It’s been a busy two and a half years for Blended Beauty. During that time, the Canadian curly-hair product company has grown from five to 23 products—a vast array of cleansers conditioners, spritzes, lotions, butters masks and puddings. The company has had three web sites, and the products have had three different labels.
Founder Stacey Canfield believes Blended Beauty now has hit its stride. The company has broadened its strategy from biracial curlies to all curl types—from waves to kinks. The company’s product line, as well as its web site and packaging, now better reflects the diversity of Blended Beauty’s customers.
The child of a white French Canadian mom and a Black Guyanese dad, Canfield was born with a head full of tight ringlets. After years of texturizers, braids and extensions, she decided to embrace her natural texture. But her challenge was to find products that worked with her natural hair texture.
Her search led her to create Blended Beauty, a line of natural hair-care products for curly and kinky hair. Initially she thought the company’s five products would meet the needs of her customers—people with curls like her own.
“I didn’t realize that other curlies were looking for products,” Canfield says. “I’ve listened to what everyone has asked for. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the customers.”
For example, she added products like Straight Pearl and Straightening Glaze, for those who like the option of wearing their hair straight some days. These products contain beantree, a natural silicone replacement. She created her Blended Cutie line for kids. She has created lighter and heavier versions of products in response to customer requests.
Blended Beauty’s two newest products, Blended Beauty SilkShake and Blended Cutie Curly Cake Shake, were developed because customers were asking for a creamier spritz. The products, which work on all hair types, have the styling effect of a a light Soft Curls & Swirls or a Butter Me Up, adding definition without the weighing hair down They also work as a detangler and as a moisturizer, “sucking moisture from the air into the curls.”
“Some people like to add a leave-in cream when they’re not washing,” Canfield says of the two products. “You can use them even if you don’t have another product in your hair already. I love them so much! I think it’s my new favorite, for sure.”
She spent six months creating the products, tweaking them until she felt they were perfect. The self-proclaimed perfectionist searched the globe for the perfect sprayer top for the bottles. SilkShake and Curly Cake Shake will available this month.
Canfield says she has no plans to create any new hair products — at least not in the near future.
“One product led to another, which led to another, which led to another, but I think I’m pretty much done now,” she says.
In addition to the creation of new products, the outside of the bottles now have a new look, with new labels. Gone are the cute characters.
“I didn’t want to have characters that related only to one type of person,” Canfield says. “I found a look that matches the new web site and suits my personality. This will definitely be the last label change.”
The new labels not only have a new look. They’re also more earth friendly, made from corn instead of vinyl or petroleum. They are more biodegradable, and require less energy to make, she says.
To accommodate requests for larger sizes, Blended Beauty now has 500 ml sizes available of Curl Quenching Conditioner, Tug Me Not Conditioner, Soy Cream Shampoo, SIlky Swirls Shampoo, Curly Frizz Pudding, Jelly Cream and Butter Me Up. Eventually, all the products will come in larger sizes.
Blended Beauty’s web site also got a face lift several months ago. It includes such features as hair and product charts that match hair types with specific Blended Beauty products.
“We’ve had a lot fewer questions regarding what to buy since we put up the chart,” Canfield says. “The biggest advantage is you don’t need to have a Paypal account to shop on the site.”
Canfield said her next focus will be the Blended Beauty Complexion line she created a year ago, which she plans to market more aggressively. She also plans to create body products and hair accessories, as well as a styling video.
