Beauty Supply Brands and their Founders – How Many Are Black Owned or Funding-Family-owned?

Make your guess on how many beauty supply store brands are Black-owned or founding-family-owned. What are beauty supply stores you may ask? And is it important for their products to be Black-owned or family-owned? When you walk into a beauty supply store, the products discussed below are the dominant brands in the store. They make up the majority of product sales by Black-Americans and Black-Canadians for all beauty supply stores including Sally’s Beauty, U.S Hair and Beauty, Beauty R Us, Beauty Supply Warehouse, Clore Beauty, and more. Typically these beauty supply stores are owned by Korean-Americans and cater to women and men of color with textured hair. Almost three-quarters of U.S beauty supply stores are owned by Korean-Americans I worked in a beauty supply store for a couple of years in Toronto Canada and as a black woman, I was quite surprised by how few benefits their very own black-owned employees receive and how many products are not black-owned considering most of the customers are of African descent. In another blog article, I will dive into the issues and injustices that occurred to black employees like myself working at a Korean-owned beauty supply store. However, this blog is just to highlight where our dollars are going. Money that we have all worked so hard to acquire. It is also why I created Sol Archives and advocate for beauty enthusiasts, especially black women and young entrepreneurs, to go into beauty entrepreneurship to give consumers more options in beauty while creating a business that can be your family’s legacy.

Let’s dive deeper.

Mielle

Mielle is not Black-owned anymore, it was sold to P&G in January 2023

Carol’s Daughter

Carol’s Daughter was once Black-owned or family-owned but Carol’s Daughter was acquired in October 2014 by L’Oréal USA.

Shea Moisture

Shea Moisture is not Black-owned anymore

Unilever acquired Sundial Brands, the maker of Shea Moisture, for a whopping $1.6 billion

Adore Hair Color

Adore Hair colour is not Black-owned. It is found predominantly in beauty supply stores and can only be purchased through Asung Trading Inc., a Korean beauty wholesaler that sells beauty products to beauty supply owners.

Ampro Shine and Jam

Ampro Shine and Jam is not Black-owned

Kinky Curly Original Hair Products

Kinky-Curly is Black-owned

Camille Rose

Camille Rose is Black-owned

Dark and Lovely

Dark and Lovely is not Black-owned

Creme of Nature & Lotta body

Creme of Nature and Lotta Body is not black-owned

Colomer Beauty Brands is the manufacturer of Creme of Nature and Lottabody®, Revlon acquired The Colomer Group in 2013

Olive Oil Beauty Products

OliveOil ORS is not black-owned anymore

founded by Namaste Laboratories, LLC and is now owned by Dabur India Ltd
In 1998 Namaste Laboratories, LLC launched the Organic Root Stimulator™ brand. Namasté Laboratories was founded in 1996 by Gary Gardner. FMCG major Dabur India Ltd. bought Namaste Laboratories, LLC in 2010 for $100 million (US) founded by S. K. Burman

Aunt Jackie’s, Africa’s Best, Texture My Way, Red Fox

Aunt Jackie’s is not Black-owned, Africa’s Best is not Black-owned, Texture My Way is not Black-owned Redfox is not Black-owned

House of Cheatham, an investment group owns Aunt Jackie’s and Dwan White is not the owner of Aunt Jackie’s but is the global marketing director, and has worked there since 2001.

Cantu

Cantu is not Black-owned

Rick Cantu founded the hair brand in 2003.
Cantu was acquired by PDC Brands in June 2015. CVC Capital Partners acquired PDC Brands in 2017. Some notable people at CVC Capital Partners include co-founders Donald Mackenzie, Rolly van Rappard and Steve Koltes. John Clark is the company’s current managing partner.

TGIN

https://tginatural.com/

TGIN is black-owned

Chris-Tia Donaldson, is the Founder of Thank God It’s Natural (tgin).

Chris-Tia Donaldson, the powerhouse behind Thank God It’s Natural (tgin), where she holds the titles of Founder and Chief Executive Officer, is making waves in the natural hair and skincare industry. Her products, found in major retailers like Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Sally’s Beauty, and Walgreens, have become go-to choices. Juggling day-to-day operations, sales, and strategic partnerships, Chris-Tia’s influence extends beyond the beauty aisle.

Highlighted in notable media outlets such as USA Today, Marie Claire, Essence, Black Enterprise, Ebony, Heart & Soul, and the Chicago Tribune, Chris-Tia is a recognized figure in the entrepreneurial sphere. Her book, “Thank God I’m Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Natural Hair,” not only soared as a #1 Amazon bestseller but was also dubbed the “Natural Hair Bible” by Essence Magazine.

Before venturing into her own company, Chris-Tia navigated complex business transactions for Fortune 500 companies, delving into technology and open source code. Armed with an A.B. in Economics with high honors from Harvard University and a degree from Harvard Law School, Chris-Tia seamlessly blends business acumen with her passion for natural hair care.

In 2015, her life took an unexpected turn with a breast cancer diagnosis. Through the challenging treatment phase, she discovered the critical role finances play in accessing life-saving care. Witnessing a gap in support services for women facing similar struggles, she decided to use her platform to advocate for those dealing with financial difficulties during treatment. Her commitment extends to addressing health disparities related to race and socio-economic factors. Through the tgin Foundation, Chris-Tia empowers women to listen to their bodies, ensuring that no one faces the battle alone.

Conclusion