When F. Butler became frustrated with the lack of quality products for highly textured hair, she turned to age-old traditions from Africa, India and the Mediterranean.
‘I wanted to take advantage of the rich, cultural haircare traditions native to those regions,’ said Butler, the founder of Qhemet Biologics. ‘I wanted the products to have high therapeutic and functional value. In other words, I wanted them to work as intended.’
The result of her efforts is a line of five products rich in high-quality natural ingredients.
Her first product was the Olive & Honey Intense Hydration Balm, which she created to provide lasting hydration to thick, coarse or dense hair. The balm contains virgin sesame oil and pure olive oil, which was referred to as ‘liquid gold’ in ancient Egypt because of its high levels of oleic acids and antioxidants.
‘I felt that a product with natural emollients and moisturizers would provide nourishment, impart sheen and shine and keep the hair touchably soft, no matter the environmental conditions,’ she said.
After developing that product, which turned her into a lay cosmetic chemist, she decided to create an entire line of products. Some were intended as natural alternatives to existing products and others were designed to address needs she didn’t think were bering met. She wanted to avoid the petrochemicals, animal fats, proteins and irritants found in many of the products aimed at the ethnic market.
The line includes the Amla Oil Nourishing Pomade, Olive Cream Conditioning Instant Detangler, Honeybrush Hair Tea Soft Hold Gel and Herbal Henna Botanical Softening Oil.
With each product, special attention was paid to each ingredient. For example, the pomade includes Amla oil and virgin sesame oil because of their Ayurvedic tradition. The formula is traditionally prescribed to encourage hair growth, prevent dandruff, maintain hair pigment and soften hair. She said it’s gentle enough to use for babies and children.
The Herbal Henna Botanical Softening Oil was the result of her efforts to create a light conditioning oil for finer, thinner-textured hair. The product contains beneficial plants such as neutral henna, alfalfa, aloe vera, hops, horsetail and kelp extracts, which have long traditions of use in regional, native haircare.
Textured hair that is rich in sulfur tends to be soft and supple. While still kinky, coily and curly, it is softer and less brittle. But chemical use and harsh stripping agents can interfere with the normal production and uptake of sulfur by cysteine and methionine, two of the amino acids responsible for the strength and texture of hair.
‘This is an issue that my products address,’ Butler said. ‘The inclusion of natural actives like organic sulfur, concentrated seaweed extracts, herbal blends and nourishing emollients are key to the prevention structural anomalies, repairing scalp and follicular damage, restoring the natural water and lipid balance and encouraging and retaining growth.’
She said all Qhemet Biologics products work synergistically to counter the ravages of physical and chemical abuse. Hair is returned to its original, natural condition — is soft, supple and resilient.
‘My company’s approach is four-fold yet simple: nurture, soften, protect and replenish through quality, plant based products,’ Butler said. ‘All Qhemet Biologics products work synergistically to counter the damage left by chemical relaxers, severe styling methods and harsh additives.’
