It’s never a bad idea to change up your hair routine when your usual go-to products are just not providing your hair with the nourishment it needs. Luckily, many natural hair care brands have emerged in the market to keep your hair healthy, happy, and looking absolutely gorgeous! Here are a few of our favorite Caribbean-owned natural hair care brands the next time you are looking to love on your hair with natural fortifying ingredients!
Kinky Tresses
Founded by scientist Shawna Moses, Kinky Tresses calls itself the happy place for kinks, coils, and curls! Moses began her natural hair care journey after suffering a severe burn from a chemical relaxer, and used her personal knowledge as a scientist to create haircare with only natural ingredients. The brand’s first product was the Coconut Mango Hair Butter, and since then it has introduced a number of natural products for all hair textures, such as a Nourishing Hair Oil and Avocado Infusion Restorative Conditioner.
Curls Dynasty
Founded by Haitian-American Nickie Nougaisse, Curls Dynasty is a brand that sets out to provide natural hair care with nourishing ingredients. After Nougaisse was disappointed by the natural hair products she used, experimenting in the kitchen paid off and allowed her to start to develop natural products that did wonders for her hair. Since its origins in 2014, Curls Dynasty proudly states that it is out to change the world “one curl at a time”! Shop their collection of moisturizers, shampoos, stylers, and more.
Kreyol Essence
Haitian founder Yve-Car Momperousse was suffering from damage due to the consistent use of chemical products and other styling techniques. However, Yve-Car always looked forward to visiting with her mother after every hair problem to ask for a bottle of Haitian Black Castor Oil. After getting significant heat damage in the city of Philadelphia, Yve-Car could not locate a single bottle of Haitian Black Castor Oil. So emerged the development of Kreyol Essence. The brand makes sure to use indigenous ingredients from Caribbean farms and uses plant-based oils, butters, and herbs to soothe, moisturize, and fortify hair, skin, and scalp.
Kinky-Curly
Founder Shelley Davis is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Kinky-Curly has been a constant fixture in natural hair care products for years. While visiting her home one summer, Davis misplaced her hair products and borrowed a friend’s hair mixture that consisted of various herbs and plants. Since then, Davis turned to the natural ingredients of her Caribbean home and studied cosmetic chemistry online while not working her job in entertainment to develop Kinky-Curly, which is now a well-recognized name in the natural hair care industry! The brand offers a wide range of shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, and styling products, such as the Original Curling Custard.
Alikay Naturals
Rochelle Alikay Graham-Campbell first learned about natural ingredients and the wonders they can have on hair while as a young girl growing up in the Caribbean. Her herbalist, YaYa, helped to provide the young soon-to-be entrepreneur with the knowledge that would later allow her to develop one of the most well-known natural hair care brands on the market. Alikay Naturals treats a variety of hair textures, so you can be sure you’ll find the right products for your lovely locks! Shop the brand’s extensive range of repairing masks, cleansers, detanglers, and much more.
Tropic Isle Living
Tropic Isle Living was founded by Michael Anthony Hines and Lois Reid-Hines in 1992, with a particular focus on celebrating Jamaican traditions and remedies. They also wanted to incorporate Jamaican Black Castor Oil as a household staple, as they knew the nourishing properties of this element. Though Michael did pass in 2016, Lois has taken on the journey to make sure their vision is successful. Tropic Isle Living uses all-natural Jamaican-sourced products and offers a wide range of products for both men and women, such as hair growth oils, conditions, shampoos, and gels.
Cultured Naturals
For all matters of natural hair and body care, Cultured Naturals may be just what you are looking for. Founded by registered nurse Ramone Reid, Cultured Naturals produces high-quality body and hair care products from the isles of St. Croix USVI. Reid first developed the brand as she was regaining her health after an overwhelming cancer diagnosis, and she found herself looking for vegan and toxin-free products for her care routine. Some natural ingredients the brand’s products contain include papaya, neem, lavender, virgin coconut oil, and much more.
Kurlee Belle
Founder Terrinique Pennerman first developed the brand Kurlee Belle to honor her mother’s legacy. Pennerman fondly remembers the time spent with her mother creating homemade haircare recipes, if not at the salon getting their hair professionally done. Kurlee Belle takes influence from recipes passed down in generations of women in the Bahamas, all using the most naturally grown ingredients. The wide selection of Kurlee Belle includes deep treatments, shampoos, conditioners, and much more.
Wonder Curl
Founded by Haitian-American Scarlett Rocourt, Wonder Curl has steadily grown as a natural haircare brand for people who want to add much-needed life to their curls! Rocourt first got the idea for Wonder Curl after dealing with frustrations when it came to using 4 to 5 different products for her own curls. With a lot of experimentation and trial-and-error, Rocourt created the very first product for Wonder Curl, the Get Set Hair Jelly. Since then, Wonder Curl has expanded to offer many products to nourish and boost hair!
Karen’s Body Beautiful
Founded by Karen Tappin, a Brooklyn native with Guyanese roots, Karen’s Body Beautiful is your source for natural hair care that will benefit your hair without the use of harmful ingredients. Since 2004, Karen’s Body Beautiful has provided products made with clean ingredients to deal with a variety of hair textures. Some of their products include detanglers, holding products, shampoos, and so much more.
Natural haircare can be just what your hair needs to maintain a healthy and nourished feel. The brands above are owned by Caribbean entrepreneurs who set out to make a difference in the market by offering products that contain naturally derived ingredients to help hair, not go against it. Which brand are you trying out for yourself? Show your hair a little love today!