Actress Tia Mowry ventures into multi-billion dollar haircare market with her own haircare line at Walmart

Tia Mowry is an American actress who first rose to prominence after featuring in the sitcom Sister, Sister as Tia Landry alongside her twin sister Tamera Mowry. Since then, she has starred in several movies and series.

Mowry is now taking on a new title as an entrepreneur. She is the CEO and director of 4U By Tia, a natural hair care brand. Moving into this field is not too surprising considering her history with hair. In Sister, Sister, she always spotted curls but she began straightening her hair frequently in her 20s. 

“One of the main reasons I did that was because I was ready to date, and I wanted to feel sexy. Back then, I thought straight hair meant sexy because that was the message being put out. I didn’t see curly hair represented in magazines and television. And even when I was in school, people would say, ‘Oh, your hair is frizzy,'” she told Byrdie.

Over time, managing her hair became challenging personally and professionally. She cited instances where casting directors would tell her that her curls were a distraction.

“So, I continued to straighten it. I would even put extensions in my hair, and you’ll notice that, especially while I was filming The Game. I was just damaging my hair,” she said. By 2012, she began to have a rethink of her curls, which inspired the birth of 4U By Tia.

With the assistance of Amyris Inc., a leading synthetic biotechnology company, she has been able to develop eight products that are sure to bring health and wellness to one’s hair. The products include Moisturizing, Clarifying Shampoo, Curl Refresher Mist, Lightweight Conditioner, Moisturizing Conditioner, Leave-In Curl Cream, Shampoo, Curl-Defining Gel, and Multiuse Hair Oil, according to Brydie.

The products would be sold in over 2,800 Walmart retail stores in the U.S., on Walmart.com, and the direct-to-consumer website 4UbyTia.com, according to a press statement. 

“The brand is launching with a full line of eight products formulated for 2A to 4C (curly) hair, all of which contain Amyris’ patented Hemi15TM, a breakthrough ingredient that nourishes and protects textured hair. The line is 100% vegan, silicone-free, sulfate-free and paraben-free,” the statement said.

The mompreneur did not leave out her children in the launch process. She did not only try the products on them, but she also included them in the brand visuals.

“I want them to feel empowered by their hair and who they are,” she said. “Unfortunately, being Black in this world, people will say and do mean things to you. It has been very evident with my son already, as he’s been talked down to because of what he looks like. With this brand, I’m creating an inclusive environment and speaking up for my children.”

Mowry is the latest celebrity to venture into the multi-billion haircare market. Grand View Research says the global hair and scalp care market size was valued at $80.81 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from 2021 to 2028.