Taraji P. Henson Loves Being a Black Beauty Brand Founder

FEATURE Taraji P Henson Talks Being a Black Beauty Founder
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Photos for Neiman Marcus

Taraji P. Henson desires to see all Black ladies in magnificence win. 

The 53-year-old actress, who launched her haircare line, TPH by Taraji, in 2020, isn’t intimidated by the rising variety of movie star magnificence manufacturers in the marketplace. “I’m by no means stunned when somebody goes, ‘A Black particular person invented that,’” Henson informed The Los Angeles Occasions in a Thursday, November 2, profile. “Nobody cared about our hair however us and now, abruptly, you bought all these large manufacturers, now they bought pure [hair] commercials.” 

Along with Henson’s TPH, there’s Tracee Ellis Ross’ Sample, Gabrielle Union’s Flawless and Tia Mowry’s 4U. Issa Rae is the co-owner of Sienna Naturals, and Mielle Organics — based by Monique Rodriguez — went viral earlier this yr because of TikToker Alix Earle. Beyoncé, in the meantime, introduced plans earlier this yr to launch her personal haircare line.

Henson informed the Occasions that watching the success of so many Black magnificence manufacturers in actual time is “gratifying” because it confirms the “deep financial” shopping for energy “that now we have as Black ladies.” Henson continued, “If there’s house for L’Oréal and Maybelline and CoverGirl to exist, why can’t all of us coexist?” 

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“I really like once I see movies, and they’ll have my merchandise, they’ll have Mielle, they’ll have Sample, they’ll have Carol’s Daughter, Miss Jessie’s,” she added. “I like to see it as a result of there’s house for all of us.” 

Taraji P Henson Talks Being a Black Beauty Founder
Victor Boyko/Getty Photos

Henson’s highway to changing into a magnificence entrepreneur got here after years of getting an advanced relationship together with her hair. She relaxed her hair till she was 30, pondering her pure texture was “unmanageable.” 

“I’ll simply always remember once I needed to do my very own hair for the primary time,” Henson informed the Occasions. “I used to be within the mirror and I used to be crying. I had the comb and the comb caught in my hair.”

It wasn’t till she met a hairstylist who gave her the right merchandise and instruments to look after her crown that she realized she had been improper all alongside. Whereas she grew to like her mane extra over time, Henson nonetheless discovered herself in a bind when it got here to cleansing her scalp. 

“I understood very younger that your scalp is your basis,” she informed the publication. “It must be wholesome to ensure that your hair to develop. However now I’ve this weave and all this, how do I clear my scalp? So, that was an actual drawback for me that I needed to discover a answer to.” 

She added, “I by no means noticed myself beginning a haircare line. It was actually out of necessity.” 

A few of Henson’s most-loved merchandise from her line embrace the Grasp Cleanse Scalp Wash, the By no means Salty Sugar-Based mostly Scalp Scrub and the Mint Situation Tingling Scalp Conditioner.

In a tutorial shared through the TPH by Taraji web site, the actress demonstrates tips on how to use Grasp Cleanse, which goals to “dissolve scalp build-up and supplies a clear, balanced setting for more healthy, pure hair.” 

“That is going to really feel like heaven to you,” Henson stated whereas massaging the product round her crown.