Aisle One: A launch and a rebrand
I’m back!
I didn’t mean to take such a long hiatus from this newsletter but, working on this launch took a lot more work than I anticipated.
Back in August, I began collecting data on natural hair and curly hair product usage. As someone with natural hair, I go through A LOT of products and waste a lot of money on things that don’t work. Now that I know my hair better, I stick to what works for me and resist the urge to buy every new product line out there. But it wasn’t always like that. Back when I first started wearing my natural hair, I would buy new products constantly only to be disappointed. The result was a closet full of barely used products I couldn’t return.
Not too long ago, Black hair care products were relegated to one or two bottom shelves in the beauty aisle. While progress has been made, natural hair care products are still not easily accessible for many people. On top of that, Black consumers spend 9x more than any other group on hair products. Let that sink in. How much of the $507 million Black people spent on hair care in 2018 was spent on products that didn’t do their job?
All of that, on top of the fact that just 3% of beauty supply stores are Black owned, inspired me to create Aisle One, a personalized natural hair care subscription box. Using a system that reflects all the nuance and diversity of natural hair — not just curl pattern — you’ll get product recommendations suited to your hair type and needs. You’ll be able to sample products to see if they actually work for you without committing to a full sized bottle.
To go along with the business, I’ll be rebranding this newsletter to focus solely on natural and Black hair care — products, trends, news, and everything in between. I want to build a community for us to discuss hair without judgement and to share our tips, tricks, and reviews of products.
My ultimate goal? To make the hair care industry more equitable for Black women.
I want to thank every single one of you who have read, commented, and shared any of my posts. Your feedback is a huge part of why I’m launching this business.
I’m still getting a lot of things in place but hope to begin shipping boxes early next year.
To learn more about Aisle One, my mission, and to join the waitlist, visit my new website!