Female Founded: CurlyEllie

We first connected a decade ago, when you had just launched CurlyEllie - since then, some of the key products continue to look similar, with new additions. But what did you want your brand to feel like before you knew what it would look like?

I wanted it to be a unique brand that was constantly innovating, creating bespoke and custom-crafted products specifically for anyone with curls, but more importantly, for people with allergies and those who genuinely care about the environment and our planet.

I wanted CurlyEllie to feel and be different. It was important to me that we stayed thoughtful, inclusive and innovative, with products that were created because there was a genuine need for them, rather than simply following trends.

What’s a risk that felt small at the time of establishing the brand, but turned out to be significant?

One of the biggest risks was deciding to develop products ourselves rather than simply following what was already available in the market. At the time, it felt like a small decision, but it meant investing a huge amount of time, money and energy into research, development and testing.

Looking back, though, it was one of the best decisions we made because it gave us the freedom to create products that were genuinely different and that solved real problems for people with curly hair.

What have you become more protective of as CurlyEllie has grown?

I have become much more protective of our brand and the way we grow. I have consciously chosen not to expand too quickly, but instead to take small, incremental steps.

I am also very protective of where we sell our products. We have deliberately stayed away from the huge marketplaces and instead prefer to work with smaller companies, independent businesses and carefully selected stores like WholeFoods.

For me, it is important that CurlyEllie doesn’t lose its identity or become just another product on a huge marketplace.

What are you trying to refine right now, rather than expand? Or maybe it’s all about expansion?

We actually chose to stop developing for a while and look back at the lessons we have learnt over the last 10 years. Rather than constantly trying to create something new, we wanted to listen to the years of feedback we have received and use it to refine what we already do.

We redeveloped our shampoos and hair masks and have been incredibly happy with the results. We are now focusing on creating tools that make looking after your hair easier and less fussy.

We have developed our own brushes and created pillows made from eucalyptus trees. It is about making curly haircare simpler, more enjoyable and less complicated.

In that decade old sweet spot, what’s the most important thing for you to sustain your business and brand?

For me, sustainability has always been about much more than just putting an eco-friendly message on a product. We’ve been vegan and eco-conscious for the last decade, using recycled plastic long before it became mainstream, and it’s something I’m still incredibly passionate about.

I really care about what goes into our products, not just for the curls they create, but for the impact those ingredients have on the planet too. I want us to keep finding ingredients that are innovative and genuinely make a difference. For example, we use Camellia sativa, where the by-product can be used as cattle feed rather than simply going to waste.

We also use ingredients like pea protein, quinoa, sugar beet betaine, linseed and chia, which work together to bring out the natural curl pattern without leaving curls feeling crunchy or sticky. Whenever we can, we choose superfoods and ingredients that can be sourced in a more sustainable way.

I suppose, ultimately, I just want sustainability to be part of who we are, rather than something we say we are. It shouldn’t be an afterthought or a marketing message. It should be there from the very beginning, in the decisions we make and in every product we create.

What have you unlearned about the haircare and beauty industry since starting out?

When I first started, I thought that what we were doing was revolutionary and that the world would immediately understand it and get behind us.

I have learnt that having a great product isn’t always enough. You have to educate people, build trust and keep showing up. Sometimes it takes years for people to understand why something is different or why it matters.

I have also learnt that you don’t have to follow the industry. You can create your own path and stay true to what you believe in.

What’s something you’ve changed your mind about recently?

I have changed my mind about the idea that bigger is always better. When you start a business, there is so much pressure to grow, expand and be everywhere. Over the years, I have realised that growth for the sake of growth isn’t necessarily success.

I would rather have a smaller, strong and meaningful brand that people genuinely connect with than become a huge company that loses what made it special in the first place.

Who or what is influencing how you think right now?

I love Diane Abbott. Whatever your politics are, seeing a woman walk into spaces that you once believed were unachievable is incredibly powerful. Being the first Black woman elected to Parliament and having a role in shaping the UK over the last few decades is something I find inspiring. She makes me think that if you can dream it, you can achieve it.

Shop our favourites from CurlyEllie below!