2020 Cultivate Cohort accelerator foregrounds Textured Hair Care movement

“The Cultivate program saw an overwhelming response of applications with many focused on natural hair care to meet the unique needs of the often underserved textured hair consumer,” ​states the media release announcing this year’s Cultivate Cohort. And, that’s no surprise given that consumers with textured hair are expected to be in the majority, across demographics, before long.

As Romina Brown, President of Strategic Solutions International​ (a category growth management firm that specializes in multicultural hair, beauty, and soon multicultural CPGs more broadly), told Cosmetics Design Editor Deanna Utroske in 2019, the beauty industry was “just at the beginning” ​of the shift from a hair care category focused on ethnicities to hair care that is about texture​.

Sally Beauty is accelerating hair and nail brands owned by women

“We are amazed by the ingenuity found among female entrepreneurs, who are consistently finding creative ways to meet consumer demand during the ongoing pandemic,” ​says Pam Kohn, SVP and Chief Merchandising Officer at Sally Beauty Holdings, in this week’s media release.

“We're proud to be part of each of these brands' incredible journeys in bringing the latest DIY trends to market, particularly at a time when salons and consumers are seeking new solutions.”​

The four brands selected to participate in the 2020 Cultivate Cohort are UniQurl, owned by Alexis Stanley; True + Pure Texture, owned by Pekela Riley; Peculiar Roots, owned by Tara Darnley; and Pattie Yankee Products, owned by Pattie Yankee.

Each brand will benefit from online distribution, business grants, and four weeks of business boot camp, covering merchandising, social media, marketing, ecommerce, store operations, and entrepreneurship in general. At the close of four weeks, Stanely, Riley, Darnley, and Yankee will all have a chance to pitch their respective brands to senior leadership at Sally Beauty and Cosmo Prof for the opportunity get in-store retail distribution.

Textured hair care and styling brands are in demand

Pattie Yankee Products is a nail brand.​ Yankee is a nail expert, celebrity nail artist, and founder of her own brand of press-on nails, tools, and polishes.

But the rest of the participants in the 2020 Cultivate Cohort lead textured hair brands. Alexis Stanley’s brand UniQurl is dedicated to the care and styling of naturally kinky hair.​ The product portfolio comprises a 2-in-1 conditioning shampoo, hair oil, a deep conditioner, a leave-in spray, and more; including the UniQurl hero product a 4-in-1 aloe and coconut styler.  

True + Pure Texture, founded by celebrity stylist and salon owner Pekela Riley, is a luxury hair extensions brand specializing in textures from kinks to coils to curls to waves.​ The brand sells wigs, U-shaped wigs, clip-ins, closures, extensions, ponytails, and more.

Peculiar Roots, founded by Tara Darnley, is a hair care and styling brand for locks and natural styles.​ The Peculiar Roots portfolio includes a flaxseed styling mousse, pomade, shampoos, conditioning oil, a selection of rose water refresher sprays, and even a trio of beard grooming products.