Kimberly Cornner was a natural hair stylist long before it became trendy, but she found it hard to find products for African American textured hair that did not contain harsh chemicals. So, she got to work creating her own.“As I got older, I really started realizing it was an issue in the Black community,” Cornner said. “Quality hair products.”Kimberly Cornner, a natural hairstylist, was creating products for African American textured hair long before it became trendy, but she found it hard to find products that did not contain harsh chemicals. So, she got to work creating her own.“As I got older, I really started realizing it was an issue in the Black community,” Cornner said. “Quality hair products.”She’s specialized in styling natural hair for more than 15 years, preferring to work with clients who do not chemically straighten their hair.“So, 100% of my clientele is natural. A lot of my clients have natural locs, as I have here,” Cornner said, pointing to her own hair.From talking with every client who sat in her chair, she learned there was an almost universal experience, a constant quest to find safe and effective hair products.“I’d ask them to tell me what your problem with your hair is,” she said. “Breakage, dryness. I can’t get my hair to detangle. Different things like that.”Those types of problems and hair complaints have often led a lot of Black people, especially women, to choose strong chemicals to straighten or relax their curls. However, the demand for better natural hair products became more urgent when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked the use of chemical relaxers to an increased risk of reproductive cancers and fibroids.“People are starting to really understand, especially why Black women need natural hair care products,” she said.Cornner understands on a very personal level how these challenges often result in complicated feelings about something as simple as hair.“My mom used chemical products on my hair at a very young age,” Cornner said. “And for a long time, I thought I had bad hair just because it was short and it wasn’t healthy.”Helping her clients achieve healthy tresses while untangling negative feelings about their hair is just one of the reasons Cornner began experimenting with natural ingredients.“When clients come in, they all say the same thing. My hair doesn’t grow,” Cornner said. “I’m like, ‘Your hair does grow. The ingredients and how you take care of your hair are key.'”She began looking closer at ingredients she already knew produced desirable results on African American textured hair.”I just started out simple at first using the ingredients that I knew worked, the olive oil, shea butter, tea tree, jojoba oil. Things that are healthy, full of nutrition, full of moisture for the hair,” she said.That’s how Kimmie Stylz was born.“It was a lot of trial and error. A whole lot of trial and error,” Cornner said with a laugh.Kimmie Stylz is a line of hair care products formulated for African American textured natural hair. Cornner knew early on she had a good thing going.“The kids ask for it by name,” she said. “We have customers that have purchased about seven bottles at a time just because their kids won’t allow them to touch their hair without the product.”Her number one product, No Ooch & Ouch, is a silky serum that allows natural hair curls to separate from one another without breaking the hair.She knows they work because she tested them herself. Her son is in the demonstration video. Her daughter is the model you see on the bottle and the van they use to show off Kimmie Stylz at hair shows.An impulsive decision to attend last year’s Alabama Launchpad pitch competition convinced Cornner she could take her business to the next level. “So, I went in. It was a seed concept stage pitch, and I was sitting there, thinking, I could do that. I have a brand,” Cornner said.She applied to Alabama Launchpad in January. Then in April, she won the concept stage and $25,000 to pour into her business.“It was a lot of jumping up and down and I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “They spun the check around and it said Kimmie Stylz.”Now Kimmie Stylz is sure to be making waves, lots of luscious locs and curls too.“The natural hair care market industry expects to grow over $12 billion by 2030,” Cornner said. “So, this is a great industry. I love it.”
Kimberly Cornner was a natural hair stylist long before it became trendy, but she found it hard to find products for African American textured hair that did not contain harsh chemicals. So, she got to work creating her own.
“As I got older, I really started realizing it was an issue in the Black community,” Cornner said. “Quality hair products.”
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Kimberly Cornner, a natural hairstylist, was creating products for African American textured hair long before it became trendy, but she found it hard to find products that did not contain harsh chemicals. So, she got to work creating her own.
“As I got older, I really started realizing it was an issue in the Black community,” Cornner said. “Quality hair products.”
She’s specialized in styling natural hair for more than 15 years, preferring to work with clients who do not chemically straighten their hair.
“So, 100% of my clientele is natural. A lot of my clients have natural locs, as I have here,” Cornner said, pointing to her own hair.
From talking with every client who sat in her chair, she learned there was an almost universal experience, a constant quest to find safe and effective hair products.
“I’d ask them to tell me what your problem with your hair is,” she said. “Breakage, dryness. I can’t get my hair to detangle. Different things like that.”
Those types of problems and hair complaints have often led a lot of Black people, especially women, to choose strong chemicals to straighten or relax their curls. However, the demand for better natural hair products became more urgent when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked the use of chemical relaxers to an increased risk of reproductive cancers and fibroids.
“People are starting to really understand, especially why Black women need natural hair care products,” she said.
Cornner understands on a very personal level how these challenges often result in complicated feelings about something as simple as hair.
“My mom used chemical products on my hair at a very young age,” Cornner said. “And for a long time, I thought I had bad hair just because it was short and it wasn’t healthy.”
Helping her clients achieve healthy tresses while untangling negative feelings about their hair is just one of the reasons Cornner began experimenting with natural ingredients.
“When clients come in, they all say the same thing. My hair doesn’t grow,” Cornner said. “I’m like, ‘Your hair does grow. The ingredients and how you take care of your hair are key.'”
She began looking closer at ingredients she already knew produced desirable results on African American textured hair.
“I just started out simple at first using the ingredients that I knew worked, the olive oil, shea butter, tea tree, jojoba oil. Things that are healthy, full of nutrition, full of moisture for the hair,” she said.
That’s how Kimmie Stylz was born.
“It was a lot of trial and error. A whole lot of trial and error,” Cornner said with a laugh.
Kimmie Stylz is a line of hair care products formulated for African American textured natural hair. Cornner knew early on she had a good thing going.
“The kids ask for it by name,” she said. “We have customers that have purchased about seven bottles at a time just because their kids won’t allow them to touch their hair without the product.”
Her number one product, No Ooch & Ouch, is a silky serum that allows natural hair curls to separate from one another without breaking the hair.
She knows they work because she tested them herself. Her son is in the demonstration video. Her daughter is the model you see on the bottle and the van they use to show off Kimmie Stylz at hair shows.
An impulsive decision to attend last year’s Alabama Launchpad pitch competition convinced Cornner she could take her business to the next level. “So, I went in. It was a seed concept stage pitch, and I was sitting there, thinking, I could do that. I have a brand,” Cornner said.
She applied to Alabama Launchpad in January. Then in April, she won the concept stage and $25,000 to pour into her business.
“It was a lot of jumping up and down and I just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “They spun the check around and it said Kimmie Stylz.”
Now Kimmie Stylz is sure to be making waves, lots of luscious locs and curls too.
“The natural hair care market industry expects to grow over $12 billion by 2030,” Cornner said. “So, this is a great industry. I love it.”
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