The 21Ninety Beauty Awards are here! More than 80 winners in 21 categories have been hand-picked by 21Ninety staff just for you. The winners are all changemakers in the beauty sector who have proven they are here to stay.
Carol’s Daughter is a brand that has consistently made its mark in the Black hair care space. For that reason, 21Ninety selected the brand’s Black Vanilla Sulfate Free Shampoo as one of the winners in the Best Shampoo category. Our team had the chance to sit down with founder, Lisa Price, to discuss her work in growing the brand and creating the award winning shampoo.
Carol’s Daughter’s Work In Shifting Views Of Black Hair
Lisa Price founded the company in 1993 with the intent to bring Black hair care to the forefront. In a world where those with kinky and coily hair all had to use the same exact products, Price realized there needed to be more.
“Places like Target and Walmart were catering to people who were still relaxing [their hair] even though that number was dying down. It wasn’t until 2010 that Target started incorporating different products for people doing different things to their hair,” she explained.
“It was hard. But I’m glad that we did it. I’m glad that we were the start of a movement and that movement continues today. And it’s not a movement anymore, it’s just how we are.”
Best Shampoo Winner: Black Vanilla Sulfate Free Shampoo
Price’s efforts to shift the way Black hair is taken care of is evident in all of Carol’s Daughter’s products. That also includes her 21Ninety Beauty Award-winning Black Vanilla Sulfate Free Shampoo.
“There was a Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner that came first. [It] was super popular,” she explained. “The shampoo had to live up to the reputation of the leave-in conditioner, be just as good as the leave-in conditioner, and deliver on all of the points.”
The idea of a sulfate-free shampoo was not as popular when the product was first launched. Many consumers did not understand the benefits of removing the ingredient from your hair cleansers. Price says the lack of popularity was not a concern for her.
“Having a sulfate-free formula was not popular back then but definitely part of our ethos because we wanted it to clean your hair and we wanted it to moisturize while it was cleaning.”
Carol’s Daughter’s success has grown to prove that when you work to help the community you serve, the possibilities are endless. Price says that the key to having a successful hair care brand is the voice that you put into your products.
“You bring your story and your mission and what drives you into your product and you bring that to the consumer… go into it with your story, your vision, your purpose, and continue that narrative. What you bring to the table will be completely different than what I brought to the table.”