As Carol’s Daughter turns 30, founder Lisa Price reflects on the lessons she’s learned at the helm of one of natural hair care’s leading brands.
This is Texture Talk, our long-running column that deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style.
The origin story of Carol’s Daughter is a common one within the beauty industry: The brand started in its founder’s kitchen. But what began as a few DIY body butters sold at Lisa Price’s church market (thanks to the encouragement of her mother, Carol) has become one of the hair-care industry’s biggest success stories. In fact, the brand went on to become one of the first Black-owned product lines to have a flagship store and was even featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. This year, Carol’s Daughter, which recently landed in Canada, turns 30 and remains a staple for anyone with textured hair. But that was never the plan. “I just wanted to make a connection with people and help them understand how to take care of their hair,” says Price. “I never wanted people to feel like my hand was in their pocket.”
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As a Black woman coming of age in the ’70s and ’80s, Price says she was lucky to have grown up learning about hair health and hearing the women in her family speak fondly about their own hair, giving her permission to do the same. “My mother, aunts and grandmother did not talk about hair in a negative way,” says Price. “I didn’t grow up thinking ‘The straighter my hair, the better I am.’ Thank God.” Price says her mother (the inspiration behind the brand’s name) “didn’t like anything that made you look like someone you weren’t.”
This strong sense of self allowed Price to stay focused through the early stages of…
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