Small businesses are the gift that keeps on giving. As of 2020 over 31 million people account for 99% of all U.S. businesses with the beauty industry accounting for 9%. We’re seeing more eco-friendly, inclusive, vegan, and women-owned brands popping up on our social feeds, favorite influencers, and showcased in online ads. Small businesses in the natural hair care sector have always had the strength to build their customer base from the root, engage customers with unique stories, and let their CEO’s or founders be at the forefront of their marketing. These are just a few reasons why we love small businesses and we’re excited to share a few you want to keep your eye on as they are growing and flourishing.
1. Glow by Daye
Ranay Daye is the founder behind Glow by Daye, the brand looking to make you fall back in love with your deep conditioning routine with an array of products designed to help each aspect of wash day. Customers can shop satin bonnets, deep conditioning hats, silk pillowcases, and hooded dryers that can help protect, condition, and style any texture of hair. Ranay brings vibrancy and art to the products with fun collections like “crystal constellation” and “sweet spirit” to elevate the everyday routine.
2. Miche Beauty
Miche Beauty (pronounced “mee-sh””> was founded in 2016 by a married couple named Michelle and Jonathan Ballard who were passionate about creating products for all textures. Their philosophy lies in creating a simple handcrafted collection that uses nutrient rich and natural ingredients like rosemary, lemongrass, and ginger to tackle the most common natural hair issues.
3. Ecoslay
Ecoslay was formed in the kitchen in 2015 and has been designed with natural ingredients like okra, marshmallow root, and plant-based ingredients to infuse the hair with nutrients and vitamins. This vegan-friendly brand is created with recyclable pouches that can be used to treat hair concerns like dryness, frizz, breakage, and growth. Their brand features fun scents like rice pudding, jello shot, matcha boost, orange marmalade, and more!
Curly Product Review: The Ecoslay Orange Marmalade Gel that Provides Hold & Definition
4. Naturalicious Beauty
Naturalicious Beauty is here to help empower and invigorate the modern customer by providing products to help elevate their wellness routine. Customers can choose from a range of hair care, accessories, tools, and supplements to redefine, add gel, grow, and moisturize hair whether you have tight or loose curls. Their online quiz helps to identify the best foolproof hair care regimen from their products ranging from their dramatic definition gel to the Moroccan rhassoul 5-in 1 clay treatment.
5. Pink Root Product
Mariel Mejia is the founder and CEO of Pink Root Products, a cruelty free and organic Latinx brand carving its way in the natural hair market. As the champions of #GetRooted, Mariel has worked to create a dynamic and inclusive brand that seeks to aid one of the most common curly faux paus in the curly world, damaged hair.
6. Curls Dynasty
Nickie Nougaisse founded Curls Dynasty in 2014 after developing a passion for finding the cleanest products possible during her hair transition. Her ingredients feature organic aloe juice, shea and mango butter, biotin, and manuka honey which are infused in two separate collections. Her products help aid in common issues with dryness and moisture retention and feature unique flavors like her pumpkin mint deep treatment masque.
7. Gabby Goodwin
Gabby entered the natural hair industry with her anti-slip barrettes designed to help prevent hair slippage with textured hair. Her newest hair care line features wash day products that are plant based with healthy pomades, revitalizing sprays, style creams, and more.
Read about 15-year old entrepreneur Gabby Goodwin here.
8. Sky Organics
Sky Organics’ amazing array of hydrating oils, butters and balms are must-have staples for face, body and hair to get you through the fall and winter months. Their co-founder Dean Neiger is proud to have created a brand with non-toxic ingredients like castor oil, mango butters, sweet almond oil, and rosewater.
9. Alaffia
Alaffia was founded by Togolese native Olowo-N’Djo Tchala and peace corps volunteer Prairie Rose Hyde who wanted to create clean and fair trade beauty care to help advance gender equality in West Africa. The women’s cooperative in West Africa handcrafts each indigenous ingredient like shea butter and coconut oil to create the finished product. They recently launched a beautiful curls collection which features plant-based formulas and help to define, sculpt, and strengthen different curl textures.
Learn more about Alaffia: What Social Impact in the Hair Care Industry Can Look Like
10. Juices and Botanics
Juices & Botanics offers a variety of products intended to nourish, cleanse, hydrate, and protect natural hair. Founded by celebrity natural hair growth and care expert, Whitney Eaddy (The Growth Guru”>. Whitney is known as the “Afro-Whisperer“ for her ability to grow natural hair to amazing lengths.
Check out: Juice and Botanics Product Review: Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze?
11. Rucker Roots
Rucker Roots is a family-owned brand spearheaded by sisters Ellen and Ione who wanted to share and advocate for healthy natural hair. Since 2015, Rucker Roots has been devoted to creating products with transformative ingredients that will stimulate growth and cleanse your hair without stripping away natural oils. They recently launched their second collection which focuses on nourishing and restoring hair with rich ingredients like papaya seed oil and mango butter.
12. The Puff Cuff
Ceata E. Lash decided to revolutionize the modern hair accessory by endeavoring to create a product that didn’t exist on the market, the Puff Cuff. This unique tool is all about helping customers with thick and textured hair to have a better styling experience in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes. Create seamless updo and textured buns with a versatile styling tool that works with your texture and not against it.
Check out: Tried the “Puff Cuff” on My Type 3 Hair, Here’s What I Thought
13. Chocolate Kinks and Curls
Juanita Henderson is the founder of Chocolate Kinks and Kurls which was created after she sought out healthier products during her “big chop”. The magic behind the brand is the superfood grade ayurvedic ingredients used to enhance wash day and your scalp health. The products feature a range of clay wash cleansers in a variety of scents like green mint, aloha rose, maqui berry, and more.
Read next: Best of the Best Awards: YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year
