Hello
My name is Nellie and I am the owner and founder of Tender Punks. I was born and raised in SoCal, however, LA will always be where my heart lives.
I am proud to have shared spaces with Angelenos that are punks, misfits, extraordinary ordinary people and rebels. Not the status chasers we all hear about.
While we are in a late-stage capitalistic, oligarchic society that forces us to work to the bone, our rest and self-care is outright rebellion. Centering our care and the care for our communities is considered radical.
This sparked the "Tender Punks" Skincare. Skincare that is made for the regular day punk, queer, immigrant, disabled person, community activist, single parent and worker that is doing their best to exist and resist everyday.
My Story
I grew up as a 90s kid, primarily in the emo/metal scene, where adults didn't want to understand us and we didn't want to understand them. I listened to my music from a bulky CD player, had my side swept skater hair, never washed skinny jeans, and my black eyeliner to seal in the emo. We didn't have cyber bullying just yet, luckily, we had parents and jocks for that.
Along with the shared, millennial experience, I had some extra obstacles to work with:
1) I had eczema that was triggered by almost anything bought from the grocery store
2) I am a HSP and have many sensory sensitivities
3) I have a strong response to injustice. I was conditioned to be silent, but I am here to speak up.
Happy to report, I did not grow out of my eczema and I did not grow out of my HSP tendencies and strong response to injustice. What changed is that my mindset changed.
I started making my own skincare, starting with handmade soap, then body butter, body oils, the creations were endless. Not only did I learn so much about what my skin wanted, I found a place where my senses could relax and my creativity could bloom.
If we're being transparent about quality skincare, it's inaccessible. It is expensive, often uses animal parts, has harsh detergents, parabens and is not made ethically. We all need skincare, but at what cost?
When I had eczema, my parents bought what was affordable and accessible. Quality soaps, detergents, shampoos, conditioners, etc. were not accessible at this time. When I got older, these quality items are still not readily accessible. If I walk to one side of town and find natural, unscented soaps, but the other side of town has harsh detergent soaps that smell like cleaner, it's not accessible.
Tender Punks was made for me originally, but it's now made for you. It's meant to remind you that skincare and self care is meant for all of us.