Last week I met up with Pink Robin founder and CEO Erica Bacon at Hudson Valley Brewery in Beacon. We joined Sage Dubrawski over a cheese plate and some sour farmhouse ales to talk about the launch of their brand-new haircare and skincare company Tende Care. Sage is a brilliant chemist and outdoor enthusiast who says they’ve “dabbled in skincare and makeup from a young age.” For them, developing their own plant-based skincare and haircare line is a natural progression from their years of working in the skincare industry, including two years working in cosmetic science with Estee Lauder. “I’ve always had the desire to create my own sustainable skincare and haircare brand that merges my biggest interests: the environment and community.”
Sage and their partner found a supportive queer community after moving to Beacon–in New York’s Hudson Valley–and grew excited to pursue their passion.
“Cosmetic science is this beautiful overlap between art and science. I have always had my creative pursuits as hobbies, but I didn’t feel like I could prioritize them in a career. Creating Tende has let me do both.”
Sage doesn’t believe that our skincare and haircare products should last forever. Instead, Sage believes we should source locally. Products will have a shorter shelf life, but they will be better for our bodies, and for the environment. Sage uses plant-based ingredients that are not overly processed. “Major corporations are protecting their bottom line,” Sage explains, “and they use preservatives to do so.” In the past, Sage had to create products that could sit in a warehouse for three years before getting to the customer. The preservatives that make products last are more irritating to our skin and hair. “I have built this brand with a focus on sustainable and plant based products, all naturally scented and colored with botanicals. All my favorite things in one.”
Sage’s initial focus with Tende is to use whole ingredients and natural oils. Their shampoo and conditioner bars come in rich, earthy scents like Sweet Moss and Midnight Musk. You can also opt for unscented, which I recently purchased for my 5-year-old. He has thick, wavy hair but suffers from eczema, so I try to choose hair and skincare products for him without irritating additives. He’s going to love his new shampoo bar. My wife Sam and I, meanwhile, are loving our Midnight Musk shampoo and conditioner bars. I’ll be honest: I was skeptical. I have a lot of hair, but it’s somehow dry, thinning, and a little oily. Sage explained that “bottled shampoo and conditioner is full of water, so it loses efficacy concentration. The bar is equivalent to 1.5 times what’s in the shampoo bottle, but is in a pure solid form.” Sage assured me that the shampoo bar would lather, but I was shocked by the gorgeous lather from my shampoo bar, and how full and soft my hair felt after washing.
As I polished off a hunk of sourdough smeared with blue cheese, I asked Sage for their best haircare advice. “Look at your routine holistically, and notice how many synthetic products you’re putting in. You may be overwhelming your scalp. Wash your hair less. Give it at least two days in between washes.” Of course, Sage also recommends using fewer preservatives in your scalp.
Before the brewery closed and I had to head home, I asked Sage about queer joy. I’m–ahem-quite a bit older than Sage, and I love seeing queer community blossoming for their generation. “For me,” Sage explains, “queer community is entering a space where there are queer people and I don’t have to explain myself or my gender, [because] people meet me where I’m at. That’s a hard space to find: Community.” As a queer brand, Sage is centering their message of community and political activism. “If we have a platform we should be using it.”
I am so excited for Sage as they introduce Tende Care to a world that is really in need of some actual self care, in the form of better products and more supportive communities. “I don’t have to compromise,” Sage tells me. “I get to have so much fun every day creating and educating and formulating.” Tende Care products are available to ship nationwide, with free shipping on orders over $50. Order yours today, and find them on Instagram.
Hey there. Laura Leigh here. I’m a wife, writer, mama, small business owner, podcast host, and the Head of Content here at Pink Robin.
I love supporting the queer community and bringing shared experiences to life.
If you have a story to tell, I’m here for it.
la********@pi***********.com
I remember when my wife and I first became moms, I knew that our ability to “pass” was behind us. I was never going to pretend that my wife and family were something other than exactly who they were. It was freeing to know that I had to live my queer life out loud, that I would forever be myself in every space, all the time.
In a 2023 CNN article Daniel Korschun, associate professor of marketing at Drexel University explained that when it comes to supporting the LGBTQ+ community, executives “are becoming much more skittish about taking these stands and making strong statements.
According to a 2022 Pew Research Poll, roughly eight-in-ten U.S. adults say there is at least some discrimination against transgender people in our society. Because trans rights have become such a contentious issue across the country, companies that used to view supporting pride as “low stakes” have become less likely to support the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. “The pendulum is swinging a bit back … toward a more conservative approach, where they’ll be less vocal,” says Korschun. According to a recent NBC News article, Target stores will only sell pride merchandise in select locations this year. The retailer will not have Pride collections in about half of their locations. Additionally, they will only sell pride merchandise for adults.
An argument that Target has made in the past and is now using again is that this decision protects their LGBTQ+ employees, but let’s be clear: Conditional allyship is not support. Pulling queer merchandise from their shelves and essentially pretending that we don’t exist–and ignoring those of us who have children that want to celebrate pride with us–is detrimental to our community. Erasure threatens our safety. This weekend my mom told me that she’s done with Target. Like her, I can’t say I feel good about spending my money in a place that doesn’t value my family. As of today, the ACLU is currently tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. We exist, and abandoning us only endangers us.
Pink Robin is a digital marketplace that brings together LGBTQIA+ owned brands and service providers in one easy to find and shop platform. We are devoted to providing visibility and support to queer owned businesses, providing easier access to elevate their amazing products and services.
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