Digest

Floor and Kesha East, sisters and founders of Coal Kitchen, join Caroline Hirons on Glad We Had This Chat to discuss their new haircare range, inspired by their own childhood experiences and a desire to celebrate and embrace natural hair. They share their journey from their own roots to yours, highlighting the importance of using natural ingredients and the lack of representation for textured hair in the beauty industry. The sisters also discuss their unique approach to haircare, drawing from their different hair types and styles, and how their personalities are reflected in the range. They emphasize the importance of education and providing a holistic approach to haircare, offering tutorials and guidance alongside their products. The conversation also touches on their personal experiences with haircare, including their childhood memories of using food items in the bathroom and their struggles with finding effective products for their own hair. They share their excitement for the launch of Coal Kitchen and their hopes to revolutionize the haircare scene for people of color. Caroline Hirons encourages listeners to tune in for more of their chat this Wednesday, reminding them to send their questions to pod@carolinairons.com.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction

This Chapter introduces the podcast Glad We Had This Chat and its host, Caroline Hirons. It also introduces the guests, Floor and Kesha East, sisters who are about to revolutionize the haircare scene with their brand, Coal Kitchen.

00:00:28

Meet the East Sisters

This Chapter introduces Floor and Kesha East, the dynamic duo behind Coal Kitchen. Caroline Hirons welcomes them to the podcast and engages in lighthearted conversation, discussing their striking resemblance and their shared passion for haircare.

00:10:51

Early Beauty Memories

This Chapter delves into the sisters' earliest beauty memories, revealing how their upbringing influenced their approach to haircare. They share how their mothers and grandmothers used food items in the bathroom, inspiring their use of natural ingredients in their Coal Kitchen products.

00:15:21

Combining Expertise

This Chapter explores how the sisters' individual experiences in makeup artistry, TV, and music have shaped their approach to haircare. They discuss how their personal journeys with skincare and haircare led them to create a natural and effective range for textured hair.

00:17:09

Sisterly Bond

This Chapter delves into the sisters' relationship, exploring how their five-year age gap has shaped their dynamic. They discuss their shared experiences growing up, their roles as big sister and little sister, and how their bond has translated into their business partnership.

00:24:18

Working Together

This Chapter examines the sisters' approach to working together as sisters and business partners. They discuss how their different personalities and strengths complement each other, creating a balanced and effective partnership.

00:29:00

Skincare Routine

This Chapter explores Caroline Hirons' skincare routine, revealing her past reliance on baby wipes and Vaseline. The conversation highlights the importance of a proper skincare routine and how Kesha East has helped Caroline transition to a more effective and natural approach.

00:34:55

Beauty Cabinet Essentials

This Chapter delves into the sisters' beauty cabinet essentials, revealing their personal preferences and highlighting the importance of SPF and lip care. They also discuss their favorite products and brands, sharing their insights and recommendations with listeners.

00:37:41

Balancing Life and Business

This Chapter explores the challenges of balancing life and business, particularly with the addition of babies and marriage. The sisters share their experiences and how they manage to juggle their personal lives with their entrepreneurial endeavors.

00:39:41

Embracing Curls

This Chapter focuses on the sisters' journey of embracing their curls. They discuss how they initially tried to hide their natural hair and the influence of outside factors on their self-acceptance. They also highlight the importance of education and providing resources for people with textured hair.

00:44:28

Call to Action

This Chapter concludes the podcast episode with a call to action, encouraging listeners to tune in for more of the conversation this Wednesday and to send their questions to pod@carolinairons.com. The episode ends with a reminder of the podcast's availability on various platforms and a thank you to the production team.

Keywords

Q&A

• What inspired the sisters to create Coal Kitchen?

  The sisters were inspired by their own childhood experiences and a desire to celebrate and embrace natural hair. They also wanted to honor their father's wish for them to do something together, and they felt a strong connection to their African heritage.

• What makes Coal Kitchen unique?

  Coal Kitchen is unique because it uses natural ingredients sourced from Ghana, where the sisters' mother is from. The brand also focuses on education and providing a holistic approach to haircare, offering tutorials and guidance alongside its products.

• How do the sisters' different hair types and styles influence their approach to haircare?

  The sisters have different hair types and styles, which has helped them create a range that caters to a variety of needs. Floor prefers volume, while Kesha prefers control, and they have found a way to create products that work for both of them.

• What are some of the challenges the sisters have faced in creating Coal Kitchen?

  The sisters have faced challenges in finding the right formulations for their products, particularly with the black soap shampoo. They also had to navigate the complexities of manufacturing and launching a new brand, which took longer than they anticipated.

• What are the sisters' hopes for Coal Kitchen?

  The sisters hope that Coal Kitchen will revolutionize the haircare scene for people of color. They want to provide a range of products that are effective, natural, and inclusive, and they want to educate people about the importance of embracing their natural hair.

• How do the sisters balance their personal lives with their business?

  The sisters have found ways to integrate their business into their lives, making it feel less like work and more like a shared passion. They involve their families and friends in the process, creating a supportive and collaborative environment.

• What are some of the sisters' favorite beauty products?

  The sisters share their favorite beauty products, including Alpha H Liquid Gold, Fenty Beauty SPF, and Clarins Multi-Active Night Cream. They also emphasize the importance of SPF and lip care.

• What advice do the sisters have for people who are struggling to embrace their curls?

  The sisters encourage people to embrace their curls and to seek out education and resources that can help them learn how to care for their hair. They believe that everyone can find a way to love and celebrate their natural hair.

• What are the sisters' plans for the future of Coal Kitchen?

  The sisters plan to continue to grow Coal Kitchen and to expand its reach globally. They are excited to introduce new products and to continue to educate people about the importance of natural haircare.

• What is the most important message the sisters want to convey to listeners?

  The sisters want to convey the message that everyone is beautiful and that they should embrace their unique features, including their natural hair. They believe that everyone deserves to feel confident and empowered in their own skin.

• How can listeners learn more about the sisters and their brand?

  Listeners are encouraged to tune in for more of the conversation this Wednesday and to send their questions to pod@carolinairons.com. The episode ends with a reminder of the podcast's availability on various platforms and a thank you to the production team.

Show Notes