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Best Black-Owned Hair Care Brands to Shop in 2022 – Our Ongoing Series!
By Jacqueline Samaroo
Hey, hey! Welcome to CurlyNikki’s ongoing series featuring a mix of well-known and up-and-coming Black-owned hair care brands.
Each has an identity all its own but they are all connected by a common goal: creating Black hair products that will produce the best results for textured hair. A healthy scalp and hair, leading to curls with tons of definition, hydration, and bounce are what these brands are all about.
And, stay tuned – there are more than 50 companies in the series. We’ll feature a new lineup of Black-owned brands for you each Friday!
Here are the five Black-owned hair care brands we are highlighting for you today.
1. Soultanicals
A desire to put an end to tearful detangling sessions with her daughter was all the inspiration Ayo Ogun needed when she decided to start Soultanicals. Ogun introduced Soultanicals in 2012 as a vegan option among Black-owned hair care brands. It is dedicated to producing totally vegan, toxin-free, cruelty-free haircare and body care products. Its range of natural haircare products is designed for multi-textured hair and is made of “a unique blend of organic, plant-based, herbal, and African botanical ingredients.”
Products shoutout:
Soultanicals Marula- Muru Moisture Guru Hair Cream
Formulated with murumuru butter, marula oil, and pracaxi oil to provide maximum moisture to dry, coarse coils. Leaves your hair with the nutty scent of cocoa and bananas.
Soultanicals Knot Sauce Coil Detangler
A detangler, conditioner, and a leave-in conditioner that softens and adds slip to curls thanks to ingredients that include aloe vera, marshmallow root, and blue malva flower extract.
Related articles:
- 3 Healthy Hair Butters for Natural Hair – Shea, Mango, and Murumuru
- 14 Top Detanglers to Add to Your Natural Hair Care Routine
2. Melanin Haircare
Sisters Whitney and Taffeta White started Melanin Haircare in 2015 and it has been gaining rave reviews since then. The brand creates natural haircare products made of “all-natural and safe-synthetic ingredients” that are nutrient-rich and designed to fit into any budget. Melanin Haircare is committed to providing non-toxic products and assures its customers, “If we wouldn’t put it in our hair, or our children’s hair, we will not put it in our bottles.”
Products shoutout:
Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Softening Leave-In Conditioner
Strengthens and conditions your hair with ingredients that include wheat amino acids, baobab seed oil, and argan oil. Use as a pre-poo, styling cream, detangler, and conditioner.
Melanin Haircare Twist-Elongating Style Cream
A lightweight, hydrating, and moisturizing cream made with five hair butters: shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, kokum butter, and cupuaçu, as well as avocado and sweet almond oil.
Related articles:
- What Is Hair Butter? 10 Excellent Hair Butters for Hair Growth!
- 11 Fabulous Benefits of Leave-In Conditioner for Natural Hair
- 12 Tips to Keep Twist Outs Looking Awesome Overnight and Longer!
3. Grace Eleyae
Grace Eleyae created her eponymous brand in 2014 with the goal of helping women “look and feel confident” as they go about their busy daily lives. It features “modern haircare protection that actually works” with its range of headwear that includes the hugely popular Slap Silky Adjustable Cap – one of the best-known and best-loved sleep caps offered by Black-owned hair care brands. Grace Eleyae also sells wraps, baseball caps, turbans, and scrunchies in silk and satin that are stylish, comfortable, and functional.
Products shoutout:
Grace Eleyae GE Satin-Lined Slap Silky Sleep Cap
The Original Slap (Satin-Lined Cap) is adjustable to fit various sizes. Stylish enough to wear throughout the day and protective enough to sleep in at night.
Grace Eleyae GE Women’s Adjustable Turban
Keep friction and frizzing at bay with this pre-tied, ready-to-wear, satin-lined turban. Its hidden drawstring allows you to get just the right fit to cover and protect your hair.
Related articles:
- What’s the Best Silk Bonnet for Sleeping? Meet Our Top 15 Contenders!
- Do The Best Silk Pillowcases for Hair and Skin Really Work? Top 3 Benefits
4. CurlMix
CurlMix began life as one of the few Black-owned hair care brands offering a box subscription service. When that didn’t pan out, its founders, the husband and wife team of Tim and Kim Lewis, pivoted the company into one of the newest, successful Black-owned hair care brands. CurlMix aims to be “the most trusted hair care partner of Black women in the world,” offering non-toxic haircare products and accessories. There are also lessons taught by Kim on hair and haircare through its CurlMix University.
Products shoutout:
CurlMix Defining Flaxseed Gel with Organic Argan Oil for Softening
One of five CurlMix Flaxseed Gels. There’s also Jojoba Oil for Moisture, Sweet Almond Oil for Sensitive Skin, Hemp Seed Oil for Hair Growth, and Castor Oil for Strengthening.
CurlMix Flex Brush
A super popular hairbrush designed to help you to detangle kinky to loosely curly hair with minimum stress. It reduces split ends, shedding, and helps to define curls.
Related articles:
- Flaxseed Oil for Curly Hair – 4 Amazing Benefits
- The Difference between Essential Oils and Carrier Oils – 4 Really Good Things to Know
5. Design Essentials
Cornell McBride was already a revolutionary force in the Black haircare industry when he founded Design Essentials (currently one of the leading Black-owned hair care brands) in 1990. He and his partner had already started, grown, and sold their first business, M&M Products Company, to Johnson Products. With Design Essentials, McBride brings “premium, quality hair care solutions with the education and knowledge to effectively use them in the salon and at home.”
Products shoutout:
Design Essentials Almond and Avocado Daily Hair Moisturizing Lotion
Made with almond and avocado oils to strengthen and nourish your scalp and strands. Try out their entire Almond & Avocado Collection, including shampoo, mousse, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner.
Design Essentials Moroccan Argan Oil Detangling Blow-Dry Conditioner
A part of the Design Essentials Wigs & Extensions Collection that also features shampoo, finishing thermal serum – for taking care of your human or synthetic hair wigs and extensions.
Related articles:
- Curly Haircare 101: Is Gel or Mousse Better for Curly Hair?
- Natural Hair Care: Protecting Natural Hair Under a Wig – 12 Fantastic Tips
- Thinking of Using a Wig as A Protective Style? Here Are 7 Awesome Reasons to Go for It!
So, did we feature any of your favorite Black-owned hair care brands this week? Let us know!
