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Ensuring haircare can be accessible to more women, Curls Dynasty has expanded from the kitchen to retail shelves. Not only can the brand be found in select Walmart and Target stores, but in addition, the haircare brand secured a deal with Kroger back in January 2022, according to a press release. This marks another win for Haitian entrepreneur Nickie Nougaisse, who founded the company five years ago after her personal struggles stemming from a relaxer. “Curls Dynasty was born out of my own hair care journey. It wasn’t easy figuring out which products worked best after deciding to go natural with my hair. My cabinet was filled with lots of unreliable solutions from different brands and after a while, I decided that I was going to do it myself, ” Nougaisse said, according to a press release. Nougaisse created a hair oil from her kitchen, which bookmarked her venture toward healthy haircare. It was not long before others began flocking to Nougaisse for tips and advice. Evidently many...
CURLS just furthered its commitment to investing in wealth-building for Black woman entrepreneurs! According to PR Newswire , CURLS founder and CEO Mahisha Dellinger has partnered with Beauty by Imagination to launch the Black Women Making Millions Academy: Mastering the Business, the Money, & the Mindset. The goal is to empower 25,000 Black woman-owned businesses through a virtual initiative set to be held two days every weekend Between July 2021 and May 2022. Both current and aspiring business owners are encouraged to register for the free event which includes panels, presentations, and workshops for business success. The activities will be hosted by a range of experts in the business including CURLS founder and CEO Mahisha Dellinger who released a statement in an official press release: “I’m excited about this initiative because it’s about opening doors and building our communities. Black woman-owned businesses are up over 300% but only 4% of us will make it to millionaire status...
Researchers have developed algorithms that accurately depict coily Black hair in computer graphics — a historic advancement for Black characters in media. According to The Guardian, AM Darke, an associate professor in the department of performance, play, and design at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Theodore Kim, a professor of computer science at the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, co-authored the study. Despite increased representation and numerous papers published on computer graphics algorithms over the past 50 years — particularly regarding hair — Kim noted that representations of Black hair have remained relatively unchanged. Due to a lack of appropriate formulas, animators have struggled to accurately depict textures like type 4C hair , characterized by tightly coiled curls. “There’s only one or two hairstyles that people gravitate towards because they find that it’s culturally approved,” Kim said. “The vast diversity of type four hair is then...
12-year-old Zoe Oli is making history with Target! As AFROTECH™ previously reported, she is the genius behind Beautiful Curly Me, a doll company empowering young Black girls. The company stemmed from a lack of confidence she had with her natural hair at the age of 6, comparing it to the straight hair her classmates had. Even after her mother purchased her a Black doll, Oli could not help but notice the doll still did not have her textured hair. So by the age of 7, she officially became an entrepreneur. “My mom got me a Black doll that looked like me to help, and it really did but I noticed that the doll did not have hair that looked like mine and I wanted dolls with curls and braids, so when she went back to the stores couldn’t find any,” Oli explained during ForbesBLK Summit 2024. “I decided that I wanted to make my own business and do something about it, and that’s how I got started.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beautiful Curly Me (@beautifulcurlyme) Oli hopes to...
Richualist Founder Dawn Myers has scored an investment from “Sharks” Mark Cuban and Emma Grede. On Friday April 5, the founder was featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” The purpose of the show is to offer opportunities to entrepreneurs who are looking to start or scale their business by securing funding from its lineup of venture capitalists, its website mentions. The episode starring Myers featured “Sharks” Cuban and Grede, along with Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, and Robert Herjavec. Photo Credit: Christopher Willard Myers was seeking a $150,000 investment in exchange for 10% stake in her company. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Myers launched The Mint, a hair tool that includes six attachments to detangle and style all hair types, with a special focus on curly to coily types, classified as 3A to 4C. Its technology warms liquid hair products between 130 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit for deeper penetration into the scalp. Myers said on the show she is currently in talks...
The hit film, “King Richard,” proved that Venus and Serena Williams owed more than a little bit of their success to their father. But, as it turns out, they got more than a little bit of help from the rest of their family, as well. First, the contributions of their mother, Oracene Price, cannot be overstated. In 2008, ESPN journalist Bonnie Ford noted that Price played just as much of a role as “King Richard” in cultivating success in Venus and Serena Williams, even if she preferred to be more in the background than her more extroverted husband. Photo Credit: Taylor Hill “Price is a self-made mother of five who was a teacher and a nurse before reinventing herself as a tennis mentor, so it’s not surprising that she would encourage her daughters to lay the foundation for the second act of their lives, even if it sometimes diverts their attention from forehands and backhands,” ESPN reported. “‘Besides,'” she said, looking out from under an impressive cloud of apricot curls, ‘you get...
Artist Vegalia Jean-Pierre’s journey as a TikToker opened up opportunities for her dream to build innovative products. In 2020, the Minnesota native launched her TikTok account, where she amplifies representation for the community through drawing Black cartoon characters, as well as social activism following the passing of George Floyd. Jean-Pierre’s social media presence — now at over 500,000 followers — landed the young artist a $50,000 TikTok grant to grow her innovative business, by.Vegalia. As previously reported by AfroTech, TikTok and MACRO awarded 10 Black creators, including Jean-Pierre, with $500,000 in grants. The young entrepreneur’s brand is her own set of digital brushes that draw Black hair textures including braids, curls, locs, twists and more. @byvegalia The curl brushes are for Procreate. Photoshop and CSP! What software would you like to see them on next? #brushbyvegalia ♬ WFM – Realestk
SheaMoisture is making this Mother’s Day a whole lot sweeter with some help from one of R&B’s most promising stars. This Mother’s Day, SheaMoisture has partnered with singer-songwriter Ari Lennox to kickoff a campaign that aims to celebrate the unique and vital roles that moms and mother-figures play in guiding young Black girls developing hair journeys. The campaign — which is launching in tandem with SheaMoisture’s new Wig & Weave Hair Care collection — highlights the multigenerational tradition of passing on healthy hair regimens and values that empower young Black women to embrace their natural curls and coils. “We are so thrilled to be a part of this campaign with SheaMoisture,” Lennox says. “My mom’s guidance has been so integral throughout my personal hair journey, and she is a source of inspiration within my life. For many women, our mothers and mother figures teach us and guide us in a way that fosters confidence and encourages authenticity. They are the first examples of...
CÎROC, Combs Enterprises, and Culture Creators have announced the latest cohort of “Empowered Women,” and as always, the list features a who’s who of amazing Black women across a swath of various industries and talents. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the following women were being honored in this new cohort: Anastasia Williams — BUSINESS — Founder, The A-List Angela Christine Stevens — ART & STYLE — Founder, Conscious Curls Hair Ashley Kalmanowitz — ENTERTAINMENT — VP Publicity, Atlantic Records Brandice Daniel — ART & STYLE — Owner, Harlem Fashion Row Gail Mitchell — ENTERTAINMENT — Executive Director, R&B/Rap, Billboard Magazine Grace James — ENTERTAINMENT — SVP Marketing, Atlantic Records Jaia Thomas — BUSINESS — Founder, Diverse Representation Justina Omokhua — BUSINESS — SVP Brand Marketing, Endeavor Kimberly M. Jenkins — ART & STYLE — Lecturer, Founder Fashion + Race Database Kristi Henderson — SOCIAL IMPACT — Social Impact & Experiential Marketing...
Black people have always loved anime, whether their fandom began with “Sailor Moon” and “Pokémon” or they cut their teeth on “Naruto” and “Dragon Ball Z.” But much like other creative mediums, the relationship between the Japanese animation medium and its Black characters has been one in need of more accurate and diverse representation. Over the years, award-winning Funimation voice actors Anairis Quiñones and Zeno Robinson — best known for their roles as Mirko and Hawks in “My Hero Academia”— have seen more progression in anime away from its problematic beginnings. “‘Cyborg 009’is a legendary series from the ’80s, and its character Pynuma’s portrayal from the ’80s till now has drastically changed,” said Robinson, who has studied under greats like Phil LaMarr, Ginny McSwain, and Tony Oliver. “His first portrayal had big lips and exaggerated features, but as time progressed, his character design changed to look more like an actual human being. It’s a testament to the times.” Quiñones...
Madam C.J. Walker has been long since credited as one of the most successful Black beauty entrepreneurs in American history. Way before Black-owned beauty brands began taking over the market, it was her namesake hair-care company that pioneered a space for these businesses to prosper. Walker’s highly sought out creation — Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower — was a homemade treatment she experimented with that eventually became one of the most innovative products known to hair-care. Her explosive product allowed her to tour the country to share her hair care tips and hair grower with Black women all over. Her 20th century beauty empire and million-dollar legacy single-handedly paved the way for other Black women entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and create an inspiring path in the world of beauty today. Not only was she a role model as a self-made businesswoman, but also as a leading educator and philanthropist as well. Between opening her own hair school and supporting...
2020 has truly been the year of flexibility. When it comes to our AfroTech family, it’s meant learning to pivot to ensure the show indeed goes on. Each year, the Oakland-based event provides the opportunity for founders and employees at some of the nation’s fastest-growing tech startups to officially debut their companies and present their digital strategies for success. This year’s AfroTech conference culminated in a virtual avatar experience called AfroTech World and featured a two-day initiative called the AfroTech World Founders Showcase presented by the Amazon Alexa Fund. Designed as a means for seed-stage startups to pitch to and network with notable venture capitalists, incubators and angel investors — including Y Combinator, Founder Gym, Precursor Ventures and MaC Venture Capital among others — dialed in all week long at AfroTech World to scope out emerging change-makers. It’s an opportunity not often given to Black and Latinx startups, who received less than 3% of available...
More allyship in the beauty industry is needed for Black and brown-founded brands who deserve a bigger platform to showcase their work. Thirteen Lune — a first-of-its-kind e-commerce platform — is setting out to create that space for these founders in a way that resonates with their consumers and also creates more financial gains for these brands. According to a press release, Thirteen Lune was launched to create an experience for consumers that allows them to discover beauty brands founded by Black and Brown entrepreneurs. As stated on the platform’s website, Thirteen Lune is considered the world’s first fully inclusive beauty platform that redefines how Black and Brown beauty brands are viewed from a consumer and industry standpoint. The purpose of the platform is to give each beauty brand a space to both educate and engage a wider audience. Thirteen Lune was co-founded by Nyakio Grieco — founder of nyakio™️ Beauty — and Patrick Herning — founder and CEO of plus size-inclusive...
The beauty industry is not exempt when it comes to diversity. Due to consumers’ demand for more inclusivity stores are offering more brands to provide a more accurate reflection of their shoppers. Retail company Nordstrom has announced the unveiling of its “An Inclusive Beauty” category for both in-store and online after the request for more Black-owned and founded brands. “We heard from our customers that they are looking for Black founded brands as well as beauty products created for everyone’s needs no matter their skin or hair type, tone, complexion, or texture, said Autumne West, Nordstrom’s national beauty director, in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE . “We worked to broaden our assortment based on this customer feedback.” Their new category has been able to propel numerous Black-owned businesses which include Afro-Dominican entrepreneur Lulu Cordero with Bomba Curls. “They appreciated the fact that Bomba Curls is a brand on a mission to broaden the spectrum of beauty and...
Supporting Black businesses has become a common practice for many over the last few months as people are demanding non-Black consumers to put their money where their mouth is. As we continue to fight for racial equality in America, Black businesses all over are working to create more economic opportunities that benefit all. In doing so, they also ask for customers to support their efforts to compete with the bigger e-commerce businesses of the world like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and others. In celebration of Black Business Month, check out the below list of Black-owned businesses to replace everyday essential shopping: Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories Nubian Skin View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nubian Skin (@nubianskin) Nubian Skin is an inclusive hosiery and lingerie brand that was founded specifically to cater to people of color and their skin tones. The brand offers intimates for both men and women, including bras, underwear, menswear, swimwear, and more. Kahmune View...