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It should come as no surprise that due to the constant colonization of Black hair care products by non-Black corporations, there’s a sense of skepticism amongst some people of color over mainstream hair care. One of the latest examples of this is the Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil that went Tik Tok viral.
Mielle is a Black-founded company and a popular brand amongst people with textured hair-many of whom claimed their products worked well in their 3/4 hair types. When a white Tik Tok influencer showcased the product to their followers, aisles were cleared of it due to the new demand coming from non-textured hair types. This made the product much less accessible in many cases to the people that it was actually catered for. At the same time, white people were showcasing their new ‘discovery’ on social media platforms.
Shortly after, Mielle Organics was bought by Procter & Gamble, which is a white founded and run corporation. Consequently, prices were hiked up and there are rumors of ingredients changing in products.
Sadly, instances like this are all too familiar. In the past, revolutionary Black hair care companies like Shea Moisture and Carol’s Daughter have also been bought out by non-Black companies and delivered less than satisfactory results to the textured hair community.
On top of that, when it comes to natural and protective hairstyles, Black people have been discriminated against for their kinks, curls, twists, braids, etc., but also, in turn, get these looks appropriated by non-Black people.
It’s already hard to find trustworthy products for textured hair at a local drugstore, and when we do, we don’t know how long it will truly stay meant for us. It can be triggering when white people that try to take over Black-catered hair products claim, ‘It’s no big deal,’ because when has colonization ever been implemented to uplift Black people?
With that said, there are still many Black-owned and operated businesses that are proudly showing out for textured hair. There are also countless independent small Black-owned businesses that have a lot to offer.
Here are some Black-owned and operated hair care businesses to check out while searching for your next products.
Melanin Hair Care
https://melaninhaircare.com/pages/about-us
Melanin Haircare is a family-owned business founded by sisters Whitney and Taffeta White in 2015. Their products are non-toxic, nutrient-rich, and available in Sephora, Ulta and Target.
Los Organic Solutions
https://www.losorganicsolutions.com
A small business founded by Imani Hall, Los Organic Solutions has all homemade products with ingredients sourced directly from Kingston, Jamaica, which is where Hall’s family is from.
Blumseed
Blumseed is another independent haircare brand founded by Zakiyyah Alexander. The brand boasts clean products formulated without toxins or chemicals. They also state on their page, “We are here because conventional, multicultural, poly-ethnic toxic products impede your experience of beauty.”
Alysium Beauty
Alysium Beauty is a handmade beauty brand that’s owned and operated by Black women. CEO & Director, Skye Richards highlights on their website that her own struggle with her natural hair journey was one of the driving forces in building her business. All of their products are plant-based, non-toxic and eco-friendly.
Moorelove Hair Growth
https://moorelovehg1.myshopify.com
Moorelove Hair Growth is another small business that has a wide range of all-natural products that are great for hair growth, wash days and loc maintenance.
Melly J Formula
Founded by Melly J, these products offer a refined hair care experience for textured hair. The products highlight anti-breakage, moisture treatments, and scalp care. They also offer luxury satin bonnets and scrunchies.
Pigmented
https://www.thepigmented.com/shop-all
Pigmented is a small independent brand run by Dacia Petrie, who makes and packages all her products at home from her kitchen. Her Ayurvedic Whipped Shea Butter Cream received viral attention after she posted a video of herself making it on Tik Tok.
Adwoa Haircare
Founded by Julian Addo, Adwoa Haircare is a booming business focused on uplifting Black hair. It can be found in Sephora.
CurlyGurlNaturalz
https://www.curlygurlnaturalz.com/
Founded by Donise Graham, CurlyGurlNaturalz has great products for natural hair moisture and retention. The business offers oils, a signature Mangobutter Moisture Curl Pudding and more.
Bread Beauty Supply
https://breadbeautysupply.com/
Launched in 2020, Bread Beauty Supply was founded by Maeva Heim. Growing up, Heim’s mother owned a braiding salon in Perth, Australia, which inspired her hair career.
She worked with companies, Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal, and stated in an interview with Vogue Magazine, “After working at these big brands, I felt they weren’t talking to me, or the people who look like me.”
