After eight years, Keisha Jo realised that her search never quite yielded the results she was looking for – in order to dig deep enough for that, the realisation dawned that she would have to formulate her own products using equivalently high level ingredients as were being used across skincare. And thus Trepadora was born in 2015.
She says, ‘Curl care like skincare was one of the pillars that set the tone for all the formulations for Trepadora. Your scalp is skin after-all and the root to good curl health. I drew inspiration from my time of living in South America where I was given the opportunity to learn how women there use indigenous botanicals in their everyday beauty rituals.’
The ultimate aim? To use natural vegan ingredients that allow curly girls to wake up with beautiful and presentable hair – not the mass of frizz that so many of us have long grown accustomed to.
Can you tell us what led you to found Trepadora?
Trepadora represents twelve years of my life's work to date. I have dedicated my time and energies to create an elevated premium experience for my girls with curls who were being underserved with basic formulations that did nothing to enhance the quality of their curls from the inside out. My vision was to use the latest and most innovative plant-based skincare quality ingredients to deliver formulations that you can count on time and time again. Trepadora is like that best friend that always has your back. I’m so proud that so many brides have chosen to use Trepadora for their special day for that very reason.
Why do you think it has taken the beauty industry so long to understand that curly hair needs to be treated differently?
Since 2009, I have been helping girls with curls understand their specific hair care needs. The only answer as to why the beauty industry here in the UK has taken so long to recognise the importance of caring for the client with curls in a bespoke manner is a combination of zero curiosity and lack of demand. Back in the dark ages you could only find two products on the shelf in Boots that were geared towards curly hair and both were packed with silicones and left your hair feeling both greasy and dry. It's no wonder that girls with curls hated their natural texture and were doing everything they could to hide it, from wearing wigs and weaves to chemically straightening and daily flat-ironing.
What are the mistakes people typically make with treating curly hair?
Approaching curly hair like it's a problem that needs to be fixed is sadly what has been the predominant attitude within the industry for years.
How do you think that you were able to identify the problem so clearly where others had failed to?
There is a lot of childhood trauma for many women with curly hair. That in itself should flag that when you have a client with curls, helping her to feel confidence in the beauty of her natural hair requires a level of empathy and patience that they don't typically experience. Most salons simply need to turn clients around as speedily as possible.
What have been the highlights since launching Trepadora?
Our method is holistic. Every touch point is intentional to envelope our guests in a nurturing self-care experience. Whether at home or in our spa-like salon in Maidenhead, we have a full range to ensure optimal scalp health and rejuvenation of our guests’ curls. Trepadora works fast – the difference in feel is noticeable from first use.
I was blessed to meet a wonderful chemist who allowed me the space to create truly exceptional formulations with no constraints and the driving ambition to create the very best. I broke away from the ‘norms’ – I like to surprise and delight my girls. Having curly hair is my lived experience. I am the customer. I understand her needs. Once a Trepadora customer finds us, she is typically with us for the long run because the performance of my formulations gives her the confidence and freedom to wear her natural hair with pride anywhere.
And the best feedback you've had?
Winning awards including our latest from Woman and Home Best Vegan Hair Brand has been lovely and are certainly important milestones. But honestly a five-star review from a customer means so much more to me. It fills me with a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that I have helped tens of thousands of women globally with my creations.
And anything new in the pipeline?
I’m pleased to share that, yes, I have spent the past two years working on a number of new products, which will be launching in January 2025. Watch this space.
