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Celebrate Black brilliance with us, this month and always. In the article, we will highlight our history and our culture. We will also showcase black-owned and founded hair brands while uncovering the ingredients, the influence and the artistry.
History and Culture
Black hair has been an integral feature in black history - from African tribal styles, dreadlocks to the Afro and braids. It's also played a major role in bringing families together, creating economic growth and jobs. If you need history on black hair, read on to learn five reasons why hair is such a major deal in Black America.
- Bonding
- Personal Hair Journey
- Media Representation
- Cultural Entrepreneurship
- Community
For a deep dive lesson, read five Reasons Why Black Hair is Important in Black History
Black-Owned Haircare Brands
She's Happy Hair
She's Happy Hair has a five-star hair care product line that includes natural shampoo, conditioner, and edge control for women with all types of hair. Products include: Moisturizer Shampoo, an Ultra Hydrating Conditioner, Sleek Edges, Tea Tree Oil, Moroccan Argan Oil and Biotin Gummies.
Mielle Organics
Home of bestsellers like the Detangling Co-Wash and the NatruallyCurly Best of the Best winner the Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk, Mielle Organics is an established heavy hitter in textured hair. After suffering from heat and color damage in 2014, CEO and founder Monique Rodriguez began to restore her hair with her very-own homemade product blends, which became the foundation for its product selection today.
Pattern Beauty
The debut of Tracy Ellis Ross’s affordable natural hair care line was probably one of the most anticipated curly hair moments of 2019. Pattern's culture is steeped in positivity and acceptance of how our kinks and curls exist naturally, focusing on hair health rather than transforming curls into something else--in fact it “encourages hair to take up as much space as it desires.” Pattern has a full product list, of shampoos, conditioners, deep conditioners, and leave-ins for each and every hair type.
EDEN Bodyworks
What started out as a childhood endeavor to correct damaged hair, turned into a mission to transform damaged hair all over the world. Founder Jasmine Lawrence began experimenting with kitchen-made hair products when she was just 11 years old--the results of which turned into the lovely EDEN Bodyworks. EDEN’s products run the gamut from wash day, to moisturizing, to styling products, all centered around developing healthy hair at the most affordable price. Most of the products are less than $10, and the Coconut Shea Curl Defining Creme is a community favorite.
Camille Rose Naturals
A brand that currently boasts over 30 product ranges and 6 collections, Camille Rose Naturals ventures way beyond hair. Like other natural hair care brands, Camille Rose was kitchen-born out of personal need. Janell Stephens began making homemade skin and hair products for her children and saw huge returns after making them available on the Camille Rose website. As a vegan, Janell is very particular when it comes to ingredients, wanting only the best gourmet ingredients for her products. The Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk and the Curl Maker are a couple of their best selling hair products to date.
Mixed Chicks
Wendi Levy and Kim Etheredge found common ground while discussing the specific hair issues that they faced as multi-cultural women trying to care for hair that seemed to be somewhat in-between with altogether different concerns. Instead of continuing to blend different products together in hopes of finding something that worked, they came up with the idea to create their own product line, Mixed Chicks, to address their issues--and it wasn’t long before encouragement from friends and family turned into an entire business venture. Curlies of hair types rave about their leave-in conditioner that defines and moisturizes curls, coils and waves.
Taliah Waajid
Since she was 14, Taliah Waajid has been involved in natural hair care by styling and braiding hair. As a cosmetologist, moving to become a manufacturer was an easy transition for her. Once she met with the right team of chemists that understood her mission was to enhance curls and not straighten them, the business took off. Taliah Waajid was the first natural brand to offer a complete line of chemical-free products.
TPH
You’re used to seeing her on the big screen, but Taraji Henson admits that if she wasn’t an actress, she just might have been a hair stylist. Her passion for hair comes from her own experiences of taking care of her own hair. TPH is overall scalp oriented, inspired by Taraji’s use of wigs and weaves--the products color-coded in yellow are all dedicated to scalp care. If you’re looking to try one product, try the Master Cleanse, it’s supposed to be the stand-out product.
CurlMix
With a passion for natural hair and educating others, Kim and her husband Tim had what it took to start their own business. When they needed the capital to get it started, Kim had the idea to sign her husband up for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire--and he won $100,000, which they used to invest. Starting out as a box subscription service that went stagnant, they decided to combine some of the best-selling boxes into one hair care line that made $1 million in 12 months. CurlMix has 10 employees, employing people of color from the community.
CURLS
CURLS was created by Mahisha Dellinger to make CURLS accessible to every curl, everywhere. From babies to adults, CURLS Beauty Brands of products are specifically formulated to cater to each textured hair needs, at all age ranges. NC favorites includes the Curl Souffle and the Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-in.
