Melissa R | December 12, 2024
Founder of hair care brand Ebony Shade Palesa Mzoneli is a mother of two daughters, aged 19 and 12. She went to St. Barnabas College, where she was a boarder and matriculated.
Post matric, I studied for a national diploma in Sales & Marketing at the then Wits Tech, said Palesa. During my years there, I did a lot of temp work, ranging from waitressing, switchboard operator, promotions, sales assistant and research. My first full time job was a financial advisor role and have since held various positions ranging from account manager, business development manager and key accounts management.
What inspired the idea to create a hair care brand ?
My whole life, I had been relaxing my hair. Intermittently, I would opt for a protective hairstyle. My hair was about shoulder length long at the time. One day, as I was removing my braids, I got frustrated and chopped them off, along with my hair. Seemed like a great idea at the time as I immediately decided to transition from relaxed to natural hair. What I didn’t realise was the frustration I would encounter and experience with my transition journey. Products that were available on shelves at the time were simply not working. My hair was breaking and weak, regardless of the different products I used.
I then decided to research natural haircare remedies that I could use at home. Research involved reading up on various carrier oils, their benefits and the best possible combinations. I would religiously apply these at home. My two daughters, 10 and 3 years old at the time, were an integral part of the trial process. I refer to them as my unpaid trial assistants.
After I found combinations that I was happy to have formulated, I then approached professional cosmetic chemists. Once again, with my two unpaid assistants, we embarked on many sampling exercises. After many months of going back and forth, the two launch products, Hair Repairing Growth Oil and Serum, were born.
Ebony Shades is crafted with quality, natural ingredients that are safe to use for the whole family. The range is formulated to address and combat hair loss caused by over styling and tight hairstyles. It is also formulated for day-to-day healthy hair promotion and maintenance Our range is free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oils and petroleum. We have also taken care to have products that have not been tested on animals.
Ebony Shades currently has six products in the range which include :
Ebony Shades Hair Repairing & Growth 8 in 1 Oil:
Our hair repairing and growth oil contains active ingredients that may help stimulate hair follicles to prevent hair loss, may enhance hair restoration, promote growth, reduce breakage, moisturize and strengthen hair.
How To Use:
*Appy directly onto scalp and hair. Gently massage through from root to tip. For optimal results, use after Ebony Shades Hair Repairing& Growth Serum. Use up to four times a week.
Can be used as part of a LOC method:
*Apply Ebony Shades Hair & Scalp Spray onto hair and scalp.
*Massage gently. Apply Oil onto scalp and hair. Massage gently
*Apply Ebony Shades Hair Butter onto hair and scalp.
*Massage gently. Apply Oil onto scalp and hair. Massage gently
Ebony Shades Hair Repairing & Growth 4 in 1 Serum:
Our hair repairing and growth 4 in 1 serum contains active ingredients that may help stimulate hair follicles to prevent hair loss, may enhance hair restoration, promote growth, reduce breakage, moisturize and strengthen hair.
How To Use:
Appy directly onto scalp and hair. Gently massage through from root to tip. For optimal results, use before Ebony Shades Hair Repairing & Growth Oil. Use daily.
Hydrating super boost method:
*Apply Ebony Shades Hair Repairing Serum onto hair and scalp. Massage gently. Apply Ebony Shades Hair Butter onto scalp and hair. Massage gently
*Apply Ebony Shades Hair Repairing Serum onto hair and scalp. Massage gently. Apply Ebony Shades Hair & Scalp Spray onto scalp and hair. Massage gently
Ebony Shades Shampoo:
*Our hydrating shampoo will deep cleanse your hair, leaving it healthy, conditioned, shiny and soft. Your scalp will be left feeling nourished, conditioned and build-up free. Our hydrating shampoo will cleanse your hair and scalp without stripping either of natural oils.
How to Use:
*Apply a generous amount to wet hair and gently massage through hair and scalp. Rinse thoroughly and repeat. For optimal results, follow up with Ebony Shades Creamy Leave-In Conditioner.
Ebony Shades Creamy Leave-In Conditioner:
Our creamy leave-in conditioner will leave your hair moisturized, soft, shiny and easy to manage. It will also be conditioned, frizz free, stronger and healthier.
How To Use:
*Apply a generous amount to hands, rub together, smooth product onto damp hair from roots to ends. Do not rinse. Moisturize and style as desired. Use as needed.
Ebony Shades Hair & Scalp Spray:
Our Hair & Scalp Spray will give your hair ultra hydration, leaving it healthy, soft and shiny. It will soothe your scalp, eliminate itching and flaking.
How to Use:
Spray lightly and evenly onto hair and scalp. Massage onto scalp, hair and between braids, cornrows or dreadlocks. Use Daily
Can be used as part of a LOC method:
Apply Ebony Shades Hair & Scalp Spray onto hair and scalp. Massage gently. Apply Oil onto scalp and hair. Massage gently.
Ebony Shades Hair Butter:
Our Hair Butter will nourish condition and moisturise your hair. It will be left feeling and looking soft, healthy and shiny with no build-up.
How To Use:
Apply a generous amount to hair. Massage through from root to tip. Style as desired.
Can be used as part of a LOC method:
Apply Ebony Shades Hair Butter onto hair and scalp. Massage gently. Apply Oil onto scalp and hair. Massage gently
Share with us some of the challenges you came across in the conception of the business and how you overcame them?
The process of product creation is very involved and requires one to constantly juggle multiple suppliers at one given time. This does pose a cashflow issue, as most suppliers require minimum order quantities to be ordered for raw materials and packaging. This amplified by the fact that upon starting out, most suppliers require cash on delivery. For a self-funded business, this does become a stumbling block.
Once the product is developed and ready for market, access or route to market can be a challenge. Fortunately, we approached a major retailer with our two products at the time and were given a listing. We were supplying to stores nationwide. However, because we did not have the funding to expand our range and aggressively drive brand awareness, we were not visible on shelf as we only had two products. It’s easy to get lost on shelf and not be seen when competitors have the lion share of shelf space.
We had to unfortunately opt out of the listing and go back to the drawing board. During this period, a review on all suppliers was conducted and new suppliers with better terms were brought on board. The range had an additional four products developed.
What are the benefits of using Ebony Shades?
Depending on which products you opt for, or on your specific hair concerns, these are some of the benefits:
- Prevents hair loss
- Promotes hair growth
- Strengthened hair
- Maintenance of a healthy scalp
- Nourished and hydrated hair
- Reduced breakage
- Assist with detangling
- Reduced frizz
- Protects from thermal heat and reduces thermal heat damage
This gave us the opportunity and confidence to once again approach retailers. We are currently selling Ebony Shades in selected Clicks stores, EdenVinne and Pick n Pay Exports.
What are some tips for growing out hair and keeping it healthy?
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Develop a consistent hair wash day routine inclusive of a sulfate free shampoo. Always apply a conditioner
- Keep hair hydrated
- Regularly trim your ends to get rid of split ends
- Wear a satin scarf or bonnet at night
Intermittently, put your hair in a protective hairstyle. Make sure hair is not pulled too tightly during styling or braiding
Readers may purchase and contact Ebony Shades through the following:
- Selected Clicks stores nationwide
- Ebony Shades website
- EdenVinne Randburg Square
- Amazon
Website : www.ebonyshades.co.za
Email : info@ebonyshades.co.za