SheaMoisture: Black founded & Black Led
Certified B Corp Hair & skin care made with fair trade ingredients and love
SheaMoisture is the legacy of founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis’ grandmother Sofi, who sold handcrafted shea butter soaps and salves in Sierra Leone to support her family, after she was widowed at a young age. Sofi became known as a healer throughout the countryside, and taught her recipes to her Richelieu.
Nubian Heritage had its humble beginnings in Harlem. After graduating from college, Richelieu and his best friend, Nyema Tubman, began selling their culturally authentic creations in Harlem as street vendors. Guided by the legacy of ancient Nubia, the world's first melting pot, we remix global healing traditions into modern wellness solutions.
Though our purpose-driven Community Commerce business model, SheaMoisture ethically sources shea butter from 15 women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana. We don’t just buy the women’s raw materials — we help them develop self-sustaining businesses. An ethical wage premium is paid to these enterprising women, and they become our partners, not just our suppliers. With their rise in income, they experience greater health, access to education and the benefits of financial freedom.
In 2011, after years of hand-crafting skincare recipes for family and friends, Louisiana native Janell Stephens, wife and mother of five, launched a line of products in honor of her grandmother, Camille Rose. Each homemade creation held true to Janell's heartfelt mission to produce luxurious, gourmet-inspired hair and body products that offer clean beauty solutions to a sophisticated consumer base.
Janelle quickly knew she was on to something when not only was the demand for her products outselling the supply but consumers were asking her for what was next. Soon after, she created and released specialty hair care products including conditioning Moisture Milk, Almond Jai Twisting Butter, Honey Leave-in and Curl Love
In 2012, Camille Rose transcended the online retail space when the products became available at over 100 Target stores after a chance meeting with a Target buyer at a gifting event. Miracles do happen!
Other US retailers followed suit. The brand is now available at Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Sally’s Beauty, Whole Foods, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and more. Camille Rose has recently expanded into the UK, South Africa, and several other countries. The rapid expansion into brick and mortar locations was only overshadowed by the immense following that the brand developed online by beauty experts, influencers and everyday consumers.
Today Janell’s brand identity outshines the mere “Founder” label, as she has packaged her business savvy and devotion to helping others into the role of a “beauty entrepreneurial expert”, mentoring and guiding women of color and small business owners helping them to reach their career objectives and beyond. This includes the work of the Janell Ennis Stephens Foundation, which was founded to support women and families in need with the mission of positively affecting the lives of families, particularly single mothers, who are striving to succeed in business or simply to provide for their family.
MIELLE ORGANICS is a hair care and beauty brand that believes healthier ingredients encourage healthier hair and skin! Our products have taken the hair care industry by storm, and we have been widely recognized for our results-driven products and excellent customer service.
Mielle Organics is armed with an array of products including best sellers: Babassu Oil and Mint Deep Conditioning Protein/Moisture Replenisher, Detangling Co-Wash, Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk, Adult Healthy Hair Formula, and the White Peony Leave-In Conditioner, just to name a few. With a heavy emphasis on incorporating organic ingredients being its “root to results,” Mielle Organics continues to create a line of natural beauty products for all hair types. Our products are available for purchase at www. mielleorganics.com, Sally Beauty, CVS, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart nationwide.