My shade & texture®
A BEAUTY BAR FOR NATURALISTAS
My Shade & Texture® officially opened as a brick and mortar November 9, 2019, but it began with a thought in the early 2000s. With increasing diversity, it should not have been that difficult for me to find a store that carried products for me to use for my naturally thick and tight curls. But at the turn of a new century, surprisingly, it was a challenge that would prove to perpetuate for years to come. I felt a charge to disrupt the status quo; however, my safety net of fear and practicality stopped me from making a move until nearly two decades later.
Two decades was plenty of time to experience change and innovation. Two decades gave me time to build a career in mental health and HR management to eventually working for the federal government. Unfortunately, two decades was not enough for businesses to adjust to rapid diversity coupled with increasing globalization, specifically in the hair and beauty space. Over those two decades, it was a huge disappointment to see the lack of ease and availability of quality hair care products for men and women with textured hair. While I loved my natural hair, I did not love shopping for products to keep healthy hair. The shopping experience for natural hair products was grueling. I grew weary of spending entire Saturdays going from a store after store searching for quality products. I would drag myself down the aisles of big-box retailers and roam around mom-and-pop beauty supply stores, with no personal attention from any knowledgeable associate, trying to find the right products. I could not fathom how it was, and still is a fact, that African American women are the number one consumers in the beauty industry, yet you wouldn't know it by the shopping experience! I was not the only one; I knew countless other men and women had the same dreadful experience. I knew it was finally time for me to stop being disappointed and accept the possibility, desire, and challenge to create the ultimate beauty supply experience.
about us
MY SHADE
My Shade and Texture® is dedicated to creating an atmosphere that encourages agile shopping for hair care products. We focus on connecting our brands with the consumers so that men and women can feel confident in their purchase rather than feeling as though they've just collected random products to try. Typical hair and beauty supply stores are often massive in size, with an apparent small product section on a poorly merchandised space that supposedly caters to men and women with textured hair. Many times, a shopper must pass aisles of product before making their way to these sections. Additionally, these sections are stocked with a few products lines incomplete for an adequate natural hair care regimen.
My Shade and Texture® provides ease of shopping that cultivates excitement in the shopping experience with welcoming surprises. There are no massive aisles of intricate merchandising. The entire store accommodates natural hair with best-selling brands that textured hair beauties have come to love. Our incorporated technology provides an interactive experience so that customers can shop independently, on their own terms, yet not feel alone. While we carry popular brands, we also showcase brands that may not be considered well-known but possess the same high-quality ingredients. Our technology allows our customers to scan the product codes, which will take them directly to information about that product, including tutorials and components. We provide the perfect balance of technology and one-on-one attention, so our customers know we are readily available to assist, whether to read labels with them, provide brand education, or share our expertise with textured haircare regimens. The My Shade & Texture® team understands that different types of textured hair exist. So, we pride ourselves on building rapport with our customers and having conversations to put our customers at ease because we understand and share their needs.
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My Shade and Texture® has become fully aligned for the times that we are living in and beyond. It has become more than a beauty supply store; after all, there are plenty of those. The space has become a beacon of optimism and collaboration. Because of the community's support, we have remained open amidst the global health pandemic. Our brick and mortar has also become a space of harmony following the explosion of racial injustice, protests, and elevated division.
We are a community-based store, connecting and engaging with the neighborhood and surrounding areas. We donate products to local organizations. It is our joy to be included in initiatives to influence the total health and well-being of those we meet and those we may never meet. Now with additional health and safety measures, we allow small business owners to utilize the space to host their pop-up shops, whether they're a new business or if they've been around for some time. Due to the needs of our community and customers, we offer shipping, curbside pickup, and delivery.
I am Pamela "Pam" Thompson. It has been my pleasure to bring quality products and an exceptional shopping experience under one roof at My Shade & Texture®. As my passion and vision expand, I become increasingly excited about being a part of the hair and beauty industry with purpose. All of us at My Shade and Texture® are committed to ensuring men and women with textured hair love their product shopping experience just as much as they love, we love, our natural hair! This is just the beginning for My Shade & Texture®.
We look forward to having you join us on this journey.
Pam
Your Beauty Curator
TEXTURE®
