MYAVANA is bringing its hair care technology to Africa.

Candace Victoria Mitchell is the mastermind behind the company, which launched with a $1,000 investment and a vision to ensure improved hair health for Black women, as AFROTECH™ previously told you.

“Originally, my ‘why’ was really to provide a more personalized approach for people to really be seen and heard in the beauty industry,” Mitchell said in an interview with AFROTECH™. “Because, at the time, there were not many products catered to women of color or textured hair. And it just felt like it was just a huge oversight, and we were just kinda out there figuring it out on YouTube. I feel that hair is deeply connected to our purpose and identity, especially in Black culture. So my ‘why’ was just deeply rooted in people understanding who they are and also having the technology that could cater to our personalized journeys.”

Technologies released include MYAVANA HairAI, which provides a detailed hair analysis followed by personalized recommendations based on hair type and texture. Additionally, MYAVANA HairAI assesses hair conditions and customizes a care plan with tailored products, ingredients, and regimens. The company also released a hardware device for stylists branded as the MYAVANA HairScope™. It identifies challenges such as build-up or breakage on the scalp and populates findings on a screen.

MYAVANA’s innovation will be making its way to Africa with the launch of its brick-and-mortar shop, MYAVANA Hair Lab, in Uganda. This marks its first beauty-tech retail franchise, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™.
Photo Credit: MYAVANA

Customers can expect 1:1 consultations with hair experts, access to the HairAI™ analysis, hair care education content, and product recommendations. In addition, the store will carry premium brands and products, including Black-owned businesses such as Moisture Love, Texture Crush, Afro Unicorn, U Go Girl Hair, and LushUs Hair.

“When you look at the history of product development, marketing, and distribution in the beauty industry, African-American brands and businesses have lost equity and ownership over the past decades. We want to change that,” Mitchell said in a news release. “We’re putting black-owned hair care brands front and center and providing them with strategic opportunities to foster community engagement and drastically increase global distribution.”