Skip to main content

New Beauty Product for Women of Color, Y.A.M. by Bekura Beauty

With so many hair and beauty products on the market specifically targeted to women of color, it's hard to figure out what works--especially when you're browsing the endless choices at your favorite drugstore or beauty supply store.  Well, a new product to consider is the Southern cuisine-inspired Y.A.M. Nectar Hydrating Hair Nourisher ($20) from Bekura Beauty. The product line was founded in 2011 by Rashida Jefferson, and we chatted with Rashida about her mission to promote more "me-time moments."

Bekura Beauty founder, Rashida Jefferson.
When did you start Bekura Beauty, and what inspired you to start your own hair, bath and body product line?

I launched Bekura Beauty in July of 2011 under the name, "b.a.s.k. beauty."  The idea to create a spa collection was inspired by my love of traveling and getting pampered at destination day spas.  I would visit these beautiful, serene resorts, but didn't quite benefit fully from the treatments as they were designed. Most didn't cater to my particularly drier skin and textured hair. I would make requests like, "Could you add a little coconut milk to that?" or "Please leave out the clay for my treatment."  After enough trips and special requests, I started playing around with ingredient blends and began making my own DIY treatments at home. Using culinary ingredients from the gourmet food market, I put my own spin on some of the native spa treatments I'd experienced.

What's the significance of the name, Bekura Beauty?   

The word Kura is Polynesian for "treasure."  In thinking about the Bekura woman, we thought about the "always on" girl who's treasured by her friends and loved ones, but who makes it a point to pamper and take care of herself, too. 

What distinguishes Y.A.M. and your other products from other products, especially hair care products made marketed to African-American women?

Our products - specifically within our hair collection - are what I call "indulgent spa treats" for textured hair.  We craft them with authentic, concentrated ingredients such as pure cocoa absolutes, vanilla bean infusions, and even premium whiskey! Like rich desserts, you wouldn't indulge in Bekura's treats on a daily basis like you would the regular maintenance and styling products found in most natural hair brands.  We encourage our customers to maintain their daily regimen, but to also take some time out once in awhile to truly pamper their tresses with our unique treatment products. 

What's the most rewarding thing about having your own business?

The most rewarding thing is being able to use my business as a platform to encourage women to set aside more "me-time" moments. Between the demands of work, motherhood and community involvement, we just don't pamper ourselves enough. My long-term goal with Bekura is to spread that message of encouragement to the overworked and under-pampered (I made that word up!) woman, through partnerships with brands and individuals who value leisure as much as we do. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Conway Discount Clothing Chain Closing in New York City

(Tracy E. Hopkins) It's the end of a budget shopping era. Conway discount stores are closing in New York City . As of this weekend, a sign on the sole Herald Square location (34th Street btwn 7th and 8th Ave) says the store will close in "7 Days." Before I relocated to the Big Apple, I was introduced to the discount chain while on a bus trip from Baltimore.  I recall the first time I saw Conway's signature pink bags carried by hurried shoppers in midtown. And Miss Foster, the trip organizer and a bargain hunter from way back, took me to the store for the first time. Conway store in the Fulton Mall./Tracy E. Hopkins When I moved here in 1994, my love affair with Conway continued.  I furnished my first apartment with discount knick-knacks and home goods from the store.  And much to my chagrin, in hindsight, I curated most of my wardrobe for my first full-time job from the long-shuttered 42nd Street and Third Avenue store. One regretful ensemble: Lime green and
Post a Comment
Read more

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Graces Brooklyn Academy of Music, June 4-9, 2024

Dance is expression. Dance is spiritual. Dance is activism. Dance is life. I feel most alive when I am listening to music and dancing.  As a spectator and fan, some of my fondest moments of watching dance performances have been witnessing the dignity and grace of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Every time I see the Ailey company, I am inspired, moved, and grounded in the beauty and complexity of the African American experience.  Photo by Paul Kolnik For me, the highlight is always "Revelations," Mr. Ailey's three-part ode to his upbringing in the Black Baptist church. The three sections -- "Pilgrim of Sorrow"; "Take Me to the Water"; and "Move, Members, Move" -- tell the story of African American faith and persistence from slavery to freedom. Over the weekend,  I had the pleasure of taking an outdoor Community Workshop in downtown Brooklyn, where we learned some of the choreography for "Revelations." I beamed from ear to ear
Post a Comment
Read more

Wendy Williams Diagnosed with Dementia and Her Lifetime Documentary Reveals Struggles with Health and Finances

Wendy Williams has always been a friend in my head, as the former talk show host was fond of saying about celebrities she liked and admired.  Before her eponymous "The Wendy Williams Show" became a nationally syndicated treasure trove for all the goss, I listened to Wendy's daily chat fest on WBLS in New York City. That radio show was a source of afternoon delight while working 9 to 5, and  I've been a fan of the "Queen of All Media" for a long time. So it has been hard to watch Wendy devolve into a hot topic -- while publicly dealing with the embarrassment of infidelity in her marriage, a nasty divorce, losing her hit talk show and subsequent health and financial woes.  While she was still doing her talk show, which ran for 12 years, the gossip girl openly discussed her battles with substance abuse and her medical struggles with Graves' Disease and Lymphedema. I was even watching when Wendy fainted on live television during a 2017 Halloween episode of h
Post a Comment
Read more