When Tiffani Young decided to stop chemically processing her hair, she saw an opportunity to help improve self-care methods for others as well.
“I found it very difficult to find the products that I needed to care for my hair within the Maritimes,” she says. “So a lot of times, I would have to stock up when I would travel or order online. I really felt there had to be a better way.”
The better way became the butter way. From her home, she started her own beauty business, Butter Bar Cosmetics. The brand was created not only from Young’s own personal hair journey but to help people learn how to use high-quality, natural ingredients in their self-care routine and make their skin and hair look and feel their best.
“I did a lot of research when I wanted to create my own products,” Young says. “I found there was a lot of great ingredients that we could use to care for our hair as well as our skin, and that’s really where the reality of Butter Bar came from.”
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After six years from concept to creation, the Dartmouth resident and mom managed to make her dream of helping people fall in love with the skin they’re in a reality. Butter Bar Cosmetics offers all-natural products for skin and hair including body butters, oils and gels. Young’s products are ethically sourced and fair trade.
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“There were definitely some challenges getting it off the ground,” says Young. “There was a lot of self-doubt; I didn’t see a lot of business owners that looked like myself that I felt I could reach out to, but as the years went on I did start to see more Black female business owners so it helped to give me that boost of confidence.”
When Young was launching Butter Bar, she not only received help from within the African Nova Scotian community, but also support from the Black Business Initiative, other Black cosmetic beauty entrepreneurs and the newly formed Tribe Network – a hub for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour innovators providing access to a network of advisors and job resources.
READ MORE: Tribe Network aims to be Canada’s BIPOC Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub
Butter Bar Cosmetics is an inclusive brand, offering products no matter a customer’s ethnicity or age. Their products are dual-purpose and can be used for both hair and skin – including beards and baby’s skin. Young also offers free consultations for anyone who needs help choosing the right products for their needs.
Young’s business continues to grow with the introduction of braille labels for those within the visually impaired community. In honour of African Heritage Month, Butter Bar launched the Trailblazer Box, a customizable gift box that includes products and accessories. Proceeds from each Trailblazer Box sold will be donated to the Maritime Elite Girls Basketball Academy. They have also partnered with Dalhousie University for the launch of an all-natural shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and African black soap this spring.
“Don’t settle; if you have a passion, if you have a dream, go for it,” Young says. “Do the research, put in the work and then take that leap. There will always be people within the community or within your family … who will catch you when you fall and help you get back up. Don’t compromise what you want your dream to look like. Take the time to make it happen and make it a reality.”
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