Native Child, a five year old award winning natural hair and skincare brand for women of color, launches its first hair and beauty bar in Johannesburg.
Johannesburg - September 29 2021 - South Africa’s leading natural hair care brand, Native Child, will on Friday 1 October launch its first hair and beauty bar at Cresta Shopping Centre in Johannesburg.
“It's time! In-fact, it's long overdue. This is part of growth. Growth is identifying the needs of the customer and providing a service. For years, our customers have requested us to open a hair salon so they can come to us to have their hair taken care of. The goal all along has been to empower women and men to do their own hair at home but the reality is not everyone is a DIY-er. It's a service that is needed,” says Native Child founder and CEO, Sonto Pooe.
This move also comes as a solution to the lack of knowledgeable African hair stylists in the industry. For decades the hair market has been flooded by toxic relaxers. Now, African women are learning how to nature and love their hair. But, it’s not easy.
“Not many salons and stylists can handle or are trained to do natural hair. It's a goal I've had since I was a teenager. I have always been frustrated with the lack of qualified hairdressers in the industry. This is why I personally avoided salons,” says Pooe.
The Native Child Hair & Beauty bar is more than just a salon. It is a one stop self care spot offering a full beauty experience from hair to nails to eyebrow maintenance for men and women.
“Who better to take care of our customers' hair than us? But we are doing more than just hair. We are giving our customers an all inclusive beauty experience. We have created a space where anyone coming in can have their 'me time'. A space to forget about outside troubles and a place where we can take some off the load,” she says.
This star studded launch is set to begin at 12 noon at shop G014 next to Jet at Cresta Shopping Centre. It will be attended by the friends of Native Child such as Simz Ngema, the media and the Native Child community.
Over the years, Native Child has enjoyed tremendous success. The brand is the current holder of the coveted Pick ‘N’ Pay small supplier award. The company earned this title after being listed at Pick’N’Pay stores for a mere 11 months. Pooe has also been recognized for her passion and dedication which has been nothing short of extraordinary.
“This is recognition for the hard work, sacrifices and undying faith of a vision now realized. Being in business is not always fun and games but this confirms to me that no one has the power to take away what God has ordained as yours. I’m insanely passionate about the work I do and it feels amazing to be recognized for it,” she says.
Pooe is one of the few South African women taking the hair care manufacturing industry by storm. She has risked her own money and went up against giant companies like L'Oréal and Revlon to claim her share of the hair market.
“I genuinely love the people we service and always want to make sure that their needs are catered for. I care about every little detail and ultimately strive to ensure our customers are happy,” she says.
Pooe is leading the pack in teaching Africans how to take care of their tough kinks and skin. Her products are being used by thousands of women across the world. During lockdown NativeChild sales grew five times while many businesses shut their doors. Pooe believes the quality of their products are responsible for the fast growth.
“Our products are not only natural and plant based but they are also functional. Our customers are our own hype squad. They see the results and spread the word, it’s very humbling to see.“
Pooe’s hair and body care journey started at age 8, when she attempted to braid her own hair after a gruesome experience with a hairdresser who plaited her too tight making her unable to sleep for days. Years later, that very experience, coupled with the frustrations of a hair market flooded with chemical-ed products, motivated her to develop a natural hair and body care range she named NativeChild —a representation of who she is: A proud African woman with strong roots.
“My foundation is faith based so I always take a moment each morning and evening to thank God and then ask for direction. I make sure I surround myself with the right team, from partners, business associates, employees etc. When partnerships don’t work, I have developed the maturity to let go. Move with those that move, is my motto. I run my own race and never look at ‘competition’ or what other brands are doing. The only person I compete with is my former self. I believe in putting in the work. Juggling being an entrepreneur , a mom and a wife is not easy but I’m an eternal entrepreneur. I could have a million things to complain about but I prefer focusing on finding a solution,” she says.
This is certainly not the last time we hear about this formidable entrepreneur.
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