Toyosi Ajayi
2 min
This week we introduce you to Jocelyn Mate and Rachael Corson, the founders of Afrocenchix.
At Ace we look for the best black business success stories, to celebrate, inspire and motivate you. Each week we will share an amazing story, about an entrepreneur from a diverse background.
If you are ever looking for a natural hair care company who take pride in making hair care as simple as possible, Afrocenchix is the place to go! With the business being run by women with a deep understanding of the struggle of wash day, they provide products that contain blended and natural organic ingredients which cater to those with Afro, tightly coiled and curly hair.
While attending University together, Joycelyn and Rachael began to explore different options for hair care after suffering from the lack of adequate products for their natural hair. Many of the products they tried were found to be heavily chemical and fragranced based to increase shelf life and maintain low costs. They finally had enough and began to work on their own products, from which Afrocenchix was born.
'Be the change you want to see'
With Rachael having many allergies and Jocelyn having sensitive nose, they began to work on organic products that were free from common allergens and chemical parfums, which would not only benefit them, but the thousands of others with struggles alike. They explored the benefits of plant-based products which were kind to both natural hair and the environment.
In 2009, the pair quickly learned that the frustration was far greater than what they had imagined after they produced their first hair oil which quickly sold out. From here, Jocelyn and Rachael embarked on their journey to producing natural hair care products, sharing what they had learned from their research and impacting a large community of black people in need of hair care that actually took care of their hair instead of the pockets of manufacturers.
Afrocenchix has fast become an award-winning business, collecting the award for ‘Ethical and Sustainable Business Innovation from the University of Birmingham in 2010 and the Bright Ideas Award from University College London in 2015. It has touched the shelves of many afro-caribbean hair shops, but has also impacted the research industry as Afrocenchix helps to develop expertly researched and carefully created products in partnership with formulations and cosmetic scientists.
From a small idea based on the struggles of university, to becoming the first British brand specific to afro hair to partner with Whole Foods Market, Afrocenchix have grown steadily over the years of its progression. With customers in countries around the world including India, Canada and Ghana, we can expect that this business will only continue to shake the foundations of the natural hair market, promoting products that are nutritious for natural hair, while helping improve the environment one product at a time.
The key lesson to take from this? Don't be afraid to be the change you want to see! If there is something you want to see in the market, why not create it? You never know how much you can benefit the rest of the community!