hair Archives - SHOPPE BLACK

Published on May 27, 2024June 4, 2024

3 mins read

Pressed Roots Secures Millions, Expands Salons Specializing in Textured Hair

Frustrated by a lack of haircare options catering to highly textured hair, Piersten Gaines founded Pressed Roots in 2020.

This visionary salon chain specializes in caring for and styling coils and kinks, offering a transformative experience that goes beyond haircuts and styling.

Inspired by her own journey and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those with natural hair, Gaines has built Pressed Roots into a thriving business, breaking barriers in venture capital funding and spearheading a movement of empowerment and education within the beauty industry.

Pressed Roots

Strategic Growth and Investment

In the early days after Pressed Roots’ launch, she successfully raised approximately $500,000 in investment capital. This initial boost allowed her to lay a solid foundation for her burgeoning business.

A year later, in 2021, Gaines’ visionary approach and the salon’s growing reputation attracted an additional $2.5 million in investment. This influx of capital was instrumental in expanding Pressed Roots’ reach and enhancing its service offerings.

Breaking Barriers in Venture Capital

The road to success has not been without its challenges. In 2023, the venture capital landscape was particularly tough for Black entrepreneurs, with funding dropping to a mere 0.13 percent of total capital invested. Undeterred, Gaines persevered and achieved a significant victory by raising $3.1 million.

This round of funding included investors such as Slauson & Co and RevTech Ventures, as well as high-profile figures like Naomi Osaka, Howard Schultz, and Meg Whitman.

Financial Success and Expansion

The financial trajectory of Pressed Roots has been equally impressive. By 2022, the company was booking more than $2 million in annual revenue.

This figure rose to $3.5 million the following year, reflecting the growing demand for Pressed Roots’ services and the salon’s reputation for excellence.

As of March, Pressed Roots operated three stores, with plans underway to open a fourth location. This expansion is a testament to the salon’s popularity and the effectiveness of Gaines’ strategic growth plan.

Pressed Roots

Community and Education

Beyond its services, Pressed Roots is committed to community building and education. The salon regularly hosts workshops and events to educate clients on natural hair care, fostering a sense of community and empowerment among its clientele.

The Future of Pressed Roots

With Piersten Gaines at the helm, Pressed Roots is poised for continued growth and innovation. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and her strategic vision have positioned the salon as a leader in the beauty industry.

As Pressed Roots expands its footprint and continues to break new ground, it remains dedicated to its core mission: celebrating and caring for natural hair with expertise and passion.

by Tony O. Lawson

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Published on March 5, 2024March 18, 2024

3 mins read

Crowning Glory: How Zigleys is Redefining Luxury Hair Jewelry

Daria Dana, the founder of Zigleys, isn’t just creating luxurious hair jewelry; she’s redefining the narrative around Black hair and its adornment.

Her journey began with a personal observation – a realization that while she adorned herself with exquisite jewelry, her “crown,” her natural hair, lacked the same level of refinement. This sparked a fire within her, and fueled by a deep love for her heritage and a desire to empower others, Zigleys was born.

Driven by the vision of “jewelry for your crown, fit for royalty,” Daria embarked on a year-long mission to bring her vision to life. From meticulously selecting the name – a tribute to her father’s nickname for her and a symbol of the brand’s unique identity – to collaborating with skilled artisans in New York City, each step was taken with intention and deep respect for craftsmanship.

The result? A collection of exquisite hair jewelry pieces, handcrafted in 18-karat gold, some adorned with diamonds, designed to celebrate and elevate the beauty of locs, braids, and twists.

Beyond the undeniable elegance of the pieces, Zigleys carries a deeper significance. It’s a celebration of Black culture and history, where intricate hair adornment has held deep meaning for centuries. Daria weaves this rich heritage into each design, ensuring every piece is not just an accessory, but a symbol of pride, resilience, and cultural significance.

The brand’s impact extends beyond aesthetics. Zigleys is actively involved in fostering conversations about Black hair, challenging negative stereotypes, and promoting self-love within the community.

Daria’s optimism, fueled by her unwavering belief in following her intuition and purpose, is a cornerstone of Zigleys’ journey. She embodies the spirit of the brand – one that celebrates individuality, empowers self-expression, and honors the cultural richness of Black hair.

As Zigleys expands, offering not just exquisite adornments but also venturing into high-end hair care, one thing remains certain: Daria Dana and Zigleys are on a mission to redefine the narrative, ensuring that the Black community has access to the very best, not just in hair care and adornment, but in the way their cultural expressions are valued and celebrated.

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Published on March 5, 2023March 5, 2023

5 mins read

Black Hair Matters: How the CROWN Act is Fighting Back Against Hair Discrimination

The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair)) is a California law that extends protection under the FEHA and the California Education Code to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. It is the first state-level legislation in the United States to prohibit such discrimination.

The CROWN Act has been enacted in several U.S. states, including California, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Colorado, as well as in some municipalities.

The CROWN Act represents a significant stride in tackling discrimination in various institutions. This legislation prohibits employers, schools, and other entities from discriminating against individuals because of their natural hair texture, style, or protective hairstyles such as braids, twists, and locs. Furthermore, it offers protection against discrimination based on hair length, texture, or hairstyles associated with a particular race or ethnicity.

One of the most notable cases of hair discrimination in recent years was the case of Andrew Johnson, a high school wrestler from New Jersey. In 2018, Johnson was forced to cut off his locs before a wrestling match, or else forfeit the match. The incident sparked outrage and reignited the conversation about hair discrimination in schools and sports.

In 2017, two Black high school students in Massachusetts, Mya and Deanna Cook, were prohibited from participating in any extracurricular activities at their school, including prom.

The school threatened to suspend the Cook sisters for violating the dress code after they refused to take out their braided hair extensions and were given multiple hours of detention. The Cooks fought back. Students, parents, organizations, and the Massachusetts attorney general rallied against the school, condemning its rules as discriminatory and in violation of both state and federal laws.

Another high-profile case was that of Chastity Jones, who lost a job offer because of her dreadlocks. Jones was offered a job at Catastrophe Management Solutions in Alabama, but the company rescinded the offer after she refused to cut her dreadlocks. Jones filed a lawsuit, but it was dismissed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the company’s policy did not constitute race discrimination.

These cases illustrate the pervasive nature of hair discrimination and the need for legislative action to protect individuals from discrimination based on their natural hair. The CROWN Act and similar legislation are essential steps towards ending this form of discrimination and creating a more inclusive society.

However, some critics argue that it is unnecessary and could lead to frivolous lawsuits. Opponents argue that employers and schools should have the right to enforce dress codes and grooming policies as they see fit. They also claim that it could lead to confusion and legal challenges, as it may be difficult to determine what constitutes discrimination based on hair.

Despite these criticisms, the CROWN Act has received widespread support from advocates, lawmakers, and civil rights groups. Supporters argue that natural hair discrimination is a serious issue that has long-lasting impacts on Black individuals, including limiting job opportunities and affecting their self-esteem.

In addition to legislation, many companies and organizations have also taken steps to address hair discrimination. For example, in 2019, the Army revised its grooming policies to allow for natural hairstyles such as twists and locs. Several major companies, including Dove and Pantene, have launched campaigns to celebrate and promote natural hair.

This legislation is an important step towards ending hair discrimination and creating a more inclusive society. It sends a powerful message that discrimination based on hair texture, style, or protective hairstyles will no longer be tolerated. However, more work needs to be done to address systemic racism and discrimination in all forms.

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Published on May 11, 2022June 26, 2022

4 mins read

The 5 Best Vitamins for Hair and Nail Growth

Vitamins are a kind of organic micronutrient that is vital in keeping our bodies healthy. They are responsible for keeping the cells in our body functioning normally, regulating growth and development, and also for the maintenance of healthy hair, skin, and nails.

This makes the fact that up to 92% of African-Americans may be vitamin deficient even more alarming.

If you are struggling with brittle nails that chip off easily, hair that is thinning, or skin that is dull and lifeless, you may have vitamin deficiencies.

Studies show that vitamin deficiencies can not only cause hair loss but also worsen hair loss that is caused by other circumstances.

Different vitamins are responsible for keeping different bodily functions healthy.

Here is a look at some of the vitamins most responsible for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Biotin

Biotin is of the most important vitamins for hair growth. It is also known as Vitamin B7. It is found naturally in small amounts in foods like egg yolks and meat. Keep in mind that if you are taking certain antibiotics, medication for epilepsy, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you are at a higher risk of being deficient in biotin.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for your gut to be able to absorb iron, an essential mineral nutrient that carries oxygen to all parts of your body. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, and pale skin.

To avoid this, ensure that you eat foods rich in vitamin C like citrus fruits, potatoes, and bell peppers. Taking vitamin supplements can ensure that you always have enough vitamins in your body irrespective of your diet.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is naturally made in our body when our skin is exposed to the sun. However, pigmentation can reduce the production of this vitamin and so, African-Americans are at a higher risk for developing Vitamin D insufficiency.

This vitamin is responsible for calcium and phosphorus regulation and is essential for maintaining strong bones, teeth, and nails. A lack of this vitamin may also result in red, dry, itchy patches on your skin.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps protect the skin’s two outermost layers against sun damage. It is an antioxidant, so it shields the skin from oxidative stress, allowing the skin cells to heal and regenerate at a much quicker rate while simultaneously destroying the free radicals that break down collagen. It is naturally available in cheese, eggs, and oily fish.

Vitamin E

Apart from maintaining a healthy immune system, this vitamin is essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It is a fat-soluble vitamin with several forms, but alpha-tocopherol is the only one used by the human body. It is naturally available in sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, and beet greens.

Although vitamins are available from natural sources, availability, affordability, diet restrictions due to illness, and lifestyle choices may make it difficult for you to maintain optimum levels of all these vitamins through natural sources alone. This is why supplements are advised.

Check out Problk Health Vitamin supplements specially crafted to help ensure healthy hair and nail growth.

Published on January 18, 2022January 18, 2022

2 mins read

Black Owned Plant-Based Hair Extension Brand Raises $1.4 Million

Many Black women and men wear their hair in protective styles such as twists and braids that use hair extensions that are often made from plastic.

According to a 2020 report by Refinery29, synthetic hair is made up of “ultra-fine strands of plastic” and non-biodegradable materials like polyester, acrylic, and PVC that contribute to landfills. Synthetic hair can also cause severe scalp irritation and itchiness on contact.

This scalp irritation is what inspired Rebundle, a Black owned plant-based hair extension brand, to offer a biodegradable alternative to synthetic braiding hair. They are the first beauty brand to address both the health and environmental disparities in the hair extensions industry.

The St. Louis-based startup is led by co-founder and CEO Imani May and co-founder and chief marketing officer Danielle Washington.

May got the idea for Rebundle after experiencing discomfort from her braids while wearing braids back to back as she grew her hair out.

When the brand officially launched its first product, Braid Better hair, in Jan. 2021, the pre-order inventory sold out within a month, with over 14% of sales coming directly from Instagram. The page also grew from 1,000 followers to now over 14,000.

The product is made from naturally extracted banana fiber, which is sourced internationally. The hair can be cut, dyed, and manipulated the same as any other hair. It is also resistant to heat and can be flat ironed.

Yesterday, the Rebundle announced that it has raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round.

Several investors participated in Rebundle’s financing, including St. Louis startup funder Arch Grants, a nonprofit. Other investors included RareBreed Ventures, M25, Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, Sku’d Ventures, Chicago Early, Big Delta Capital, Precursor Ventures, Evergreen Climate Innovations and Innocreative Capital.

The new investment will be used to plans to add additional team members and establish a new local manufacturing facility.

Tony O. Lawson

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Published on November 4, 2021

5 mins read

Cancer Survivor Starts a Medical Wig Business That Caters to Black Cancer Patients

For Black people, our hair is intrinsic to our identity—both culturally and individually. From fros to braids to wash n’ go’s, how we style our hair is fundamental to who we are, and the loss of it can be devastating.

Dianne Austin knows this better than most. In 2011, entrepreneur and founder of Coils to Locs, Dianne abandoned the years of relaxers she put in her hair and began the journey of growing out and learning to love her natural hair as it was.

The natural hair journey is a long and arduous one, filled with trial, error, and a lot of research to figure out what works best to keep Black hair healthy. To Black women, it’s more than just hair. It’s about self-discovery. Your hair becomes just as much a part of you as a limb.

In 2015, Dianne was diagnosed with breast cancer and discovered that with the tough treatments she’d have to undergo, she would lose both her hair and the identity she’d found with it. On her search to find a wig she could buy under her health insurance that would match her hair type, she was distraught to find out it didn’t exist, and if it did, she—and millions of other Black women struggling with hair loss—couldn’t find it.

“When I went to the hospital, I was being treated at to get a wig, I realized they didn’t have any coily or curly wig styles,” Dianne explained. “I went to some other major hospitals in the Boston area and found that those hospitals and boutiques didn’t carry wigs that looked like my hair at all. It was all just straight wigs or wavy wigs.”

Dianne learned that women with hair like her own had only one option: buy one of the straight wigs available under her health insurance and take it to another salon to have it styled to her desirability. This option forced her to pay out of pocket to retain a sense of identity.

The ratio between Black and white people diagnosed with cancer is virtually equal—so why don’t wigs represent both groups accurately? “It’s a disparity,” Dianne says and is the key reason she decided to team up with her sister, natural hair blogger Pamela Shaddock, to co-found Coils to Locs.

Coils to Locs, a supplier of medical, afro-textured wigs that cover kinky coils, tight curls, locs, and more, launched during the winter of 2019. The company currently operates out of multiple cancer treatment centers and medical hair loss boutiques across the United States with the hope to expand to more locations.

When asked about what makes medical wigs so important, Dianne remarks that it’s about more than vanity. Going through hair loss, whether it’s due to cancer treatments or a disorder such as alopecia, is conducive to trauma.

You lose your dignity, a sense of self, and for some women, you lose your femininity. A wig can remedy those feelings and provide a semblance of control over something you otherwise are unable to. A good wig can renew your connection to yourself and your community.

Dianne believes Black women deserve the chance to retain control over their appearance and beauty just as much as other women, and she hopes her wigs can give them that chance.

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Published on October 15, 2021October 26, 2021

4 mins read

3 Ways To Create A Salon That Caters To Those With Natural Hair

Could you imagine walking into just any salon off the street without an appointment to get your hair done as someone with textured hair? For most of us, the answer is probably no.

You already know as someone with natural hair that chances are, most stylists at salons don’t know how to care for your hair. Being turned away by a receptionist isn’t something anyone wants or should have to experience. So you would think that by now, cosmetology schools and hair salon owners properly trained all hairstylists to style textured hair—which 65% of the U.S. population has, by the way.

natural hair

Unfortunately, while salons continue to exclude those of us with kinky, coily, or curly hair from their list of services, they miss out on serving a significant portion of their communities. It’s past time that licensed professionals stopped treating textured hair as a special interest and, instead, more like an expected area of expertise.

And this change can start from the top down with hair salon owners to create a more textured hair inclusive experience for the millions of women who’d just like to get their hair done.

Train new stylists the right way.

When hairstylists join a new salon team, they typically must complete additional training programs designed by the salon owner. Clearly, most training programs include little emphasis on natural hair, but salon owners can change that. Plus, that training doesn’t have to be limited to just the stylists, either.

Owners should train their receptionists, assistants, and anyone who comes into contact with clients on natural hair services and verbiage for consultations. Though cosmetology school education is limited when it comes to textured hair, hair salon owners can make up for it by ensuring their trainees have adequate practice with models with curly hair types.

natural hair

Bring in the experts.

If hair salon owners know little about natural hair themselves, this doesn’t have to be the reason they don’t train stylists to be better. Many professional stylists provide workshops and textured hair academies to teach students how to style natural hair, so call in backup.

Virtual education has blown up recently, too, because of in-person restrictions. So it’s definitely worth it for salon owners to discover easily accessible online programs on textured hair to help set their salon up for success.

natural hair

Use your voices.

If something’s wrong with the standard cosmetology school curriculum and exam (there is), then hair salon owners and stylists alike can rally to fix the problem. They can sign petitions and mandates that advocate for states and cosmetology schools to update their exams and curriculum to include texture hair education.

Hair salon owners should feel pressure to own up to their responsibility of creating more diverse and inclusive spaces for women with all hair types to receive quality service.

In 2021, people with natural or textured hair shouldn’t have to search high and low to find an experienced stylist—understanding and knowing how to do textured hair should just be the norm.

Written by Reese Williams

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Published on July 7, 2020July 8, 2021

7 mins read

This Mother Creates Swimming and Shower Caps For Big Black Hair

Nomvuyo Treffers is the founder of Swimma, a Cape Town, South Africa based company that produces swim caps and shower caps that fit all kinds of big Black hair from fros and locs, to braids and weaves.

We caught up with Nomvuy to find out more about how she is running a business that operates on multiple continents.

What inspired you to start your business?

Swimma came from a personal frustration of not being able to find a swim cap that fits my locs and my daughters’ big afros. My daughters love swimming and I found myself making excuses for not getting into the pool with them as I didn’t have a cap that fits.

Swimma caps

When you have hair like mine, a cap is not only used for keeping one’s hair out of their face but also to avoid my hair getting soaked. It takes hours to dry my thick locs. This is the reason it was important to have the caps made from silicone, a waterproof material.

My daughters were the motivation I needed as I did not want to miss out on the opportunities of splashing around with them. Moreover, as a mother and a proud Black woman, I also knew that many like us need swim caps that fit. It was important to cater to the previously ignored market.

My business is not just about swim caps. I am passionate about catering for everyone which is why we have many different sizes to choose from. It is vital that we do not let our children grow up feeling that their hair is a problem because a swim cap is too small. I want them to wear their hair with pride and not worry about not fitting in.

You’re based in SA and have distribution in Atlanta. What prompted this decision and how has it affected the business?

The decision was motivated by the love and support we were receiving from the USA and other parts of the world. Shipping from South Africa was challenging and often took longer than expected. Potential customers who read about us would need a swim cap for their upcoming vacation, but delivery times were too erratic to be able to commit to getting it to them on time.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJFCWvDNP6/

We wanted our customers to receive the caps as soon as possible. By moving the distribution to Atlanta, we moved from delivery taking a couple of weeks, to a couple of days. We have since added distribution points via stockists in Canada, France, UK, Trinidad & Tobago, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, etc – largely for the same reasons.

Swimma caps

What challenges do you face as a Black-owned brand in South Africa?

In South Africa, the economy is still to a large extent centered around European concepts. There is a lack of understanding to deal with – because businesses have traditionally focused on products from a western perspective they often simply dismiss “problems” as a figment of our imagination. In a country where 90% of the population is Black, the issue of hair not fitting into a swimming cap was simply never thought about.

swimma caps

Convincing people of the viability of something, therefore, is not easy. This relates to finance and finding distribution outlets. I have had to start from scratch with a product that didn’t exist really and was only armed with my instincts.

Then there are the general challenges of any new business – distributing around the world, the hard work without the ability to hire staff in the beginning, etc. I have had offers of “help” but have stayed true to what I stand for which is a Black-owned business that is more than just a business, but a mission in life.

swimma caps

Where do you see the business in the next 5 years?

Swimma intends to launch other products that will fill a similar void. We have since added shower caps and swimming goggles. Our shower caps also come in different sizes.

The goggles have a longer strap so that they actually fit over big hair. Further growing our presence worldwide in terms of distributorship but always with the initial values in mind.

This mission is not limited to swimming or showering – while Swimma is a business, we aim to find solutions for those who have been ignored until now both from a commercial point of view and because it simply is the right thing to do.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Identify the gaps, do your research to a point, but take risks as that’s part of being an entrepreneur. Work hard – and learn to live on bread and water for a while. Be creative and think out of the box – there are many ways to overcome challenges and obstacles.

But most importantly, be ethical in everything you do. Not only will you feel good, it builds a relationship with your customer that no amount of marketing can equal.

-Tony O. Lawson

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Published on July 23, 2019March 15, 2024

1 min read

Black Owned Bonnet Brands That Aren’t Charging $98

According to NiteCap Founder Sarah Marantz, she came up with the idea for a satin bonnet “after much consideration, conceptualization, brainstorming, and borderline obsessive research.”

black owned satin bonnet brands — NiteCap Founder Sarah Marantz

Fortunately, for Black women everywhere, someone else had the bright idea of creating appropriate sleepwear to keep their hairdos intact. Black Owned satin bonnet brands have existed for ages. Here are a few of our faves for Black girls who considered hair bonnets when sleeping on their hands wasn’t enough…