PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Black Business Month is a time when we celebrate entrepreneurs with diverse interests, many of whom have started businesses that focus on needs that are often overlooked.
Such is the case for one Manayunk business owner whose nationally known hair brand focuses on sensitive scalps.
“I’m pretty sensitive and have delicate hair, so my hairdressing experience wasn’t the best,” said Ash Williams of South Philadelphia as she had her hair braided by natural stylist Kiara Brown.
“Braids are super, super popular now,” said Brown, who leads the team of stylists at Dosso Beauty’s new salon and store in Manayunk. The brand focuses on certified hypoallergenic braiding hair.
“It’s lightweight. It’s pre-stretched. It doesn’t itch,” said Kadidja Dosso, founder and CEO of Dosso Beauty, which she founded in 2018.
The 29-year-old Hampton University graduate and Philadelphia native is a self-proclaimed “West Philly Girl” whose brand is now internationally known.
“We ship internationally at least ten times a week,” she said.
Her niche business is dedicated to the needs of clients with sensitive scalps like hers.
“I actually had an allergic reaction to braids,” she said of the years before starting her business. “My scalp was purple. It was inflamed. The next day I had to take the braids out.”
Dosso searched social media to see if others had had the same experience. Hundreds responded saying they had experienced the same negative reaction to braiding hair made from synthetic materials.
That’s when she came up with the idea of developing her own line of certified hypoallergenic hair that doesn’t irritate the scalp.
“It feels great on my skin,” said Williams as her hair was braided with Dosso Beauty Hair.
Brown uses the brand exclusively as a contract stylist for the Dosso Beauty Brand.
“It doesn’t tangle. It works well,” she said.
Demand for the hypoallergenic hair grew quickly online, and now the products are available in-store as Dosso Beauty opens its first brick-and-mortar location in the 5100 block of Rochelle Avenue in Manayunk.
“I had to come up with a concept of what the first salon of my dreams should look like,” Dosso said of the space, which includes a retail area and a styling area.
With the help of grants, including $250,000 from Pharrell Williams’ nonprofit Black Ambition program, Kadidja is the sole owner of the company, a rarity for black women in the beauty industry.
“Black women consume 80% of the ethnic hair care market, but we own less than 3%,” Dosso said.
She passes on her wealth by signing contracts with stylists whom she wants to give the opportunity to become entrepreneurs.
“We provide you with all the hair and all the products and you just show up and do the work,” she said.
Dosso is also committed to keeping her products affordable. Her most popular item is a three-pack of braiding hair priced at $27.
The hair is available in different colors. Dosso has also expanded its range to include hair care products such as Edge Control, Hair Elixir and Braid Shampoo.
The young entrepreneur hopes to expand her organic beauty empire by launching a new twist on braids.
“I wanted people to feel beautiful, but also safe and healthy,” she said.
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