When Rachel Blistein couldn't find hair products that worked for her curly texture, she took matters into her own hands. Mixing formulas in her kitchen, she launched Original Moxie. It’s a hair care company rooted in Ypsilanti, Michigan, focused on sustainability while celebrating diverse hair types.
“I spent most of the first three decades of my life really trying to not have curly hair,” Blistein said. “I was just very frustrated with the lack of solutions that actually worked for my hair.”
Blistein didn't embrace her natural hair until she was in her early 30s. In the early 2000s, she noticed a significant lack of products specifically designed for curly hair. Even when she found items that claimed to be for curly hair, they failed to keep her hair moisturized.
Frustrated with her search for effective products, Blistein took matters into her own hands and began creating products tailored to her hair’s needs.
“I'd like to try to find something that would actually moisturize my hair day-to-day, but preferably something that's not all chemicals and non-toxic,” Blistein said. “So I started seeing if I could make my own.”
Creating her products was not an easy task. She encountered several setbacks before eventually achieving success.
“The time I exploded something was when I really stupidly was heating something up in a Pyrex measuring cup on direct flame,” Blistein said. “I still don't know why I thought that was a good idea.“
While developing her creations, Blistein noted that she initially used her hair to test the products. In choosing ingredients, she relied on her passion and knowledge of plants as a guiding tool. Additionally, Blistein expressed that during this period, she was also trying to start a family. In her pursuit to conceive, she learned about the different chemicals that are endocrine disruptors and how they can harm fertility.
“A lot of artificial perfumery ingredients are what are called phthalates, and those are known endocrine disruptors,” Blistein said. “So that pushed me towards using essential oils that are derived from plants.”
In addition to the non-toxic and environmentally friendly ingredients, Blistein decided to ditch the plastic containers, right before the COVID pandemic. She described her research into sustainable alternatives as "falling down a rabbit hole."
“It was just really a personal desire to shift to a more sustainable solution. I wasn't thinking about increasing our profits,” Blistein said. “I was just hoping we'd break even, in the transition.”
Listen to the full interview to hear more about the ups and downs of growing a values-driven beauty brand rooted in Michigan.
You can learn more about Original Moxie here.
