Made in Alabama
You may have landed here wanting to find unique items made in Alabama, so welcome to the Made in Alabama series! We have a beautifully talented community of makers located here in our lovely state of Alabama who produce high quality products, and we are excited to feature them in this series.
First up is our very own handmade skincare line from Made Simple Living in Hoover, AL. Made is an online beauty shop which carries the best in clean beauty including their own handmade skincare line.
Feature: Made Simple Living
Made Simple Living (Made) started as an online clean beauty shop in 2019 when owner, Kate Zills, left her engineering career to pursue her dreams of owning a business. In 2021, Kate introduced a handmade skincare line under Made's name which included two nourishing products named after Alabama cities: Florence and Birmingham. Made's skincare line revolves around the belief that you can get the best of both science and nature by starting with nourishing plant-based ingredients and enhancing the formulas with proven actives.
Florence Blue Tansy Balm
Made's debut product, Florence Blue Tansy Ceramide Balm, is more than skincare-it's a love letter to home. Named after Kate's hometown of Florence, Alabama, this balm pays homage to the place that shaped her.
"When I set out to create my first product, I wanted something timeless, a foundation for my skincare line, much like Florence has been a foundation for me", Kate shares.
This beautifully simple balm is designed to support the skin's barrier by maintaining essential moisture levels. Its waterless formula is crafted to soothe and calm even the driest skin. The inclusion of Blue Tansy essential oil - a calming and earthy aroma - brings the essence of home to every use. The addition of a ceramide further strengthens the skin's barrier.
Florence Blue Tansy Ceramide Balm is more than just a product; it's a reminder that home isn't just a place - it's a feeling.
Magic City Brightening Glow Elixir
Made's second product, Magic City Brightening Glow Elixir, is inspired by Kate's current home, Birmingham, Alabama - affectionately known as "Magic City". This luxurious elixir combines botanical oils with the power of tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, an oil-soluble form of Vitamin C. "I wanted to include Vitamin C because it's a skincare essential with well-researched benefits", Kate explains. "This particular form of Vitamin C is not only more stable than its counterpart L-ascorbic acid, but it's also gentler, making it ideal for sensitive skin".
This lightweight, glow-enhancing oil is crafted to brighten, nourish, and restore radiance to your skin, offering a touch of everyday magic inspired by the energy of Birmingham.
Support Made in Alabama
Support Local. Shop small.
We asked Kate to explain what supporting local means to her as a small business owner.
Q: Why should you support local/shop small? And what does it mean to you?
A: Supporting local gives back to your community and supports your neighbor's dreams. You have the opportunity to directly impact the owner's life by consciously choosing where you shop and you get the experience of true customer service when supporting local. Local shops go above and beyond for customers, because they realize the value of true customer service. As the owner, I write notes with most of my customer's orders and pay attention to details that are lost in the numbers at large businesses.
My handmade skincare products are made in small batches to ensure top quality. New raw materials are ordered for every batch to ensure the highest quality product. Every label is hand-applied. Every box is precisely made. Every jar of Florence is hand-piped and bottle of Magic City is hand-poured. The quality is truly impeccable, and I continually look for ways to improve upon that.
When you think about shopping local, think about the business owner working late into the night - bottling your product at 10 pm on a Friday, just after putting their baby to sleep. They do it because they care deeply about their craft, prioritizing quality and meaning above all else.
They're not just creating products - they're part of your community. They visit the same coffee shops you do. Their kids go to the same schools as yours. Supporting local means investing in your shared community.
