MADE Maven Special Women's Issue April 2018 | Page 40

S MADEINC In a world full of cookie cutter natural hair care brands that all make the same promis- es but rarely deliver, The Doux (pronounced "The Do") is a breath of fresh hair...I mean air. The retro hip-hop themed line, available at Target, was created by long-time beauty aficionado, Maya Smith, who also serves as the creative director. With more than 22 years in the hair care business, she honed her skills into a collection of incredible products that will not only lay down your flyaways, but also remind you of your fave hip hop song with its genius labels (see Bonita Afrobalm’s twist on A Tribe Called Quest’s classic hit). he recently sat down with us to share how she created her line, how her love of music inspired her work and why no other brand can do it like The Doux. MADE: Walk me through the story of Doux. How’d you come up with the idea? MS: In 2008 when I opened my salon, The HoneyComb, I served a multicultural clientele with a variety of unique needs. Some were naturally curly, others had straighter, wavier hair, but they all had one thing in common: they wanted versatility, curl definition and frizz control, whether they were styling their hair curly or straight. I found myself bouncing between product lines in two categories: straight/relaxed and kinky/curly. There didn’t seem to be one brand that supported my philosophy: Natural is about freedom. True freedom is about versatility. Chicks with real hair should be able to use one Row FOUNDERS MADE BY JASMINE BROWLEY I’ve always carried the motto, “Rejection is Protection.” I can’t think of one “No” that didn’t lead to a huge “Yes” in the future. Rejection for me, like many entrepreneurs, is a necessary ingredient to growing tough skin. It forces me to constantly MADE BY JASMINE BROWLEY challenge myself in what I believe. made-magazine.com | 40