So. Texture on the Runway.
Five years running, and it’s still a big deal.
Our Co-Founder Michelle Bryer linked arms with our favorite hair brand purveyors at Sally Beauty and made this space for highly textured hair in a high-fashion sphere. Naturally (tee hee”>, it took off like a beautifully coiffed rocket!
We’re proud to have Creme of Nature as one of our brand partners in this endeavor to put textured hair in the spotlight it so deserves. What’s more, yours truly managed to catch up with Teneya Gholston, Creme of Nature Director of Marketing — a position an Advertising Geek such as myself might dare to call god-like. I probably wouldn’t have been able to handle being in her direct presence, as is so often the case with business communications deities, but she was willing to send down the divine word re. Creme of Nature’s I Am Supernatural ethos and their being a part of TOR!
April Bingham: What does Supernatural mean to you?
Teneya Gholston: I define the Super Natural woman, sister, and friend as one who has style and beauty all her own who is rocking her natural curls with pride in every and all situations. She may be heading to brunch with her friends, presenting in the boardroom, running her business, tending to family or on her way to class – whatever she’s doing, she is confident, bold and owning her look. It’s that feeling of: you’ve got this, girl.
AB: How do you want to empower natural haired curly women?
TG: We want every woman and every curl to feel her best, most beautiful self. We do this by continuing to educate women on how to care for and style their curls while making the best products to serve their needs. Creme of Nature has over 40 years of industry experience so we recognize that all not curls are the same. We work hard to create style and hold products for all textures and curl lengths. I believe that when women find the right products, they can create endless styles to suit their personality and lifestyle.
AB: What don’t curly women tend to know about their own super powers?
TG: Our super powers cannot be stopped! You may be having a bad day or hard time at that moment but know that the best is yet to come. Having great looking curls helps you look good and feel great. Sometimes, you have to…show the world that you are unstoppable in the pursuit of your greatness despite what may be going on. We want women to let their curls do the talking so they can focus on owning their dreams, ambitions and make having their best life a reality.
AB: What can you tell us about the looks Creme of Nature plans to walk down the runway? Any little tastes or themes you can reveal?
TG: We love what Texture on the Runway stands for and are proud to be participating this year! We hope to show off styles that the audience in the room and online can relate to and be inspired by.
AB: Playing it close to the vest, I see! Well, that’s why I’ll be making sure to keep up with the sartorial developments… What hairdressers, designers, and models will you be working with? Any IG accounts we should start following?
TG: We are proud to be working with clothing designer David De La Cruz of DeLaCruzNYC (@delacruzofficial”> and celebrity hairstylist Pekela Riley (@pekelariley”> on hair. They are both so talented – I love working with creatives who love what they do and are able to bring our brand to life in new ways. You can, of course, follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @cremeofnature for behind the scenes details and of-the-moment hair news.
AB: What challenges has the brand overcome in discovering its own power?
TG: We’ve been around for over four decades so for us, it’s about invention. Grandmothers, mothers, and their daughters have all grown up using our products but we are aware that curl needs change with the times so are constantly testing new products and bringing the most innovative to the market for your readers. Sometimes, we’ll have an idea and I want to see it on the shelves right away but it takes time to perfect the formulas. We were the first ethnic brand to use Argan Oil from Morocco in our products and are always working with the best ingredients – including coconut oil, Acai Berry, mango and shea butter – to nourish the hair.
AB: Can’t say high-quality ingredients aren’t always super fashionable. If you or your hair had a legit comic book style superpower what would it be?
TG: If I my hair was a super hero, it would be The Chameleon because I’m always experimenting with styles and changing the color. I love to wear my hair out and really let my curls show themselves off.
AB: Nice! Personally, I was thinking of independently moving braids with mind controlling venom tips, muahaha. Hey, every super heroine has to have a super villainess, right? Any other haute couture loving geeks in the house? That said, is there anything you want to make sure our readers know?
TG: We love hearing from your readers about our products – their favorites and other feedback – what they’d like to see in the future and getting a notification when they tag us on their Instagram posts. This helps us to see how the products are being used and evolve our product line.
This year, we launched four new hair products for curly hair:
- Creme of Nature with Argan Oil from Morocco Apple Cider Vinegar Clarifying Rinse – a purifying cleanser that uses natural Apple Cider Vinegar to cleanse the scalp, braids, locks and curls
- Creme of Nature with Argan Oil from Morocco Flexible Styling Snot – a maximum hold gel that’s somewhere between a putty and thick gel to really lay edges and smooth hair for ponytails and updo’s
- Creme of Nature with Argan Oil from Morocco Perfect Edges Black – a superior edge control gel that also has temporary black hair color to fill in roots and cover greys
- Creme of Nature with Argan Oil from Morocco Moisture & Shine Curl Activator Creme – the only product that you need after shampooing and conditioning to make your curls pop for the perfect wash ‘n go style
I love hearing feedback from your readers on how they use them and seeing the styles that they create!
You heard it here, curlfriends! Creme of Nature wants to see what you’re up to with your up ‘dos— keep those mentions coming! I was able to get my hands on that Styling Snot, so you best believe when these crochet braids come down, we’re gonna get into it. Speaking of mentions though, don’t forget, you can @ more than one business. Hint hint, y’all.
We can’t wait to bring you the latest in innovation and naturally curly inspiration. Looking at our fabulous partners’ work, we’re hardly alone in that sentiment.
