The rise of box braids

Merlot is the word of the day! I have found a new beauty salon that didn’t rip me off to get these hot box braids which were done in about 4 + 1/2 hours yesterday at a salon in Kijitonyama in Dar-es-Salaam.

What do you think of these box braids?

Being on a budget is no fun and this is coming from someone who was already frugal to begin with. Being a young adult I’ve been trying to be responsible and stay on the right path to make sure my finances stay straight. Although I have student loans, rent, car note, and credit cards I‘ve been able to keep it all straight.

In January when I turned 26 I got kicked off my parent’s health insurance and had to get my own insurance through my employer. A couple of months after that I had to sign up for a 401k which is mandatory through my employer. After seeing these cost affect my check I decided it was time to get on a budget and keep track of my expenses.

To start my budget plan off I marked envelopes for each month and placed my receipts in the corresponding envelope for that month. At the end of each month I gather all my receipts and sort them by categories ex. Gas, food, and personal. Once I have them sorted I place all my totals in an excel spreadsheet I found online. After recording my expenses for a couple of months I was able to determine where most of my money was going and where it didn’t need to go. I found that most of money went to gas, credit cards, and eating out.

To help cut my expenses I decided to cut some things out of my budget which included:

1. Fast Food – Buying groceries and preparing meals that can last a couple of days I found to be sufficient then eating out all the time for lunch.
2. Eyebrow Waxing & Nails – My eyebrows I can do myself I think I just liked the whole pampering aspect of it and for my nails I can do a manicure myself.
3. Cable – I’m never home so no point in having it, Hulu and Netflix for $7.99 is getting me by.

I’m not going to lie out of all them I really miss getting my eyebrows done they looked really good. But now I’m saving money by not having them done every month.

Unfortunately I think the next thing to go is my gym membership it’s still in debate.

Are you on a budget? What did you have to cut?

I went to Kunduchi Beach today with my boyfriend and took some pictures to capture the gorgeous day even though they said it might rain. Drinks, beaches and food – definitely an awesome day.

It was a long week full of trying to make business deals and keeping the company moving so I had this cocktail with friends yesterday. It was nice but super strong!

What do you drink?

The beauty industry in Tanzania is split into a variety of different products and segments. This report will focus on observations about the Dar-es-Salaam market which is the largest in the country as the city is key for economic development in Tanzania.

Locations

Cosmetics and general beauty products can be purchased around the city but key locations to purchase beauty products include:

• Kariakoo
• Mwenge
• Mlimani City
• Msasani

Retailers

There are many retailers from kiosk retailers who sell vipodozi (cosmetics) in street shops to larger box retailers that have glossy stores and marketing materials. Here are some of the key retailers of beauty products in Tanzania – if I have forgotten some, please let me know:

• Shear Illusions – this company sells many beauty products definitely priced for the middle-class Tanzanian female consumers who might be married or in a relationship, working a fulltime job. Their products include false eyelashes, lipsticks and hair care products. This company sells on the more expensive end of the market.
• Atsoko – this company seems to me to be trying to compete with Shear Illusions as it also sells more expensive beauty products for the market.

Markets are a rich source of cosmetics for many women in Dar-es-Salaam and Mwenge’s markets are good examples of cosmetics for the cheaper end. On this end, you will find many people hawking beauty products made in China which are sold for dirt-cheap prices. I picked up a strawberry jelly lip balm here once for 500 shillings – yes 500 shillings.

In terms of brands, this is where I am stuck to find any real local brands that are operating on a large scale though I am sure they are there. One brand Kidoti is producing branded hair extensions and wigs under the DARLING Tanzania umbrella but since this is a part of DARLING, I’m not sure if that counts as it being a totally local brand.

Types of products being sold

• Hair extensions
• Weaves
• Lipsticks and lip balms
• Nail Varnish
• Natural hair products & services

A large service industry has grown from the arrival of many of these beauty products – around Dar, there are many small beauty shops that do manicures, pedicures and hair naturally. In my view, there are far too many beauty shops which is why this is probably not a good avenue to make a lot of money but it can provide a decent living which is always the aim.

Natural hair is also making an impact albeit a small one – there is one beauty shop that stands out which is Asili located in Mikocheni. This is a salon that is purely focused on natural hair styles for its customers and its prime location proves that natural hair is definitely growing in popularity with Tanzanian women.

Observations

The Tanzanian beauty industry has different groups that control its supply chain. The country imports many beauty products but there are signs that the country could sustain local brands from many ranges from the nail varnishes women paint on themselves to the lip balms we need to withstand the Tanzanian sun.

What opportunities exist for entrepreneurs and beauty owners?

I think the key to succeeding would be looking beyond simply opening a beauty salon. The true star power is starting local brands that appeal to different markets in Dar-es-Salaam. Ideas that I think would work include:

• Independent Tanzanian bath & body care brands
• Tanzanian lipstick and lip balm brands
• Tanzanian mascara brand

The Tanzanian beauty industry is ripe for innovation considering that there are not many niche independent beauty brands that are getting a lot of traction on the mainstream. How can you be part of your country’s beauty industry if you are interested in breaking in the business?

This is just the local shop at the petrol station near work and yet it was packed with hair extensions. A local line called Kidoti which is headed up by model/VJ Jokate Mwegelo was being promoted/flogged for a while but I don’t hear much about it anymore. I have noticed in many markets in Dar-es-Salaam that the hair extension industry is just growing and growing with a wide range of colours and hair types especially with Chinese company NOBLE Hair which is just working so freaking hard to ram as many hair extension products into the Tanzanian market but I can’t even pretend, their products are cheap and the quality is not bad for the price.

What does this mean for the Tanzania beauty market?

It means women in Tanzania and Dar-es-Salaam probably want more and more choice as opposed to less choice. This means that there could be opportunities for local entrepreneurs to come up with lots of brand new ideas for hair products. There is no reason why there can’t be any local brands that are cheap, affordable and appeal to the market – the hair extension industry will continue to grow and target many Tanzanian women who want to protect their natural hair or women who want braids and cornrows for style reasons.

What do you think about the rise of hair extensions in Africa?

Coco Beach, Dar-es-Salaam

These stunning doors were on a hotel in Stone Town, Zanzibar that I took last year. They are so intricate and stunning!

Fashion for breakfast! I went to the local cafe in Shoppers Plaza in Mikocheni with the latest issue of Fashizblack from Paris. Makes me want to look glossy if only I was motivated to lose weight!

What is going on where you are and what do you think of these photos?

Wearing a MAC lipstick I got from the vault with the name that has faded out but I do those the rose-tones of this lipstick. May always reminds me of being sunny, glossy and sleek which is what I think these red lips do. How do you feel about red lips?

Solange really should listen to the old adage if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. This Afro hairstyle suits her to a T – it’s almost as if it’s a cocktail of hair, whether you like whisky sours or if you prefer the cool mint flavour of a Mojito. Cocktails are not something you can drink every day but you know how it is when you see one on the menu, whether you are crazy about Cosmopolitans or mad about Margaritas, you simply have to drink one as a sophisticated woman. This is exactly what the Afro symbolises to me today in its modern context – not only is it a sign of our roots but it is stylish, sleek, gorgeous and ice-cold, just like the crushed ice that you would expect from your favourite frozen Margarita.

Drink up ladies with natural hair – Afros & cocktails have more in common than meets the eye!

Intoxicake NYC is one of those businesses that you wish you had thought of yourself. Ashleigh Fitzwilliam has beat many people to the punch to create a unique baked goods business. Intoxicake NYC is cupcake business that Black Enterprise said has liquor infused cupcakes. As some of you know, I subscribe to the magazine and I knew I had to get in touch with Ashleigh Fitzwilliam to learn more about this unique take on the cupcake business. Ashleigh Fitzwilliam is a 23 year old publicist (her company is called Industry Monster) and she is the owner of Intoxicake NYC. Of West Indian heritage, Ashleigh is just the type of black entrepreneur that we love to hear about especially with all the success she is having. Here she talks to Charcoal Ink about her brand and how Intoxicake NYC came to be about:

Why do you think Intoxicake has got so much attention and traction so quickly in the tough cupcake market?

I think from the very first time I launched Intoxicake on Facebook in September of last year, my network of 5000 + friends were just totally in love with the name, the look and feel of my marketing graphics, and most importantly, the product I was offering. They did most of the word of mouth promo for me , which was totally organic.  Most never heard of cupcakes that are baked to reflect some of the most popular adult beverages. I would say definitely that my expertise as a publicist vastly contributed to catapulting me to this level of success in such a short space of time. The cupcake market is saturated in the United States and it can be quite a challenge to stay buoyant amongst a large sea of people doing the same thing as you. And so the essence of differentiating myself from my competitors in this tough cupcake market, resides in excellent promotions, celebrity branding, customized and intimate engagement with my customers and most importantly, delivering a product that surpasses industry standards.

I was listening to an old Britney Spears song called “Toxic” and just so happened to be experimenting with different cupcake recipes. I knew I wanted to launch an alcoholic cupcake brand but didn’t have a name for it. Then  I thought ah ha, Intoxicake…and I live in NYC so Intoxicake NYC it shall be called! (Giggles)

Quite frankly, my island heritage has inspired my creation of Intoxicake NYC, but I cannot say that it has vastly inspired the array of cupcake flavors I offer. This is something that, as a new business owner, I am realizing as a deficit. Mainstream America needs a culinary marriage with island desserts and I’m here to ensure that it happens.  Pretty soon, Intoxicake NYC will have a new look and feel…offering something a bit different from the norm, and ultimately, heavily introducing Caribbean dessert cuisine to the mass American market- flavors, colors, people and more.

The Liquor bakeshop element of your business is really unique. Which specialty alcohol drinks are popular with your customers for the cupcakes?

Long Island Iced Tea, Nuvo Red Velvet Cake, Caramel Appletini and Bailey’s Irish Swirl are extremely popular. We get so many orders for those flavors per week it’s unbelievable.

I definitely read that article recently in the Wall Street Journal and I do feel that there is a cupcake craze transpiring in America. It’s been happening since 2004. I think there is still room for growth and expansion as new takes on the traditional cupcake, and the way of consuming cupcakes, are introduced. In terms of “peaking,” that can only be determined by the media. They are the gate-keepers in deciding what’s popular and what’s not so once the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business and other corporate news sources begin to release articles suggesting the demise of cupcake shops, the over-saturation of such olden American-staple confections, and the rise of a “new” dessert concept that the masses “must have or else,” that’s when you’ll see cupcakes taking a back-seat from pop-cultural hype. This doesn’t mean that cupcake businesses won’t be around though or that people won’t have the urge to nab a cute hand-held dessert from time to time. I believe in capitalizing on the “craze” now, milking it for what it’s worth and then re-inventing myself according to market changes. Re-invention is key to staying on the cusp.

Marketing…I shiver when I hear or say, the word. It has been such an important component of my business. Without it, Intoxicake NYC would still be an idea stuck somewhere within the sinews of my brain.

If you have any advice for anyone who wants to start a baked goods business, what would it be?

Starting a cupcake business requires intense research, strategy and application. Anyone can open a cupcake business, but not many can launch one with considerable staying power in this enigmatic market. Strive for ways to re-invent your brand while still remaining authentic. Diversify your product offerings. Roll out new flavors, colors, themes, etc. Engage with your target public and include them in your re-invention always and in all ways, that are possible. I feel like I am giving away a HUGE secret but do not just offer one product. A particular cupcake shop that shall remain nameless was actually the inspiration of that Wall Street Journal article, for this very reason- failure to diversify products.

My take – Even though I haven’t met Ashleigh in the flesh, I just feel like she has *it*. Intoxicake is such a unique concept – cupcakes & alcohol in a mix that melts into your mouth. This is something that is not unique to just the US – this is the type of business idea that could transcend borders which is why I thought she really deserves all the shine she gets. Bottoms up with cake of course! Learn more about the brand by checking out all of the details below or connect with Intoxicake on Twitter and or check them out on Facebook. Let us know what you think or go on the website to order cupcakes for yourself!