To be Black usually means to be seen as “the opposite.” That is very true in relation to our hair care regimens. So when a model comes alongside that not solely caters to our distinctive textures, but in addition provides a way of ease to our routine, we begin to really feel like we’ve discovered a spot the place we belong. We start to really feel just like the typically prolonged means of caring for our hair could be pleasurable.
Comer Joseph Cottrell Jr. outdoors of the Professional-Line Company.
That’s the concept Comer Joseph Cottrel Jr., creator of Professional-Line hair care merchandise, had in thoughts when he created the corporate within the early 1970s—the last decade we noticed the primary wave of the pure hair motion blossom. Whereas he wasn’t the primary entrepreneur to create a hair care line catering to the Black demographic, he was among the many few on the time who formulated merchandise particularly made for afros. “It was a particular time for Black individuals taking satisfaction of their pure hair,” says his daughter, Renee Cottrell Brown. “Straight away, he got here out with an [oil sheen] product that did very well.”
Autumn Yarbrough (prime proper) fashions for a Only for Me advert.
The success of her father’s line led Cottrell Brown to get into the hair care biz as effectively, serving to to develop and launch Only for Me relaxers within the early 1990s—a time when straight and smooth hair was in. What made it interesting to prospects was that the road was each reasonably priced and accessible. Being bought at mass retailers like Walmart made it straightforward for a lot of Black customers, particularly Black moms, to choose up a field each time it was handy for them. Plus, the easy-to-follow audio and written directions made at-home chemical styling one thing anybody might do with out breaking the financial institution—or a cosmetology license.
However the true secret sauce, Cottrell Brown shares, was as soon as once more creating an intimate relationship with their audience. “We spoke to the customers—teen women—and the customers’ moms,” she shares. “We knew moms could be those to buy the merchandise, however that they have been additionally influenced by their daughters. We researched what music [the daughters] favored, their pursuits, etcetera.” The end result? Mass success and long-term buyer loyalty.
Nevertheless, with the second wave pure hair motion taking up within the 2010s, relaxer gross sales started to dwindle. However by 2020, Autumn Yarbrough, daughter of Cottrell Brown, saved the household’s legacy going by launching Nu Customary, an expert line of each at-home and in-salon hair care therapies that addressed widespread points for the fashionable shopper, like dryness and breakage.
Autumn Yarbrough, Comer Cottrell Jr., Renee Cottrell Brown, and Erica Brown.
Throughout the span of three generations, this household has not solely created a legacy within the Black hair care house, but in addition confirmed that understanding the intimate, and ever-evolving wants of the buyer is the important thing to longevity.
ELLE.com sat down with Cottrell Brown and Yarbrough to debate the evolution of the household enterprise, why their collections have at all times resonated with the Black shopper, how new founders can discover their place in a rapidly-growing business, and extra
Why has hair care been such an vital a part of your loved ones’s lineage?
Renee Cottrell Brown: It’s a household enterprise, and I grew up within the enterprise. My father initially began the Professional-Line enterprise with companions and began promoting door-to-door in addition to within the salons. Actually, once I was in highschool, I began serving to promote Professional-Line door-to-door. My father finally bought-out his enterprise companions and turned it into a real household enterprise, which additionally included my father’s youthful brother, James Cottrell—a real salesman at coronary heart.
What sparked curiosity on this specific business?
RCB: It boils all the way down to a easy commentary throughout his time within the Air Drive. Whereas working a PX [post exchange], he observed there have been no hair care merchandise for African American servicemen and girls. Seeing this hole, he noticed a possibility to serve the African American neighborhood by offering merchandise that have been in any other case lacking. This realization whereas within the navy sparked his enterprise into the hair care business.
Earlier than he formally began the enterprise, nevertheless, he had different small companies, like portray homes. He was at all times profitable with each profession he took on, however was trying to find a extra entrepreneurial profession route. He had been into male barber outlets, and so they talked concerning the wants of the male shopper on the time. He additionally had enterprise companions that had formulation for the merchandise, so he knew he might assist promote and elevate what they’d already began, and that’s basically the way it all started.
Autumn Yarbrough: A very powerful half throughout my grandfather’s time was offering entry to merchandise that weren’t sometimes accessible to the African American neighborhood. It offered belonging. It offered entry for girls to have merchandise at an reasonably priced price. It gave them a way of belonging in magnificence. That’s my household’s legacy. We need to present a way of belonging in magnificence, particularly for girls.
Renee, your father grew to become profitable in a time when Black individuals didn’t have entry to accelerator packages, the web, or capital. How did he attain prospects?
RCB: In 1971, an enormous 12 months for celebrating pure Black hair and afros, my dad began his hair care firm. It was a particular time for Black individuals taking satisfaction of their pure hair. My father was completely forward of his time and had a knack for understanding customers —what they wanted, needed, and find out how to attain them. Actually, he was the third firm that got here to market with oil sheen, however was extra profitable than others, as a result of he out-packaged everybody.
Comer Cottrell Jr. and Renee Cottrell Brown.
The Delicate and Stunning product line featured a foil gold decide on the product, which made it stand aside on retailer cabinets and made it look very costly, though it was reasonably priced. There was additionally a strawberry perfume within the product, which on the time was a scorching scent. These seemingly small particulars paid off in a really massive manner, as a result of everybody needed his product due to the eye to element; and so, he rapidly bought out of the product and have become the number-one vendor.
Your father and grandfather Comer Cottrell has additionally been credited not solely with bringing the Jheri curl to the lots, but in addition making it achievable at house. What did this train every of you concerning the significance of including ease to the shopper expertise?
Renee Cottrell Brown and Comer Cottrell Jr. at work.
RCB: With Only for Me, I used to be extremely concerned on this improvement, and we needed to transcend merely offering customers with an instruction sheet. So, we created a cassette tape for purchasers to play the directions and have step-by-step steering with no salon skilled to make sure they achieved the right outcomes with the relaxer. We additionally offered them with a routine for upkeep, which is one thing else nobody was actually doing on the time. It was a game-changer and in contrast to something that had been achieved within the business at that time and was a useful information for greater than three years. After three years, we eliminated the cassette from the packaging, as a result of skilled and residential stylists have been acclimated and educated concerning the product.
AY: I’ve at all times regarded as much as my mother. She’s an incredible businesswoman and a pacesetter in our neighborhood. Watching her construct a way of togetherness for our household and giving us a robust feeling of belonging, particularly once I was younger, actually meant loads to me. She actually cared about ensuring ladies had what they wanted in magnificence merchandise—issues that have been secure, didn’t price an excessive amount of, and have been straightforward for individuals to get. Seeing her take into consideration what teenage women like me wanted was fairly wonderful. My mother at all times regarded forward, ensuring we used the most effective stuff in our merchandise and determining what was lacking within the magnificence market. She labored arduous to verify all ladies felt like they’d a spot within the magnificence world. Rising up round such sturdy and provoking ladies was actually thrilling. Now, my aim is to run a enterprise that helps ladies, makes merchandise for everybody, and solves actual issues.
Only for Me relaxers dominated the ‘90s. Inform me extra concerning the improvement course of and why you assume this specific model was capable of resonate so deeply with Black ladies and women?
RCB: Merely put, market analysis. We’re believers in analysis and shopper analysis. We spoke to the customers—teen women—and the customers’ moms. We approached analysis this manner, as we knew moms could be those to buy the merchandise, however that they have been additionally influenced by their daughters. The top shopper was at all times going to be the kid; as a result of if the kid didn’t just like the product, the mom wasn’t going to purchase it once more.
We additionally needed to remain on prime of younger women’ minds. So, one of many first issues we did was develop the Only for Me Membership, just like a Lady Scouts idea. Not everybody might be a Lady Scout, however anybody might be within the Only for Me Membership. We researched what music they favored, their pursuits, and many others. And we discovered they cherished the group, The Boys. With this mindset and information in-hand, we got down to attain as many younger women as potential and did a tour with our retailers in prime African American markets, and for those who went in and bought a Only for Me product, you’d obtain a ticket to The Boys live performance ticket. It was wildly profitable.
Occasions have positively modified, nevertheless. As extra Black ladies have gone pure over the previous 20 years, we’ve seen a decline within the recognition of relaxers and have been made conscious of a number of the well being issues. How do you’re feeling about this shift?
AY: The issue with hair relaxers and the dearth of long-term analysis and improvement isn’t only a concern for the manufacturers and the U.S. Well being Division. It’s additionally one thing that ingredient suppliers, contract producers, and medical analysis labs have to take critically. Everybody concerned within the business ought to care about this. It’s vital for all of us to work collectively to verify we’re continuously testing and bettering our merchandise to make sure they’re secure and efficient for the African American neighborhood. This implies ensuring the merchandise meet fashionable well being and environmental requirements. Everybody within the course of needs to be simply as dedicated to creating positive the African American neighborhood isn’t ignored in relation to product high quality.
RCB: To go with what Autumn stated, earlier than we even developed modern methods to speak our hair care directions, we have been offering our prospects with “do’s and don’ts,” and have been agency in our communication concerning the right strategies of utilizing our hair care merchandise. We have been clear in speaking that not following our care directions might typically end in a unfavorable consequence. Security within the merchandise and security for the buyer is at all times prime of thoughts for us.
Autumn, in 2020, you launched NU Customary. Inform me concerning the line and the way your loved ones’s legacy influenced the creation of this model.
AY: At NU Customary, our mission is deeply rooted in my household’s legacy of fostering a way of belonging and inclusivity, particularly for the Black neighborhood, whereas making certain our merchandise cater to everybody. This mission represents the unfinished enterprise I’m decided to hold ahead: to redefine inclusivity within the business beginning on the analysis and improvement stage. I need to make sure that the Black and textured hair neighborhood isn’t omitted or final in line.
Renee Cottrell Brown, Autumn Yarbrough, and Comer Cottrell Jr.
Taking inspiration from my grandfather, who additionally valued the significance of working with professionals, I’ve redefined NU Customary as a “restart legacy enterprise.” My husband and I’ve taken it upon ourselves to totally fund and revitalize the enterprise, putting a big emphasis on forging and nurturing relationships with haircare professionals. We firmly imagine that the assist of pros is essential in overcoming the distinctive hair challenges. It’s arduous to seek out anybody who has navigated the complexities of hair care alone. Whether or not it’s the most recent product or approach, the experience of a cosmetologist is invaluable—they not solely perceive the science behind hair but in addition present personalised steering on the journey to wholesome hair.
Some say the Black hair care market is oversaturated. Do you continue to assume this can be a good avenue for Black ladies entrepreneurs seeking to construct each wealth and legacy?
AY: Sure and no. It’s positively a constructive that individuals of colour and people with textured hair see a route to success within the hair care business. Icons like Madam CJ Walker, Annie Turnbo Malone, George Johnson, Ed Gardner, and my grandfather paved the best way. Nevertheless, the problem in a saturated market is to stay modern and attentive to the precise wants of Black ladies. These wants, or ache factors, are at all times evolving. The true problem with oversaturation is the plethora of comparable merchandise that fail to innovate. Let me emphasize that innovation isn’t simply concerning the science and R&D; it is also about the way you place your product. With Hydrasilk, we’ve targeted on hydration as a result of it is a widespread problem that’s not getting sufficient consideration throughout the board.
When Professional-Line was first developed, there was a definite want, as mass manufacturers solely catered to straight textures. Now, mainstream traces cater to everybody. Ought to modern Black-owned firms be increasing their product traces to satisfy the wants of all customers?
AY: As a Black-owned model, it’s very important to advocate for and obtain cross-over attraction. This implies actively in search of alternatives for broader visibility and recognition from retailers and media. It’s vital to problem and overcome any makes an attempt to pigeonhole our manufacturers, particularly when our merchandise are designed to cater to a various viewers. Highlighting the flexibility and inclusivity of our choices not solely broadens our market but in addition reinforces the significance of range and illustration within the business.
Comer Cottrell Jr. with George W. and Laura Bush.
As Black ladies like Monique Rodriguez of Mielle, Beatrice Dixon of Honey Pot, and Pinky Cole of Slutty Vegan proceed to shatter glass ceilings, it underscores the significance for manufacturers to be evaluated primarily based on the standard of their merchandise fairly than the looks of their creators. This journey requires us to persistently problem stereotypes and advocate for inclusivity. Our efforts should concentrate on making certain that [Black-owned] manufacturers are acknowledged for his or her innovation, effectiveness, and contribution to the market, not simply the racial or ethnic background of their founders. By doing so, we honor the legacy of pioneering Black ladies entrepreneurs and pave the best way for future generations to thrive in a extra inclusive and equitable market.
