You may know Tabitha Brown as a master of vegan recipes. But, contrary to popular belief, the actress and entrepreneur doesn’t like baking. But that’s where her hair care brand Donna’s Recipe comes in. “I joke that Donna’s Recipe provides desserts for your hair.” To compliment her debut Sweet Potato Pie line––which launched in late 2022––Brown’s latest hair collection is the Whipped Vanilla Cream you just have to put on top.
“I was thinking about what pairs best with [sweet potato pie], and obviously it’s whipped vanilla cream,” she says. “But, I realized people don’t know all the benefits of vanilla for your hair.” Other than the candied aroma, vanilla extract helps stimulate hair growth, maintain strength, and reduce build-up and breakage.
The four-product collection––including Curl Enhancing Gel, Curl Defining Mousse, Heat Protectant Spray, and Edge Gel––mixes vanilla with other key ingredients— like biotin, aloe, and vitamin E— to boost hair health. “Everyone has been asking me to develop a gel,” she says. “I like pairing it with the cream.”
However, a healthy hair diet is not just about what you put in it. “It boils down to what I eat. I eat plants. I put life into my body and not death. It helps me feel alive! I drink a lot of water, too,” Brown recommends for hair growth. While turning vegan may not be overnight (like learning to appreciate your texture), how you treat your hair is just like talking to the plants you eat.
“I feel like what I say to myself helps with overall hair growth and health,” she says. “I gave my hair a name, ‘Donna’, for a reason. I’m a believer in the saying, ‘if you give something a name, you give it life.’ I think that’s even true for our hair. She has her own life and she’s thriving.”
The Donna’s Recipe Whipped Vanilla Cream collection is available now on donnasrecipe.com and Ulta Beauty on September 22nd.