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HAIR-RAISER: Brand strategists and entrepreneur Oyin Akiniyi

“I LOVE black hair culture; I’m inspired, motivated and empowered by every aspect of it,” says Oyin Akiniyi.

The Nigerian-born, east London raised entrepreneur, with a passion for all things hair and beauty, created a new online beauty platform in the summer, dedicated to women of colour and their hair.

Described as an ‘online bathroom cupboard,’ The Good Hair Club (TGHC) is packed with organic and natural hair care products to suit black women’s unique needs.

Here, Akiniyi, who is an experienced brand strategist with over eight years of experience in the world of brands and marketing, talks to Life & Style about the inspiration behind TGHC and her passion for black hair culture.

What’s The Good Hair Club all about?
The Good Hair Club is an online retail platform, curating the best in organic and natural hair care products for black women. It’s about offering amazing products made by independent brands, who are passionate about quality products that are free from harmful chemicals. It’s about redefining the black hair care landscape and offering black women the best.

Why and when did you decide to start this platform?
The idea came from a need to offer an alternative experience to the current black hair care retail landscape. For the longest time, I think I just accepted the retail landscape as it was and never questioned or thought it should be better; that I deserved better. Then one day it just clicked and I was like, ‘this isn’t good enough and I deserve better.’ I’m a massive fan of black hair culture and I felt that we, as consumers, deserved products that are actually good for hair and an experience that celebrated who we are.

What makes black hair so special?
I love that black hair is so transformative and I mean this in every sense. From the way our natural textures create beautifully, sculptured styles, to the fact that we can literally transform our texture as and when we feel like it.
I love the fact that we have a hair culture that embraces the element of transformation and encourages experimentation and creativity. It’s so special.

Why is selling only natural and organic products important to you?
It’s important that we begin to play a more active role in understanding what we put in and on our bodies and that goes for hair care too. Healthy hair is as about finding quality products that work for your hair. Using organic and natural products means we’re putting the best in our hair.

What sort of feedback have you had so far?
It’s been brilliant so far. I honestly didn’t expect it. I had a vision in my head and hoped it would translate, but never really considered that it would be so positively received. I love getting emails and reviews from people who talk so passionately about The Good Hair Club. My favourite is the interactions that I get on social media and the conversations that champion healthy hair.

How do you go about sourcing your brands?
It’s quite an organic process. I spend a lot of time listening to what people like, reading reviews, talking to friends and family to identify what people need. The brands that I source are all independent brands run by women who are passionate about hair care and it shows in the quality of the products.

What are the most popular products on your site right now?
Ahh, that would be telling! But one of the faves happens to be The Afro Hair and Skin Co. Flourish and Bloom. They are brilliant products made with British flair and with a focus on home grown plant-based ingredients.

How do you plan on further developing TGHC?
My plan is to focus on building the Club, bringing as many people into the Club as possible. Fostering a platform that continues to focus on great quality products with the British experience in mind.

For more information, visit www.thegoodhairclub.com and follow @GoodHairClubUK on Twitter