( ENSPIRE She Did That ) Beyond Influencer, Culture, and Hair Misconceptions
Black women view natural hair care as far more than a routine; they deeply root it in identity, culture, and self-expression. As a pioneer who helped shape the natural hair industry by building and successfully selling The Mane Choice, Courtney Adeleye has continuously pushed the boundaries of innovation. Now returning to the beauty space with Watch & Sea Beauty, Adeleye is championing a return to hair health through bio-available, ocean-based ingredients while leading a broader conversation on business strategy, system building, and authentic community care.
I talked with Courtney Adeleye openly about letting go of outdated hair rules, overcoming the pressure of social media trends, navigating retail acquisitions, and staying connected to the people who build your brand centers on elevation, community and culture. Her journey serves as an empowering masterclass for entrepreneurs and everyday women alike, proving that true power lies in creating access, honoring individual texture, and building systems that endure.
ENSPIRE (Alicia Wilson): Natural hair has always been deeply connected to identity, culture, and self-expression, especially for Black women. As someone who has helped shape the natural hair industry, what are some of the long-standing hair care rules you believe women should finally let go of in 2026?
Courtney Adeleye: I would definitely say giving their natural hair a shot. I know sometimes people can think it’s too much or overwhelming, or they don’t feel comfortable or complete, but I just think they should give it a shot. Sometimes, you just have to let your guard down and say, “Let me just put myself out there.” But then on the flip side, ultimately, I think people should do what they want to do. So if they just don’t feel comfortable with it, that’s a different story. Being a person who was relaxed before and did different things with their hair, I felt like natural hair was probably what I was least comfortable with until I learned how to maneuver. Sometimes when I’m watching TV, I look and think, “Dang, not one Black person on there is wearing their natural hair.” It’s a little disheartening, but I’m also for people doing what they want to do.
In terms of rules to let go of, I think they should let go of feeling like they’re not complete if they don’t have weave or artificial hair in—like they’re not pretty, complete, or ready just yet. I’ve seen someone say a slick back ponytail isn’t “done.” Listen, I’ve worn a slick back ponytail on red carpets and to a professional photo shoot. So just that thinking of “I’m not complete or done yet unless I have weave in my hair”—I would say let that go. Historically, we were always taught to cover our hair; there were laws against showing our hair, and I think we still carry that to this day and pass it off as something else because we don’t want to deal with it. It goes a lot deeper than a lot of people are actually prepared to have a conversation about.
ENSPIRE (Alicia Wilson): We’re seeing more women rethinking their relationship with their natural hair, moving away from complicated routines and unrealistic expectations. What do you believe is driving this shift, and how can women develop healthier relationships with their hair without feeling pressure to follow every new trend?
Courtney Adeleye: You have to be confident in what God gave you. My hair can’t do what another person’s hair can do, and vice versa, and I had to be confident in that. Back in the day when I was returning natural, I’d see the girls with the big curls and I’d try to curl it and diffuse it. That’s just not my hair type; my hair is more wavy. You have to come to a point where you say, “Okay, you got to be happy with what God gave you, and you got to work with that.” As women, we’re always looking at somebody else’s plate.
When it comes to routines, I have a lot of things that I do from a health perspective, not styling. If you ask, “Courtney, how do you take care of hair?” I probably do a thousand and one things for health. Both of my daughters have Type 4C hair, and their hair is strong as all get out. It can do things a lot of people think it can’t, like holding a twist-out. I actually want to do a whole series on Type 4C hair because I don’t think people know what it can do. They don’t even understand that people say they don’t like 4C hair because I didn’t raise them in that environment. We just have to be happy with where we are and embrace our texture.
ENSPIRE: What are three common misconceptions you wish more women would stop believing, and what should they do instead when building a healthy hair care routine?
CA: A lot of people focus on styling, whereas back in the day, it was a lot more about treatment. The more you treat your hair, the better it’s going to style. Now everybody is like, “How do I get this wash-and-go? How do I achieve this?” Let’s take better care of our hair! When you do, it gives you thriving hair, and you may not even want to do all of these styling steps once your hair is nice and healthy. It’s not a length thing—it’s a “Is it shiny? Is it strong?” thing. That’s what I look for. Let’s get back to taking care of our hair underneath and not be so addicted to the styling.
ENSPIRE: You were among the first to introduce marine-driven ingredients like sea kelp, seaweed, and algae into natural hair care formulations. What inspired you to explore ocean-based ingredients, and what benefits do they offer for women seeking healthier hair routines?
CA: I always lead when it comes to innovation and product formulation; I have never been the one to do what everybody else did. When argan oil was introduced, everybody had to do an argan oil collection. My thing is, if y’all are doing argan oil, I’m going to do something else. Are we doing an ingredient because it’s really great, or because it’s popular?
When I was doing research, I came across marine ingredients. Sea kelp, seaweed, and algae have what are called bio-available minerals—high amounts of magnesium, calcium, and essential nutrients. I was so amazed by these ingredients that I knew I could build a whole company around them because of how great they are. When you use our deep conditioner or shampoo, you can literally feel the difference on your hair compared to traditional ingredients.
ENSPIRE: As we approach the holiday and cooler seasons, what natural hair trends do you predict will stand out, and what techniques do you recommend to protect hair health?
CA: I’m a big twist-out person because with wash-and-gos, there’s so much variation based on curl pattern. But with a twist-out, it doesn’t matter your hair type or texture, you can achieve it to your satisfaction. I also love rod sets. Moving into cooler months, you don’t necessarily have to go out of the house with wet hair.
Also, you don’t have to use gels or mousses 365 days a year—those are still alcohol-based products, and you want to give your hair a break. With our twist-out souffle, it’s cream-based, so you can still have a style without taking that route. These days, I’ve also gotten comfortable with blowouts without needing my hair bone-straight. It’s all about embracing the texture.
ENSPIRE: For the loc community, is there a product you recommend to keep locs moisturized without fear of build-up or unraveling?
CA: One product that sticks out the most is our refresher spray, as well as our deep conditioner. I was at a festival and an older lady with locs came up. I used the refresher spray on her hair, and within a minute her locs were so soft and moisturized without unraveling. In the loc community, there’s always that fear of build-up or unraveling, but when you use the right deep conditioner and refresher, especially if you have color, it gives you exactly what you’ve been missing.
ENSPIRE: You built The Mane Choice into a major beauty brand before selling it in 2019, and now you’re returning with Watch & Sea Beauty. How has your definition of ownership evolved between building your first company and launching this new chapter?
CA: Before, I almost felt like an influencer, but this time around calls for a businesswoman. Those days where you could just post a cute picture on social media and blow up are over with. You have to have a system, you got to know business, and you got to understand the ecosystem and how to utilize the halo effect from one platform to the next.
You see companies with billion-dollar acquisitions where you have no idea who the owner is because they built back-end systems. Back in the day with The Mane Choice, I didn’t even have to run an ad. Today, if you don’t have 500 ads running in the background, it’s a problem. Being in front of the camera is nice, but it doesn’t carry as much weight as it used to. You can’t just pay an influencer for a post anymore; you have to build a tribe of actual customers who rally behind your product.
ENSPIRE: With public debates online regarding Black-owned businesses, acquisitions, and retail partnerships, how do you manage consumer emotion while staying grounded in your business strategy?
CA: If you build a community, the community is going to build you. Thank God that comes naturally to me. I try to stay out of the drama because I have enough understanding to know that a lot of people are operating from emotion. If you’re upset that I sold The Mane Choice, I’m not going to take that personal, because I understand where you’re coming from, even if you can’t relate to where I’m coming from as the owner.
When it came to the Target discussions, I’m not going to argue with people. Everyone’s emotion is valid. To this day, when people ask, “Why did you sell?” I ask, “Do you want the long answer or the short one?” Who else with an acquisition of this magnitude is going to sit down and actually answer questions and talk to people? There’s a disconnect simply because people don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, so I sit down and take the time.
ENSPIRE: At this stage of your journey, what does true power mean to you, and what legacy do you hope Watch & Sea Beauty leaves for the next generation of women entrepreneurs?
CA: For me, it’s always about access—having a seat at the table. We can’t speak up if none of us are there. I’ve been in rooms where I wanted to quit because of racial bias, but I said, “If I quit, who else is going to be in this room?” It’s bigger than myself.
Power means coming back and giving information. I work with entrepreneurs and business owners to help get their businesses where they need to be. If an influencer or founder reaches out because a company misused her content, being that trusted resource to guide her is what power looks like. It’s helping the next person.
ENSPIRE: When you are tired of the world and feel like stepping back, what is one memory from your career that makes you smile and want to keep going?
CA: It’s the feedback from people. When you’re out here working, you don’t think of yourself as an inspiration until you sit down and realize the impact you’ve made.
For years, I ran a program called Bill Pay where I paid close to 300 people’s bills. Sometimes you feel like 300 people isn’t much in comparison to the world, but then I’ll meet someone in public who says, “You don’t know me, but you paid my tuition and I graduated,” or a guy at an awards show who said, “My car got repossessed, and you got my car back for me.” When you realize you are making a real impact on people’s lives, that is what drives you when you feel overwhelmed.
Courtney Adeleye’s career is proof that vision, operational excellence, and genuine community investment create lasting impact. By combining nutrient-rich product formulations with transparent business mentorship, she continues to uplift Black women and elevate the beauty industry as a whole. Her commitment to opening doors, demystifying enterprise growth, and leading with empathy reminds us that true power is measured by how many people you bring along with you.
To learn more about Courtney Adeleye and her latest ocean-infused hair care line, visit the official Watch & Sea Beauty platform and follow her journey across social media to stay connected with her empowering work.
Related Articles: Dionna Owens: Founder of Sew Natural Hair Boutique Giving Guide for Healthy Hair Habits
