A Haircare Brand Founded by a Biomedical Scientist, Trichologist & Natural Hair Expert

We were elated to speak with Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris - a biomedical scientist, trichologist and natural hair expert who founded the hair brand Alodia.

When and why did you get started?

As a trained, PhD-level Bio-Medical Scientist and Hair Trichologist, my work is centered in researching human diseases. But, my favorite "laboratory" is my kitchen – it’s where I can spend countless hours creating and testing natural remedies and solutions for all my common hair problems. It’s also where the idea for my company was born.

I started Alodia Hair Care back in 2017, and it was the result of my personal hair journey and longtime battle with hair breakage and scalp damage from using chemical straighteners. I was desperate for a solution, and ultimately decided to go back to natural. During that whole transition stage, I began crafting products out of my kitchen that could help nourish, condition and treat textured hair in order to encourage healthy growth.

My mission was to marry my expertise in science with my passion for formulating all-natural products to create a platform that would streamline natural hair care for women of color.

How do you define sustainability?

I would define sustainability in the beauty business as the ability to adapt to the constant and ever-changing environment. Whether it be the current global pandemic or changes in consumer trends, integrating ethical, responsible and conscious behavior is essential to keeping your business thriving.

When it comes to product sustainability, products should not only provide economic and environmental benefits, but contribute to one’s personal health with the use of mindful ingredients and eco-friendly packaging.

Where are your ingredients sourced?

The name Alodia originally comes from a medieval Nubian kingdom because I wanted to bring awareness to the continent of Africa as the hub of beauty. For this reason, over 50% of Alodia’s natural ingredients are sourced from countries in Africa.

Does being a Black woman/ person of color influence your brand? If so, how?

Yes, it absolutely does. As a Black woman, I can speak from experience that learning to love our hair as it naturally grows from our heads isn’t an idea that is universally embraced, or accepted. As a result, we tend to not understand what our hair needs, which can have harmful effects on its overall health. So, it was extremely important for me to create a platform that is (1) a space where Black women can learn about the science of their hair and scalp, and find clean products that actually work (2) a safe environment that exudes positivity, empowerment and love for our unique beauty (3) results-driven with the use of high-quality products made with natural

ingredients that infuses hair with moisture and strength, allowing it to thrive and grow. These are the 3 core attributes of Alodia’s mission in helping women to “Learn, Love and Grow” their hair..

Also, as a young Black girl growing up in Brooklyn NY, I didn’t see many scientists or beauty CEOs that looked like me. Coming from that experience and knowing that within STEM fields there is a serious lack of diversity, I wanted to create a brand with an active social mission of empowering and inspiring young people that are interested in STEM fields through mentorship and partnerships with non-profit organizations.

What has been the greatest challenge in starting a natural indie hair-care brand?

A lack of money and resources is always a challenge when starting any business. I am at a point now where we cannot keep products on the shelves because we are constantly selling out and are always in need of funds for inventory.

What are you most inspired by?

What inspires me the most is the feedback that I get from customers all across the country. When someone writes to us and tells us how much our products have helped address a problem like scalp dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema or alopecia, it really resonates with me. It assures me that what we’re doing is changing someone’s life for the better.