Meet Nourie, a Nutrient

Nov 10, 2023

Hair care has a new plant-powered player.

Nourie, a brand made by and for Black women, is harnessing plants to create hair extensions that seek to not only eliminate the drawbacks of synthetic strands, but deliver nutrients to foster better hair health during wear.

"Nourie stems from the word ‘nourishing,’" said Osahon Ojeaga, Nourie's chief executive officer who founded the brand alongside Nourie's chief science officer Dr. Mary Moore. "We wanted to create a product that serves more than an aesthetic value to consumers — something that was sustainable and healthier than what currently exists."

After closing a $2.5 million seed round in September led by Impact America Fund, Better Ventures and SOSV's IndieBio, Nourie is launching with a jet black, 36-inch braiding hair bundle that comes in a silky-smooth texture and retails for $35, with plans for additional color variations in the works.

"It's not widely spoken about, but it's something that is known — the fact that there's something wrong with [hair extensions] on the market today," said Ojeaga.

"We come across a lot of women who say, ‘I would love to get my hair braided, but I had a bad experience," she continued, adding that, alternatively, "a lot of braiders feel helpless or powerless when it comes to how to provide a level of service and care when it comes to braiding hair that doesn't harm their client, because of the materials that are being used."

Nourie's vegan hair extensions seek to tackle adverse reactions to hair styling among Black women — a neglected group in the beauty industry and American society at large — and help pave the way for a more rigorous standard of quality for not just hair extensions, but the myriad styles Black women commonly turn to.

"We’re going to expand beyond braiding hair and enter other kinds of hair pieces: it could be weaves, it could be wigs, tape-in extensions, sew-ins — you name it," Ojeaga said.

The patent-pending extensions include a time-release function, delivering a nutrient complex over time during wear. "With this new fiber we’ve created comes the ability to customize what is delivered to the scalp, much like in skin care," said Ojeaga.

Launching direct-to-consumer, Nourie is largely targeting hair braiders and stylists who provide in-salon services, and are often the decision-makers ascertaining appropriate product recommendations to consumers, with plans to roll out to certain retailers down the line.

Ojeaga did not comment on sales expectations for the brand, but industry sources anticipate Nourie will do $3 million in sales during its first two years on the market.

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