It’s a single solution for skin and hair and skin.
Last month, Brooklyn-based entrepreneur Melissa Lamarre won the grand prize at the annual PowerUp Kreyol Business Plan Competition for Mel’s Butter Blends — her all natural body care business. The pro-green enthusiast was thrilled to reap an reward for her commitment, and now focus on expanding her line, she said.
“I felt so many thoughts and feelings at once,” she said. “It was the end of a long journey — I feel relief and excitement.”
With the $5,000 winnings, Lamarre will use her energy towards creating a workforce and moving her home-made product to a laboratory to increase production of her blends.
Her business was discovered out of exploration and displeasure with the beauty market for not catering to her specific needs. After giving up on hair relaxers and seeking a solution to maintain her natural hair, she eventually gave up and started examining mainstream products.
“I tried a variety of products and none were effective for longtime moisture and hair growth — I even did the other extreme and started working with raw products and essential oils,” she said. “Then I realized that most products are water-based chemicals, and why pay for that when you have water at home?”
She expanded on that concept in 2015 and the idea for Mel’s Butter Blends was born. Seeking a multi-use product for more than just her hair, and a solution to new allergies, she created mixtures of shea and mango seed butters with different types of organic oils that could be used to anywhere.
“If something is all-natural, it shouldn’t be used differently on hair and skin,” said Lamarre.
She currently offers six blends of butters, that are remedies for dry hair and skin, fine and thick hair textures, and even for the face, according to Lamarre.
One of her highly demanded products is the hair crack, a moisture retaining solution for naturally dry hair. And even though she does not promise her products as the answer to all hair woes, she says it is worth a try to discover its ability.
“It’s just matter of people finding something that actually works for them and providing long-term moisture,” said Lamarre. “There’s no one size fits all, but I love just seeing a variety of what’s available and how it works on different hair —people are able to use a natural product that helps them embrace their natural hair texture.”
The product line also stocks a shampoo, face and body washes, a scalp oil, and the various butter mixes. Soon to come will be the return of her body scrub, a beard butter for men, and other hair washing goods.
“I’m in the process of continuous product development and currently working on locking down a deep conditioner that I want to make as raw and pure as possible,” said Lamarre.
Find the items at www.melsb
