For Afro-Latinas, embracing their natural hair has been a transformative journey marked by a profound shift in cultural attitudes towards textured hair. Historically, beauty standards have favored straight hair, often deeming curly and textured hair as unprofessional or unkempt. However, a wave of Afro-Latina entrepreneurs is challenging these norms by embracing their natural hair and creating products tailored to curly and textured hair.
Lulu Cordero, the founder, and owner of Bomba Curls, shared her personal journey of rediscovering her natural curl pattern. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, she underwent weekly visits to the hair salon, where her hair was straightened to conform to societal beauty ideals. “I got my first relaxer when I was 9,” Cordero recalled, “and it was just a part of my life every Saturday until I was like 17, 18 years old.” Despite growing up in a pro-Black household, her Dominican family believed that her hair needed to be tamed to adhere to social beauty standards.
Cordero’s journey towards embracing her natural hair began when she migrated to the U.S. However, she faced challenges as an Afro-Latina, encountering comments and criticisms about her curls throughout her childhood and adolescence. “I would [wear] my hair pulled back in really tight buns just so I could put it away because I knew how controversial it was when I took it out,” she revealed. Unfortunately, this practice led to traction alopecia, a form of hair damage.
In 2004, Cordero decided to embark on the journey to embrace her natural hair fully. She relinquished damaging hairstyles and products, focusing on repairing her hair and her relationship with it. Her mother played a pivotal role in her journey and even assisted in creating products to restore her curl pattern. Through determination and experimentation, Cordero developed an oil blend that marked the inception of Bomba Curls.
Mariel Mejia, the founder, and owner of Pink Root Products, shared a similar experience to Cordero’s. She often heard the term “pelo malo,” signifying “bad hair” due to its untamed nature. Raised in a Dominican household in the Bronx, Mejia underwent weekly trips to the Dominican hair salon for hair straightening sessions. She also resorted to extensions and weaves in pursuit of longer hair, influenced by societal expectations.
Mejia’s negative relationship with her hair stemmed from a lack of representation of individuals embracing their natural curls. Desperate to fit in, she severely damaged her natural curl pattern. In her kitchen, she began experimenting with oils, butter, and various ingredients to create her hair products. After years of effort, her natural curl pattern began to return, and friends and family soon sought her homemade hair products.
Pink Root Products emerged as an opportunity for Mejia to educate others about the importance of caring for natural hair, despite not initially intending to become an entrepreneur.
Cordero and Mejia share their experiences as pioneers in the curly hair product industry, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and the power of representation. They believe that everyone’s hair journey is unique and should be celebrated. Their products are now breaking barriers by being sold in stores and beauty aisles, erasing the division between curly and straight hair care products.
For these entrepreneurs, the journey towards embracing natural hair is about more than just aesthetics; it’s about heritage, culture, and empowerment. As Cordero eloquently states, “Your hair tells a story. Your hair is heritage. Your hair is deeper than just hair.”
