Free Your Mane Products
CEO of Free Your Mane products Israel Segal highlights his business and the inspiration for starting his innovative product line.
• How did it all begin?
The journey began for me in 2003 when I adopted my African-American twins, Ziggy and Nola. I didn’t always think about every single thing I ate or put on my own skin, but when I was entrusted with the purity of these two infants those concerns came to the surface. Being six weeks premature they were so tiny and I worked so hard to keep them healthy. That meant organic formula at first and then preparing organic food for them when they began eating.
As they grew, grooming became an issue so I went looking for solutions. I found that most of the products on the shelves were the same one’s I’d grown up with– made with petrolatum and mineral oil—the waste from the petroleum industry. The shampoos were filled with the same sulfates I wash my kitchen floor with so it was no wonder they turned my kids hair to straw! I tried the ‘all-natural’ products but they didn’t work and were overly fragranced and greasy. I realized that if I wanted healthy, effective and modern products I would have to create them.
• What is the vision for the company?
I see Free Your Mane as the solution to modern multicultural hair needs. That solution is hydration, and that’s the basis of the line. Everyone needs more moisture, especially those with textured hair. I discovered the epic hydration qualities of pure Baobab oil. The Baobab is the tree of life and sustains whole communities in Africa in times of drought. It can swell to hold 32,000 gallons of water. The oil holds eight times its weight in moisture and is full of nutrients and antioxidants.
Baobab, along with other essential oils and the most modern cosmetic chemistry available is what gives Free Your Mane unsurpassed hydrating power. I didn’t want to throw out the good chemistry with the bad.
I felt it was high time that this underserved market had the same quality of product that’s available in other markets. Because of my inspiration, the bottom line will always be the health and well being of my customer. I will never sacrifice my customer’s health by using parabens and phthalates, which show up highly concentrated in breast cancer tumors. I wouldn’t do that do my daughter and I wouldn’t expect a customer to do it to their daughters.
• Where you would like to see the company’s growth in 2 years?
In two years time I hope that our brand will become a household name that is synonymous with healthy beauty, that everyone will free their mane of sulfates, phthalates, parabens and petrochemicals. Free Your Mane aspires to be an industry leader who empowers women to wear their hair however they choose and not to succumb to the pressure to always embrace a Eurocentric aesthetic. Natural hair is super versatile, but however you choose to style your hair, Free Your Mane will give you the healthiest and most effective solution to your beauty needs.
In two years time we should have enough momentum to roll out some amazing products we have waiting in the wings, including an alcohol free thermal prep, a curl stretch cream and the best body butter you’ve ever tried.
• What are your specialty products?
I developed incredible Pomade that actually conditions while it holds. Our Baobab Brilliant Restorative Hair Oil is a multi use product. You can press your hair with it to seal it, keep it silky and it will still move (not like greasy petroleum based oils that weigh down the hair). The Reviving Spray is a fresh start without starting over. It can be utilized to refresh and moisturize without adding frizz and it wakes up the pomade you already have in your hair. Our Shampoo is sulfate free and incredibly gentle so it won’t strip your hair of the natural oils you work so hard to maintain. The Daily Detangling Conditioner not only does what its name says but it’s also a great leave-in. And the Hydrating Hair Masque is the ultimate for dry hair, and that’s anyone who thermals their hair often or has any kind of process.
• What is the day in the life of the CEO(s)?
A day in the life of this CEO starts with getting the kids off to school. They are second graders now and mornings are always hectic.
Then I sit down with my inspiration (a double shot of espresso) and I’ll spend the morning at the computer, filling orders, doing press, conferring with Dede Ford, our brand manager about new products, basically doing whatever needs doing. I wear a lot of hats right now.
Then, just when I get on a roll, I realize I’ve got nothing planned yet for dinner and I panic and run to the market. My family immigrated to the US when I was a little boy and meals were always important in our house. That’s stuck with me, I feel guilty when I don’t cook my family dinner. Since she didn’t speak English, my mother couldn’t read the labels on any of the groceries, so we ended up eating pretty healthy by default, things she could recognize– fresh vegetables, fruits and meat. The family was all expected to eat the same things. There were no ‘special’ foods for kids, certainly no chicken nuggets! I think I’m much better off for it. Now I just shop the edges of the market and avoid the middle aisles, just like my mom did.
After the kids go to bed I’ll work for a couple more hours and then I have to zone out to the tv, my guilty pleasure.
Anything you would like to share to your future customers or budding entrepreneurs.
Yes. If you have ever even considered starting your own business, do it! No matter how much work it is I promise you that you will have the time of your life. Nothing else gives you the feeling that working hard for something you truly believe gives you. Free Your Mane and your soul will follow!
Category: Business Spotlight
