by
Christina Patrice
Yesterday, news spread like wildfire from sources from The Wall Street Journal to Clutch Magazine that companies under the Carol’s Daughter name had filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.
WHAT?!
You read correctly. Companies under the Carol’s Daughter banner are folding. To paint a clearer picture, it should be understood that there are several companies under Carol’s Daughter, and the primary focus of the Chapter 11 filing is on those companies under the umbrella of CD (Carol’s Daughter) Stores, LLC — of which parent company Carol’s Daughter Holdings, LLC is the 100% owner. Another point of clarity: Carol’s Daughter Holdings, LLC is not filing for bankruptcy. Essentially, the Carol’s Daughter Stores umbrella and the companies underneath it (each store was a separate company) filed for Chapter 11 in an effort to close their doors permanently.
So what exactly happened?
I reached out to a Carol’s Daughter rep, and received this response;
We are happy to report that Carol’s Daughter did not file for bankruptcy. To focus more attention on our third party retailers we made a decision to close five of our seven free-standing retail stores through a bankruptcy process. Our products will continue to be in over 2,000 independent retail outlets nationwide with more exciting launches to come that we can’t wait to share with you.
But reporting from the Wall Street Journal provides more detail;
According to Chief Financial Officer John Elmer, most of the Carol’s Daughter stores across the nation had been unprofitable since 2010 (stick a pin right there, we’ll be back to revisit this in a second). Prior to the bankruptcy filing, 5 of the 7 Carol’s Daughter stores had been closed and 29 of 42 employees were terminated. Chief Executive Officer (stick another pin right there) Richard Dantas stated, “Today’s filing in no way reflects the parent company’s healthy financial situation and is a part of its plan to grow the brand through national retail outlets.” Dantas also pointed out that Carol’s Daughter products are available in a number of major retail locations nationwide and the company is refocusing its distribution strategy to focus more on these retailers.
As it currently stands, Carol’s Daughter products are available online and on the ground at major retailers including Target, Ulta, Sephora, and even the Home Shopping Network.
Now that we’ve got the technicalities out of the way, let’s have a candid discussion about what’s REALLY happening. I remember when Los Angeles got its own Carol’s Daughter store in Westfield Culver City (formerly Fox Hills Mall) during the late 2000s. It was an exciting time — an affirmation of our value (consumer dollars) and a source of inspiration and empowerment (supporting black-owned business). I remembered many trips to the mall, and seeing ladies very excited to support the store. However, as time went on, the fanfare dwindled and the landscape changed. In fact, when I went to the mall last weekend, the Carol’s Daughter store was closed.
In digging around online to put together this article, what shocked me the most is that Lisa Price is not the CEO of the company she founded. Price is not even the owner, for that matter. Everyone knows that she teamed up with Steve Stoute and was able to solicit millions of dollars in investments from the likes of Jay-Z, Will and Jada Smith. As a result, Price surrendered an unspecified ownership stake in the company she created. A little more prodding online produces all sorts of information and records from the likes of Businessweek, that displays Lisa Price as only Founder and President of Carol’s Daughter. In fact, Carol’s Daughter Holdings, LLC (the parent company) is owned by Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. Now, I don’t have an MBA or anything but the words “owned by” are pretty crystal clear. When you don’t own things, you have no say in what is done with them.
Is this where all that “polyethnic” jargon came from?
The messaging of the entire Carol’s Daughter brand changed — starting with the 2011 campaign to change the color widen the appeal of the product line. Banners and posters featuring Selita Ebanks, Solange Knowles, and Cassie were rolled out. A brand of products formerly marketed to only black women, now adopted a “polyethnic” scope based upon updated census data (that indicated a rise in women that identified as bi or multi-racial). In essence, it virtually abandoned the clientele that built the foundation on which the business stands. Droves of black women pumped the brakes on their support of Carol’s Daughter, feeling abandoned and maligned by the new campaign for colorless beauty. Formula changes and price hikes aside, many black women continued to support Carol’s Daughter because they believed in the black-owned brand. However, Price’s feelings of “…perpetuating the idea that Carol’s Daughter is a brand for black Women with natural hair alone can be limiting,” coupled with the new marketing campaign, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Fast forward to 2014– the closest thing I can find to a brand ambassador for Carol’s Daughter is Naptural85, whom many naturals of all walks adore. Long gone are the celebrity spokespeople — they’ve been replaced with 3 models that are a slight improvement over the previously mentioned ladies in terms of diversity. Products like Hair Milk, Margeurite’s Magic, and Mimosa Hair Honey are sporting banners that say “same size, $5 less”. It almost seems like Carol’s Daughter is learning their lesson in biting the hands that fed them. But is it too late? I can’t help but noticing that Carol’s Daughter selections at places I frequent (like Ulta and Target) are never really moving, or out of stock. But, maybe that’s just an Los Angeles thing.
Carol’s Daughter might have been a pioneering brand in natural hair, but the playing field is wide open. They’ve got tons of competition from brands who have successfully transitioned to major retailers or who have tons of online business coming in without compromising ingredient quality. Although they’re closing stores to focus on a distribution model that appears more in line with their goal to reach a broader consumer base, smaller brands like Cream and Coco are opening brick and mortar stores to expand and achieve the same end. Camille Rose Naturals, Alikay Naturals and Oyin Handmade made it to Target without alienating their customer base.
So what’s really going on over at Carol’s Daughter? Is it really about closing stores to focus on distributing to major retailers, or is this a sign of their struggle to stay relevant without the support of the customers that built the brand?
Weigh in, ladies! What are your thoughts?Â
112 Responses
I hate when people separate us bi ravisl girls from being black. All natural hair varies in texture. There is no one black woman hair type or skin color. I see non bi racial women use mixed chicks. Should i tell them its not made for them.
*racial
I used to buy her products when she was still selling them and making them at home. I was turned off when I ordered my usual shipment of products (4 jars healthy hair butter, 1 hair honey mimosa, 1 jar marguerite’s magic) and the healthy hair butter had been reformulated! A waste of my money and when I tried to call or email to express my satisfaction, I got no reasonable response. One response was regarding an ‘ocean’ product that I hadn’t ordered. A few blogs mentioned that she’d reformulated to appeal to a ‘wider’ audience. That was followed by a few reports that purchases in retail stores resulted in rancid product. Whatever the case, what used to be my go-to product for 4c hair and my three daughters ranging from 3c to 4a was abandoned as I’d felt consumers and supporters had been abandoned. The cost was already more than I would have preferred, but the lack of interest in her supportive customer base and a substandard product ended it for me.
My parents used to buy her products when she was still selling them and making them at home. We continued to support her as her business grew but I’ve honestly had little interest in her products since like 2010. They smell good but I’ve generally been unimpressed. If I want something with a 2 day shelf life I’ll make it myself
Back in the early 2000s i was a FAITHFUL Carol’s Daughter consumer, but since she branched out more, her ingredients became less and less natural. I stopped buying her products soon after. I miss the old days of her company. When i think about whats going on with her company, i think about this statement my Boss normally says, “All money ain’t good money”. I hope the best for her.
I miss her spritz’s, the body milks, a lot of her scents are gone. I use to buy it at the old Spike Lee 40Acres store downtown Brooklyn.
Too many hands in the pot will ruin anything.
Several years ago, Sephora had a huge supply of Carols Daughter products. When I went to Sephora last month to buy hair products, I noticed there were not that many CD products anymore. In fact, there were just a few products sitting on two small shelves. I knew something was wrong! My first thought was that the original formula changed and customers didn’t like the new formula, which happens with brands all the time. One thing I know for sure, if a company changes its original formula and customers don’t like the change the company will lose customers and lots of money. Ojon changed its formula and lost customers. Phyto changed its formula and lost customer; only a few of its products are in Sephora now. Several years ago, there was a large supply of Phyto products. I hope Carols Daughter can reinvent itself!
I was really saddened about this when I read it in the news. I remember when I first went natural and there weren’t too many products out there, I tried out her products. The last few times in the mall, I noticed that none of the store’s wall posters’ models were natural. Not a single one. I wasn’t thrilled with her haircare products, but I actually love her Tea Tree Face Wash and moisturizer for the winter.
I emailed the cd company about four years ago when I had transitioned and cut my hair regarding my hair type, texture, thickness, etc. I got an email back which stated that I should purchase $180 dollars worth of products to get the style I wanted. Well, those products didn’t work. So I went to Macys’ and they told me to purchase $120 dollars of additional cd products. . .
I look back at that time and just get mad, at myself. I learned to use those products anyway. Although I never got the 3b hairstyles I was asking for with my 4c hair. I now make most of my products, except for a few, and those are cheaper to buy than to make. My hair looks and feels sooooooo much better, thicker, longer and healthier, for $50 – $80 dollars every three months.(This cost does not include the color).
When a company gets you to buy all those extra products because they know you are disparate for a look which I could not get, then I am unable to trust that company ever again. I do not wish cd evil. I just couldn’t trust the product again.
This is sad to hear, but I am not surprised. I too was excited when carols daughter started spreading out and becoming more accessible, but I quickly abandoned it when I noticed the formulas started changing & becoming full of junk. I would’ve stuck around if the quality hadn’t fallen. I knew her stuff was expensive, but she was a pioneer & she opened the door to natural hair products…..However the competition of other natural hair products being less…and even people making their own products killed her.My last straw was when I went to look for some “Tui” oil which i loved for its scent & moisture. I read the ingredients and it was mostly soybean oil for 20$…..I quickly realized I could get a jar of coconut oil(all natural), a large bottle of olive oil & a scented essential oil from whole foods for about 19.00. The latter are more beneficial to my hair than the fillers they began to use. There was no longer a value. Sorry to see her go, but it was inevitable. Idk if she can make a come back…or if there’s even a point to. I wish her the best.
By the time I discovered CD, the formula for just about every product had changed. I then looked on youtube and found videos of people who discussed how disappointed they were and how the prices were higher. One of the products people were most disappointed in was the Hair Milk. Some even commented that if the company continues to go this way, they will lose African-American support…
As far as reaching a broader base, that still would have happened. The mixture of different hair types by de facto demands products that are not the traditional found in the store or even the typical beauty supply store. Carol’s Daughter, in the early days, would have fulfilled that need today.
Now that the word is out about the company, I wonder if the owners are willing to listen to customers and “return” to it’s original formulations? It was doing well financially before it changed…
I posted a few days ago about how I was glad to be able to buy CD products now in the local Target. Well I just got back from Target and I am very disappointed. There were very few products on display. They did not have the line I use to wash and condition my hair. CD products were mixed in Miss Jessie’s and Mixed Chicks as well as Jane Carter’s. All of these products were under the umbrella of Carol’s Daughters. It was like they were thrown together with no consideration for the buyer and their choice of product. BAD FORM.
When I first started using Carol’s Daughter products, the hair milk was best kept in the refrigerator & needed to be shaken well before each use because it was THAT natural. I understood what each ingredient was without a special dictionary. In fact, you couldn’t even order the body scrubs online because they were perishable.
The first formula change I remember came right around the time she got those new brown labels & before the celebrity endorsements … That’s when I stopped using almost all the things I really loved. Hasn’t been the same since. Coincidentally, I just bought a bottle of hair milk (out of curiosity) a couple days ago to see what it was like now … Eh, nothing special and certainly NO resemblance to the original formula.
This article blew me away. I was always able to follow what could easily have been a jargon-filled, over-written saga. I expected to be confused but you crafted a masterful, tight but breathable story.
As a reader, I’m grateful and impressed. But as a writer, myself, I appreciate and recognize the research and thought you put into this! Outstanding.
Leachka,
That is a tremendous compliment. Thank you so much!!!
It’s a shame when the founder gives up too much of their company and is left with a title and salary. I don’t know what she received, but it might have been something like that. I was turned off by the company when I sent an email and did not receive a response back. I then had to find the web master and that is when I got the response. Still, when I got my answer, I purchased a moisturizing product. I might as well have saved my money because it was no different than water from the faucet. I don’t know if this happened before or after what was stated in the article, but I had such high hopes for her. I still wish her all the best.
I used to use Carol’s Daughter skincare products years ago. Unfortunately, her products would be out of stock for months online. I called all of her “brick and mortar” locations around the country looking for the products, and no one had any stock. About three years ago, I went to the CD store in Pentagon City Mall and the shelves were empty, yet the day before, I was at the Costco across the street and they had tons of CD products. Distribution has been an issue with this company long before Lisa Price left the helm.
I just wish black people would hold on to the things they create. This is how legacies are built! I’m saddened but not at all surprised.
i recently discovered CD…like 3 months (yeah, i know i’m late) so i dont have much invested as those who’s been with her since she first started. i can say that i do like CD & i will still continue to buy.
I purchased CD products back in the mid 1990s when it was still a small mail order company. I liked the fact that there were no mineral oils and it was a black owned company. Times have changed in the natural hair world and 20 years later, the market has changed dramatically and so did CD. I wish the company all the best.
Honestly I don’t think marketing was this issue. I think when Carol’s Daughter first came out they were one of few readily available companies making products for natural hair. Now, there are many more available and better options. I think they just weren’t able to keep up.
Wow this is shocking! I have heard such great things about carols daughter products so I went online and bought some. I have to say I am not impressed. The hair milk dries my hair along with the other 5 products I wasted money on. I did not understand what all the hype was about until reading this and learning things have changed with the company over the years. I will not be buying these products again and I shouldn’t have strayed from my love shea moisture lol I wish this company the best of luck as I am also branching out and selling my home made products. I don’t want to end up here, which is broke and without a company I built with my own hands 0-o
I do not think Lisa Price is broke; perhaps she chose to sell a majority interest to pursue something else. And bankruptcy is also not the same as going out of business. Sometimes it is the only way to get out of long term leases on high rent properties. Perhaps you should even reach out to Lisa and ask for some advice as you build your line.
That is sad to hear, but not surprising. Carols Daughter was my initial inspiration to start my own line. After I launched I stopped buying her products, but did watch as their ingredients started including more and more chemicals. I couldn’t figure out why she would do that, but she never claimed to be an ‘organic’ company. I make all of my own hair/body products now and my initial line has transitioned into a line for athletes. Hopefully the people running the company will take the initial purpose of the company and ‘look back to the future’. Her line was only ‘limiting’ when making several millions was not enough. Everyone’s success goals are different.
I heard Lisa Price speak at a panel about 3 or 4 years ago in New York and she clearly stated that she was looking to exit the full time operations of her company. As I recall, her idea of success was being bought out by a big cosmetics or fashion company. If she is not listed as the owner, it may be because she owns a minority interest, or owns through a corporate structure and has achieved the exit she wanted.
I believe the business is over 20 years. I consider it a phenomenal achievement for her to have started small and built it into what it is today. All companies have to pivot, expand their market and decide what growth plans are best for them. If anyone has tried to build a business, you will understand her success for what it is.
Now, I should add, I once used CD’s product and did not like the result and returned it to Macy’s where the sales staff was helpful and knowledgeable. I have no bad things to say about Lisa Price because I am trying to build my business and expand out of a niche also.
It is not easy; I personally will not criticise her because I have not walked in her shoes.
I would love for someone with an MBA to back me up or correct me here but it seems as if the new “owner” is a short term investor (5-7 years) who pumped money into the company & is looking to make the business grow so they can get back their investment. This is why we saw the targeted group go from black women to trying to encompass all women of color with varying waves and kinks. It’s not that the strategy was bad, the execution didn’t go over well because 1) there wasn’t too much of a transition; one minute it was all about us, next minute the spotlight was on racially ambiguous women who have been the favorites as of late in lieu of black women or even light skinned black women (no shade whatsoever, just pointing out a trend- it’s all love) and 2) it’s hard to get anything past black women anyway. In the process of of restructuring the company the original owner often takes more of a back seat (i.e: relinquishes control for title to licenses, etc- which means long term paychecks for her & her fam or just a big check upfront) unless the product is so specific to him/her, or their vision that anyone else taking over the company would be to the products potential failure (hey, it’s exhausting to run a company, let alone one that’s growing quickly, and even tougher if you don’t have the business background; few people have the instinct w/ no education in the field). Another step in restructuring is to get rid of anything that isn’t working, i.e. the stores. I was excited to see CD in Target the other day on sale but then again, I now own several fairly expensive products because they were on sale there (i.e. AS I AM, Curls, etc.). This is another step in the transition towards the pursuit of growth in sales. I wouldn’t count CD out unless Target drops them.
As a former, loyal user of CD products, I think you hit the nail on the head in your article. I supported CD when her first shop opened in Brooklyn, NY over a decade ago when she was truly making a great product for women of color out of her kitchen. I even purchased a “lifetime membership” for discounts before it became a national brand when my “membership” became invalid. The change in quality of her products, the price hikes, and the dismissal of “the ones who brung ya,” all led to my complete boycott of all her products.
Well written article Christina!
Oh, the things we will do for a dollar. Lisa Price may have started out catering to a certain market but her life goal may not have been to run a daily business as the CEO. She may have wanted financial security for her life and family. And it is nothing wrong with that but for every decision there is a price and consequences. I, too, wish her well. But I think Lisa is doing just fine and has what she sought out to obtain.
The first thing I don’t understand about this is why is each individual store its own entity. If they were just stores under the umbrella, they’d not have to file for BK.
Re: being sold in other stores, I knew something was up when Macy’s had a complete CD clearance. I thought it was for one of two reasons: they were no longer carrying the line or the company was folding.
They should have been focusing on selling the products in retail stores instead of their own from the beginning. There is more marketing involved in that. I’d look @ CD in Target before I’d go in a CD store. Their products are ridiculously high and even though they were one of the first products to completely mainstream for naturals before being natural became the big thing, my question is why do we have to pay for that…and still to this day? Were they trying to attract the Upper Echelon of Naturals? I feel the same way about Mixed Chicks products but that’s another story. CD has been out since when and they only had 7 stores open nationwide?
They never opened a store where I live and I can see why because the support would not be there.
I am very shocked to read that Lisa Price is not the CEO. That’s what happens when you look for investors for your product. They give you the money but they later out you. That’s Investing 101.
I agree with you that their products are not moving. Every Target I go in, the shelf is always stocked but the prices never change. The only time I attempt to buy their product is when they are on clearance. Had they not changed a thing, they might still be the major player in the game. But, as you stated, they abandoned the women that made them and now they want their hands back. If they had stuck to the basics, they’d not be in the predicament they’re in now.
ChaNita
http://www.ilivenolye.com
I just saw it in target. With the package design I did not see it at first. I think it was already on sale.
Quite frankly, CD was always a little too expensive for my taste and when I did get around to trying them I was always disappointed by the lack of moisture they provided. Shea Moistures has been my mainstay since my bc because they’re products are great for moisturizing my type 4a/b coils, AND the ingredients are The. Bomb.
I’m rooting for CD. We need to support more blk busns so we can keep the $ in our communities!!!
But some things will have to chg on CD’s part to.
I cut my locs seven months ago. I started using CD products. My growing afro is soft and curly and smells terrific. I was an on line client and was excited to hear she would be in Target. There are two Targets in my town. But get this. The one located near the more White part of town said they would not be carrying the CD products. The part of town closer to a higher Black population promised the product would be in the store in two weeks. The two weeks are up and I will be going there soon. I look forward to being able to just get my CD from a retail store where I do frequent shopping. I don’t know how her product works on people of other ethnicities and it’s not something that keeps me up at night. I’m just glad it works for me.
As long as I’m supporting a black business I could care less. ! Steve Stoute is a black man and is CEO of CD supposedly .. Fine with me !
Bankruptcy a lot of times is a play out of donald trumps book, just a way to reorganize and move assets around, not the demise of a company.
And I use several of the CD products, oils and body creams mainly and love them.
As far as being in Target goes, that is nirvana for a brand, as you really can’t get any larger as far as distribution on shelves goes and lets not forget how much they sell on HSN.
Lisa Price not owning the company anymore is not a surprise to me. This is unfortunately the route a lot of founders take and then they find years on that what they built and branded gets changed, diluted and sometimes discarded because investors are usually about bottom lines, not community.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with Carol’s Daughter (CD) trying to appeal to a varitey of people. Black people buy white owned/manufactured products ALL THE TIME. What is wrong with black wanting to do the same? Does that mean it’s okay for white companies to profit off black people, but black companies can ONLY profit from black people? That’s crazy and will keep black people ALWAYS in need of having to depend on white people for jobs! The CD stores that closed I’m sure provided black people with jobs. SMH we have to do better and think BIGGER!!! Black people can do more than SING, DANCE, PLAY BALL, etc. We have brains to build businesses too! & I have NO affiliation with CD.
I have brought some CD products in the past, mainly when they were first starting up and it was my 1 of 3 attempts to go natural. I find that they are filing Ch. 11 startling, but after seeing the HSN shows (monthly/bimonthly), the Target line launched, and the Ulta line non existent it all makes sense. Many companies will sell there souls for that almighty dollar. Giving up that percentage results in loss of focus, forgetting the customers that built you, and strong-arming creative control to appeal to whomever the new owners target market is. Case and point: I never think to go to Ulta for natural hair products or ordering from HSN. These companies (in my opinion) are marketed or appealing to curly hair naturals and African American women . Target seems like a last ditch effort, which isn’t a bad option cause I shop there for hair products, to save some face. I love buying from black owned businesses which is why I buy from Cream and Coco, FNA Naturals, SheScentit, and Alikay Naturals.
I am not sure of the formulas or product quality, but one thing is for sure Carol’s Daughter isn’t ringing any bells with me or making run out and buy any of their products. Carol’s Daughter may have to go back to basics and some fundamental marketing.
I am very saddened to hear of this, I used her hair products at one time I wasn’t too impressed. Her bath products are great . I really thought she still owned her company and I really wanted to support her. Best of luck in her future endeavors!
This is sad, but i’ve learned that bankruptcy isn’t always a bad thing. Some companies file for “bankruptcy” for larger gains, which is why CD chose to go in this direction. I have never tried her products either but I wish her all the best
http://www.themanecaptain.blogspot.ca
CD was my first line after going natural but I stopped using them years ago because I found products that work better for less (particularly Kinky Curly and Organix). This sounds like just a smart reworking of their business model. As for chances in quality, their ridiculous process kept me from experiencing that. I’ve actually stood in the store with Hair Milk in one hand and Knot Today in the other and I just can’t do it.
I don’t use her products but wish her well
I feel duped in not knowing previously that Lisa Price doesnt have the majority of ownership within the company. 80% of my hair products are companies owned (and founded) by a person of color. I have worked really hard learning to study ingredients and researching into companies before deciding to purchase something. Ill be DAMNED if my hard earned money is just going to some already rich CEO of a company with a vast portfolio who cares and knows nothing of the black community. So I wont be purchasing Carols Daughter anymore. I have a 80% quota to keep. Watching the rise of black entreprenuers from the hair community alone has been amazing. I remember 10 years ago complaining there was no products out there for my hair and venting it was because none was owned by a black person who understood our hair type. Things have changed, and I want to see that change increase, so yes I will be putting my little dollars to all of you out there with a dream and product. Lisa should of KNOWN better smh, NEVER doubt the loyalty of a black woman! we are some VERY loyal people lol, and she started out with a good product, smh. Stay loyal folks, it pays.
Just the fact that Black hair care is a billion-dollar business just goes to show the massive buying power of Black women. More than enough money goes to people who are not Black touting Black hair care products.
It seems this is the direction the new company wanted to move in, so congrats is in order…won’t belong before CD is a household name, there a newly naturals, relaxed heads, and others alike that do not know the backstory, much less care to know that will find themselves fans of the new brand, myself included. I love the marguerites hair magic as well as the Monoi line and I am an online member for those discounts! I’m actually looking forward to trying the newest addition, the capuacua line (sp?) My products do not have to be all natural, I like products that work and her products work for me. I wish them much more success moving forward. I’m happy that her products are now more affordable as well as more accessible. To me, this ordeal reminds me of when a person strikes out on his own and makes it, and all his friends and some family, claims he changed. You can’t please em all, so you might as well please yourself….stay blessed!
I was never a big fan of CD’s products. Nevertheless, I hate to hear about the Lisa’s brand lose. Perhaps we as naturals need to understand that we are a diverse group with diversity tastes. Perhaps there are naturals who frequent salons and want high end products regardless of the ingredients?
That is really interesting to know that she is no longer running things. I do know that I have NOT bought any of CD products in years because I thought they were drying my hair out. I like the smell, but I just got no moisture at all. I remember seeing their store when I went to the Fox Hills Mall, and it was completely empty. I dunno, I think hair products would sell better with a third party and online versus having a storefront IMO. Maybe they can come out with some better products and I would consider investing my dollars into it again!
-Jessica Rae
http://www.lovejessicarae.com
Sidebar: the week before Carols Daughter was placed in Target I was in Sephora with my brother playing around with CD products. Due the high price we decided to not purchase. The following week we went back to the same Sephora to buy the products and looked high and low but couldn’t find it anywhere. When we asked an associate, she said they no longer carry it because Target does……..
I wonder how many Sephoras stopped carrying CD because of this deal with Target. It was def a red flag to me. But I have never bought any CD products due to the price. The one product that was given to me broke off my hair and smelled like tree bark. I really wanted to like and invest in this company but the price alone held me back. Companies like Shea Moisture were the demise of CD and unless they drop to a 10 dollar price point, the products will not do well in Target either.
I used to get my Carol’s Daughter Tui Oil at the same Sephora for a year, then rather abruptly, the store got rid of all the products. I had to travel to find them at various Sephora’s and then simply gave up.
Unless their first three ingredients does not include corn oil, I’m not purchasing them anymore. Every time I see Lisa on HSN she’s always talking about bouncing curls or use models with bouncy curls. I’m 4c, I don’t have bouncy curls. Bye Lisa.
Those products are to darn expensive.. Walmart, Target, Dollar General and even grocery chains are booming with inexpensive products for natural hair that work wonders.. And as mentioned before we are educated enough now to whip up our own products for little to nothing.. CD, Miss Jessie and the likes with the high priced products need to do some research and come down on those prices.. if they want thier products to sell.. ijs…
It’s been years since I used CD I tried it very early on because it was so few other natural products in the market which is primarily why they could charge at a higher price point (greater demand vs supply). The product did nothing for my thick and course hair which was just one of reasons I stopped using it. I was always surprised that the brand lasted this long because of the supply/fulfillment issues – this boutique store in my city was nearly always sold out and restocking took too long. I’m sure this was one of the reasons Lisa Price sought capital investors to help her expand her company to keep up with current demand and beyond. I don’t think it was necessarily a bad thing to get outside investors (for most businesses that is a good thing because it shows growth) maybe she just picked the wrong investor who really didn’t understand the brand and natural hair market because now look at the natural hair care market 10+ years later. Maybe CD is just suffering from a now saturation in the market of other well-made brands that are selling at lower price points…also a good thing and unfortunately CD didn’t adjust to the market and competition. There is just so much more that women know about hair care now that wasn’t necessarily known by the masses at the time of CD introduction to the market.
I was a supporter years ago but haven’t used those products in years. Restructuring debt is always a smart move.
I remember placing my first order with Carol’s Daughter back in 1996-1998 when Lisa was cooking up her products in her kitchen in Brooklyn. She wanted to go BIG. Back then the products were so much better. Its a shame that she SOLD OUT. I knew when I saw Hollywood folk representing the product line that the li’l company was heading for trouble. Black women want a true representation of ourselves. It’s not to say bi-racial women aren’t representative or black but they typically do not “look” like the average Black woman, at least not like me. Yes, I will continue pulling my dollars from companies that refuse to offer a reflection of me in their advertising campaign. I’m sorry to hear that Lisa sold out on her dream. But everything that looks good ain’t gold.
Honestly, It’s said to hear about this at first but knowing all the facts makes it much more tolerable because there’s more information revealed. I’ve been using CD since I was in the 12 years old and from then until now I don’t feel like the ingredients or any of its authenticity to its line has changed. Given at that time from 7th to 10th grade I had relaxed hair til now having natural hair the products have done exactly what they claim to do. I don’t agree that when a brand goes from small shops to major retails that people should assume the ingredients of being completely natural, authentic, and pure are violated due to brand expansion. Having the availability of CD in Target and Ulta is great because there’s more accessibility versus having select Macys stores caring the products. I understand that CD is a black owned business and catered to women with specifically with natural hair but it’s good that it expands itself to other hair types and black women that are bir-racial and multi-racial because doing my own personal research there are a lot of women going for hair products that are made of natural ingredients. The expansion of its consumer audience doesn’t take away from the fact that CD is a black owned business; it should still be supported by black women. Shea Moisture and other black owned natural hair care lines that don’t openly depict women with other hair types in fact do have consumers that are bi-racial and multi-racial.
I can attest to the change in product in CD over the years. I’ve heard about CD my entire life because their FIRST (and flagship, in my opinion) store on DeKalb ave in Brooklyn was down the block from my aunts house. I’ve always used SOME sort of their products from the body oil that had dried up flowers in the bottom (which they stopped selling for years now)to their parfum fragrances, to their healthy hair butter. I found a winning combination with the healthy hair butter (HHB) and eco styler for my twist outs. I SWORE by the HHB and have not found anything comparable that gave me soft hair and lasting moisture since. However, they have gone through TWO re-brandings. After the first one, the texture, color and smell of the HHB changed. The price went up. I had to use twice as much for the moisture to not last as long. I wasn’t feeling it but I tolerated it. I tried other things, but when you have shoulder length natural hair there is no time for experiments! I went back and paid a hard hitting $19+ after taxes. After their 2nd rebranding, which they are in the mist of now, I can’t seem to find HHB ANYWHERE. It’s listed on their website but they spent so long to ship it I had to ask for a refund (it never shipped). So now it seems it just doesn’t exist anymore. They sold me Marguerites magic the last time I went back. The selves looked very empty. While it was cheaper at $12 it still looks and feels like plastic. I don’t like it. I got my hands on an older 1st generation jar of HHB and THAT was the formula I remember! The biggest difference in ingredients were the essential oils of ylang ylang, patchouli and sage, bay and cedarwood. THEY WERE ALL GONE. So they were selling an inferior product at an astronomical price. I guess they can’t make HHB any cheaper without it being complete garbage so it seems they are doing away with it. It’s sad to watch the start up and THIS decline of CD. You can keep brand control and integrity of your products and still make money. I am still buying HHB but the 1st Gen version from vendors that’s have old stock.
I remember seeing CD products in a little store in DC and saying I wanna try those one day, I was a year or two in the natural game. These were the original products when she was hungry for sales and happy to making products out her basement, just developing her company. I finally ordered a dried herbs conditioner tea rinse and a few samples and loved it. When I went back to order those products again I was told they were discontinued. That is where she lost me and was opening stores in Macy’s across the USA. The original products had no preservatives and was all about natural hair not fillers and perfumes and what was trending. Maybe now she get back to the old CD and make it be about natural products for natural hair.
i’m done using these products,did not know she soldout!
I have never used these products, I get to know about some of the brands through your site.
It’s too bad to see a natural hair company struggling, but I actually just unsubscribed from their emails yesterday and put my reason down as “no longer use Carols Daughter products”. I’d just tried too many things that didn’t work for me and for the price it wasn’t worth it to keep trying products. I know some people love it, though, so hopefully they can re formulate some things and rebrand.
Your article is thorough, thank you! When she made the decision to gain celebrity status and sold her ownership stake, it was doom… The new vision for the organization may have left the key consumer base in the dust. The reputation is tarnished and I really wonder if the organization’s mission to remove unprofitable stores and revamp its distribution strategy will work since people have many many choices for natural hair care. For us, variety and choice is the best thing that could ever happen because Patene, Shea Moisture will work hard, keeping their products good and price affordable to squeeze out the CD of the world.
I have never tried their products despite wanting to but i could never get past the ridiculous prices especially when the ingredients didn’t seem worth the price. I feel like CD was relevant in the beginning when there really weren’t products for black hair that wasn’t relaxed or pressed or weaved or anything of that nature. Even still it was an expensive alternative that made me feel like it was only obtainable by black women with money to spend. I never felt it was a brand for the average natural. And then CD just became irrelevant altogether. I rarely hear about it and its rarely recommended my a natural hair blogger. The variety of products out there for naturals now and the massive information on do it yourself products your better off spending that much to get the ingredients and make similar products yourself and know that its exactly what you want and not one thing claiming to be another.
I wouldn’t say Napture85 endorses the brand per say in no way did she say that she uses the products or even loves the products. Her videos aren’t mini youtube ads explaining how to use the products and if you watch her daily vlog channel she explains shortly after uploading them why she did the videos and what she intended. She wasn’t saying go out in buy or not buy and she certainly didn’t review the products other than saying they smelled nice. She wasn’t endorsing them the way Jada or Mary J Blige did she simply said hey if you happen to be roaming the product section and wonder about these new products heres how to use them.
Great article, the writer really did her research. I’ve never used Carol’s daughter products but i wanted to use it before just to promote the Black-owned and natural hair promoting brand but didn’t because of the price. Now that i know the truth, i don’t think I’ll try it at all. Plus, i remember looking at one of their ads on curlynikki.com and going “What the heck!” because the African model didn’t look as if it was her own natural hair on her head and standing beside her was a white/mixed race model and both of them ‘s hairs looked as if they had been curled artificially kinda. It didn’t make sense then and now i know why.
FYI:
Any Natural Hair product lines that move into Target are not going to be as good as they used to be…(CD hasn’t been good in AGES though so with them it doesn’t even matter lol)
If any Natural hair products that used to be in small local natural hair shops and online only end up in Target(or Wal-mart or any big retail giant), you can already assume that they’ve changed over to more synthetic oils,extracts, and preservatives that will NOT react the same way the natural versions did with your hair..
So now that Alikay and Camille Rose are in Target I won’t bother with the products I used to use b/c they don’t react the same with my hair anymore. They basically sold out and are playing their consumers with inferior and cheaper ingredients than the ones they started with(but they won’t tell you that). I think both of those companies mentioned reformulation of their products before the shift too.. I also noticed that their products stay in my local Target lol the shelves are always full.
CD is the perfect example of big business trying to hijack the companies that are run by us b/c this market for natural hair is becoming just as profitable as the market for relaxed hair products.
So yeah, just keep that stuff in mind if you weren’t already aware of this.
Thanks for warning us that some companies might be doing this, but I’m not sure about Camille Rose. I buy Camille Rose and Shea Moisture from Target, and I still feel that they are the same great quality.
if it still works for you then by all means please keep using it.
I do still use shea Moisture but that’s b/c they didn’t change their formula to cheaper ingredients.
I agree. To sell products more cheaply at these large retail giants, they almost have to compromise the quality using cheaply synthesized oils etc in place of more expensive all natural ingredients.
I don’t feel bad for CD because with the right leadership, marketing and branding as a company they can still be hugely successful. I do however, feel for Lisa Price, who decidedly allowed herself to be talked right out of her company.
I really wanted to try Oyin after I saw it so readily available.
Your advice is not to?
Is there any line out you’d currently recommend?
Oyin is one of the few that still does the same ingredients, plus they didn’t put their whole line in Target. 🙂
Curls is another one that was smart about it, they have two different versions of their products: Retail and Salon version.
Salon version is the original version.
All I can tell you is that it pays to look up the ingredients in the products and do a little research to see whether you’re getting the real deal then decide for yourself if you want to take the plunge anyway.
Suave all day long. You can find it anywhere, get like, 16 oz. of the stuff for all of one or two bucks. aaaand, the best part, it actually does something for my hair. a lot of something. it works! and all of that for next to nothing. That said, i’ve never felt inclined to give these major expensive “natural” brands my money. there’s far too much competition out there, not only from startup or existing natural hair companies but also just from the mainstream brands that never get mentioned but which have existed for as long as they have for a reason: they work for a high enough percentage of users. Suave, Herbal Essences, Garnier, etc. Carol’s Daughter and Miss Jessie ‘nem need to understand that they still are operating within a niche. Seems like CD learned that it’s very possible to overprice oneself right on out of competition, especially if what you offer is no more special than what any other lower-priced brand is pushing. of course, after i saw their marketing campaign i knew i wasn’t going to buy anyway (same with MJ and MC, truth be told), but my biggest issue with all of these brands is the inflated price tag for the minimal return value.
Well,
What saddens me most is that she gave up ownership and creative control to people who evidently don’t give a damn about the customers that made them. I understand wanting to grow but at what cost? I don’t know what investors like Jay and co did other than put up money but was it impossible to find investors and CEOs who actually gave a damn? It’s like the people who took over had absolutely zero interest in the company other than making money any which way.
I don’t know her background but I feel lik she was a small fish who tried to move into the ocean and got chewed up by sharks.
If I could thumbs you up 100times I would I think the only word I would have added would have been sale out yeah never be a sale out especially with your dream
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/whocares.jpg[/img]
Disheartening news. I wonder what kind of advice she received that would lead her to give up ownership? I liked the mimosa hair honey sample that I tried a few years ago, but the price point kept me from purchasing it. I suppose part of the polyethnic strategy was to expand to stores such as Macy’s (the one in Roosevelt Field, Long Island). Hope the company recovers from this.
To answer: I wonder what kind of advice she received that would lead her to give up ownership?
JAy-z, Will and Jada Smith. Solange Knowles. They (JZ and Smiths) associated her to the high rollers and rolled her right out of controlling position. Solange, put a stain on the company with her bad comments in regard to not wanting to be associated with the natural community.
If they did not kill her, the final death stroke came with DIY. Yes, DIY’s can mix up a hair brew right out of their kitchen’s too.
Don’t get me wrong. I love myself some Black Vanilla conditioner. The Black Vanilla spray I can almost make, but I still buy it. The Hair Honey which I love, is grainy! Never was like that before. Sorry this is happening to her, but Oh Well, life goes on.
Suave, Shea Moisture/Nubian Heritage are all readily available at many stores, so that was the death of my desire to have glamour brands like CD. The price point, the marketing flip, and the boom of the natural industry killed CD’s allure, especially as consumers became more educated. I just couldn’t understand why I should spend money on a mediocre product for a company that seemed interested in phasing out (or just duping) average black female consumers like myself.
You are absolutely right. CD was the hot thing when there weren’t many other options, but honestly the products are mediocre and the price point is high. I used the products many years ago before I knew any better but quickly learned there were much better and cheaper options from companies that really are black owned and specifically target black women with kinky textured hair.
Nubian Heritage is a high quality brand and they are very expensive…I’m not sure what all the gripe is about when most natural hair care products are sky high! Reason why I use garnier fructis…no hype just a product that works…most naturalistas on this page are whiny and miserable… Go ahead…thumbs down and have a blessed day! Lisa knew she couldn’t run a multimillion dollar business…she knows what she’s doing…and if you flip the opinion of most to a white business founder, for starters, ouidad, had the founder started with marketing only to whites, then once she saw there was a market for blacks, started to market to blacks, then her white clients bailed and stopped purchasing and talking bad about the company, because of the new black consumers, there would be all types of outrage and something else to gripe about…but hey! What do I know…? Obviously the popularity of those products speak for themselves, hence why they can afford to close stores and still make it out ahead…one monkey don’t stop no show!
I don’t use her products, but I wish her the best.
I tried CD in the past year and was not impressed. The prices are way too high and the scents very strong and irritating. In addition to that, they did noting for my 4C hair. What I didn’t return just won’t get used.
Never really a fan of the product line. I am however a fan of black owned enterprises and tried really hard to like some of the products. Purchased a shampoo from the line several months ago. Horrible. Passed it on to my 16 year old son. Even he asked if I had another shampoo. The line is no longer sold at Sephora and the other retailers carry only limited amounts which seem to sit on the shelf. I pray our other enterprising hairlistas (shescentit, koils by nature,shea moisture, etc. etc) learn a valuable lesson: maintain the integrity of the products, keep the focus and remain loyal to the market. They will then continue to do well.
I remember about 15 years ago being able to call the flagship store and talking to Lisa herself. The products were made in small batches in store. They were natural. She suggested for many products to refrigerate or use within a certain time frame. The smell was amazing and the packaging just beautiful. Jamaica Punch was my signature scent. I even found the flagship store and stocked up anytime we were in NY.
Then came Jay – and ‘dem.
The containers became plastic, the cost went up, most of the original scents gone, and the hair products are just not worth it. She gave up a great loyal following and a great product for fame. I don’t think anyone is really buying CD anymore.
Yep. Then came the big shots
In 1996, my best friend and I trekked from Philly to a basement in a Brooklyn brownstone to get our Carol’s Daughter’s fix. The Khoret Amen oil and Healthy Hair Butter used to be awesome for my hair. The Healthy Hair Butter had to be refrigerated because it contained no preservatives. Then the formula changed and I had to move on. She opened a lot of doors for so many other natural hair lines. She inspired me to begin researching how oils and herbs interact with my hair. To me Lisa Price is a pioneer.
Hmmmm….
I guess I don’t have a problem with a multi ethnic marketing strategy. I’m not going to pretend that if you want to make big money, you can do so on black dollars alone. We are a minority in this fine country. My main issues with CD come down to three key things: Price, Quality, Accessibility.
1. Price- If I’m going to pay $25 for a leave in conditioner, it better be made with the tears of a Unnicorn. CD has no unicorn tears in their product so there’s that. 2. Quality- I don’t like the ingredients for the price (same goes for miss jessie’s) and they don’t make my hair feel great. 3. I used to only be able to find CD at the Sephora at the mall that was 20 minutes away from me so that was a no go just for some DC.
Now that they’re in Target, I’ve already found what works for me for the most part and I’m not as likely to purchase their products. But I do hope it works out because I want to see a black business succeed.
https://www.youtube.com/user/myfashionforreal
But that’s the thing Marra, you CAN do it with black dollars alone. Just ask all the white-owned hair companies that are cashing in on black women. Ask NaturallyCurly.com — run for 16 years by 2 white women. Ask beauty supply owners. Ask weave manufacturers.
It is one thing to acknowledge that America is increasing in multi-ethnic diversity. It is quite another to go out of your way to belittle your target audience.
You don’t see Oyin or Shea Moisture distancing themselves from black women. And they’re doing just fine.
Also, bi-racial women have been largely absorbed into the natural hair community. This very site — a leader in the niche — regularly features bi and multi-ethnic women. It would be one thing if the natural hair movement was exclusionary to bi-racial women (and yes, some factions of it are), but it is largely a very bi/multi-ethnic woman friendly space. I mean, many of the most popular vloggers are multi-ethnic (Taren916, Shamelessly Maya) or married to men who aren’t black (Naptural85, Afrobella)
Black woman actually spend the most money on hair products, but are the least marketed to in the mainstream.
‘tears of a unicorn” lmao!
As someone originally from Brooklyn, I was proud and happy to hear of Carol’s Daughter and her products. I’ve tried several of the products, but ultimately the cost does not justify the product, and so I can’t support the product. It’s been about 5 years or more since I bought a CD product.
It may just be a necessary business move; I’m sure the business has exceeded what she expected.
Their products were horrible, expensive and then the market exploded with competition.
Anyone willing and promote a horrid product, while ignoring the negative feedback will never get my support or sympathy. Plus I’d rather just make my own products. *shrugs* CD should have tried to link up somehow with Shea Moisture…they have been in the game since before I was born, and are still going strong as Nubian Heritage, AND Shea moisture…lmao…Meanwhile CD is bankrupt. They did what CD wanted and rebranded themselves successfully without compromising their quality (which really just stayed the same, didn’t improve or become degraded)
This is why I lol’d when Naptural did those CD “commercials” like girl…why CD? Their products are horrible.
This isn’t uncommon in the business industry. It has happened to a few black owned businesses think about Optimum. They are great when they run by the people who mainly support the business but then they get bought out by larger corporations who change things. Also, people tend to get greedy and try to grow too fast. I really hope the company is able to rebound after this.
Let me start by saying that is by far is the most informative post on the bankruptcy and you certainly got to a root of much of the problems behind the scene. I at one point worked for Carol’s Daughter and I will say that I think the brand spread itself too thin. Stocking and fulfillment was ALWAYS an issue and only got worse over time. I personally heard from women that supported her from the beginning that they were not pleased with the new marketing and the products had indeed changed in ways that they didn’t care for. I’m sure that its tough to want/need to grow your product and still maintain product integrity. Overall I think the focus shifted from that “homegrown” atmosphere and instead of focusing on their retail stores more effort was placed on Home Shopping networks and getting into big retail which was a departure from how they started.
Now, that Carol’s Daughter has found a way to peddle its swill in the big box stores…i.e. Target…they no longer want the overhead that goes along with maintaining retail locations. To think the entire brand would fade into obscurity is just wishful thinking for some and a misunderstanding of economics 101 for others.
Yeh… but those stores have been unprofitable for 4 years o_0 I agree that the bankruptcy filing might have been a business strategy — but there’s no doubt that a huge arm of their business was straight failing.
*run: for many years at least
Not surprised. I recently started buying her products again after not really feeling her line. I, too, noticed the ‘widening’ of the brand and decided to step away and try others. I mean her products are/were pricy and exclusive (New York or expensive malls)..at least as I saw it.
After stepping away for about 2 yrs, I recently purchased the “Black Current Vanilla” leave-in and a few butters and decided to reinvest in her products. Since the line lowered some of the prices, I decided to try again especially when I can get 10% online. Why pay full price, with over head charges, in a store when I can purchase with a 10% members discount on-line. No brainier… I save on gas, free shipping, and 10% savings. Stores are overrated especially when you can’t apply your ‘Carol’s daughter’ membership discount to it.
I have a friend that works in the corporate sector of Carol’s Daughter. Last year for my birthday she gave me a huge haul of products and that was the only time I tried them. I don’t think they went well with my hair. Most of the products are half finished in my product bin currently.
I must admit I’ve never bought any of their products mainly because of that controversial campain and the fact that reviews on youtube were’nt that great. HOWEVER, this is a company created and run by a black woman who can inspire so many other black female. SO I hope they get back on the horse and fight for their company.
So, Alikay Naturals is at Target now? News I can use.
I like Alilkay Naturals , hope she does not change her formula in the products…hope this will be a lesson
I am not surprised that Lisa Price is not listed as the owner of the company. I don’t have a business degree. most of what I know if from watching Shark Tank. Many times when an investor puts money in your business, you have to give up a certain stake. Now maybe whatever investment arrangement Lisa had also meant that she gave up alot of control or input in making decisions.
I also don’t think that adopting a “polyethnic” approach is bad either. It’s a business–you want to sell to as many people as possible! In terms of the brand ambassadors I think they could have done better by including women from both extremes of the spectrum in terms of color and hair texture. I recall the debates that were going on online.
My guess is that it is the pricing and business model that caused this. There are cheaper products that achieve the same results and with time competition in the “natural hair” category has grown. Pricing is a huge issue for all consumers. Accessibility is another, if something is available in Walmart or Target it has a wider reach. I don’t have to make a separate trip to a Carols Daughter store in the mall. Having those flagship stores might also have increased the overheads of the company. If you have an online presence and distribute through Walmart or Target, there are some costs that are eliminated. I also think the flagship store thing can be risky, some brands like Bath and Body and The Body Shop have been successful. But they have been around longer I think. Maybe they should have just kep the original flagship store and sell online and through grocery store networks. That might have increased the flagship store’s appeal, in that die hard fans could make a trip there whenever they were in the area. I feel bad for her though, it cannot be easy to see something you started change into another version that’s not even working well. I hope the company survives in the end.
When I first went natural about 14 years ago, this was the only natural hair care line I knew of it and it existed only in a Brooklyn storefront (now closed). A lot has changed since then and I haven’t touched a Carol’s Daughter product in years. I think the last time I bought one was shortly after the Harlem location opened (is it closed now) and I recall being disappointed in the product. The marketing mess came later, but that was just a nail in the coffin that already existed for our relationship. I read the blogs and boards so I knew I was not alone. Hence, no surprise here.
Ditto. Back when there were just the two NYC locations I was a regular user of both the Healthy Hair Butter and the Mimosa Hair Honey. I also loved the scent of the Khoret Amen Hair Oil…maybe I was the only one who did, lol. I used it as a fragrance oil once I began going through my own kitchentician phase, abandoning CD products in favor of homemade ones. I never went back…
Now if they started selling the Khoret Amen Hair Oil separately again, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
You’re absolutely right. The quality if the product changed tremendously. Do to the mass production she began adding ingredients that is not healthy for textured hair such as alcohol. I’ve been natural since 2000 also. I noticed the shampoo no longer removed the product build up on my scalp as it did in the past and the Black Vanilla leave in made my hair hard. I discontinued using her products for that reason. I’ve since found wonderful products that works with my hair and for my hair.
Wow, I’m kind of surprised. I mean I love the Marguerite’s magic cream. It really helped my hair while I was transitioning. But then I noticed that more and more sales and coupon codes was hitting my email, so I knew it was in trouble. I think Lisa Price made a huge mistake by allowing someone else to be the CEO. I only have a BA in Business, but I know that the reason why they don’t have another person on the adds is because she is technically the original face (other than Solange). I don’t think that anyone would want to purchase stuff from a Capital Advisor. I also think that this place was being greedy. Its almost like Proactive. Its every where it kind of burns you out. Also there is just too much stuff and scents and products. OMG its over whelming.
Not to mention there are other products that are out now and are great products. I mean Jessie’s Curls is a great product and its for all ethnicities, but the advertising is strictly hair type. pretty much from wavy to kinky. I guess people with 1 type hair could use it, but its made for people with textured hair whether you are white, black, mixed it doesn’t matter if you have texture its a product you should try. I think that the Capital Advisors really screwed this company. I watch Naptural85 too. She shows you how to make your own and if you want to purchase what she has used. I have found a couple of brands that I like myself, but I do enjoy her channel.
I think that the stores closed because they did too much too soon and they were not the product that they used to be. I think that they should stick to online and retailers. I know she had a store in her home town and such, but I think she should stick with that one as the flagship store and that’s it. Also she needs to cut some the products. TOO MANY!
When I first went natural almost 2 and 1/2 years ago, I purchased a bunch of Carol’s Daughter products, and to be honest, I was not overly impressed with the line. The two products that I liked the most are the Loc Butter and the Mimosa Hair Honey. But when they run out (yes I stil have them), I never planned on repurchasing. There are just too many good products for naturals out there at a better price point that are just as effective, if not better.
I agree. Carol Daughter products were better than the Dark and Lovely and other mineral oil based cremes i used before, however now with Oyin and Alikay. I don’t feel the need to use them. I do however wish her the best with her business.
There is not one product I’ve used from CD that works on my hair. Another thing is that as much as I love nap85 I’m surprised she signed on to endorse CD. I would of thought she would go for something more natural like terressential. I wonder if she knew there was trouble with the company.
I saw the founder on qvc not too long ago. I don’t remember any of the models being black. So much for expanding her customer base.
Naptural85 didn’t endorse CD. She only did commercial-like videos to show how to use them, but she’s never said whether she liked the products and she didn’t do any kind of review of the products on purpose.. I think she even did a video explaining her role in the whole thing, or that might’ve been on one of her vlogs (I can’t remember which one right now) but she has addressed that already on her channel.
When Nap85 signed on I was very surprised also…hmmm…I wonder if the company see YouTube as a way to the natural market?
I feel like I could’ve written this exact same comment! I bought the Hair Honey about two and a half years ago, and there’s still plenty left in the jar. I like it; it’s moisturizing, lightweight, smells great and you don’t need very much. HOWEVER, it wasn’t worth the $$ since there are plenty of other solid products out there with the same effects.