A Cincinnati entrepreneur and marketing pro is celebrating the launch of her new health and beauty brand inspired, in part, by her now 2-year-old son.
Ooume, a Black-owned curly hair care line developed by founder Briana Davis, officially debuted this week. Davis said she noticed firsthand the lack of options for products that catered to curly-haired babies, like her son Amir. So she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Ooume took two years to develop. The product line is all-natural, vegan and free from harsh chemicals, sulfates and artificial fragrances.
Currently, Ooume is sold as a direct-to-consumer brand only – it’s listed for sale on Ooume’s website – but the company hopes to expand to retailers in the future, a spokeswoman told me.
The initial line includes three products: a baby shampoo ($22), baby conditioner ($22) and the baby bundle ($44).
"After two years of consistent long nights and very early mornings bringing my dream to fruition, I am beyond excited to invite our customers and community to experience Ooume," Davis said in a news release. "As I embarked on the journey of motherhood, I was truly disappointed with the lack of truly natural, moisturizing products for my curly headed newborn. As I discussed with loved ones and peers, I quickly realized there was a void in the industry. I was encouraged to educate myself and see what I could offer.”
In the release, Davis said Black consumers have $1.8 trillion in buying power. She hopes to capture a portion of that market share.
All of the shampoos and conditioners are handmade at her studio in Cincinnati. While the products are geared toward children, they can be used by anyone, she said.
Outside of Ooume, Davis – a graduate of San Francisco’s Academy of Art University – operates locally based agency, the Creative Girl, a nearly four-year-old firm that specializes in fashion and beauty marketing.
