Women across the globe have had a love-hate relationship with curly and wavy hair for ages. While the unique element of curls has an undeniable charm of its own, the haircare aspect has been daunting for long. But, not anymore. Isha Mahabal, Founder of The Curl Co. is out on a mission to make the Indian landscape around haircare for curls a joyful one. In a candid conversation with Priyanka Parshurami, Mahabal takes us through her journey.
Having trained at the Sassoon Salon Academy in the United States, Isha Mahabal boasts a decade-long career in hairdressing. The force behind the Alchemic Beauty Salon in Mumbai, she has an expansive experience in cutting, and styling curly and wavy hair. Working with over 6000+ curly-haired people, she understands the exact issues that curly-haired people want to address. Leveraging her experience and knowledge, she brought The Curl Co. to life. Let’s learn more about her journey and the brand through the trailblazer herself.
Can you tell us about your journey as a hairdresser and what inspired you to specialise in curly and wavy hair?
My journey as a hairdresser began over 10 years ago when I was running away from working for my family business. I left for LA and did a hairdressing and cosmetology course. And, while I was at it, I developed a great interest in this field. My personal struggles with my curly hair and years of chemically straightening it pushed me to help other girls struggling with the same issue. I love helping girls like me realise how amazing their curly hair is.
Tell us about your salon Alchemic Beauty and how it helped with the inception of The Curl Co.?
Alchemic Beauty specialises in Curly everything. I have interacted with over 5000+ women with curly hair across India. It made me realise that there is a massive gap in the market that needs to be addressed. Indian Curly Hair inspired me to create The Curl Co. I believe haircare for curly or wavy needs to be quick, fun, and sustainable.
Can you walk us through the research and development process behind your new haircare product? What were some key considerations you had in mind?
The main purpose of creating The Curl Co. was to simplify the haircare routine for curly and wavy hair. Often, women complain about how long and tedious the routine is and we wanted to make sure it was quick and easy. I started working on it about two years ago. I just wanted to make products suitable for Indian weather and Indian hair. After almost 18 batches of trials and improving the formula, we got our 3-step haircare routine.
What gaps did you notice in the market for curly and wavy hair products that your line aims to address?
To have a simple and easy-to-understand haircare routine for curly and wavy hair. As it’s your haircare, you have to do it every other day of your life. So, the products need to be effective, good to smell, reasonably priced and need to provide sun and environmental protection.
How does The Curl Co. stand out from other curly hair care products currently available? Are there any unique ingredients or technologies used?
This is the first curly haircare brand started by a professional hairdresser and a curly hair specialist. The ingredients are effective and proven beneficial for curly hair. It’s a great blend of science-backed ingredients with some organic natural oils and butters. We have a unique formula for our products. It makes them easy and powerful to give you healthy happy curls.
What feedback have you received from clients and other professionals in the industry about your new product line?
The feedback from curly-haired women and experts has honestly been lovely. We are so proud of what we have created. It brings us immense joy to see that our products are making life easy for curly-haired women. Our star product the Enhance and Define Soft Hold Curl Cream is something you cannot miss!
