New kids on the block
The natural hair business is the fastestgrowing market around. Meet the savvy entrepreneurs who are contributing to this lucrative industry.
NAME: TSHADI MOKOENA
BUSINESS: Nalane ea Afrika
Please tell us more about yourself. I’m Mantshadi Lerato Mokoena, known as Tshadi. I’m the middle child, and one of my siblings, Nalane, is my business partner. In 2007, I moved from my hometown of Bloemfontein, in the Free State, to Joburg to complete my my BSc IT degree at the University of Johannesburg. I’ve worked in the corporate sector for the past 10 years. Besides my information technology degree, I hold a business analyst diploma and I’m a certified TOGAF Enterprise Architect. Recently, I completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of South Africa.
Where does your entrepreneurial sprit come from?
When my siblings and I were children, our parents encouraged us to be entrepreneurs. Our father used to buy us birthday presents and encouraged us to use them for extra pocket money. For example, I got a camera and used to take pictures at kiddies’ birthday parties. I also used to paint and make cushion covers to sell.
What inspired you to start your business? I had natural hair in high school and because of limited products at the time, I struggled to grow my hair without chemically processing it. I wanted to see what my hair looked like in its natural state. So in 2013, I started researching ways to look after my hair and realised that there was a lack of suitable products. I got inspired to start my own thing. I started mixing and experimenting with a few ingredients at home until I found a formula that worked. I got my sister Karabo, our cousin Mapula and other family members involved in getting the idea off the ground.
How long has your business been in existence for?
We’ve been operating since 2014. What sets your products apart? We use 100% indigenous African plant oils and butters. Our range is formulated on the LOC method, which is an abbreviation for Leave-in conditioner, Oil and Cream. We designed the products this way because we noticed that African hair doesn’t retain a lot of moisture. Our products are safe to use for all members of the family, especially kids.
What’s your vision for your brand going forward?
I want Nalane ea Afrika to be a household name across Africa. We’ve also started stocking Nalane products at beauty salons, so all natural hair enthusiasts are catered for. We want to open our own salon.
NAME: NONZUZO MKHWANAZI
BUSINESS: Afrilove Hair and Skincare
Please tell us who Nonzuzo is.
I’m the mother to a beautiful 10-month-old baby girl. I’m also a natural hair enthusiast, and have been this way for more than four years.
What inspired you to start Afrilove?
When I returned to my natural hair state, there were tons of off-the-shelf products, but only a few lived up to their promises. And I was not too pleased with the ingredients that they contained. Returning to my natural hair inspired me to be more mindful of what I put on my hair, skin and body. Unfortunately, at the time, there were not that many holistic solutions for hair that also matched my pocket.
How long has your business been in existence for?
It’s been a little over two years and the responses from the public have been amazing.
What sets your hair products apart?
Not only are they handmade using premium quality plantbased ingredients, but a lot of love and passion also goes into making Afrilove. Afrilove products are designed so that everyone can afford them.
What is your vision for your brand going forward?
The bigger plan is to empower and educate people about natural products. I recently launched the Natural Hair Made Easy service, which provides on-location hair services for naturalistas in Durban. We will be hosting educational beauty sessions to fulfil our mission.
NAME: PHINDI MTYINGIZANE
BUSINESS: O’Natural Wigs
Who is Phindi?
I was born and raised in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape by my amazing mother, Sindiswa Jordan. I have three sisters and I studied Architectural Technology at the Durban University of Technology. I worked as an architectural designer for almost 10 years. I’m now married to my high school sweetheart, Avela Mtyingizane, and we have two beautiful kids.
What inspired you to start your business?
It was never meant to be a business. I made a wig for myself and posted it on social media. People started asking where I got it from. I then created a separate Instagram page and directed them to it. Before I knew it, people were placing orders, and that’s how it all started.
How long has your business been in existence for?
We have been operating for almost two years now.
What sets your products apart?
I believe I’m making a difference in my clients’ lives. Some people drive long distances to get the wigs and when I meet them, they express their gratitude for what the wigs do for them and their confidence. We also donate wigs to women with hair loss issues.
What is your vision for your brand going forward?
I’d love to have the wigs in retail stores, where my clients and other women will have easy access to them. And my mission is to wig up the nation one client at a time.
NAME: NOKUTHULA ZWANE
BUSINESS: Purpul Hair
Who is Nokuthula?
I’m a 27-year-old woman from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. I came to Joburg to pursue a career in the aviation industry.
What inspired Purpul Hair?
It actually started as a hobby. I used to enjoy doing people’s hair for extra money. As I got older, my passion shifted towards the production of hair products. A colleague complained to me about her thinning hair, so I offered to assist by mixing oils for her. To my surprise, it worked! Then word got around and soon enough, orders trickled in. So I made it official. I had no business plan; just a love for hair and mixing oils.
How long has your business been in existence for?
We’ve been operating for two years now.
What sets Purpul Hair apart?
Our products are made by a black woman for black women. Our formulations target the frustrations we face with our ethnic hair, including growth and dryness. All of our products are sulphate-free and consist of castor oil.
What’s your vision for your brand going forward?
I’d like Purpul to compete with big-name brands and to enter the West African market.
For a year.
NAME: SIVUYILE MAGWENTSHU
BUSINESS: Frolific Curls
Who is Sivuyile?
I was born in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. I studied at the University of Cape Town (UCT) for my BSc degree in Computer Science. I also completed a postgraduate diploma in Business Administration at the UCT Business School. I’m currently doing an MBA at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. I’m married with a very active three-year-old son.
What inspired you to start your business?
I realised that other people had similar hair struggles to me: we didn’t know how to look after our hair texture, and which products to use. So after testing everything on the market, I decided to mix my own stuff, which is how Frolific Curls was born.
How long has your business been in existence for? What sets your company apart?
The range focuses on nourishing the hair and replenishing moisture with key ingredients like shea butter, avocado and jojoba oils. The range is simple and is gentle on the hair.
What is your vision for your brand?
To create a platform that educates women about the basics of healthy hair care, and for Frolific Curls to be a staple.
Who is Thokozile?
NAME: THOKOZILE MANGWIRO
BUSINESS: Nilotiqa Hair Care
I have a master’s in Information Technology from the University of South Africa and over eight years’ experience in the database administration, analysis and intelligence industry. I’m a wife and mother of two energetic boys, Anesu and Omari. I was born and bred in Joburg.
What was the inspiration behind Nilotiqa?
In growing my own natural hair for the past 15 years, I found my inspiration to create a natural haircare product line. After going to several salons and an endless search for haircare products that would cater to my needs, it was clear that there was a huge gap in the market for professionally formulated products for natural hair. I, like many other women, struggled with extremely dry hair. After failing to find the right products and accessing knowledge on caring for my hair, I began to do intense research and experimentation, using natural ingredients such as shea butter and avocado oil for my skin and hair. After several years of research, formulations and product testing, we launched Nilotiqa, a haircare range that is proudly made with organic and naturally formed ingredients to deeply moisturise and nourish natural hair.
What is your favourite product and why?
The Nilotiqa Detangling Cream is a beautiful product. I find it absolutely fascinating in the way it works. It detangles hair like nothing else. It leaves hair feeling crazy soft and doubles up as a moisturiser. It also smells amazing and makes me fall in love with my hair every time I use it. But then again, all our products are amazing.
How long has your business been in existence for?
We started formulating our products in 2014 and launched our product lines in February 2016.
What sets your products apart?
Besides the high quality of the products themselves, all our ingredients are natural and are sourced from Africa. We focus on the deep moisture of natural hair, meaning our products are specifically formulated to eliminate the challenge of dry hair. Most brands may claim that they moisturise hair; Nilotiqa Hair Care does what it says – we truly hydrate hair.
What is your vision for your brand going forward?
Our vision is to have a retail and salon base locally, as well as in Africa and Europe.
Please give us your top three hair tips.
1. MOISTURE IS IMPORTANT We always preach moisture at Nilotiqa. Our hair curl pattern does not allow natural oils to travel down the hair shaft, and therefore needs us to add moisture often. Think of your hair as skin – it also needs to be moisturised in order to look nourished.
2. DEEP CONDITION OFTEN There are several methods and tools to help retain moisture in your hair, starting with deep conditioning. This does not only treat the surface of hair, but also deeply penetrates the strands and nourishes between the cuticles.
3. STAY AWAY FROM CHEMICALLY LADEN PRODUCTS
Stay away from relaxers if you can. Avoid products that alter the structure of your natural hair. Look for products that use natural ingredients and promote hair strength, growth and health.