Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Images courtesy of Ruka Hair / Design by Sarah Olivieri Beauty Hairstyles, Cuts & Color Trends Sephora Just Relaunched a Major Hair Category for the First Time in 20 Years Sephora Just Relaunched a Major Hair Category for the First Time in 20 Years UK-based biotech brand Ruka Hair has partnered with the retailer to revitalize its product offerings with a new range of extensions
If you’re shopping online at Sephora today, you might notice that their hair styling products section looks a little different. That’s because starting today, Beauty Insiders can officially add braiding extensions to their shopping carts for the first time in two decades. The retailer has re-entered this space of their business thanks in large part to Ruka Hair , a UK-based, Black-owned beauty biotech brand that’s changing the landscape of modern-day haircare.
“We are building what we like to call the Apple of hair care, and that is an ecosystem of textured hair products that are built with science, innovation, and community in mind,” Ruka Hair cofounder Tendai Moyo tells me over a Zoom call. Moyo and cofounder Ugo Agbai launched Ruka Hair in 2021 with an ethically sourced human hair range , gaining firsthand insight into hair’s foundational elements. The team later took these learnings and worked directly with professional trichologists to craft their proprietary Synths 2 bundles, collagen-based, lab-made fibers modeled into an assortment of versatile braiding hair textures. Unlike traditional plastic synthetic hair extensions that can melt above 250 degrees Fareinheit, Synths 2 is biodegradable and designed for versatility, with a unique ability to withstand heat styling and even hair dye.
Synths 2 was born to set Ruka apart in the hair industry while creating more sustainable, scalp-friendly extension fibers thanks to business acumen the cofounders gained while working as strategy consultants for corporations like L’Oréal Groupe and GSK. “You're looking at components which really shouldn't sit on the scalp for extended amounts of time, but again haven't changed because it's been dominated by these large conglomerates who aren't incentivized to really innovate for this customer base,” continues Moyo. “And so for us, it was about how do we make a fiber that eventually will eradicate the need for human hair and plastic in five years' time.”
The thoughtful intentionality behind Ruka Hair products has translated to major wins in the beauty industry. Along with raising a total of 10 million dollars in funding to date, the company has garnered ongoing interest from big-box retailers like Selfridges in the United Kingdom and presently Sephora in the United States. Instead of launching Synths 2 and Ruka’s human hair bundles in beauty supply stores across the country, Moyo says she was more interested in entering spaces where a majority of shoppers are purchasing their essentials to give the brand more of a platform.
According to Moyo, her company’s deep investment in science innovation has helped eradicate many of the concerns around selling hair extensions on a mass scale. “As demand for more inclusive hair solutions continues to grow, we saw an opportunity to partner with a brand that is redefining what's possible in the space,” Jennifer Lucchese, senior vice president of haircare merchandising at Sephora, tells Bazaar . “Ruka stood…