Behind Cristina’s Curls: A Candid Conversation with CEO Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith is the powerhouse behind Cristina’s Curls, a brand born out of a mother’s love and a quest for better skincare solutions. Courtney’s journey from stay-at-home mom to CEO and Founder is a testament to the transformative power of determination and innovation. Faced with the challenge of her daughter Cristina’s Cradle Cap and Eczema, Courtney refused to settle for subpar products on the market.

Teaming up with her chemist husband and drawing upon her expertise as an Esthetician, Courtney crafted natural, organic remedies that not only soothed her daughter’s skin but sparked a thriving business. Now, three years later, as Cristina’s Curls prepares for a major launch in leading retailers, Courtney shares her inspiring story and the vision behind her brand’s meteoric success.

Your journey from being a stay-at-home mom to the CEO and Founder of a successful company is remarkable. Could you walk us through the pivotal moments that led you to establish Cristina’s Curls?

Yes, I was a stay-at-home mother for six years before starting Cristina’s Curls. Prior to that, I worked as a licensed Esthetician. After my husband and I got married, we decided it was best for me to take a step back from the work field to focus on growing our family. Fast forward, Cristina was born with severe skin conditions (eczema/cradle cap) that caused me to roll up my sleeves and find a solution. The solution became Cristina’s Curls.

Cradle Cap and Eczema are common issues among babies, yet finding the right solutions can be challenging. How did your personal experience with your daughter’s skin conditions influence the development of your products?

After much research, I learned that both conditions are pretty common for infants. Although I have two other children, I never experienced it with them, so this was new to me. We spoke with many doctors and received a few prescriptions. My concern was the ingredients and medication for such a young baby. I couldn’t bring myself to use them on her. During my research process, I realized that so many moms were dealing with the same issues.

Natural and organic products are increasingly sought after in today’s market. How did you ensure that Cristina’s Curls met the standards of being both effective and environmentally friendly?

Being in the beauty and skincare field for so long, I knew what ingredients to stay away from. Of course, you need preservatives, but there is no need for a ton of filler ingredients. So, I focused on making Cristina’s Curls with organic, clean ingredients, and to take it a step further, I had all of our formulas tested by a third-party lab to ensure they were of the best quality. As far as the effectiveness, the reviews and word-of-mouth referrals are what took Cristina’s Curls to the next level.

Your husband’s background in chemistry must have been invaluable in creating the formulations for Cristina’s Curls. Could you tell us more about how your collaboration led to the development of these products?

Yes, my husband played a very important part in the formulation process. Anyone can whip up ingredients for themselves in their kitchen, but when you start selling it to the public and putting it on shelves, you have to take things a step further. My husband was responsible for overseeing and working with the third-party lab, to make sure we were adhering to all of the guidelines. He also gave me great insight into sourcing the best packaging to preserve the product. We work very well together and having someone by your side that is just as passionate about your business as you are is priceless.

As an Esthetician, how did your expertise in skincare contribute to the formulation and development process of your products?

Being an Esthetician gave me a great advantage. Being in this field for so long, I knew exactly what ingredients and preservatives to use for the base of my formulations.

Cristina’s Curls has experienced significant growth in just three years, with annual revenues in the millions. What do you attribute this rapid success to?

I attribute our rapid success to having amazing products, being transparent with our customers, and word-of-mouth referrals. Having others speak highly of your business is like hitting the lottery in the business world.

What advice would you offer to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those looking to break into the beauty and skincare industry with natural and organic products?

My advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs would be to find your niche. You can’t serve everyone, that is the fastest way to burn out. So, find your niche and your target audience. Another very important piece of advice is to learn how to run every area of your business before outsourcing and hiring someone to do it for you.