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    free as a bird

    Texas mineral SPF 'skin tint' wins pitch slam,​ advances nationally

    Hannah J. Frías
    Jun 7, 2024 | 12:30 pm
    daybird skin tint

    Daybird's formula doesn't leave the white cast characteristic of many mineral sunscreens.

    daybird.co

    Time to clear out your makeup bag and medicine cabinets: A new Austin brand is ready to take a prime space in your skincare routine. Tinted sunscreen brand Daybird has been around for a minute, but a recent win at the Naturally Austin 2024 pitch slam means you could start seeing it everywhere soon.

    Marketing itself as an “anti-beauty beauty club,” Daybird seeks to take the stress out of self-care, helping its users wear less while benefiting more. According to the company’s website, the idea stemmed from a desire to “dissociate from traditional standards of what ‘beauty’ and ‘perfection’ mean.”

    “More steps and more products to cover and cure our faces didn’t resonate with us,” write co-founders Whitney McElwain and Veena Krishnan on the site. “We were looking for a product that did more for our skin without adding unnecessary stress to our mornings.”

    The pair set out to rethink their routines and redefine their relationship with beauty, pooling feedback from a variety of like-minded consumers across the shade spectrum with different skin goals. The result was a vegan, cruelty-free, and mineral SPF 50 product that packs the 4-in-1 functions of sunscreen, serum, moisturizer, and sheer tint. Available in four shades, the product is water and sweat resistant up to 80 minutes with no white cast, no fragrance, and no parabens.

    Best of all, you can wear this with good conscience on your next beach trip. Chemical sunscreens can cause coral bleaching with ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, or avobenzone. Mineral sunscreens that use non-nano zinc oxide, like Daybird, are considered coral safe. Do-gooders in this department often end up with vaguely ghostly faces, which these tints eliminate.

    This quadruple threat is no doubt what secured the brand its place among six other finalists at Naturally Austin’s 2024 pitch slam — a Shark Tank-style competition judged by a panel of experts from major corporations like Sam’s Club and Whole Foods.

    With a mission to foster the growing natural products and consumer packaged goods (CPG) community in Austin, Naturally Austin is a nonprofit organization and affiliate of the Naturally Network, which has branches all over the country. Winners of the local chapter’s annual pitch slam competition go on to pitch on a national stage at Expo East and to host a booth at Newtopia Now in Denver, which takes place from August 25-28, 2024.

    While the national exposure is sure to rocket the local brand to the next level, major publications such as Forbes, theSkimm, and Oprah Daily have already had their eye on the Austin brand. And you don’t have to wait to find it on store shelves, either: Prospective customers can find the perfect shade by visiting the Skin Quiz page on the Daybird website.

    skincaremakeupbeautyhealthsustainability
    news/fashion

    BOOTS TO THE GROUND

    Luxe Houston boot brand sets up court in Hill Country castle

    Brandon Watson
    Feb 10, 2026 | 4:30 pm
    Republic Wine Castle Johnson City
    Photo courtesy of Republic Boot Company
    This isn't exactly a typical location for a boot store.

    When most stores want to expand into a new town, they look at strip malls. Houston-based Republic Boot Company bought an entire castle. The company is turning Johnson City’s famous 290 Wine Castle at 10191 W US-290 into its newest outpost, though exactly what will happen behind the stone walls remains to be seen.

    Republic is known for its high-end artisan cowboy boots and celebrity clients like Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and team owner Cal McNair, plus unexpected fans like rapper Paul Wall. Although the flagship is housed in a 100-year-old building in Houston’s hip Heights neighborhood, the branding hasn’t exactly embraced turrets and drawbridges.

    “We’ve always said that Republic isn’t just about making boots; it’s about preserving the soul of Texas,” explained Chris Conrad, CEO and Founder of Republic Boot Company, in a release. “Acquiring this castle allows us to create a legendary destination where our customers can immerse themselves in the craft and make bucket-list memories. It’s bold, it’s unique, and it’s exactly where the Republic belongs. We have some wild plans for this property that the world hasn't seen before.”

    For now, the company is keeping most details a secret, but Conrad told the Houston Business Journal that the bootmaker plans to continue the winemaking and hotel business on the property. The castle compound has plenty of room to grow with 14 guest rooms, a tasting room, a cigar lounge, a covered deck, and a full commercial kitchen. Oh, it also has a full dungeon.

    Republic is no stranger to unique shopping opportunities. Its $6,000 Gator Hunt Experience allows clients to shoot their own alligator hide and make it into a pair of custom boots. Hunters also get a taxidermy mount, 10 pounds of alligator meat, and hopefully a few recipes on how to cook it.

    The brand’s expansion comes as the Texas Hill Country transforms from a well-kept secret to an international tourist destination. Among the upcoming attractions are The Meuse, a luxury retail center with a Lucchese store and a Waldorf Astoria hotel with a new restaurant from acclaimed chef Dominique Crenn.

    Republic Boot Company hasn’t shared any renovation details for the Medieval-style castle, built in 2019. The brand promises to reveal more details and a grand opening date in the coming weeks.

    hill countryjohnson citywine road 290winehotelbootswestern wearopenings
    news/fashion
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