They say pretty hurts, and for Black women many of our beauty products may be causing harm to our bodies without us realizing it. In 2016, researchers for the Environmental Working Group found that beauty products marketed towards Black women were disproportionately more toxic than beauty products marketed towards the general population. 

Black women are increasingly seeking brands with non-toxic, natural ingredients. There’s also a growing desire amongst all beauty consumers for beauty products to not only have safe ingredients, but to also have ingredients and formulas that have been scientifically proven to have high efficacy. In this series, we highlight Black-owned beauty brands that have both. 

BANTU COILS

Founded by Tinevimbo

What is your background and what inspired you to launch your brand?

My name is Tinevimbo which means we have hope in Shona. I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and immigrated to the United States at a young age. I was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and now reside in Dallas, Texas. My experiences professionally, my health journey and my heritage has inspired me to launch my brand. I did the “big chop” after I fell ill. I returned to my natural hair which has been such an extremely transformational experience for me. I was natural but wore sew-in weaves for years in my professional job to appease others as a mask. I was tired of not bringing my full authentic self to work. So I was inspired to launch Bantu Coils in an unapologetically black safe space for us to bridge our cultures together, grow our hair and minds in health and to embrace our diversity within our communities.

What is the mission of your brand and 1 or 2 of its hero products?

“At Bantu Coils, we pride ourselves on reconnecting proud women of color with their African roots by using only the highest quality, vegan ingredients in our all natural hair care line. We spread our message of female empowerment by investing in cultural and educational initiatives that support the success of young women of color around the world.” Our hero products would be our hydrate and replenish leave-in conditioner and our hydrate and restore growth oil. Both products have rooibos tea extract and marula oil which naturally are ultra-hydrating and have restorative properties.

How did you formulate your products? Did you formulate them yourself? Was anyone with a scientific/medical background involved, and if so what was their background, and how were they involved?

I initially began experimenting with ingredients, like rooibos tea and my hair responded well by making it soft and defining my curls. I used the marula oil sparingly but saw how nourishing it was on my hair after application. I love marula oil, it’s like liquid gold. I would test the product on my daughter’s hair and her complaint at the time was it smelled bad because of the rice water. I carefully went on the hunt to find a chemist to help with the formulation. I found a black woman chemist who has her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and Master’s degree in Cosmetic Science. She was very helpful in explaining the process and her suggestions on how to formulate. She was the best partner I could have in regards to custom formulating my line and making it smell good so my daughter doesn’t complain. 

What are a few of the key ingredients in your products and why are they important?

Kalahari Melon Seed Oil rich in fatty acids, stimulates growth and regeneration. It also conditions the hair without clogging pores or hair follicles. Melon Seed oil is one of the non-greasy oil options available. Rooibos Tea Extract helps reduce hair loss, increases hair growth and improves the texture of your hair. Marula Oil is my favorite for many reasons. Marula oil helps penetrate hair with moisture and has antimicrobial properties which helps with scalp irritations. All of these oils are indigenous to Africa and have a history of use from our ancestors. That to me is special and meaningful on so many levels. 

What, if any, are some of the ingredients you would typically find in similar products, which you have intentionally removed from your formulation? Why should consumers avoid such ingredients and products that include them?

The Bantu Coils Promise is that we say YES to All- Natural, Vegan, High- Quality Ingredients, and NO to Silicones, Sulfates, Mineral oil, Gluten, Petrolatum and Parabens. I made the decision to be health conscious about my product offering because of my medical history. I know what it feels like to be sick and not know what is making you sick. Some ingredients can be disruptive to your body and health. It is important as a consumer to read the labels and scrutinize what goes on your body.