If you go to the drug store and check out the hair and skin-care aisles, you’ll find shelves crammed with products. There seems to be a product for every conceivable hair type and skin condition. But, actually, there’s not. 

Even one of the most successful brands, Aveeno, which is owned by Johnson & Johnson, is on the lookout for new products. So much so, that they sponsor a new product search, and even have a business accelerator to help nurture up-and-coming skin care entrepreneurs.

Bea's Bayou

In 2022, the winner of the $100,000 Aveeno product search, and member of the Aveeno Accelerator, was a New Orleans company called Bea’s Bayou Skincare. The company makes a line of skin, scalp and hair care products that use fermented and herbal ingredients formulated to work with the skin’s natural microflora.

The founder and creator of the creams and potions at Bea’s Bayou Skincare is Arielle Brown.

Bomb Ass Fro

We’ve gotten so used to giant companies owning multiple brands that it’s kind of quaint these days to talk about a company that only makes one product. But it’s worth remembering, there was a time when Coca Cola only made Coca Cola. Ford Motors only made Ford automobiles. And Apple made a computer.

Sydni Raymond’s company, Bomb Ass Fro, only makes a single hair jelly. The product has no harmful ingredients, promises lasting results, is extremely affordable, and allows Black women to wear their natural hair without the added expense of multiple products or complicated application methods.

And, in case you’re skeptical about the comparison to Coke, Ford, and Apple, Sydni’s Bomb Ass Fro is so massively popular that she can’t produce enough of it to keep up with nationwide demand.

When You're The One-in-a-Million

Most people like to be encouraging. Especially in entrepreneurship where the going is tough and rewards can be a long time coming.

We’ve all heard the supportive cliches – “Follow your dreams.” “Never give up.” “Trust your crazy ideas.” “Somebody has to be the one-in-a-million; it could be you.” But, to be honest, most of us never believe any of that reassuring advice is any more than just magical thinking.

Then, along come Arielle Brown and Sydni Raymond. Apparently dreams can in fact come true.

If you believe in coincidence it's extraordinary that Arielle and Sydni are both from New Orleans, they’re both in business at the same time, and they’re both equally talented and successful. It doesn’t hurt that they’re also hard-working, and have developed real products that actually work.

Along with the rest of New Orleans - and the entire hair and skin care industry – we can only look forward to following their continued success.

Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at NOLA Pizza in the NOLA Brewing Taproom. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.