Search Results: Desiree Johnson
Let us introduce the newest haircare line that hit the market in February 2023, UZIMA, which means ‘Full of Life’ in Swahili. ‘Hair is Life’ draws the connection between the nonlinear nature of life and the nonlinear nature (aka not straight) of coily, kinky, and curly hair, both in their look and the journey we go through in learning to care for our hair. UZIMA is THE FIRST luxury hair care brand to bring clean, modern, multidimensional scalp and strand care to textured hair. Designed to empower those with coily, kinky, and curly hair, UZIMA offers elevated haircare and educates them on how to care for these specific hair types.
We spoke with Leona Dondi, the brand’s Founder, and CEO, who spent years blending extensive research background with cosmetic biotech to create a brand focused on multi-dimensional scalp and strand care. UZIMA products are safe, sustainable, and formulated with effective botanicals to help coily, kinky, and curly hair thrive.
The UZIMA hair care system is composed of four products: USAWA – a hair essence), UNYEVU – a leave-in conditioner, UKUAJI – a scalp serum; and NISHATI – a nourishing hair oil. UZIMA will teach you to properly nourish, clean, and care for your textured hair and scalp by providing detailed step-by-step instructions for each product.
What was the relationship with your hair growing up?
So I had natural hair from birth until I was about 8. I remember my dad doing my hair in the morning before school, and I hated it. I dreaded my mom hot combing my hair every Sunday before church. I’m super tender-headed, especially when I was younger, so I never really enjoyed getting my hair done at any point. My Mom had relaxed hair, and we would go with her sometimes to the salon, and my sister and I would get our hair braided, which required blow drying and braiding. I still also hated that experience. But it wasn’t really about my hair; it was about how painful it was to get it done.
Fast forward to college, my junior college, and in 2006, I started transitioning to natural hair. The only two forums we’re talking about natural hair were NaturallyCurly.com and another I can’t remember, which gave me more confidence to start over. I just started taking care of my hair without being relaxed and noticed it would grow slowly. I began looking to find out what other women were talking about as the natural movement was gaining ground, and, you know, getting product recommendations were instrumental in feeling like I could take care of my hair because no one taught me how to take care.
How did you break into the haircare industry?
If you asked me 15 years ago, it wasn’t even an idea in my mind to make a brand. I started making hair care products because I was allergic to castor oil. I was getting painful irritation, and I couldn’t understand why, so I tried all sorts of other products, and if they had castor oil, I would have irritation. I tried making my products without castor oil from different regions, organic, etc., but it would not work. I started making my products, beginning with body care products, because I had already ventured into this DIY formulation.
I started reading cosmetic chemistry books, patent information, and researching different hair care products and manufacturers. I needed to learn how product ingredients work and what works together, and that’s how I started my foray into formulating. There were two blogs in Europe, one in France and one in Germany, that were also instrumental in my journey, especially with regards to homemade cosmetics that are more natural because even at the time in the US, where we were buying ingredients, our suppliers weren’t providing many natural materials. I generally love formulating and thinking about how to design a product and the problem I must solve. It’s just part of my creative process.
Who inspired or influenced your approach to haircare?
I always loved even though I was allergic to Mielle Organics. I always loved their marketing, rollout, colors, and the way they mix their products. There are several brands. Many of them that are not even in hair care that I admire that I’ve recently begun to follow. What inspired the hair care brand as it is today was my trip to Korea in 2018 which solidified this idea of feeling. This white space that I observed so in Korean skincare is like; it’s like breathing in Korea. It’s so intense and intentional, and everyone is part of it. Everyone ascribes to it, and there’s so much about the kind of attention and care brought to skin care. And I just kind of wondered why?
We don’t do that for hair at all, so I came home and was super inspired. Could I build a product that brought something different to the marketplace that focused on how we care for our scalps? And when I did market research in 2020, I was kind of locked in the idea because one of the findings from that research was that Black women are not thinking about themselves in any meaningful way.
How does your branding reflect your culture?
It’s an enormous credit to my design and marketing team, who helped to bring this to life. Our brand colors are pan-African colors, and so you’ll see those reflected in the pattern that we chose, which is an African-based pattern. This also reflects Kenya, and I thought these colors were fitting because I wanted to address all of us, everywhere, who have textured hair and have struggled to take care of it and love ourselves. I wanted the branding to reflect blackness’s power, uniqueness, and multidimensional aspect.
I wanted to reflect that back to my target audience, so when my designer mentioned black and gold in our redesign because we did have this as the 2nd version of our product packaging, it felt perfect. Black and gold signify an ultimate luxurious experience and are sprinkled with colors reflecting our culture, struggle, and determination. I thought that those two things would elevate the hair care experience and raise expectations of Black women about what’s possible in hair care. We deserve luxurious hair products that do more for hair, and the intention behind this brand is to bring exactly that.
Can you describe the plant-based biotechnology that went into creating your products?
Biotech is such an exciting space, especially right now when it comes to cosmetics. Biotechnology gives us kombucha solid ale, bread, wine, and beer in food. In cosmetics, it can help move us toward a more sustainable future. We get these ingredients from biotech that are generally less demanding of our planet. Biotech involves amplifying an ingredient, so we are strengthening specific parts of that plant to produce byproducts that are helpful to the skin and the hair. They have smaller molecules because you’re breaking down the enzymes within the plant, and then they are more efficacious, bringing more nutrition. The ingredients that we’re using are fermented rice, passion fruit seeds, plant stem cells, peptides, and growth factors.
Which product would be the best to try for first-time users?
I would recommend that first-time users want a product that’s easy to fit into their current routine. Most people use some kind of leave-in conditioner and our UNYEVU LIGHTWEIGHT SILK LEAVE-IN. It’s rich, but it’s lightweight, so it’s not going to be greasy, and it’s not going to leave a heavy residue on your hair, but it’s going to moisturize, soften, and help fight dehydration. It contains snow mushroom, which is the first time this ingredient is being used in a product for textured hair, and our innovative blend of both low and high molecular weight. It will deeply hydrate, so it will penetrate the hair with the smaller molecules, the lower molecular, and then the higher molecular weight, forming a film over your hair.
How did your approach to sustainability influence the packaging?
In thinking about sustainability, I’m considering how something comes into existence and how it ends its life after the customer has used it. Are the people picking it for the manufacturer working in safe conditions with fair incomes? Is the manufacturer contributing positively to the improvement of life and protecting biodiversity? These are the questions I think of when I’m thinking about OK; how do I pick which ingredients I want to use for packaging?
Globally, we have a huge plastic problem, but at the same time, some things only come in plastic at the moment, and not all plastic is recyclable. My goal with UZIMA was to try and move away from plastics to single-use plastics, which led us to pick aluminum. The leave-in conditioner and the essence because it’s lighter, has a larger volume, and are infinitely recyclable. It’s a good way to lower our footprint and pass that on to our customers. And then we also chose lightweight glass, so it’s easier or lighter to transport and is gentler on the environment.
Act + Acre is a haircare company putting scalp care at the heart of its brand with scientifically formulated products and accessories aimed at reducing build-up on the scalp. Helen Reavey is the founder and celebrity trichologist applying her expertise to a wide range of products designed to help diagnose common scalp and hair conditions. Her patented cold-pressed technique has allowed her to create plant-based products that are sustainable and filled with rich nutrients. Each of her collections targets a different scalp challenge like hair thinning or an oily and dry scalp. As she continues to innovate and grow her brand, she’s changing the landscape of haircare with her newest detangling brush ($34) “Designed to prevent breakage using double-length bristles that gently work through tangles without causing damage, the Detangling Brush is designed to be used on wet and dry hair.” We sat down to talk about Helen’s new curl and wave system aimed at protecting and restoring curls.
What is the inspiration behind the name of your brand?
Our brand name was inspired by our mission to provide clean, plant-based products that help you to elevate your hair ritual by taking care of your scalp.
- Act: the process of doing. A ritual. A moment of consciousness.
- Acre: of land and nature. A return to natural elements.
What challenges or struggles did your clients face that influenced the products you created?
Over my 15 years as a hairstylist, working worldwide from salon to runway, I continued to notice an overwhelming commonality across the board of poor scalp health. Thus, I decided to delve deeper into the haircare industry and really examine the products that we use everyday and I came to the conclusion that the industry was serving up a selection of sub-par products that do not nourish, balance and stimulate the scalp. So many of the haircare products we used every day were made through the addition of harsh chemicals and high temperatures, meaning that all the natural ingredients that were initially included are boiling off, reducing the potency and effectiveness of the products. It was then that I was inspired to challenge the science behind the process and carve out a new category within the hair wellness space that focuses on all-natural, chemical-free, clean ingredients scalp centric products.
How would you define a “Cold Processed” hair wellness brand?
Our Cold Processed® Method is our one-of-a-kind product creation method that uses 90% less energy than your average personal care product (which uses a heat process). Our patented technology allows us to maintain the efficacy and purity of each ingredient within our formulations, which then gives us the ability to have fully plant-based products that don’t include chemicals. Think of it almost as a cold-pressed juice but for your hair care products – our scalp-centric products are created to be extremely nutrient-rich, meaning your scalp + hair are receiving all of the ingredient benefits needed to help the hair thrive.
How did your experience in trichology shape how you designed the detangling brush and comb?
Being a trichologist has fundamentally changed the way I approach hair care and more importantly scalp health. The scalp is the root of all hair health, meaning you need a well-balanced, healthy scalp/scalp biome to have healthy hair.
Although brushes + combs aren’t necessarily seen as “scalp-centric” products, properly using a brush + comb is crucial to overall hair health. For example, wet hair is hair at its most vulnerable, so I always recommend gently using the brush or comb to detangle wet hair post-shower, ensuring to start from the ends and work your way up to the roots. Our Detangling Brush was specifically designed with double-length bristles that gently work through tangles without causing damage, while our Detangling Comb was created with wide-spaced teeth to protect the hair from friction + snags.
Additionally, you can use both the Brush + Comb to massage the hair at the root, since scalp massages are known to:
- Increase blood flow to the scalp to help the natural growth cycle
- Improve hair follicle health
- Reduce inflammation that may trigger hair loss
Why did you decide to expand your line with the Curl + Wave system?
Prioritizing your scalp care is a great first step to getting your curls to thrive, and we wanted to create a line of products specifically formulated to promote scalp health, while restoring shape, texture, and shine to curls and waves.
Curly hair tends to be drier and coarser, so it’s crucial to ensure you have the right balance of moisture and protein in your product to help curly hair thrive. The scalp has a delicate microbiome and a low barrier function, meaning that it has difficulty maintaining + replenishing moisture. This can leave the scalp prone to dryness and irritation, which can lead to drier curls and texture issues.
We created our Curl Cleanse Shampoo with 5% Glycerin (vs 1.5% in our original cleanse formula) and Fulvic Acid, to act as a probiotic for the scalp to remove build-up and add moisture. It strikes the perfect balance of cleansing without disrupting the hair’s natural moisture balance, resulting in nourished, frizz-free curls.
From there, our Soft Curl Spray is uniquely formatted with Watermelon Extract, Aloe Vera, and Glycerin which work together to soothe any dryness or scalp sensitivity, while hydrating the scalp + hair. It’s the perfect product to use on a daily basis to refresh and rejuvenate your waves/curls.
And then, for bouncy, defined curls, we created our Soft Curl Lotion, which is similar to a curl creme but is packed with vegan protein to help repair damaged hair and strengthen it, while reducing frizz and adding definition.
It’s also important to note that many curl products on the market contain sulfates and silicones, which can actually further dry out the hair, making curls frizzy and limp. We wanted to create a collection of all the products you may need to elevate your curls, without the use of silicones, sulfates, or harsh alcohols.
What is the difference between the soft curl and soft wave systems?
The main difference between our Soft Curl System and Soft Wave System is that Soft Wave does not include our Soft Curl Lotion. Both systems include the Cold Processed Curl Cleanse Shampoo and Cold Processed Curl Spray, which work together to restore the shape, texture, and shine of curls and waves while soothing + hydrating the scalp. The Curl Cleanse Shampoo is formulated with 5% Glycerin to cleanse + hydrate the scalp for softer and shinier hair, and the Curl Spray contains 0.20% Watermelon Extracts which hydrate and refresh your curl pattern + texture.
Although you can use both systems for any curl type (Type 2, Type 3 or Type 4), the Soft Wave system is especially great for those with Type 2 hair types that are looking to elevate their waves and add a bit more definition. If you have a Type 3 or Type 4 curls, and are looking for a more defined, bouncy curl, I’d opt for our Soft Curl System, since it includes the Soft Curl Lotion. The weightless curl creme is formulated with 0.5% Vegan Protein – which is perfect for giving a light hold + soft finish to curlier and more kinky/coily hair.
Which products would you recommend first-time users try and why?
I always say that prioritizing your scalp health is the first step to getting hair to thrive. To get started, incorporate a weekly scalp treatment into your hair routine, such as our Scalp Detox. This gentle pre-cleanse treatment breaks down oil and removes product buildup from the scalp to ensure the scalp microbiome is balanced and the hair follicles are prepped for healthy growth. You can even apply it with our Scalp Gua Sha, to further support and promote natural microcirculation and relaxation.
From there, make sure to use a sulfate + silicone-free shampoo, and always double cleanse the scalp, as the first wash removes residue + additional build-up, while the second actually cleanses the scalp. After each wash, use a restorative + hydrating serum to soothe the scalp and balance the microbiome. I absolutely love our Cold Processed® Stem Cell Serum – it uses Apple Stem Cells which are clinically proven to promote the hair growth cycle, and Aloe Vera to nourish and soothe the scalp, while boosting collagen production and adding moisture.
And then if I could recommend a third must-try product, it has to be our Scalp Renew. Similar to Scalp Detox, Scalp Renew is a pre-wash treatment that promotes scalp health. The gentle, chemical exfoliant contains 0.15% Salicylic Acid which works to calm scalp irritation + itch, while balancing sebum oil levels and nourishing the scalp. I’d recommend using the Detox and Renew as weekly treatments where you would apply these on different days to maximize the benefits of each product! Or if you want to specifically focus on your scalp concern:
- Scalp Detox = Dry + Itchy Scalp and to boost hair growth
- Scalp Renew = Oily + Flakey Scalp
Have you tried Act + Acre scalp care or hair products yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments.
The Global Premiere of Disney’s live-action film Little Mermaid is giving us all of the mermaidcore inspiration. Tinisha “Sparkle” Meeks once again worked magic with Halle Bailey’s locs, hairstylist Davontae’ Washington styled Chloe Bailey, and Hairstylist Alexander Armand worked with Marsai Marti. Check out how they achieved these carpet-ready hairstyles at the Little Mermaid Premiere.
Halle Bailey’s Ariel red locs
Tinisha “Sparkle” Meeks, @sparkyourhair, had everyone wondering “how did she do that?!” with Halle Bailey’s recent Met Gala hairstyle, and now we have a new awe-inspiring look to zoom in on. Bailey’s hip-length locs in Ariel’s auburn red color end in loose curls. The hairstyle was the perfect complement to her mermaidcore dress by Valdrin Sahiti.
“I don’t look at locs like it’s something different than any texture of hair,” Meeks has told PopSugar. “I love straight textures, I love curly textures, I love locs. To me, it’s all the same.” She continues to innovate new styles and sculptural looks with locs. “No matter what the texture is, I feel like you can manipulate it to look like whatever another style is. I enjoy doing that with locs,” Meeks said.
Chloe Bailey’s Va Va Volume
Chloe Bailey brought the volume to The Little Mermaid Premiere! To achieve this look, Davonte crocheted Chloe’s locs for a flat foundation, prepping the skin with rubbing alcohol to remove all residue and makeup and using the KISS Colors & Care Lace Bond Adhesive Spray – Extreme Hold for a seamless installment. Its extreme hold formula is long-lasting and fast drying to keep your hair and wigs in place until your next wash.
Next, he used a small amount of the award-winning Edge Fixer Glued in Watermelon to tame her baby hairs for an air/soft look. To finish the look Devontae used the Edge Fixer Wax Stick in Sweet Peach to smooth the edge back and combed over with a hot comb.
Marsai Marti’s Half Up Bohemian Braids
“Tonight’s red carpet look for Marsai was inspired by mermaid hair, but we wanted to elevate it to a chic, effortless, glamor look”, explained Alexander Armand.
To help achieve Marsai’s braided half up/half down hairstyle at the Little Mermaid Premiere, Alexander used the KISS Colors & Care Foaming Mousse to add shine to the bohemian braids. Next, he used the award-winning Edge Fixer Glued Max Hold to achieve a polished hair line, with perfectly placed baby hairs. As a final step, Alexander used the Maximum Hold 2-in-1 Super Stay to hold everything in place.
Which were your favorite hairstyles at the Little Mermaid Premiere?
As a nutrient booster, avocados include vitamins that can help strengthen your hair, reduce scalp inflammation, and encourage hair growth. As a food that contains essential fatty acids, they add hydration to dull and dry hair which helps to leave strands hydrated, healthy, and shiny. We’ve compiled a list of jaw-dropping products that include avocado as a main ingredient to help give your hair the hydration it needs this summer. Whether it’s a masque or styling product, there are plenty of avocado hair products to add to your shopping list.
Avocado Hair Masques
Alikay Naturals Avocado Cream Moisture Repairing Mask
If you’re looking to take your hair from damaged to daring, the Alikay Naturals Avocado Cream Moisture Repairing Mask can help provide a deep treatment with nourishment your hair will love. The masque includes avocado oil to help penetrate and strengthen the hair cortex which can improve elasticity, breakage, and dry scalp.
Uncle Funky’s Daughter Heal & Renew Intensive Hair Masque
Uncle Funky’s is serving with a silk protein hair masque that gives a deep treatment infused with avocado oil, aloe vera juice, and argan oil. The mask can work for anyone looking to revitalize their hair and replenish moisture, detangle hair, repair split ends, and protect curls before any heat styling.
Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating & Defining Mask
Briogeo combines rice amino and avocado for a hydrating and defining mask that defines and defrizzes your curls. As a protein-free mask designed for all curls types and texture works with ingredients like tomato fruit ferment to nourish and condition the most challenging dry hair.
Avocado Styling Products
The Doux We Want Easy Texture Tamer
The Doux is bringing all the hydration with their texture tamer is here to protect your curls before using any heat tools. We know how it important it is prep and protect your curls from the damage of heat products so using this product can help to tame frizz and smooth blowouts with tons of hydration and shine.
Mielle Organics Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk
Mielle’s Avocado Hair Milk is here to be the remedy to dry and thirsty hair needed an infusion of extracted botanicals and organic ingredients. This product can be used as a daily moisturizer to help with length retention, softening the hair, or smoothing it for better manageability. It can be combined with other Mielle products or used to help seal your ends when creating a protective style.
Bounce Curl Avocado & Rose Oil Clump & Define Cream
Give your the hair the gift of luxury with this multi-purpose leave-in cream that lightly holds and softens hair at the same time. The concentrated ingredients of avocado, black seed oil, and Morrocan rose work together to give your hair volume and hydration. As a 2020 Best of the Best award winner, this is a staple product that can be used as a 2 in 1 cream.
Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Twist and Set Setting Lotion
Design Essentials has a formulated a setting lotion that can help create a lasting hold without a hard, crunchy texture. Avocado is combined with ingredients like jojoba oil wheat proteins, and silk amino acids for essential moisture that seals the cuticle for an overall healthy shine. This quick drying formula is set in a spray bottle for maximum coverage whether you are looking to create twist-in or twist-out style.
Check out: Why Avocado Oil Makes The Best Summer Hair Oil
Organic Root Stimulator Curls Unleashed Coconut & Avocado Curl Smoothie
Are you ready for a dose of maximum moisture and protection while styling your hair? This hydration blend of avocado and coconut helps to add moisture, protect against breakage, and reduce frizz for curls and coils. The avocado focuses on helping prevent breakage and can be applied to dry or damp hair.
Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator Cream with Pure Shea Butter
This luxurious cream is designed to help define, smooth, and soften your your curls that are quenching for hydration. Cantu has created the curl activator cream to be used with dry or damp hair and infused with ingredients such as avocado and shea butter. The combination of superfoods and vitamins will help to enhance your natural curl pattern and make your hair nice, soft, and luxurious.
Avocado Shampoos
SheaMoisture Power Greens Curly Hair Shampoo and Conditioner
SheaMoisture is bringing the double dose of health with their “Power Greens” collection that is filled with moringa, avocado, kale, matcha, green algae, and shea butter. As a cruelty-free formula it focuses on restoring hair health and replenishing moisture. If you’re a naturalista with dry hair, this is a great formula that can help leave your hair shinier and fuller regardless of texture or hair type.
Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh And So Clean Bamboo, Avocado And Peppermint Dry Gel Shampoo
There is nothing like scalp care whenever you are wearing a protective style. Taliah Waajid is a fantastic product that can help gently cleanse and refresh your scalp with a formulated design that will not disrupt your current protective style. The combination of avocado and peppermint in this dry gel shampoo formula can purify and refresh the scalp which leaves your hair follicles nourished and conditioned.
Read next: 20 Silicone Free Curl Styling Products
Kiara Brumfield is a Chicago-based chemist, cosmetologist and S.T.E.M mentor. A proud alumna of Howard University in Washington, DC, Kiara earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology there in 2014. Unaware of opportunities or career paths in science that could also spark her passion for hair and beauty, the Chemist returned to Chicago and enrolled in Cosmetology school. While pursuing her license along her self-defining journey, she was recruited by a Chemical Manufacturing company in the personal care industry. It was there that she began to envision how to balance beauty and chemistry.
She loved being a chemist and started looking to apply to positions that would allow her to use both her passions in one role. This is how Kiara arrived at her current position at Universal Beauty Products: Scientist/Licensed Cosmetology.
The opportunity enables her to formulate products, manage claims substantiation, evaluate product performance in the company’s salon to create high-performing hair care products. In her spare time, she loves to volunteer and speak at events to expose youth to S.T.E.M. careers in the beauty industry, such as being a cosmetic chemist. Kiara hopes her presence in her community and the industry will inspire youth, especially African Americans, to pursue careers in science.
We spoke to Kiara about her role at Jamaican Mango & Lime, and the products she’s most excited about to level up our protective styles.
Jamaican Mango & Lime have been in business for 30 years, how did you get started with the brand?
I was a Quality Control Chemist at a surfactant company when I learned about the personal care industry. I was also a licensed cosmetologist and decided to look for opportunities where I could use both my passions. I was beyond excited to see that Jamaican Mango & Lime was hiring for a chemist position. This position has allowed me to formulate and conduct performance testing on newly developed products. I’ve been using Jamaican Mango & Lime since I was a child and I’m so excited to continue supporting the brand in developing quality products.
How would you describe your Jamaican Mango & Lime in 3 words?
Original, Trusted, and Carefree.
What inspired the focus on the brand’s core ingredients?
Jamaican Mango and Lime products are inspired by Jamaican culture. We use nourishing and natural ingredients throughout our product lines to support consumers in starting and maintaining healthy locs, twists, braids, and other styles.
What are the benefits of using natural ingredients like mango and lime on your hair?
Using natural ingredients adds moisturizing, antioxidant, anti inflammatory and antimicrobial properties to hair care formulas.
What is a common misconception about using castor oil?
The main misconception I’ve heard is that Castor oil can cure alopecia. There are so many factors involved that correlate to hair growth. Castor oil cannot cure alopecia, but it can be useful for certain forms of alopecia like alopecia areata. Creating a healthy hair care regime and using castor oil as an ingredient to create a healthy environment is one of many ways castor could promote hair growth. Not taking proper care of your hair and adding castor oil will not result in growth.
What are 2-3 products that are best for creating protective styles?
1. Jamaican Mango and Lime Extra Hold & Easy Braid Jel – Braids
2. Jamaican Mango and Lime Braiding & Setting Mousse – Braids, Twist, Finger Coils, Roller Sets, Wet molds, Etc.
3. Any of the Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Gels – Locs and Twists.
What are 3 tips for maintaining braided hairstyles?
Using Jamaican Mango and Lime Braiding & Setting Mousse, following the completion of the style, is a great way to set and ensure longevity. To preserve your style I would suggest using Jamaican Mango and Lime 6-in-1 Soothes & Revives Braid Refresher and Jamaican Mango and Lime Foams & Refresh Dry Wash to keep your hair clean and moisturized. An added benefit to using Jamaican Mango and Lime braiding line is that it has odor blocking technology in all the products to keep your braids fresh longer.
What products would be best for first-time users to use from your brand?
I would suggest our Smooth Moisture line. Smooth Moisture is the best product I’ve used to execute a silk press without using harsh chemicals. It leaves your hair flowy and smooth, with extra shine. It contains technology that has been tested in a laboratory and salon. Extensive research proved that the Smooth Moisture system prevents breakage, has great humidity protection to prevent curl reversion, has heat protection in every step, and even makes hair stronger after using the system. These products are ideal for consumers with natural hair who desire a sleek straight look without heat damage. Smooth Moisture is the perfect at home system that yields the salon look without salon prices. This system is also great for stylists to elevate their services.
Looking for your next braided hairstyle? Here are 21 to try next.
The Met Gala is one of the biggest nights for Hollywood celebrities and designers looking to showcase their talents through immaculate styling and visual concepts. True to the annual May event, celebrities flocked to the streets of New York City to honor the late Karl Lagerfeld with an array of ensembles that paid homage to his fashion legacy. Janelle Monae attended the event with an eye-catching top knot hairstyle, courtesy of Mielle Organics products. Celebrity stylist Nikki Nelms takes us behind the scenes and shares her secrets to creating this runway-worthy look.
Janelle’s super tall, structural top knot was inspired by her exaggerated tweed tuxedo by Thom Browne. “We really wanted to make this look special” Nelms said, “since this will be the first Met Gala where her hair will be visible since 2017.”
How Janelle’s Top Knot was Created
How to Prep Hair for a Top Knot
Prep for Janelle’s 2023 Met Gala hairstyle started with a calming wash using the Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo and Conditioner. This shampoo works into a luxurious lather and has an amazing scent. It cleans without stripping away moisture and pre-detangles curly hair, while the conditioner helps to achieve shiny, smooth-to-the-touch hair.
Once towel dried, I misted her hair with Mielle’s White Peony Leave-In Conditioner, and then I followed with the Mielle Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray before blow drying.
How to style the top knot
To style, I used the Mielle Avocado & Tamanu Anti-Frizz Stay Straight Serum before lightly straightening the hair.
I made a secure ponytail base to start then added wire and wrapped the hair around to create the height and structure.
After the hair was up and sleek, I applied the Mielle Rice Water & Aloe Braid Gel. It was perfect to get a nice smooth base braid.
I pulled pieces out throughout the updo and re-wrapped into knots around the pre-wrapped hair to add dimension and depth.
I finished with the Pomegranate & Honey Blend Super Hold Edge Gel to get those edges laid down.
The final look led to a tall cylinder like structure.
Want more? Check out 33 more stunning hairstyles from the Met Gala 2023.
The 2023 Met Gala was a night to remember, with celebrities showcasing their stunning looks on the red carpet. Among them was Ariana Debose, who stunned in a hair look that paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic hair color and her own heritage.
Ariana Debose’s Met Gala hairstyle was created by Celebrity Stylist, Araxi Lindsey, who combined different ideas to create a unique look. Joseph Altuzarra envisioned the classic finger waves of Josephine Baker, while Ariana and Araxi had a vision of white ombré cornrow braids. Together, they created an edgy, artsy look, and celebrated cultural greatness.
Araxi used the As I Am Rice Water Collection to achieve this look for shampooing and conditioning. The collection is known for being light with a gentle fragrance, making it the perfect choice for Ariana’s hair. After a blow dry to smooth her hair for braiding, Araxi went for an artsy parting with a little bit of edginess.
The result was cornrows going into a fishtail braid with a tribal finish. To smooth and condition Ariana’s edges, the Araxi used the As I Am Classic Curling Jelly. The Curling Jelly added natural moisture to Ariana’s hair and allowed movement until it dried into place.
“I love the natural moisture that the As I Am Curling Jelly gives,” Araxi said. “The Rice Water Collection is perfect for keeping hair light and smelling great. I’m thrilled with how this look turned out, and I’m honored to have been a part of Ariana’s Met Gala experience.”
The Met Gala is known for its extravagant fashion and beauty looks, and Ariana Debose’s Met Gala hairstyle was no exception. With its cultural inspiration and unique style, her hair was a standout feature of the night.
Want more? Check out 33 more stunning hairstyles from the Met Gala 2023.
When Flawless by Gabrielle Union hit the shelves, it immediately set itself apart from other celebrity-owned beauty brands for nourishing ingredients and dedication to textured hair. Flawless by Gabrielle Union is starting the year off by expanding the collection from the essentials like shampoo and deep conditioning masques to stylers that will elevate your hair game. The collection is heavily inspired by the salon experience – one that allows individuals to be vulnerable, talk about issues of importance in the community, and escape the stressors of life. Flawless by Gabrielle Union wants to pay homage to this experience by also giving people the opportunity to renew their looks and spirit, which is why we are so thrilled to be introducing these new products.
Flawless by Gabrielle Union wants to pay homage to this experience by also giving people the opportunity to renew their looks and spirit
We sat down with celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims and co-founder of Flawless by Gabrielle Union. Sims originally began his entertainment career fifteen years ago in Chicago as a professional dancer and choreographer for some of the most influential artists in music, including Missy Elliot and Sean P Diddy Combs. However, Sims always loved hair and quickly realized that is where his ultimate passion lies. It was not long before Sims started amassing his own list of celebrity clients including Gabrielle Union, Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, David and Victoria Beckham, Christina Milian, and Mary J Blige. As the co-founder of Flawless, Larry aims to provide product knowledge and style education to everyone. Check out more from our interview with Larry below where he breaks down each new product and shares insights into how the collection was created.
What was the goal of creating these new products?
We really wanted to make sure that we got products out to our consumers and our supporters that were super affordable and on-trend. We wanted to make sure that it was affordable and accessible no matter what your social or economic status was and or is. We’re really proud to say that we’re able to still give the efficacy of the same quality without compromising our ingredients and we’re really happy.
What was the inspiration for expanding the brand to stylers?
These new stylers were an homage to what a beauty shop is and the experience people had within them growing up. There are two different experiences between a beauty shop and a salon. We wanted to create a marriage of both cultures and show that no matter if you’re in a shop or in a salon both of those experiences still warrant the quality of these new stylists that we have. We’re really proud and excited for everybody to see the campaign that’s coming out.
Let’s talk products, can you break down each product for NaturallyCurly?
5 Butter Miracle Leave-in Conditioner
First, have our 5 Butter Miracle Leave-in Conditioner ($10.99), it is absolutely moisturizing and amazing. We originally launched the 5 Butter Miracle Mask which is super hydrating and moisturizing. The goal was to build off the success we had with that product and we believe we have a conditioner that a lot of our consumers really love. The fact that we had all 5 Butters in it that was topped off with a bit of sweet honey, was amazing. That extra hydration is essential for a curly girl or guy that’s rocking their natural style hair which can be a bit drier. We really wanted to really dive into the moisture and the hydration of this leave-in, so this is really great.
Elongating Curl Custard
We originally launched with our defining curl cream rather and a lot of curlies like to cocktail it with a gel to get the elongation. We listened to our consumers and decided to create a product for them that became our Elongating Curl Custard ($10.99), which is super defining and is really shiny. It seals the cuticle. It has amazing ingredients in it and it just gives you that elongation and that definition without the flaking or drying. It does not create that crunch that is typically associated with gels so you’re gonna have a soft finish with definition.
Styling Glaze
I’ve been in this business for many years and I’ve used glaze products on so many people and one of the problems with glazes is that if you’re under lights, if you’re working long hours with heat, sometimes they can melt. It can run that. As a stylist, it was super important to come up with the right combination of ingredients so that it doesn’t perform in that way. With our Styling Glaze ($8.99) it’s great for high ponytails, buns, and up-dos. I’m really proud of Gab and I think that it probably is one of her favorite products. When we had test series and tried to figure out the components of the products she was like no I’m keeping all of the testers, so she robbed me of the testers. We’re really excited for everybody to get their hands on them, these are absolutely fantastic.
Nourishing Scalp Spray
Next is our Nourishing Scalp Spray ($10.99) for those that are rocking natural hairstyles like Bantu knots, braids, or flat twists. If you’re rocking your foundation underneath your units and you don’t want to start all over, you can really refresh your scout with this product. It has aloe, peppermint, bacuri butter, and coconut oil in it and it’s all just really refreshing. It allows you to get a little bit of longevity out of having to start over on your wash days. We did launch with. scalp soothing tonic and the difference between both products is that the scalp soothing tonic soothes the scalp, but it also gets rid of build-up from products you were using. This completely refreshes and nourishes your scalp, so you can use these two in combination.
What product would you recommend our readers try out for the first time?
From the styler line, I would say the first thing that I would recommend trying would probably be the elongating custard. I’ve noticed in the market that a lot of people have the same issues with the finish of custards, whether it be flaking, crust, or it’s not defining or elongating. This is super versatile for women that are wearing it as a wash-and-go, twist-outs, or the shingles method. It starts off with moisturizing, replenishing, and hydrating it.
Are stylers are they best used alone or can they be cocktailed?
We wanted to make sure that the line was standalone but also cocktailed in any way that fits a person’s specific needs because as we know there isn’t one hair texture or one process that works for everyone. You can’t do like a one-size-fits-all in terms of your hair. Every hair texture, routine, and lifestyle has specific needs, so we really wanted to make sure that these products could work alone or in tandem together which can be a cocktail.
Why do you think there has been a renewed interest in scalp care?
Gab has children and when you think about her own hair journey, where she has lost hair due to IVF treatments and trying to get pregnant, we specifically have gone down a very deep dive into how to grow her hair back from basically nickel size and bald spots. We tried everything under the sun, but what we realized as a company and as friends is that it really starts number one with what you put in your body and then what you do outside of your body.
Outside of your body, it starts with your scalp, so when we talk about how to get healthy hair growth consistently, I always lead with a proper diet and drinking tons of water. I encourage stimulation and exercise to invigorate your blood flow from the inside and then from the outside. You’re going to have beautiful hair, but if the scalp isn’t nurtured and taken care of, then it all goes to waste. Taraji is a good friend of ours and we support TPH by Taraji and her tagline is “healthy scalp, healthy hair.” I feel like in the space she was one of the first elected to lead the charge. She blew the horn on that and I really appreciate that as well.
What is a fun summer style that you’d love to see created with these products?
Summer is definitely coming. I feel like box braids are happening. You know, one thing that I was doing with Janet Jackson in particular is that I was adding hair to her box braids. Everybody was trying to figure out how we did it, what it was and and the method we created. I just love the fact that people can have an opportunity to protect their hair but also incorporate extra hair into their protective styles without putting any heat on their hair. I’m really excited to see that trend pop this summer.
Have you tried the Flawless by Gabrielle Union products? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Read next: 12 Ways to Style Box Braids
Davines Group was started in 1983 in Parma, Italy by the Bollati family and had been producing high-end hair care products for consumers worldwide. President and Owner David Bollati has remained committed to creating and developing products that evoke sustainability and have cutting-edge chemistry that is ethical for customers. The multi-faceted haircare line is sold in over 90 locations worldwide and features a wide range of products to serve any hair type and challenge. Their most recent launch is their curly hair line formulated and designed to help fight frizz, maintain elasticity, and leave curls bouncy and defined. We sat down to chat with the owner about their humble origins, sustainability, and curls.
Davines originated in 1983 in Parma, Italy. What has been a staple of its evolution over the years?
Founded by, and still, 100% owned and run by, the Bollati family in Parma, Italy, Davines is an international beauty company with distribution in more than 90 countries dedicated to a balance of beauty and sustainability. For the past 30 years, all Davines products have been care-crafted in Parma using the highest-quality natural ingredients and scientific rigor. As the company and environmental commitment have evolved, all product packaging is now plastic-neutral, carbon-neutral, and produced with clean energy. As a certified B Corp, the Davines Group strives to place social and environmental sustainability at the core of its ethos.
“At Davines, we believe that living a balance of beauty and sustainability, what we can “sustainable beauty”, can improve our lives and the world around us.” – Davide Bollati, President
How does your “sustainable beauty” philosophy affect your ingredients and product manufacturing?
Sustainable Beauty, the balance of beauty + sustainability, is the driving force behind our products and projects — from formulation to design to ethics and customers. We constantly push ourselves to be better and do better for the planet and our clients while creating high-performance products.
Why is having a positive environmental impact such a staple of the business?
Since becoming a certified B Corp in 2016, we have rewritten our way of doing business, looking at business as a positive force capable of generating a profit and, at the same time, creating a positive impact on people and the environment. We have also decided to align our objectives with the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the UN Agenda 2030, entrenching them into our corporate strategy.
How would you describe the ingredients sourced from the slow food presidium and included in your products?
Every Slow Food Presidia ingredient in the Essential Haircare line is cultivated by an Italian farmer who works to preserve ingredients at risk of extinction. The Essential Haircare line lets you feel good about giving your hair the custom care it craves while also helping to protect and preserve our planet’s biodiversity.
What is one piece of advice you give an aspiring entrepreneur looking to break into the hair industry?
“For a hairdresser, I would avoid the word entrepreneur altogether. I believe if you get into hairdressing to solely make a dollar, then that’s all you will ever earn. If you begin with an interest that develops into a passion, this is the correct path. I always encourage fellow hairdressers to find great mentors whose work catches their attention and learn from them, soaking every piece of knowledge they can from them and anyone else around them. Ask why, question your teachers, so you know not only how to replicate but innovate, study the history of art, music, film, fashion, and art from which catches your attention, then use all of that culture to distill into a style of work which is original to you, this will help you make a mark in whatever direction your career takes and most importantly do it for the love of the craft, not money or fame, likes or followers. If you do it for love, and there’s a good chance you’ll have a rewarding career.” – Tom Connell, Davines’ Hair Art Director
What inspired the curly hair collection?
“The desire was to experiment with the vast array of curl care and styling products available, combined with wanting to provide ideas and options for both the hairdresser and client when approaching curly hair. The lack of knowledge and fear of how to properly treat and style curls is very common among hairdressers, and we have, hopefully, addressed some of these concerns.” – Tom Connell, Davines’ Hair Art Director
A winter favorite from your collection is the “Curl Gel Oil” how would you describe its uses and benefits?
This is aCurl Gel Oil that was created for thick, coarse curls. It is an innovative gel-to-oil formula that features a gel’s soft hold and the hydration of an oil, delivering frizz-free definition to each strand, with hair left feeling natural, soft, and shiny. To achieve soft curls, apply Davines’ this is a Curl Building Serum to damp hair, then layer with This is a Curl Gel Oil and scrunch into the hair. To finish, diffuse the hair to dry. To achieve more defined curls, apply Davines’ This is a Relaxing Moisturizing Fluid to damp hair, then layer with This is a Curl Gel Oil and scrunch into the hair. Diffuse to dry, and enjoy your bouncy, defined curls!
For first-time users, what are the 2 staple products they must try from the curly hair collection?
This is Curl Building serum is a must-have product for those with curly hair. It adds elasticity and shine to the curls while blocking frizz and humidity. For wash day, our LOVE Curl Shampoo and Conditioner is perfect for those looking to control their curls, and the consumer, is sure to see immediate results.
Check out: How Young King Hair Care is Bridging the Curly Industry Gap for Young Black and Brown Men
Julissa Prado is continuing to blaze a large path for her Latina-owned business, Rizos Curls. The self-funded hair care line for curls, coils and waves everywhere founded by Julissa Prado celebrates expansion to every Ulta Beauty location by launching a National Masterclass Tour with curl experts including Celebrity Hairstylist Irinel De León.
As of April 9th, Rizos Curls will be available at all Ulta Beauty stores, making them the first Latina-owned curly hair care brand to do so. This expansion marks the growing success of the brand from their initial launch of 300 stores at Ulta Beauty in June 2021 to now being available at more than 1,350 Ulta Beauty locations. To celebrate and continue fostering community-focused experiences, Rizos Curls is launching a free Masterclass Tour with stops in Los Angeles, New York, Houston and Orlando bringing the country’s top curl experts directly to the community, including Celebrity Hairstylist Irinel De León and nationally known beauty influencers such as Viva Glam Kay! Customers can stop by their local ULTA where they can witness live curl transformations, expert tips and tricks for your waves, curls & coils, and a Q&A with Julissa!
The celebration continues with the launch of two new products from Rizos Curls at Ulta Beauty as the brand continues to expand into scalp care and styling products for curls and beyond. These two new products were designed to help users achieve healthy hair by keeping the scalp clean, balanced, and nourished. Read more about the newest additions to the Rizos Curls line up below.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp & Hair Rinse.is a game-changing product that will reboot hair to receive and retain moisture for a healthy scalp and soft bouncy curls proven to help styling products perform better. Formulated with 95%naturally derived ingredients, this clarifying hair rinse removes scalp build up by gently cleansing and removing residue with its key featured ingredient – Certified Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
Made with ultra-potent, quality ingredients like Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Niacinamide, Black Tea Kombucha, Lemon Oil, Blue Agave and more. All combined to gently clarify, add shine, deliver nutrients & antioxidants.
How to Use:
- Massage a small amount to wet, freshly shampooed hair and scalp.
- Allow to sit for a maximum of three minutes and then rinse thoroughly with cool water.
- The Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp & Hair Rinse can also be used in place of shampoo.
Follow with the Rizos Curls Deep Conditioner, if needed.
The Beach Waves Texturizing Salt Spray is an easy-to-use non-drying texturizing salt spray that gives waves a fuller, thicker look while providing instant definition for heatless waves. Formulated with Sea Salt for natural texture enhancement along withBlue Agave Leaf,Aloe, andPrickly PearCactus,the Beach Waves Texturizing Salt Spray provides nutrient rich hydration all while Papaya and Passion Fruit extracts enhance natural shine.
It’s PROVEN to enhance texture, volume and shine! Unlike other salt sprays that may dry out your curls, we carefully selected ultra-nourishing ingredients including Blue Agave Extract, Red Algae & Prickly Pear Cactus to ensure that your hair is healthy, protected & flourishing.
How to Use:
Spray on damp or dry hair and scrunch to activate waves.
Air dry or diffuse.
Apply spray at mid length to ends for best results.
Can also be applied to the scalp to absorb excess oil.
Let’s give a huge applause to Rizos Curls for this amazing feat! History making moves at Ulta, a masterclass with world class stylists, and new products? We can’t wait to see what’s next!
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Coachella is the event of the spring and we’re excited to see all the stunning styles that evoked desert chic. Celebrity stylist Coree Moreno is the genius behind your favorite stars like Cynthia Erivo, Lupita Nyong’o, and Danai Gurira. As the stylist behind coveted red carpet looks, magazine covers, and reality tv, Moreno has curated fantastic braids, twists, and afros, for Hollywood’s brightest stars. This past weekend, he took his skills out to the desert for the biggest music festival of the spring.
Lil Nas X wowed the crowds at Coachella 2023 with his stunning and versatile hairstyles, all thanks to the nourishing and protective hair products from As I Am. The pop star’s hairstylist relied on the brand’s Rice Water Micellar Shampoo and Conditioner to prep his hair for the festival looks that left everyone talking.
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Lil Nax X’s Braided Blowout Pony
Moreno shared that working with a pop star on-the-go requires products that can cleanse, nourish, and protect the hair and scalp. As I Am’s Rice Water Micellar Shampoo and Conditioner were the perfect choices for Lil Nas X’s Coachella looks, which included a braided blowout pony and a raver shag.
The Rice Water Micellar Shampoo was used to cleanse Lil Nas X’s hair, while the Rice Water Conditioner provided nourishment and detangling for easy styling. The hairstylist also used rice water before blow drying and in between protective styles to keep the scalp and hair healthy while braided.
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The Raver Shag
“We wanted to create a variety of looks that showcased Lil Nas X’s personality and style while ensuring his hair remained healthy and strong,” said Moreno. “As I Am’s Rice Water products were the perfect choice to achieve that balance.”
What was your favorite Coachella hairstyle this year? Let us know in the comments!
Helix Hair Labs is bringing innovation to the natural hair space with their newest hair tools to protect your hair while you sleep. Rebecca Allen and Carly Stapleton are co-founders who are using research, development, and testing to the forefront of the consumer conversation around hair wellness. Their two new products, the sleep sleeve and silk slip tie, help address help protect your hair damage and help maintain any style of hair regardless of texture or hair type. The products are designed to be versatile and complimentary to any hair routine for easy maintenance and protection whether you are sleeping or exercising. We sat down to chat with the burgeoning entrepreneurs to learn more about their new business entering the market.
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Why do you think there has been a renewed conversation around hair health?
I think what we observed was really that everybody was losing their hair. Specifically, through the pandemic, you know whether that was illness-related or stress related. Compounded by all of the other reasons we’re always losing our hair whether that’s life cycle related or just genetically predisposed. It’s it felt like there was much more front-facing conversation happening about hair loss because of the pandemic in part, and that that was playing out on social media as well.
What inspired the name Helix Hair Labs?
We wanted the brand to be grounded in efficacy, science, and observed reality. I think particularly in hair care, there is a lot of well-intentioned, but wishy-washy information out there. Helix alluded to the various textures of curls and the actual shape of a double helix gives shape to the hair
How is your branding process and how does it reflect who your company is?
We wanted a brand that felt fresh and organic with a futuristic vibe. We used a lot of clinical outer space inspiration like a white laboratory on the inside, a space station rather than the deep part of space. The bright clinical clean space station and bringing in organic elements to it. I wanted it to feel gender-neutral. We want our products to evolve and everybody to feel invited in. When we were conducting our initial interview series, we met with people in their 50s and 60s and we found that regardless of age, many people are experiencing the same types of hair challenges. We didn’t want to be just another Gen-Z zebra or millennial brand and focused on being as inclusive as possible.
How did taking a scientific approach to shaping your product development?
We spent a lot of time getting in the bathrooms of people with all different types of hair who were managing it in all different ways and understanding what their routines were, and what the products they were using were both web products and tools and devices. We wanted to create a comprehensive mapping of how people were cycling through their hair. Once we got into the development we had a lot of ideas about ways that we could improve points in people’s routines and provide specific tools that would either create efficiencies in their routines or efficacy in their routines. We’re rigorously making sure that these products work for everybody with a specific texture and making sure not to overlook people with 4C hair. We believe with any tools is that when you design with the customer in mind that you actually can make better products for everybody.
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What common hair challenges do your products solve?
Everything that we’re bringing to life falls into what we call the Helix code and that is that you want to grow your healthiest hair, style it with minimal damage, and then protect it. Our mantra is to grow, style, and protect with every product. What we’ve brought to life first falls into our class and protect bucket. For example, our silk slip tie is 100% Mulberry silk and it’s kind of a cross between like a scrunchy and a Hermes twilly. To customers with curly and coily hair, you can achieve whichever style you want. Similarly, our sleep sleeve is for protecting your hair at night or during exercise. Depending on your hair length, you can secure it at a different length, so it’s versatile and it’s working for a lot of different people in their preferred way to wrap and protect their hair.
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What are the best ways to use your products?
I’d say for the sleep sleeve, the best way to use this is when your hair is done and you are going to bed and you want to protect it from damage while you’re sleeping, right, like friction while you’re sleeping, and also preserve your style. There’s no wrong way to tie it if that is totally personal preference. The other way that people can wear it too is if you are doing an overnight treatment on your hair and you want to just wrap it so that you’re not making a mess.
We designed little cutouts to make space for your ears and then you can wear it with the crossover in front and the logo market back should fit comfortably over your ears.
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Read next: How Entrepreneur Gabby Goodwin is Growing Her Beauty Empire at Age 15
Daphné Eastmond is making her entrepreneurial debut with Frizz + Co, a luxurious hair-repairing mask that gives a deep and rich conditioning treatment that will have your curls singing all week long. She worked with chemists to develop the product from the ground up where she researched and meticulously looked for ingredients that were biodegradable and lightly scented. Her goal was to keep her consumers top of mind and create a product that could be integrated into someone’s lifestyle and support a healthy self-care experience.
As a woman and Black-owned business, Eastmond takes pride in sourcing and developing her first product to help people fall back in love with their curls and gain a sense of renewal after chemical or heat damage. We sat down to chat with her about her entrepreneurial growth, lessons learned, and how she created her first product.
When you reminisce on your hair journey growing up, what comes to mind and why?
My hair journey has been honestly a love/hate relationship. For as long as I can remember., especially in my adolescent years when the only thing I wanted to do was to fit in. I would do anything to try and defy the laws of physics to get my hair straight when obviously that was the opposite of what my hair naturally was. I tried everything, chemical relaxers, braids, wigs, weaves, and the objective was to fit in and I was just never really happy trying to.
I feel like starting Frizz + Co was kind of a love letter to my girls where I reached a point where I was like, OK, this is the hair that I have there’s nothing I can do to change it. How can I learn to love it? Through this business, I’ve met so many incredible women that had or still have a struggle that was similar to mine. I feel I felt really understood in this community and I’ve been so excited to be working on this on a daily basis.
What were some lessons you learned in your entrepreneurial journey?
I feel like I’m at a stage where I still have so much to learn, but I think the most powerful thing was the power of community and knowing how to surround yourself with like-minded people or people that are as motivated as you that want to grind, that want to build their own business. I felt like it could be a little bit isolating, you know, being an entrepreneur and trying to build your own business. This has become a priority for me and I can totally admit that sometimes I have no idea what I’m doing.
What are the staples of wash day that every textured naturalista should know?
In my experience, this has been a ritual that I’ve dreaded at times so much so that I would rather do anything else than wash my hair. What I tried to do with Frizz + Co is try to incorporate this wash day ritual into the self-care kind of space where you are in control. What does self-care mean to you? Is it a playlist? Is it lighting candles? Is it having a glass of wine? You know, just set the tone that makes it feel nice. That’s kind of one thing that I would say could be my staple.
How did you conduct research to determine what your hero product would be?
I conducted a survey with a small group when I was in Montreal where I discovered many people had damaged curls from heat and chemicals. That’s when I decided that a repairing hair mask could be a good place to start. It was a lot of trial and error because everyone has a different hair type and texture. It’s so hard to cater to everyone. When I was testing the product out, I asked specific girls that all had different hair textures to the point where one even had chemically relaxed hair to see the overall results.
Getting everyone’s feedback from you is really important in how I can shape this product into the best product I could and I have to admit, the chemist that I was working with was really knowledgeable in the space. She knew instantly what ingredients were gonna work and, when we were brainstorming, we had a choice of going into the more traditional ingredients like coconut oil or can we go in a different path with maybe less known ingredients that may need a bit more education. But I felt like that was a bit more interesting than having another like coconut-based product.
Why did you choose to make your debut Frizz + Co product a hair mask?
When I transitioned into natural hair, I just remember the importance of doing a hair mask on a weekly basis. I felt like, I don’t have the money to do a full range of products, but can I create one staple product that I feel will make the most difference in someone’s hair? What is the one product you have to use on your bathroom shelf and in my opinion, that was a hair mask. I decided to focus my efforts on trying to build my reputation around this really great hair mask. Once I can develop a range of secondary products around that mask that just enhance the brand.
What are the best practices for using a hair mask?
The routine is always starting with clean hair. I apply the product on towel-dried hair. If I have a bit more time it’s I’ll wrap it in a cute plastic bag to seal in the heat in and then put a microfiber towel on it. Leave it in for as long as possible whether that’s 30 minutes- 1 hour just to let it soak and keep a consistent weekly routine.
What are the benefits of using a product with natural ingredients?
When I started working on this product, it was really important for me to use all-natural ingredients because I felt like first, it was a staple for a quality product. Second, as a consumer, I know that I’m personally looking at the labels of the products and wondering what’s in there? There’s a huge lack of transparency where some brands can promote ingredients being clean and organic but we don’t know if they are harmful to us. I wanted a product that was super effective that didn’t compromise your health or even your curl health. The natural ingredients will naturally do their things, whereas synthetic synthetic ingredients can provide short-term results and will make your hair look nice, but ultimately down the line, you know they can be drying
What can we look forward to from Frizz + Co in 2023?
Building on brand awareness and developing more products. I really like the idea of having a technical product with a range of products around it to sort of enhance the product.
Check out: How Young King Hair Care is Bridging the Curly Industry Gap for Young Black and Brown Men
Meet Joni Odum, President and CEO of Firstline Brands, who is a graduate of Hampton and has been a critical aspect of the evolution of Firstline Brands. As one of the first Black-owned brands carving out a lane for natural hair products, Joni has helped carry the torch lit by her father to ensure the brand offers timeless accessories and products to elevate any hairstyle. They are pioneers for brands like Evolve, WavEnforcer, Camryn’s BFF, Dri Sweat, and Sleek, which are featured in major retailers all over the world. We spoke with Joni to discuss her family’s legacy and the evolution of their products since 1986.
Can you tell us the origins of Firstline?
My father founded this business. He was a pioneer in those days because there was no dedicated space for this particular market, the multicultural textured hair care market. He filled a gap for an underserved market and established distribution years ago.
How did you get into the hair care industry?
I grew up with an entrepreneurial spirit, you know, with my dad being in this business, I spent summers working in the warehouse in our manufacturing facility at that time, loading products in acrylic bags and then preparing them for shipment, whether they were a wig cap or a do-rag. I was in the warehouse and then would spend time helping with the administrative side of the business. I spent a year at Neutrogena in LA, then a year at their corporate headquarters in global strategic marketing, and then landed at McNeil Consumer. I was managing the brand marketing expenses for the Tylenol Franchise and working so closely with the Marketing team.
How did you transition from finance to your family business?
My dad saw an opportunity for me to lead the product development side of our business, marketing, and then help gain new distribution. I was passionate about culture building at the company and inspiring others to lead, so he put me in that lane, and it served me and the company well. About 15 years later, we broadened our portfolio of brands more than we had years ago. We now have five main brands and are in distribution across many other retail stores. We’ve been in Walmart, Walgreens, and Sally Beauty for over 20 years. In recent years, we have been able to deepen our partnerships across retail chains & specialty stores nationally and in some international territories. I’m happy I had his leadership and grateful we’ve worked so closely together.
Many black-owned businesses end up getting bought out by larger brands that have to sell or, you know, cash out in some way. Why is it important to you all to remain a black-owned business?
We are 100% black-owned. It’s important to me to show leadership in that market, especially being the daughter and carrying on the legacy that my father left for my sister and me. The community matters and being that physical brand and voice you know still resonates and speaks to the customer in terms of delivering quality and excellence.
What new style and accessory trends are you seeing most popular with your customers?
We’re targeting these different patterns and prints that appeal to multicultural customers.
The pandemic created a need for alternatives to day-to-day hairstyles when going into the office. As people transitioned into remote life, we saw many opting to embrace beauty like a snack—something quick and easy that they could do instead of having to spend this long process of styling their hair. We’re trying to develop things people can use in just a few minutes to achieve a beautiful look.
What can we look forward to coming down the line, whether it’s a new brand, whether it’s new products, what can we look forward to from your brand this year?
Our focus is on creating everyday items that meet your everyday needs. We also come up with a few items that the consumer is going to love and that he/she didn’t know she needed.
What excited you about being an entrepreneur?
I love seeing people do what they love and making an impact, and our team most inspires me. You inspire them to greatness in whatever area that drives them and let them be authentic. I’m passionate about developing new & innovative products. My dad knew to put me in that space. I also love working with people. I love meeting gaps and needs for the customer.
Read next: How Young King Hair Care is Bridging the Curly Industry Gap for Young Black and Brown Men
Black-Owned Gift Guide: Brands to Support this Holiday Season
The holiday’s are here and we’re in the gifting mood! We’ve been so excited to see amazing Black-owned businesses thriving and growing in the beauty space. There have been small businesses making waves across the internet to brands breaking the barriers of the big box retail space like Target, Wal-Mart, and Sephora. Whether you’re looking for a fun sample kit that introduces someone to a new brand, makeup, hair care products, accessories, or self-care items, we’ve scoured the internet to bring you exciting holiday gifts you’ll want to purchase immediately. It can be challenging to get the perfect gift for your loved one’s, but this guide can help make your holiday splurging a bit more satisfying.
Haircare
Omosilk
Photo Credit
As the CEO and founder of Omo Silk, Omoye seeks to provide comfort, quality, and confidence to her customers with a hypoallergenic product that is gentle for all textures. Her products are especially formulated for newborns and features a wide array of options like crib sleeves, headbands, pillow cases, and wig caps. Prices range from $10.99-$69.99 depending on the type of accessory you purchase.
YGN
If you’re looking for luxury accessories that will brighten up any holiday outfit, look no further than You Go Natural’s holiday collection ($40″>. The newest styles feature a brand new style of turban, the turbanette, as well as new fabric; a ribbed velvet, paisley velvet burnout, crushed velvet, and a pleated jersey.
Read more: How Monique Little is Making Protective Styling Easy with You Go Natural (YGN”>
My Mommy Wisdom
My Mommy Wisdom is a certified cruelty-free product line and a leader in the Black-Owned Baby Goods industry. The founder Chelsea promotes healthy and holistic living for both mommy and child. They feature an array of bundles, boxes, haircare ($17-$50″>, mommy care, and baby care products that help with everyday challenges like eczema, sensitive skin, and feminine washes.
As I Am
If you’re looking to take a new approach to your hair care this season, look no further than the As I Am’s The Hemp Seed Oil Bar Collection ($6.99″> which includes a shampoo, conditioner, co-wash, and leave-in conditioner and each bar comes in a reusable, 100% biodegradable tray. These vegan bars are infused with calendula, ceramides and betaine but the hero ingredient is Hemp. Hemp is rich in Omega Oils 3, 6 and 9 which moisturize and cleanse the hair.
Oyin Handmade
Give the person you love the gift of moisture and conditioning with a collection that features award-winning formulas. Oyin Handmade’s Conditioning Care Package ($49.99″> keeps your hair cleansed, conditioned, moisturized and styled from start to finish. These products can be used on the days you wash your hair and even on your non-wash days.
Bread Beauty Supply
BREAD’s “best-of-bread” set ($28″> is giving the best of their two award-winning products together in a holiday bundle that will have you cheering. The set includes the best-selling hair-oil 100ml (full size”>, and mini hair-cream 50ml.
Read more: BREAD Beauty Supply Founder Maeva Heim Shares the Secret Behind Must-Have Products
Bask and Bloom Essentials
We can all use a little extra TLC to our curls during the holiday season and the Super Bloom 2-in-1 Pre-Poo/Deep Conditioner ($32″> is a one-stop shop that is a great gift for any curly girl. This multi-purpose treatment is highly concentrated with vitamin-rich oils, nourishing butters and botanical extracts, such as ashwagandha and turmeric. It delivers intense hydration to strands and restores the scalp during both the pre- and post-shampoo steps of a hair routine.
ManeTRxx
Popular influencer turned entrepreneur Felicia is bringing all her expertise to your doorstep with her newest brand, ManeTrxx. Her products are all about helping to enhance the result of your current hair regime with herbal ingredients that can help boost shine, volume, and stimulate the scalp. The ManeTrxx bundle ($85″> is a great way to experience and sample the powerful results of each of these products.
Makeup
The Lip Bar
If you’re looking to help step up your skincare game this holiday season, The Lip Bar has you covered with a tons of great seats and bundles in bold shades and vibrant blushes you’ll love. Thw TLB X Kierra Sheard Kelly Divinely Feminine Collection ($55″> celebrates a collaboration between The Lip Bar and Kierra Sheard Kelly have linked up to celebrate women with high standards and high favor with our Divinely Feminine Collection. This collection features a special selection of our signature best sellers to get two divinely snatched looks all in one kit.
Black Radiance Beauty
Black Radiance is a makeup brand that supports the beauty and diversity of various ethnicities and skin tones. They feature an array of goodies like bronzers, mascara, blushes, highlighters, and lip gloss. Their latest Bold & Sexy Palette ($15.49″>
features 18 multi-purpose shades that can be used for eye shadow, blush, highlight and contour shades, making it the perfect palette for your glamorous beauty routine.
Bossy Beauty Cosmetics
The brand that combines the glamour of beauty with the desire of ambition and drive is here with two new palettes called Elegance Meets Strength ($45″> and “Beauty Meets Drive Combo Palettes ($45″>. These stunning palettes are not only gorgeous to look at but the pigments are deep, rich, luxurious, blendable, buildable, vegan, and cruelty-free! They comprise six eyeshadow shades as well as a blush and highlighter.
Selfcare
Golde
Golde is a superfood that doubles as self care because they desire to make wellness accessible, easy, and fun. Each of the products help to boost your daily routine whether it’s skincare or digestion. Their latest holiday must-have item is the Beauty Cocoa Kit ($36″>
which is a health alternative to your standard hot chocolate drink with healthy ingredients like bamboo extract, biotin, and collagen.
GaBBy Bows
We can all use a little inspiration and no one has a better entrepreneurial story than Gabby Goodwin. If you have a little reader in the house this is a fantastic book that can inspire the children in your life to dream as they follow the amazing story of the kid CEO and inventor of GaBBY Bows! Gabby Invents the Perfect Hair Bow ($19″> is a heart warming story that you’ll want to read again and again.
Puzzles of Color
Puzzles of Color has been taking the puzzle industry by storm with their vibrant, diverse, and detailed puzzles that span different ethnicities, cultures, and genders. Their latest puzzle “Old Classic” $26.99 comes from their third collection and showcases the representation of black female empowerment and the essence of living life. Their puzzles are also designed to be hung and framed as a stand-alone piece of art so you can brighten up your home after your hard work.
Brown Girl Jane
Founded by Spellman graduates Malaika Jones, Tai Beauchamp, and Nia Jones, Brown Girl Jane was created to elevate the self-care experience for women of color by providing plant-based solutions options for your daily routine. The Wanderlust collection trio ($168″> are a series of mood boosting fragrances that are scientifically formulated to deliver luxury and wellness with delicious scents like pear nectar, sage, suede, and amber in three different scents.
Flawless by Gabrielle Union
As we transition into a new season, Gabrielle Union and Larry Sims, co-founders of Flawless by Gabrielle Union, want to make sure you have everything you need to hydrate, define, repair, and protect your hair! The Donata Skinfood + Flawless bundle ($35″> is not only on sale, but is a winning combination that features moisturizing formulas that will renew and restore your hair, scalp, skin and spirit!
We love a good trend and nothing has been more popular over the past few months than the “Olaplex Trend”. This trend began during the spring season as Olaplex expanded its collection and curlies were experimenting with strategic ways to use the product.
What is the Olaplex Bun?
The “Olaplex Bun” focuses on slathering your hair with your chosen Olaplex product (for naturalistas No. 3 is our holy grail”> and then creating a simple slicked back bun that allows the product to absorb into your hair.
Read next: Is K18 Better Than Olaplex for Damaged Hair?
What are the benefits of the Olaplex Bun?
The appeal is that you can maximize your Olaplex product by allowing it to penetrate your hair follicles as a deep conditioner you can leave on for a few hours or overnight. If you’re a regular Olaplex user then you know it usually can sit on your hair for 10-20 minutes and then is washed out afterwards. For new users wondering what the Olaplex hype is about, let’s break down what Olaplex is and what naturalistas love it so much.
What is Olaplex?
Olaplex is a scientific system that is designed to help repair, protect, and strengthen damaged hair regardless of your texture or type. It’s very commonly used to treat damaged hair while you are at the salon, but you can buy your own bottle from popular retailers like SHOPNaturallyCurly, Amazon and Sephora. Each bottle ranges in focus for a specific hair treatment whether it’s to repair broken bonds, eliminate frizz, treat colored curls, or help with hydration. If you’re looking for an easy way to help make your hair easier, healthier, and stronger, this is a great system to invest in. The entire line consists of shampoos, oils, and masques, but for this trend we’re going to use their popular No.3 product.
@olaplex Yoga-plex?? Yeah that works ? #olaplexbun #olaplex #yoga #workout #youcandoboth #fyp ♬ GASLIGHT – INJI
@olaplex @Cokothenatural shows us how she rocks her curls in the newest hair trend, the #OLAPLEXbun ?The trendiest way to selfcare! #olaplex N°.0 & N°.3 available @sephora & @sephoracanada ✨#hairtok #olaplex #curlyhair #curlyhaircare #naturalhair #hairrepair #naturalhaircare #hairtips #hairgoals #hairinspo #Tiptok #spring #fashionforyou ♬ Lo-fi hip hop – NAO-K
@theamandabelair Oh my god ? @olaplex #fyp #hair #hairtutorial #curly #curlyhairtutorial #olaplex #olaplexno3 #olaplextreatment ♬ original sound – ScaryMommy
Trying Out the Olaplex Bun Trend
I have been an avid Olaplex No.3 user for a few years now since I started dying my hair. It’s a small bottle that packs a tiny punch so I use it 1x a week and sparingly. Since it runs about $28(without tax”> I definitely try to make it last as long as possible, so needless to say I’m crossing my fingers about this trend’s results.
You can use the trend on freshly washed hair or second day hair so I decided to use it between my wash days. If you don’t want to use the No.3 bottle then TikTok users have also the option to use the No.6 Bond Smoother.
One of the pivotal parts of this process is having to rewet your hair and dentagle it section by section. If this is too tedious it might just be easier to hop in the shower, but if you have the time then you can work the product in section by section.
You’ll then apply your Olaplex to each section of your hair and focus on either the tips or the entire section. I noticed my hair immediately responding to the No.3 which I don’t always get to see in the shower because I’m just waiting to wash it out. Seeing it’s immediate effect on my curls was very surprising and made me hopeful.
You’ll swoop your hair into a slicked back bun and make sure to brush down your edges if you plan to keep this style throughout the day. I planned to leave it on overnight so I sprayed extra water and tried to smooth it down as much as possible since I couldn’t add any other product on top. It didn’t drip off or fall off of my scalp and was styled very smoothly with my hair. It did begin to create a soft cast on my hair towards the end of the night that made my hair a little stiff, but it wasn’t anything too alarming.
When it washed out it was shiny, detangled, and felt very strong. It really set up my hair for success for the rest of my week.
Final Thoughts
This is a great, simple, and easy trend that gives you the benefits of a deep condition without having to wait around for wash day. It was great that my hair maintained the style throughout the day so it wasn’t a hassle or inconvenience. I might just make this a weekly routine because of how well my hair was hydrated and conditioned after this experience!
Read next: 3 Types of Hair Treatments – And Who Should Use Them
We’re very excited to be hitting up our favorite stores as we’re Christmas shopping, which means it’s time to head to Target. Target has become a staple of our daily lives whether you’re looking for cute decorations, stylish outfits, or glamming it up in the beauty aisle. We’re seeing more and more legendary curl brands on the shelves of Target stores which means this is a great place to knock out your curly girl gifts. Whether you are looking for gift sets or gifting a friend with a new product, here are the curly girl must-haves to shop for gifts at Target.
1. Mielle Soothing Scalp Wash Day Duo Gift Set
Mielle Organics is bringing the holiday cheer this season with their holiday kit ($14.99″> that brings together the ultimate wash day duo. Their oats and honey formula is specifically designed for sensitive scalps, helps eliminate dryness, and provides maximum hydration for the ultimate wash day. You can shop the kit online or in stores today!
2. Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel
Rizos Curls is a Latinx brand that has been blazing the curly circuit all year with fresh formulas and vibrant packaging that grabs your attention. The light hold gel ($19.99″> is made with ingredients like aloe vera, flaxseed, thyme, and helps to achieve the ultimate hold without the crunch or flaking. As one of their newest 2022 products, it’s a must-have item for your curly girl arsenal.
3. Be Rooted Notebook Gift Set for the Fitness Lover
Be Rooted has made waves in the stationary and paper space for their innovative, diverse, and inclusive design that puts women of color front and center. For the holidays they debuted several amazing holiday sets to help empower, inspire, and invigorate your goals. Whether you’re looking to kickstart your 2023 with a focus on fitness ($14.99″> or working on your green thumb, they feature a wide range of designs and options to inspire the women in your circle.
4. CURLS Blueberry Bliss Control Jelly
CURLS is coming through with their iconic Blueberry Bliss collection that is in full stock at Target. Their control jelly ($17.99″> is here to help defrizz, define your curls, and help refresh your curls between wash day. The entire collection is designed to help repair, restore, and condition overworked curls! Each product included within the collection is carefully formulated with certified organic blueberry extract, coconut oil, and aloe leaf juice.
5. Mixed Chicks Curl Sculptor
Bounce into the holiday season with Mixed Chicks! Their Curl Sculptor ($9.99″> is a mainstay in their collection for its ability to elongate, moisturize, and fast drying abilities for textured hair. It’s fortified with B5 vitamins to help nourish the hair and can be used across a variety of textures. If you like products that are lightweight and can be used with a rod or roller sets, this multi-faceted product is great.
6. The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam
The Doux is keeping your curls fresh to death this season. This dual-use mousse ($14.99″> provides the perfect amount of hold to define your curls or control your sleek look. The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam gives definition, shine, and volume to every hair type and curl pattern.
7. Kaleidoscope Miracle Drops
We can all use a little miracle to help replenish and moisturize our hair from time to time. The Kaleidoscope Miracle Drops ($19.99″> works hair and scalp oil is filled with essential oils to combat dry scalp, aid in hair growth, and offers a lightweight shine to hair. They are infused with cooling peppermint to enhance blood circulation and tea tree oil helps to cleanse the scalp and combat dryness.
8. SheaMoisture Curl & Shine Shampoo + Conditioner Infused with Coconut & Hibiscus Hair Kit
This is a holiday bundle you just cannot miss. Three amazing products ($19.99″> to help cleanse your scalp, define your curls, and reduce frizz. Shea Moisture brings together the hydrating ingredients of silk protein, shea butter, coconut oil, and hibiscus extract to improve and strengthen your curly hair routine.
9. Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Hair Care Gift Set Shampoo + Hair Mask
We can all use a little extra TLC during the season when life slows down a bit more than usual. If you’ve been in need of a kit ($14.99″> to help repair weak and damaged hair, this is a gift you want to buy. Carol’s Daughter includes a sulfate free shampoo and hair mask to help improve breakage-prone hair.
10. Tgin Rose Water Shampoo and Conditioner
We love a great wash day duo that we can carry and pack in such a cute case. Tgin is giving you the best of both worlds with their sulfate-free rose water shampoo and conditioner ($19.99″> that is sure to liven up your wash day. If you have low porosity hair and are looking for products that are gentle and hydrating, then this duo is a fantastic gift to take with you in 2023.
Stocking stuffers have always been a sweet surprise that can help add to the holiday excitement whether you’re an adult or a kid. The challenge that comes with stocking stuffers is finding the right products that are compact and powerful enough to include with all the other fun treats we get. For the beauty lover, we don’t want candy and trinkets, we want accessories, travel sets, and sample sizes of new brands we can test out for the new hair. Look no further than our line-up below which features a wide array of options for you to consider as you complete your last-minute shopping.
1. Bevel
Bevel is a men’s grooming brand that features exciting stocking options like their On-The-Go Gift Set ($12.71″> to help keep your favorite guy fresh and moisturized all day long. The kit includes Bevel’s top-selling shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and Dark Cassis body wash in convenient travel-ready 3.4oz pouches, designed for the person that’s on the go.
2. Damn Gina
Damn Gina was founded by Sumana Jayanth and features an array of haircare products for curly hair such as the highest quality silk turbans, pillowcases, scrunchies, and other protective hair accessories. The Hair Oil Highness ($36″> is an ultra-lightweight formula that combines ingredients like prickly pear seed and moringa seed oils to help strengthen hair from within. A simple, yet effective product that you can use on-the-go to help boost your shine and reduce frizz.
3. Pear Nova
Pear Nova is a luxury vegan, cruelty-free and nontoxic nail lacquer and nail care brand that includes over 35 bold to muted shades, that complement all complexions. Its founder Rachel James wanted to help fill the void for medium to dark skin tones in the nail world and committed to bridging that gap. The holiday essentials nail set ($54″> was featured on Oprah’s favorite things in 2020 and includes 4 luxury shades and 4 top coats to complete the manicure.
4. Bomba Curls
Bomba Curls is a Latina-founded brand that helps you celebrate your natural self with products made from premium and organic super-ingredients that will not only make your natural hair bomb, but also promote hair growth. The Silky Satin Scrunchies ($9″> are a great addition to any curly regime to help protect your curls from damage and reduce breakage.
5. yFoy
Nicole Murphy is the founder and CEO of yFOY’s which features a range of clean and organic wellness products. Getting up in the morning doesn’t have to be a hassle with her Morning Energy Booster ($20″> vegan capsules. They can help to kick-start your metabolism and will immediately enhance your morning routine with its blend of Vitamin B12, Chromium Picolinate, Caffeine, Garcinia Fruit, and Green Tea extract that naturally increases energy and focus.
6. FaceTory
FaceTory offers a promise to deliver clean products researched and envisioned in California and formulated in South Korea. They are formulated to be cruelty-free and without sulfates, paraben, fragrance, synthetic colors and EDTA. The seven facial masks collection ($13.95″> can help to add hydration and balance skin, each mask focuses on a different skin concern to help boost radiance and support the skin.
7. PUR Cosmetics
Are you ready to create effortless glam eye makeup looks this holiday season in minutes? PUR Cosmetics features holiday stocking stuffers that will help add glam to your eyes with their Eye Makeup trio ($22″> which includes our Full Size On Point Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen, Fully Charged Mascara Mini, and Full Size On Point Metallic Eye Gloss – a new limited edition metallic gloss hybrid eyeshadow.
8. Glow by Daye
Glow by Daye combines two favorites for a stocking stuffer treat that you will love. The Afro Geo Print Satin Lined Shower Cap AND Afro Geo Print Satin Bonnet ($42.99″> are packaged together as the perfect gift with an African Inspired Geometric Design with reverse side Solid Black.The satin material is designed for thicker and healthier hair that can adapt to fit almost any size head, hair length, or hair thickness.
9. Common Heir
Common Heir is here to elevate your skincare game with skincare ritual to help you massage your favorite serums into your skin. Their Gua Sha Facial Sculptor ($68″> helps to stimulate circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote collagen production. As a regular ritual, gua sha rituals promote lymphatic drainage to firm and sculpt, de-puff, and release tension in your facial muscles.
10. Kitsch
Kitsch is a brand that you want to support because many of their products are created with recycled materials in order to promote sustainability and accessibility. Their holiday collection features a wide range of products to keep your hair healthy and happy such as bottle-free shampoo and conditioner bars ($13 – $99″>, luxury shower caps ($18 – $38″>, to genius hair solutions like the viral TikTok Satin Heatless Curling Set ($24″>, celebrity loved statement bobby pins ($7 – $29″>, and the pull-free hair ties and scrunchies ($5 – $14″>.
11. Senegence
Senegence is backed by science and is known for rich colors that lasts up to 18 hours. As a woman-owned and founded brand, Sengence has grown to include makeup and skincare that make customers feel empowered and beautiful. Their new holiday collection features options like Merry & Bright ($45″>: This collection includes limited edition shades: Merry LipSense, Bright Gloss, Brilliant ShimmerShadowSense, Blissful ShadowSense, and a gold mini organza bag.
12. Essence Cosmetics
Essence Cosmetics is all about making beauty fun, affordable, and high-quality whether eye shadow, nail polish, lip gloss, and eyeliner. This season they are helping bring out your natural glow with this shimmery highlighter ($4.99“>, perfect for popping in the new year. A glass (or bottle in some cases”> pairs perfectly with the nude glowing product as both will make you the highlight of the night.
13. WonderCurl
Scalp massagers have been all the rage this season for their ability to help stimulate the scalp and promote circulation to help with healthy hair growth. The WonderCurl Stimulating Silicon Scalp Brush ($15″>. It can be used with your favorite shampoo while you are in the shower or pre-wash to help remove any build-up on your scalp, the soft, silicon bristles gently massage your scalp for a relaxing and luxurious experience.
What stocking stuffers are you wishing for this holiday season?
