Donna’s Recipe, the all-natural vegan hair care brand launched in January of 2021 by America’s favorite mom and viral sensation Tabitha Brown, affectionately named after her famous hair persona, “Donna,” has made it to Ulta Beauty.
The company is entering the next phase of growth by making its debut at the nation’s largest beauty retailer, and just in time for the holidays, her fans can discover the entire Sweet Potato Pie Collection exclusively on Ulta.com today and all Ulta Beauty stores nationwide beginning December 26th.
“We know guests today care just as much about what they put on their bodies as they put in them, and this collection is the perfect example of that,” says Jessica Phillips, vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty. “Tabitha has created a wonderful line that embodies her infectious personality and loving spirit while delivering outstanding results. We’re excited for new and existing fans to discover Donna’s Recipe at Ulta Beauty and look forward to a beautiful partnership together.”
Brown is equally excited, “We are so excited to partner Donna’s Recipe with Ulta! This is a huge accomplishment and a beautiful win for us and our customers who have asked if they could purchase at Ulta Beauty. Well, now the answer is YES!” she says.
Tabitha Brown and COO Gina Woods created Donna’s Recipe to offer high-quality, vegan products that bring joy to hair care routines and minimize wash day monotony. Known for her intricate vegan creations in the kitchen, Brown likes to think of Donna’s Recipe products as an extension of that, but the ultimate self-care experience for your hair.
“When Gina, [COO] and I were talking about creating Donna’s Recipe, we thought the brand could create desserts for everyone’s hair and make it an experience since everyone knows I don’t bake, which is where the sweet potato pie line idea came about. It’s desserts for hair to make that amazing experience for people, so it feels like you have a whole holiday experience in your shower or sink wherever it is that you’re washing hair,” she says to ESSENCE.
This line is special to Brown because although she isn’t a baker, it’s a tribute to her southern roots and grandmother, as she was known as the “town baker” and made cakes and pies, specifically sweet potato pies. “People bought her sweet potato pies, and she made everything right. Although baking isn’t my thing, now I have something very similar that could give you that similar experience of joy,” she says.
The experience of Donna’s Recipe is significant to Brown, as she realizes wellness is top of mind for many of her core audience members. People don’t only want a beauty product, they want to ensure it fits into their lifestyle, self-care routine, and wellness rituals, and she’s confident Donna’s Recipe does.
“Wellness is a priority for people now. It’s not just about what we eat but also about how we take care of our skin and how we take care of our minds. Having a vegan product with clean ingredients as vegan ingredients is a perfect solution. Donna’s Recipe is also a treat for yourself; you’re using clean products to make you feel and look amazing. Experience is a word my customers keep using; they’re like, ‘Wait, why does this feel like an experience instead of just the chore of washing your hair?’” she says.
The smell of Donna Recipe’s Sweet Potato Pie line does waft over you, instantly transporting you to your grandmother’s kitchen and stove right when she pulls out the moist and delicious sweet potato pie. For most naturalistas, wash day can be tedious and agitating, mainly because of the various steps and labor to get your coils in the right place. Still, Donna’s Recipe’s newest line takes most of the perceived hassle out of the process, starting with the smell; it doesn’t feel like you’re in your bathroom gearing up for an unbearable chore. Instead, you look forward to taking care of yourself and your hair. It’s like a built-in spa product for your tresses.
“With natural hair, you’re like, ‘Oh, Lord, I gotta wash my hair this weekend.’ But our customers are excited to use the product. And if you’ve taken the top off and smelled the product, it does give you the psychology of taking you to a different place. That’s something I’m very proud of,” she says.
Brown wants to ensure we’re all taking care of ourselves by establishing an attainable self-care routine and hopes her hair care products will be included in the queue. “Self-care is how we start, end our day, and treat ourselves throughout our day. It truly does mean putting ourselves first; we deserve to check in on ourselves to ensure we’re okay. When it comes to these products, girl, it’s nothing like a good wash day, where you’re like, ‘You know what, today is my day, on Sunday, I’m washing my hair,’ I am going to moisturize, oil my scalp, have that little penetration from the peppermint oil in there, but have your moment. My hair is part of me, and it makes me feel good when I refer to her when I take care of her. And so to know that I have these products that are also taking care of her,” she says.
Aside from curating a solution to the wash day woes by crafting a luxe self-care experience, Brown is also inspiring her fanbase to be true to themselves when it comes to their hair. Her hair, “Donna,” has quickly formed into a celebrated persona, encouraging women to rock their natural look by donning their coils, curls, and fros.
“For a very long time, I wore my hair straight. Not because I wanted to all the time but because I thought I had to work in corporate America to work in entertainment. I wasn’t completely free, so wearing my hair straight was conforming. But I started growing my hair out after I did the big chop; I realized part of being free is wearing my hair the way it grows, being proud of it, not apologizing for it, and knowing that I would still belong in any room I step into,” she says.
This new outlook has inspired others to step in her footsteps, “For so many women to come up to me whether I’m traveling, or in the grocery store and say, ‘Tab, I wear my hair natural now, my little girl loves her natural hair now because of you,’ It makes me so happy is one of the things I’m most proud of is women embracing their natural hair all over the world. And I’m so grateful to be a small part of that,” she shares.
The Sweet Potato Pie collection combines the mouth-watering sweet aroma of the freshly baked dessert and critical ingredients found in a classic sweet potato pie recipe that provides natural hair benefits, including:
Sweet Potato- Rich in beta-carotene, which aids in cell growth and reduction in hair dullness
Cinnamon- Removes build-up from the scalp for healthy follicles
Vanilla- Rich in minerals to stimulate blood circulation to the scalp to aid in overall hair health
The collection also consists of aloe vera, shea butter, mango butter, and other natural ingredients known to improve hair health, comprised of five products that work together to nourish hair using the popular LOC system—a 3-step layering technique for added moisture, including the Extra Creamy Shampoo, Extra Creamy Moisturizing Conditioner, Extra Creamy Leave-In Conditioner, Extra Creamy Hair and Scalp Oil, and finally, the Extra Creamy Hair Cream, all high-quality products priced at an affordable price of $15 each.
Ulta will also carry Donna’s Recipe hero products: Strength Hair Oil and Strawberry Biotin Gummies, priced at $25.
You can learn more about the collection at Ulta.com.