“Tailored Beauty doesn’t conform to a certain type of natural beauty.”
Keya James, Tailored Beauty
Keya James' natural hair journey is what sparked her entrepreneurial spirit. She’s the founder of “Tailored Beauty,” a hair care line that empowers women, primarily African American women who, like James, want to rock their kinks and curls.
“As black women, we shouldn’t hide who we are,” said James. “People have to be more accepting of our culture. We don’t dress from the neck down, we dress from head to toe.”
Over the past ten years, hair care brands have flooded the beauty industry but what makes James stand out is her strong desire to stay away from chemicals and offer women who visit her website a tailored hair regime. According to her, there are two negative things women need to dismiss. First, that their hair is nappy. The other is that their natural hair isn’t “good hair”.
“With the right products, your hair can do whatever you want it to do,” the 36 year old said. “It’s all about the product, it’s about technique and it’s all about the health of your hair as well.”
In 2011, James went natural, after researching hair care. She took her Youtube followers, at the time, on the journey with her as she transitioned from relaxed hair to her natural texture. As time moved on, she started selling hair products on Etsy that she mixed up in the kitchen as a hobby. To her surprise, the demand grew.
“I was in grad school, studying clinical counseling and mental health, and doing the hair care business helped me to connect with people. Empowering women to feel good, in whatever stage they were in, during their natural hair journey was my goal. Tailored Beauty doesn’t conform to a certain type of natural beauty.”
One thing is for certain, natural hair care became a lucrative niche that helped James find her voice and purpose.
“I never thought I would own a hair care line. I thought I was just going to be a therapist with a private practice, and so I think it’s ok to let go when your passion changes.”
Tailored Beauty can be found online at TailoredBeautyProducts.com and in Walmart stores.
