October is Black History Month in the UK, a time to celebrate black-owned businesses and share stories of the black communities. And when it comes to curly haircare, the black and natural community have been leading the charge. From YouTubers like Naptural85 to UK Curly Girl to brands like Trepadora, Kurl Kitchen, Flora & Curl, Ecoslay, and O So Curly.

The brands we're featuring today aren't here because of a quota or a trend, they're here because they've earned their place in our wash day routines. Some of their products are personal favourites of mine (so forgive me for my slight bias.)

So whether you're a seasoned curly,  just starting your natural hair journey or are searching for the best hair products for curly hair, here are five Black-owned brands that deserve a spot in your bathroom cabinet, not just this month, but all year round.

1.  Trepadora

Trepadora is a UK-based curls brand, providing premium, vegan haircare free of sulfates, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, parabens and artificial colours.

Founded by Keisha Jo Lawler, the brand has been revolutionising the UK curly hair game since 2015, by helping women fall in love with their natural haircare with their simple yet effective products. You can order their products directly, through our website, or even at their flagship salon in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

The brand takes a skincare approach to hair care, selecting only the highest quality sustainable, plant-based ingredients. Their mission is simple: helping customers achieve beautiful curls that last. So if you are looking for luxury products that offer frizz control, you should try out this brand.

My favourites from Trepadora:

Trepadora Babassu Quench Leave-In Curl Primer - it is my go-to leave-in, leaving my hair super soft like no other (definitely for the low porosity girlies.) In my opinion, it’s a 4.5/5, as it’s not fragrance-free.

Trepadora Papaya Slip Taming Potion - this gel is great as it slightly stretches my hair and doesn’t make my hair feel super dry like most gels do. Plus, it is frizz-free and gives great curl definition. I want to give it a 4.5 for the same reason as the leave-in.

2.  Kurl Kitchen

Kurl Kitchen is a UK-based natural haircare brand founded by sisters Fleur and Keshia East. The sisters have an English father and a Ghanaian mother, and wanted to create products that represented who they are. After three years of formulation work in Ghana, the sisters launched a complete five-product range, including shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, curl cream, and hair oil.

But what makes Kurl Kitchen truly special is their namesake; their products are made up of common West African kitchen ingredients like okra, baobab, yam, plantain, and coconut that have nourished African hair for generations and can now be used for our weekly wash day routines.

And the products deliver on their promises. My favourite from their line is the styling cream. - a true one-and-done product that will get your curls poppin’ without the need for layering multiple products.

3.  Flora & Curl

Flora & Curl is another British black-owned brand that you will want to remember.  They are curly girl friendly and have the best packaging - beautifully coloured and designed to be completely recyclable.

The founder, Rose Ovensehi is a fellow Brummie and created the plant-powered Flora and Curl as she wanted to create natural, but effective curly hair products that help customers embrace their waves, curls and coils.

When I was obsessed with botanical products (kinda still am) I made sure to invest in some F&C products.

They recently came out with the ‘strengthen me’ collection, which is perfect for the colder months.

What is my favourite product from Flora & Curl? It has to be the Rose Water Detangling Lotion, it has to be the best detangler I have tried so far.

4.  Ecoslay

Ecoslay is an American black-owned brand founded by Adria Marshall,  who was a self-professed product junkie before finding her tried-and-true products. After some time, she grew frustrated that hair products were expensive and realised that natural ingredients worked better for her hair, so she set out to create her brand in 2015, revolutionising the natural hair market with her DIY-inspired, ingredient-first approach. 

She now works with over 30 global retailers.

What makes Ecoslay truly special is their commitment to sustainability and plant-based ingredients. They hand-make their products using naturally-derived ingredients and have partnered with Black-owned farms in Georgia to source fresh ingredients, some of which their team actually helps grow themselves.

Note: Their products need to be refrigerated once opened because they use minimal preservatives, proving their dedication to keeping formulations as natural as possible.

My favourite product from them is Jello Shot, which works as a topper gel. It has great hold and allows you to achieve frizz free results. I've mainly kept it in the fridge so it lasts longer, as it lasts about 3 months outside the fridge.

5.  O So Curly

O So Curly is a British brand founded by blogger Shannon Fitzsimmons (also known as UK Curly Girl) in 2017. With 23.9k subscribers on youtube, and over 20k Instagram followers, Shannon has always used her platform to share her curlcare knowledge.

And as a natural hair blogger and entrepreneur, she saw a gap in the market for stylish, modern satin hair accessories that actually protect curly hair while looking good.

What started with a satin-lined beanie has grown into a full range of essential curly hair accessories, including their bestselling reversible satin pillowcase that doubles up as a bonnet.

Shannon's mission is simple: healthy haircare should be fun.

And what’s more fun than cute sleepwear and scrunchies, like the O So Curly XL Satin Sleep Scrunchie.

 

Final Thoughts

Supporting Black-owned businesses isn’t just about making a purchase, it’s about investing in brands that work and represent your values.

It’s about telling a story, and celebrating your heritage by wearing your crown with pride.

And each of these brands started with a founder who was frustrated, and determined to create something better. They've built businesses that prioritise quality, sustainability, and community over quick profits.

This Black History Month (and beyond), we encourage you to remember that your hair is beautiful and doesn’t need to be ‘fixed, it just needs the right care. Whether you’re building your curly hair routine with products made from natural ingredients found in your kitchen, or wearing the very best satin accessories, these black-owned businesses are here to support your journey.

Ready to upgrade? Buy curly hair products online from these incredible brands, and as always, we’re here to help you find the best hair products for curly hair.

Which of these brands have you tried? And which are you adding to your wishlist? Let me know in the comments below!