This year has seen a rise in women embracing their natural hair in a proud, unapologetic way. As Yara Shahidi said at the start of the year: “We (My hair and I) are taking up more space as we enter 2020”.
In turn, brands that offer hard-working, natural products for curly hair types have seen a boost in popularity. But none have gathered a cult following as quickly as Olew, who saw their orders triple during lockdown.
Olew was launched by Elinor Davies-Farn – who ditched the straighteners in 2012 after years of battling against her natural curls under pressure to conform – after she couldn’t find natural curl products that worked effectively and without chemicals. So, with just £100, Elinor set up Olew (Welsh for ‘oil’) from her kitchen sink in Leyton, east London, with a mission to enhance and define curls using only natural ingredients that wouldn’t be detrimental to curl health.
Fast forward to now, and Olew’s ‘Curl Cream’ sells two every 30 seconds, with a 120% increase in September alone.
Why? The ‘Curl Cream’ uses a moisture-rich blend of jojoba, aloe and avocado to deeply nourish curly hair textures while smoothing out frizz, protecting against damage and defining the natural curl pattern. It’s a 100% natural, vegan dose of moisture, body and shine. There’s no greasy residue, hair isn’t left ‘heavy’ or flattened and it has detangling and anti-static properties, too.
Basically, it’s a miracle cream for the curly community.
Unsurprising then that the product has amassed only five-star reviews on Olew’s website, with glowing recommendations such as: ‘Love this curl cream, it’s the best for defining my curls and taming the frizz! I’ve noticed my hair feels much healthier after using this and I have been leaving my hair in its natural curly state a lot more’.
Customers are also praising the brand’s eco credentials, with one commenting: ‘This product really does help to help my previously limp, wavy hair to become more bouncy and curly. I love the natural fragrance and ingredients. Also I can reuse or recycle the glass jar once I’ve finished, so it impacts less on the environment than plastic packaging. I can highly recommend curl cream’.
The Olew Curl Cream is available on olew.cymru for £14.50.
