The Potion Studio’s Founder on Elevating the Natural Haircare Journey

In the bustling city of Los Angeles, California, a new haircare brand has emerged with a mission to transform the natural haircare journey into a luxurious and celebratory experience. The Potion Studio is a brand that not only aims to elevate and celebrate textured hair but also simplify your self-care routine.

At The Potion Studio, each product is meticulously crafted, derived from the personal story and experiments of its founder, Aziza El Wanni. Drawing inspiration from her own natural hair journey, she created the perfect “potion” to nourish and nurture her curls and coils. Today, that potion is transformed into a formula designed with the multifaceted curly person in mind.

El Wanni’s upbringing in Suriname, a culturally diverse country, and her Caribbean and Palestinian heritage awakened her to the beauty beyond the straight hair depicted in mainstream media. From a young age, she embarked on a journey of experimentation, delving into various products and ingredients to create her own hair potions. Upon moving to Amsterdam for her studies, she encountered yet another transformation in her hair due to the climate, sparking a renewed curiosity and exploration. As friends and family witnessed the incredible results, they too sought their own customized potions.

Recognizing a gap in the natural haircare industry, El Wanni realized that many brands were not as inclusive as they should be, failing to acknowledge that textured hair transcends race, nationality, or skin color. Thus, The Potion Studio was born, embracing the notion that everyone’s haircare journey is unique yet interconnected.

The Potion Studio prides itself on its potent and simple ingredients, harnessed for their innate ability to moisturize and hydrate textured hair. Its products are formulated with nutrient-rich natural ingredients such as coconut oil, shea butter, mango butter, rose oil, and other nourishing elements. These carefully selected components work harmoniously to strengthen and beautify natural hair, achieving incredible results without compromising its health.

The Folklore Edit spoke to founder Aziza El Wanni about her personal haircare journey, celebrating diversity and what makes her brand stand out

What inspired you to start The Potion Studio? Tell us about your personal background and the challenges you faced during your natural haircare journey that led to the creation of The Potion Studio as a luxury hair care brand?

My biggest inspiration with starting The Potion Studio was my mother, my background and what I was seeing in the mainstream media. A lot of media I was used to seeing was very white-washed, with straight hair or chemically straightened hair, and that was all I was seeing.

My parents have been adamant on embracing what I naturally have and not to damage my hair because a lot of hair products for women of color, back in the day, were very damaging for the hair and skin. So my biggest motivation, even to this day, is to create simple products with clean ingredients that are easy to use, for men and for women. Multi-functionality is also really high on our list. Basically, we want to create products that everyone can use, and won’t damage your hair or scalp.

Tell us about your personal background and the challenges you faced during your natural haircare journey that led to the creation of The Potion Studio as a luxury hair care brand?

 What led me to actually go from my mom’s kitchen to an actual business was when I moved to Amsterdam for school. I had a hair routine going; it was right around the time when natural hair became a cool thing, it was all over YouTube, a lot of the natural hair care… “curly girls” movement started and I was really into that. Then I moved to the Netherlands and obviously, with the hormonal changes and the weather, my hair texture started changing.

So, I went back to my mom’s and started experimenting with other products. I started to discover what hair porosity was, which turned into trying different products, trying natural oils, trying mayonnaise and olive oil – all these remedies, I’ve tried it all! After a while I started playing around with my mom’s hair texture, friends’ hair textures, and I had a full-blown side business going. I was like, OK, this is a nice little hobby but I never really thought to bring it to life just yet. 

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I moved to Los Angeles and I had the same issue. I moved here and the weather, the water, were very, very harsh on my hair. I was like, you know what? I feel like this is a sign. I can’t keep going back into the kitchen!

Could you share the steps involved in your natural haircare routines? How do your products simplify the hair care journey for your customers?

Our natural haircare routines at The Potion Studio simplify the journey for our customers with these steps:

1. Cleansing: Gentle yet effective cleansers remove dirt and buildup without stripping natural moisture.

2. Nourishing and hydrating: Our products replenish moisture, restore vitality, and promote overall hair health.

3. Repair and strengthen: Specialized treatments repair damage and strengthen weak strands, reducing breakage.

4. Styling and definition: Versatile styling products provide hold, manageability, and shine for various hair types.

5. Scalp care: Scalp treatments soothe irritation, balance oil production, and promote a healthy scalp.

Our streamlined routines save time while delivering effective results. We use high-quality natural ingredients and avoid harsh chemicals, prioritizing both hair health and the environment.

How do you ensure that each product in your luxury hair care brand truly elevates and celebrates the hair care journey of your customers?

We are really committed to elevating and celebrating the haircare journey of our customers. We achieve this by conducting extensive research and development, sourcing the finest quality ingredients, and offering customized solutions for different hair types and concerns. Our goal is to simplify the haircare routine, providing effective and versatile products that deliver exceptional results.

We actively engage with our community, valuing their feedback to continuously improve and develop new solutions. Through our dedication to innovation, quality, and customer-centricity, each product is designed to enhance the haircare experience and celebrate the unique beauty of every individual.

How do you approach inclusivity and diversity in your luxury hair are brand, considering the wide range of hair types and textures among consumers?

Inclusivity and diversity are vital to our brand, and are at the heart of what we do. We strive to make every individual feel seen, valued, and empowered on their haircare journey. We celebrate the wide range of hair types and textures among consumers by:

1. Testing for all hair types: Before launching any product, we ensure thorough testing across diverse hair profiles. This guarantees that our formulations work effectively for everyone.

2. Customized solutions: We create tailored solutions for specific hair needs, whether it's curly, straight, or textured. Our goal is to empower individuals to embrace and enhance their natural hair.

3. Representation in marketing: We showcase the beauty of different hair types in our marketing campaigns, promoting acceptance and celebrating the richness of diversity.

4. Listening to customers: We value customer feedback, which helps us continuously improve our products and expand our range to cater to evolving needs.

What prompted your decision to make the move from a direct-to-consumer model to wholesale retail and joining The Folklore Connect?

We decided to make the move from a direct-to-consumer model to wholesale retail and join The Folklore Connect for several reasons. By partnering with The Folklore Connect, we gain access to a wider customer base, collaborate with like-minded brands, tap into their retail expertise, enhance brand exposure and credibility, and streamline our operations. This strategic move aligns with our growth objectives and allows us to reach a broader audience of customers who appreciate our luxury haircare offerings.

How do you envision the The Folklore Connect’s wholesale platform benefiting your brand?

The Folklore Connect’s wholesale platform provides valuable benefits for our brand. It offers growth opportunities, expands our reach to new markets, and engages customers who appreciate unique brands. The platform enhances our brand visibility and credibility, allowing us to connect with a discerning customer base. This partnership is instrumental in driving our brand’s growth, increasing market presence, and fostering customer engagement.

What factors do you consider for selecting potential retail partners for your brand? Are there any specific criteria or qualities that you value in a retail partnership?

When selecting retail partners for our brand, we prioritize factors such as brand alignment, target market, retailer reputation, market presence, customer experience, marketing strategies, and growth opportunities. We value partnerships that share our values, cater to our target audience, have a strong industry reputation, provide a great customer experience, and offer avenues for mutual growth. These criteria guide us in establishing strategic and successful partnerships that enhance our brand’s reach and success.

How do you maintain The Potion Studio brand identity and uniqueness while expanding into wholesale retail? What strategies do you implement to stand out among other brands on retail shelves?

To maintain The Potion Studio’s brand identity and uniqueness while expanding into wholesale retail, we implement strategies to stand out among other brands such as ensuring our brand messaging remains consistent across all channels, reinforcing our unique selling points and values. Eye-catching and distinctive packaging also reflects our brand’s aesthetic, which helps our products stand out on retail shelves. 

Sharing our brand story and inspiration creates a deeper connection with customers, making us memorable, along with our commitment to high-performance, natural solutions, which distinguishes us from competitors and builds trust among consumers.