Behind the Brand: Learning to Love My Roots

I remember the hateful comment. Well, actually, I don’t remember the comment. I don’t remember what I said or why, but I remember. I was in middle school, sitting in math socializing. I made a comment about how someone always changed their hair from its natural state, how bad that was, as I sat there with my pressed and damaged natural curls in a straight, unnatural state. I expected a laugh, for my friends to join in and say how I was above this person who did not accept themselves. Instead, because I have made the unfortunate blessing of a habit to keep transparent people in my life, my friend turned to me and said, “Domo, you straighten your hair all the time, you can’t talk.” And there it was, a secret, a new realization, out in the open: I don’t love myself. 

That moment became the mirror I couldn’t look away from — the realization of a journey I had long been on, and would soon embark on even more intentionally.

Growing up as a mixed child in a predominantly white household, I struggled with my identity and my hair. I didn’t know that years of heat, straightening, and internalized ideals were not just damaging my hair — they were disconnecting me from myself.

For a long time, I thought loving my curls meant following rules: trying things like the Curly Girl Method, buying every product that promised results. But it never felt complete. There was always a missing piece — something deeper than curl patterns and product types.

That’s when I started paying attention to the scalp — the foundation of it all. I realized so many people, like me, were overlooking it, or quietly struggling with scalp issues, irritation, and hair loss.

In 2020, I started experimenting in my kitchen — creating small-batch, natural formulations that targeted scalp health and nourishment. What started as curiosity turned into community: family, friends, and neighbors began noticing real change, and I felt something awakening in me, too.

I committed to learning, studying cosmetic formulation, and refining every blend until it felt right — until it worked. By 2024, DolledbyDomo™ officially launched — a wellness-rooted beauty brand built from my journey of self-acceptance, healing, and science-backed care.

Our products are made to restore balance, from scalp to soul. They’re reminders that beauty isn’t about covering or conforming — it’s about nurturing what’s already there, and loving yourself through every stage of growth.

Because learning to love my hair was never just about hair —it was about learning to love me. Dolledbydomo is my gift back to the curly hair community that gave me so much, my confidence. At DolledbyDomo we gift confidence and self-love from a new angle — the scalp.

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