Dosso Beauty Wants To Better The Braiding Hair Experience With A New Brick-And-Mortar Location

After starting Dosso Beauty with false eyelashes in 2018 and launching hypoallergenic braiding hair two years later, founder Kadidja Dosso has expanded it offline to a 1,700-square-foot salon and retail location in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Admitting that a brick-and-mortar store was never a goal for Dosso Beauty, Dosso says, “To be honest, I was really scared of that idea, but there was always a disconnect between people wanting to purchase my hair and not being able to find a braider to get their hair done professionally.”

Dosso knows how to scrappily erect a business. Initially, she spent under $1,000 to put out Dosso Beauty’s eyelashes, including marketing them, and it took her $20,000 complete the build out of the Manayunk location. Within two months of its opening in the summer, it boosted Dosso Beauty’s revenue 25%. By the end of the year, Dosso predicts it will increase the company’s revenues 50% between salon services and retail sales.

“The salon has been a game-changer, for sure,” she says. “With e-commerce, there can be a hesitancy that comes with a purchase, but, with a storefront, we can eliminate any worry. It’s given me ideas that this could work in other industry hotspots, so I’d love to see Dosso locations in New York, LA, Atlanta and the DMV area.”

Dosso Beauty’s location is meant to embody the familial spirit of hair braiding, which is deeply rooted in Black culture. It has a VIP service providing champagne to clients with their services and is a venue for educating them about hypoallergenic braiding hair and products that can foster healthy hair.

“I wanted it to be a vibe and a complete experience, so we offer more than just braiding,” says Dosso. “We have a full-service option that includes a wash, shampoo, blow-dry and braided style, but we also do braid take-downs and specialty braids for those wanting a stylish look under their hajibs.”

Dosso Beauty’s braiding hair is made from kanekalon fiber, a synthetic acrylic material resembling the texture of human hair. It’s been cleansed to remove chemicals that cause allergenic reactions. Dosso Beauty’s braiding hair comes in a variety of styles, from braids and twists to cornrows and faux locs. Among the brand’s bestsellers online are a three pack for $27, a single pack for $10 and Marley hair for $15. At its salon, services begin at under $100, but can get pricier as clients customize styles with the add-ons they desire.

“It’s a beautiful thing to know how to braid, but having the knowledge to create change is just as important.”

A bad experience with braiding hair led Dosso to develop Dosso Beauty’s version. “I was always that girl, either in the neighborhood or on campus, who could do hair, and I loved trying different braiding styles,” says Dosso. “One year after growing my hair out from a buzz cut, I went to a shop to get braids and realized I had a crazy allergic reaction to the braiding hair. I thought I couldn’t be the only one this has happened to.”

After an unofficial poll showed her she absolutely wasn’t the only one who’d experienced allergic reactions from braiding hair, Dosso set out to make hypoallergenic braiding hair that wouldn’t instigate adverse reactions. She recalls, “It was crazy to think about launching in the pandemic, but it turned out to be perfect because people weren’t going to salons and a lot of people were looking for protective style or transitioning from perms to natural hair. When we launched online, it gave people direct access to our braiding hair.”

Most people don’t realize that braiding hair can contain chemicals that cause reactions, and if they are looking for options, they end up deep in internet research. “People are still learning about what hypoallergenic hair is, and their queries on Google about nontoxic braids or nontoxic braiding hair have been the driving force behind our traffic and sales,” says Dosso. “Lots of people are searching for solutions to their own allergic reactions or experiences they know friends and family members have had.”

Outside of its e-commerce website and brick-and-mortar location, Dosso Beauty sells braiding hair to stylists, and  the brand is on the platform Faire to increase its wholesale business. Along with its braiding hair, it has haircare products such as $10 Edge Control, $17 Braid Control, $16 Rice Water Braid Spray, $17 Hair Elixir and $15 Braid Shampoo, and is available at several e-tailers and retailers.

Dosso is committed to making more braiders aware of her brand’s products. Dosso Beauty has a stylist and salon client program where clients receive 30% off of the retail price with the purchase of 12 or more items, 40% off with the purchase of 30 or more items and 50% off with the purchase of 70 or more items. On its site, it has a braider directory guiding people to local braiders.

Dosso Beauty has started a nonprofit called Dosso Beauty Academy and a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to help educate braiders who aren’t licensed by giving them formal training on braiding. Dosso says, “It’s a beautiful thing to know how to braid, but having the knowledge to create change is just as important.”