CurlMix Is Fighting for Its Future — and the Community May Be the Key to Saving It!
- muzilogwoman
- 9 minutes ago
- 4 min read
For nearly a decade, CurlMix has been more than a haircare brand — it has been a movement. A love letter to textured hair. A testament to what Black entrepreneurship can look like when innovation meets integrity. And for many of us who have watched its rise, CurlMix felt like one of the rare success stories that belonged to the community as much as it did to its founders. But now, that community is being asked to show up in a way it never has before.
A Brand at a Crossroads
In a candid and emotional announcement, co-founder Kim Lewis shared that CurlMix is on the verge of shutting down. The news landed hard for customers, investors, and natural-hair enthusiasts who have followed the brand since its early days — from its DIY beginnings to its triumphant appearance on Shark Tank, where Kim and Tim Lewis famously turned down a deal to maintain their vision and independence.
The challenges CurlMix faces are the same ones crushing small businesses across industries — but with a sharper edge for those in the beauty space:
Tariffs and import costs are rising.
Raw ingredients for natural formulas have doubled and, in some cases, tripled.
Packaging, manufacturing, and shipping expenses have surged.
Consumer spending has tightened in a post-pandemic economy.
For a company producing high-quality, clean-ingredient products in the U.S., these pressures hit even harder. The company, once operated by a warehouse team of over 40 people, now runs with roughly 14. The math is as sobering as the moment.
The #ProtectCurlMix Campaign: A Final Push
Rather than quietly closing its doors, CurlMix made a bold choice: telling the truth and asking the community for help.
The brand launched the #ProtectCurlMix campaign with a clear, urgent mission — securing 20,000 orders to sustain operations through the year.
This isn’t about boosting profits. This is about survival.
Supporters can purchase any of their signature products. Still, many are choosing the specially curated Protect CurlMix Bundle, a $100 collection of full-sized items designed to give customers maximum value while providing the company with essential cash flow.
It’s a rare moment in business when a brand can say: “We need you — or we won’t make it.” CurlMix has taken that risk, trusting the transparency that has always defined its relationship with customers.
Why CurlMix Matters — Especially Now
What’s at stake isn’t just a shelf of products. It’s an entire ecosystem of meaning and impact:
A Black-owned entrepreneurial success story built from scratch
CurlMix didn’t rely on celebrity co-signs or corporate backing. It grew through authenticity, viral trust, and a commitment to serving natural-hair consumers with care.
A community-funded model that empowered everyday investors
Through equity crowdfunding, thousands became part-owners — a rarity in the beauty world, particularly for Black-owned brands.
Representation in a beauty industry that still lacks it
CurlMix helped shift the market toward shopping intentionally, proudly, and with cultural connection.
Economic impact and jobs for Chicago communities
Their warehouse offered opportunities, training, and employment for local workers — especially Black women. Losing CurlMix would mean losing not only a brand, but a blueprint: proof that a community-centered business model in Black beauty can thrive at scale.
How You Can Help Keep CurlMix Alive
If you believe in supporting Black-owned brands, in protecting community-born innovation, and in making sure the beauty aisles reflect the people who shop them, CurlMix needs you now more than ever.
Here’s what you can do:
Make a purchase
One product makes a difference — truly.
Grab the Protect CurlMix Bundle
If you’re able, the $100 bundle offers the most significant boost to the brand and delivers full-sized products your curls will love.
Share the story
Amplify the campaign across platforms. Visibility saves companies.
Spread the hashtag: #ProtectCurlMix.
Your post could reach someone who becomes part of the brand’s lifeline.
The Future Isn’t Final — Not Yet
CurlMix’s journey has always been rooted in transparency and community, so it feels fitting that its future now depends on the same community that helped build it. There is still time. There is still hope. And there is still a pathway forward — if enough of us decide that CurlMix is worth saving. Because when a brand like CurlMix disappears, it’s not just a loss of products. It’s a loss of representation, access, entrepreneurship, and possibility.
Let’s not allow that to happen.
Support CurlMix here:
References
AfroTech. (2025). CurlMix is on the verge of closing down, as its co-founder speaks out about the challenges. Retrieved from https://afrotech.com
ABC7 Chicago. (2025). CurlMix, a Chicago-based business featured on “Shark Tank,” is seeking help amid economic struggles. Retrieved from https://abc7chicago.com
Black Enterprise. (2025). CurlMix founder launches community campaign to keep the business afloat. Retrieved from https://www.blackenterprise.com
Global Cosmetics News. (2025). CurlMix launches #ProtectCurlMix campaign as founder seeks 20,000 orders to avoid closure. Retrieved from https://www.globalcosmeticsnews.com
Looper. (2024). Whatever happened to CurlMix after Shark Tank? Retrieved from https://www.looper.com
Glam. (2024). CurlMix: What happened after Shark Tank? Retrieved from https://www.glam.com
Rolling Out. (2025). Kim Lewis bets on community to save the CurlMix brand. Retrieved from https://rollingout.com