The ladies from the Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils team share their fondest hair memory and how it helped shape their natural hair journey.
Dwan White
Creator of Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils and Vice President of Global Marketing.
Like many women during the early days of the natural hair movement, I found myself determined to make the transition from relaxed to natural, but struggled to find products that worked well on my dense, low porosity, 4c texture. I was spending a small fortune on numerous products that weren’t getting the job done.
As a long-term Marketing & Product Development professional in the hair products industry, I did what I do best and set out to find a new way to help solve women’s pain points with their hair. After interviewing literally hundreds of women who were at different stages in their natural journey I discovered I wasn’t alone in my frustration.
I was able to identify the gaps, to understand what was missing, learn what was working and wasn’t working across textures, and engage my resources to develop formulas that could actually deliver on performance and quality that were affordable enough for women to maintain a good natural hair care regimen without it breaking their wallet.
The first four Aunt Jackie’s therapies were launched (Oh So Clean, In Control, Knot on my Watch & Curl La La) and I kept adding collections that address and help solve an array of hair care issues. Hair has a lot to do with how people, especially people of colour, feel about themselves. I get a lot of joy knowing the products I develop help women, men and children embrace, manage and style their God-given natural texture.
Since I transitioned to natural hair so many years ago, I find that low maintenance protective styles, like braids and twists best accommodate my on-the-go, busy lifestyle, as well as keeps my hair healthy and growing. When people ask what are my favourite Aunt Jackie’s products, it makes me feel like I’m being asked which is my favourite kid (LOL). But, to be honest...my favourite Aunt Jackie’s products are all in the Flaxseed Collection.
The moisture retention, manageability, deep conditioning, and softness I get from those products are amazing for my type 4 texture. A washday regimen of the Flaxseed products, coupled with Quench Leave-In Moisturizer perform wonders on hard-to-manage texture and lasts until the next wash day.
Shaherra M. Rolen
Global Marketing Brand Manager
It has been over twenty years since my last relaxer. I decided that I had enough, and I wanted to rock my natural hair. The problem… I didn’t know how! Over the next 15 years I consistently straightened my hair.
During this time, I was also instilling in my young daughter to embrace who she is and love her natural hair. I thought, “How can I tell my daughter to love her hair, when I don’t even rock my natural hair?” That was a gut check. I decided to embrace my natural texture and went all in, searching online for tutorials and buying an array of products trying to figure out what works best.
I have learned to peel back the layers and truly take time to search and define who Shaherra is, likes and has to offer. My natural hair journey taught me all of this but most importantly, it taught me the meaning of self-love. Now, when I talk to my daughter about self-love, it comes from experience.
It’s an incredible feeling when I tell people I work for Aunt Jackie’s and their faces light up as they share their favourite products. What an honour to be in a position to empower people to embrace their crown and love their natural hair. I am beyond thankful that my boss, the creator of Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils, Dwan White has trusted me to move the brand forward. Let’s enjoy this journey together!
Amanda Carpede
International Marketing Manager
Back in 2015 I received my first bottle of Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch Instant Detangling Therapy. I remember my excitement at trying this magical elixir for the first time. After having to mix my own hair concoctions, using whatever was available in my kitchen - this bottle was an absolute treasure. With such an amazing slip, it made detangling my daughter and my hair a breeze.
Our knots melted away like butter! Then I discovered that it could be used as a leave-in conditioner too - talk about a 2 for 1 saving! That same year I had the privilege of meeting Dwan White, and I couldn’t stop gushing over her creation. It was a full circle moment for me. The Aunt Jackie’s collections have grown quite extensively since then, yet you can still find Knot On My Watch on my Holy Grail list of natural hair products.
Cover shot at Orms Studios
