06.06.23
Ceci Kurzman, a veteran executive and board member at Revlon and Lanvin, has unveiled OurX, a direct-to-consumer platform founded with the mission of creating a new standard for tightly textured hair and scalp care via education, personalized regimens and its own product line.
Kurzman also saw a lack of investment, innovation and data surrounding textured hair care, which inspired her to come up with her own offering.
“As an investor and Black woman in business, I was frustrated by some of the industry’s best practices not reaching the textured hair market, and the absence of reliable data to support those within it. As a consumer, I knew I wasn’t alone in my personal experience of spending a lot of time, money, and energy on my hair and not getting the results I was looking for,” Kurzman said.
OurX specializes in Black hair care and aims to revolutionize the market with unique technology and a personalized approach.
The company individualizes each consumer’s daily care plan and combines around-the-clock expert and social support with high-performance products.
Based on the responses, OurX offers a customized product regimen, access to a hair coach, and a helpful peer community. Users can also take advantage of guided at-home video-based tests that provide more information about their hair and scalp. Users receive important comments and instructional advice depending on the input they provide throughout the testing process.
Launching with seven stock keeping units including Scalp Serum and Detox Cleanse Complex, the products are formulated with skincare-inspired ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, combined with innovative ingredients, such AI-created peptides.
The product regimen is influenced by a group of experts, including dermatologist Jenna Lester, celebrity hair stylist Johnny Wright and hairstylist Cataanda James.
Kurzman likens OurX to fitness apps, seeing them both as goal-oriented companies. “We want you to have a great experience in the shower, but we’re really looking for the results over three, six, 12 months and seeing that long-term shift to achieving and maintaining hair health.”
Also, Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé recently dropped a hint about a possible foray into the world of textured hair care.
Beginnings of the Brand
Kurzman polled 30,000 people to obtain a better understanding of the needs of professional millennial consumers. What she found was that 60% of respondents were dissatisfied with the available options and struggled to discover products that fulfilled their expectations.Kurzman also saw a lack of investment, innovation and data surrounding textured hair care, which inspired her to come up with her own offering.
“As an investor and Black woman in business, I was frustrated by some of the industry’s best practices not reaching the textured hair market, and the absence of reliable data to support those within it. As a consumer, I knew I wasn’t alone in my personal experience of spending a lot of time, money, and energy on my hair and not getting the results I was looking for,” Kurzman said.
OurX specializes in Black hair care and aims to revolutionize the market with unique technology and a personalized approach.
The company individualizes each consumer’s daily care plan and combines around-the-clock expert and social support with high-performance products.
How It Works
The OurX journey begins with a rigorous four-step hair evaluation which looks at a variety of criteria, including hair health, styling, treatment procedures, daily behaviors and lifestyle concerns.Based on the responses, OurX offers a customized product regimen, access to a hair coach, and a helpful peer community. Users can also take advantage of guided at-home video-based tests that provide more information about their hair and scalp. Users receive important comments and instructional advice depending on the input they provide throughout the testing process.
The Products
As part of the regimen, there is a curation of treatment-based products, developed by OurX specifically for textured hair.Launching with seven stock keeping units including Scalp Serum and Detox Cleanse Complex, the products are formulated with skincare-inspired ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, combined with innovative ingredients, such AI-created peptides.
The product regimen is influenced by a group of experts, including dermatologist Jenna Lester, celebrity hair stylist Johnny Wright and hairstylist Cataanda James.
Kurzman likens OurX to fitness apps, seeing them both as goal-oriented companies. “We want you to have a great experience in the shower, but we’re really looking for the results over three, six, 12 months and seeing that long-term shift to achieving and maintaining hair health.”
New CEO
Along with the launch, OurX also announced that it has a new CEO, Meghan Maupin. Maupin, an MIT graduate, previously founded personalized skincare brand, Atolla, which was acquired by Function of Beauty in 2021.More Textured Hair Care Brands
OurX is not alone in the textured hair care industry. Last year, Mielle Organics, a fast-growing Black-owned and women-led beauty brand, launched a textured hair collection featuring Tulsi for wavy, curly and coily hair.Also, Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé recently dropped a hint about a possible foray into the world of textured hair care.
