with can shift our energy. Each towel is made from recycled materials, thoughtfully constructed to stay grippy, vibrant, and supportive through even the sweatiest vinyasa or the stillest meditation.

It’s the kind of gear that doesn’t just perform well — it lifts your mood the moment you unroll it.

SHOP THE TOWELS →

BRAND & FOUNDER STORY →

7. Etalon - Posture Bra, Bundles & Bands

Female-Founded • Effortless Rituals

Of course, no gift guide would be complete without the Etalon essentials. Whether it’s our Posture Bra, the Bra Bundle, or the Resistance Bands, these are gifts that support presence, posture, and daily alignment. Digital gift cards are also available for those who love to choose their own journey.

SHOP POSTURE SUPPORT →

I hope this guide helps you discover something meaningful for yourself or someone you love. Gift giving doesn’t have to be extravagant. The most thoughtful gifts are often the ones that bring comfort, connection, and (hopefully) a sense of alignment.

Wishing you a holiday season full of presence and intentionality.