Black-Owned Hair Extensions Brand Becomes First to Launch at Sephora in 20 Years

Black-owned beauty brand Ruka Hair has announced its partnership with Sephora in the US. The UK-based brand will launch nationwide at Sephora online on August 4, accompanied by a physical launch in 10 stores across New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta from August 14, according to Business of Fashion.

Ruka Hair will be the first hair extension brand to launch in Sephora in 20 years.

Ruka launching in Sephora

Synths 2, Ruka’s patent-pending collagen-based fibre extensions, along with a selection of products including stylers and hair perfumes, will be available to purchase on Sephora.

“A year from now, I think we will have 100 stores,” Tendai Moyo, the brand’s co-founder and chief executive, told BOF. “Accessibility has always been a key part of our story. We want a safe, high-performing product to be in everyone’s hands.” Currently, the brand is sold internationally via its DTC site and at Selfridges in the UK.

This partnership comes after Ruka Hair raised $4.5 million in a new funding round led by Henkel Ventures. The round also included participation from Big Issue Invest and Backed VC, as well as investment from Olympian Dina Asher Smith. The new capital will help support the brand’s research and development into Ruka’s alternative hair extensions. 

About Ruka Hair

Ruka Hair is a D2C hair extension brand that offers personalized hair products for Black women, and its manufacturing process is chemical-free. It was co-founded in 2020 by Tendai Moyo and Ugo Agbai.

It has the backing of angel investors, including Ian Hogarth, founder of Songkick; Tom Adeyoola, founder of MeTail and co-founder of Extend Ventures; and Nicole Crentsil, founder of Black Girl Fest. In May 2021, Ruka Hair secured $1.6m in early-stage VC funding

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