If you love the beauty of curly or coily hair, it’s time to fall in love with a hair care line specifically designed with fine textures in mind. Aveda’s Bee Kali Advanced Collection was released on April 24th. We couldn’t be more excited to try out a high-performance product that rewrites the rules on what you can expect from professional hair care in the comfort of your own home. We’ve already started making room for these new additions to our hair care routines.
To celebrate this big launch, Ginny & Georgia actor and Aveda partner Antonia Gentry, the brand’s Vice President of Research and Development Kristin Hall, and the brand’s Global Artistic Director of Texture We spoke to Renee Gadar to find out more. What this line offers.
Below, hear directly from the talented team behind the launch about their personal hair journeys, the design process for these curl-loving products, and what inspired them to collaborate on creating the Be Curly Advanced collection. Let’s see.
Meet Antonia Gentry, actor and Aveda partner
(Image credit: Provided by Aveda)
What does the partnership with Aveda on the launch of the Be Curly Advanced collection mean to you?
I am very excited to be working with Aveda. Not only because Aveda is a company that truly cares about the impact they have and the products they make, but also because the Bee Curly Advanced line is something I have used and learned from. It’s all about what went into its creation and how to use the product. Hair is very important to me, especially in relation to the textured hair community, so I don’t usually jump into hair partnerships. But they knew what they were actually doing with this line!
I’m also very excited to do this work. Because when I see curly hair represented on TV, I know that a lot of people look up to me through my character on Ginny & Georgia. This is something that is constantly evolving and I am very honored and grateful. to be a part of. Joining Aveda and working on this is just an extension of that authenticity and expression.
Did you have a chance to work one-on-one with Christine Hall and Renee Gadar on the development of the collection?
I had the pleasure of meeting Renee and she walked me through the product from start to finish while it was still in the lab. I was able to try all the products in the line and she showed me how to use them together and gave me advice and tips on how to use each product. When it comes to hair, I learned how to edit the collection to suit my specific needs. I really appreciated them taking the time to work with me. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Christine Hall and the team about the science behind it.
I’m no scientist, but it was very eye-opening to hear all about the testing and care that went into creating these products. Aveda being so transparent about how these products are made is something I don’t think a lot of companies do, so it was definitely a green light for me. At the end of the day, just trying these products and being my own guinea pig and seeing that these products work for my hair is the greatest accomplishment.
Tell us about your hair journey. Is that reflected in Ginny & Georgia?
Season 1 in particular incorporated Ginny’s experiences dealing with people who don’t know how to properly style and care for her, especially the scene where someone tries to comb her ponytail. There was a time when I tried straightening my hair because I wanted it to fit better. There are (negative) comments and people even touch her hair because they think it’s an unnatural sight.
These experiences in Season 1 of Ginny’s character arc were very important because they were based on things that many black girls with curly hair experience on a daily basis, especially as teenagers. I experienced it myself, so I’m really glad I did it. It worked because we had fans DM us about how that scene helped them validate their own experiences. It’s really important to uncover them.
How do you keep your hair healthy on and off shoot? Do you have any tips or tricks you can share for maintaining your curls?
In the past few years since I started working as an actor, I have participated in various scenes, and I have found that not everyone knows how to create curly hair. It’s very difficult to trust the person who touches your hair, which is why your hair is prone to heat damage and breakage. Curly hair is not as widely understood as it should be.
Also, use your favorite items between styles to keep your hair as natural as possible to avoid losing its curls. It’s very easy to damage your hair if you don’t know how to curl it. And, unfortunately, many sets require changing curly hair. When I’m off, I always use a hair mask to allow my hair to breathe and be itself.
Let’s talk about laundry day. What is the best product line for cleaning and moisturizing hair?
My favorite product from this line when I’m actually in the shower is the Be Curly Advanced Hair Mask. The shampoo is also great. It doesn’t cause your hair to flake or become dry and brittle. My hair feels clean, nourished and moisturized. This mask melts into your hair like butter, so it’s really amazing! It’s not too heavy, it doesn’t dry out my hair at all, and it’s super easy to detangle, so it doesn’t add any extra breakage.
Literally, it only takes 5 minutes to apply the shampoo, conditioner, and mask to your hair and detangle it, which is amazing. There was also a mask that said to leave it on your hair for 30 minutes, but I thought, “That’s not even 30 minutes!” When I get out of the shower and start styling, my favorite product from this line is the Curl Enhancer Cream. After using the Curl Perfecting Primer, apply a little cream to your hair. I like it because it’s lightweight and doesn’t weigh down my very fine hair.
Also, since you don’t need a lot of primer, it won’t dry out your hair, leaving it soft, defined, shiny, and moisturized. It stays like that for days! I used to have to thoroughly wet my hair every day to get the curls I wanted, but now I don’t have to because my hair loves the cream so much.
What is the best advice you would give to someone who wants to know their hair type and curl pattern?
Patience and acceptance! We’re so used to the word curly, textured hair being aggressive, something to be tamed and fought against that we subconsciously approach our own hair with a sense of fear. However, this is absolutely wrong. Curly hair is incredibly versatile and beautiful. Finding what works for you requires patience, understanding, and trial and error.
It’s also about knowing how you like your curls to look. If you want a textured, voluminous afro, or something close to the frame of your face, we can make it as big or small as you desire. All you have to do is let go of all the noise you hear about your hair and discover what you love and how you want to feel when you wear your natural hair.
A conversation with Christine Hall and Renee Gadar
(Image credit: Provided by Aveda)
What was the research and development process for Aveda’s Bee Kali Advanced Collection?
Christine Hall: There’s a science to the difference between curly hair and coily hair, how hair behaves and what it requires. And then there’s the great collaboration with Renee and the Texture team. The third part is “How do we test it?” From a technology perspective, we found that the higher the texture of the hair, the more delicate it is. We knew we needed to strengthen our hair’s texture and increase its elasticity.
It turns out that when your hair is textured, it slows down the rate at which sebum travels down the hair, so moisture needs to be addressed. From a styling perspective, I also had to focus on contouring to make my hair look as shiny as possible. We ended up with pea peptides for strength, kokum butter for hydration/conditioning, and styling formula for definition. We worked with Renee and the texture team to prototype the base.
Renee, can you tell us about your role as head of Aveda’s global texture team and your role in developing these products?
Renée Gadar: My role is to lead a group of people who are focused on texture, but it also helps the company stay focused on texture. It’s about always being in the room advocating for that kind of awareness and thinking. I create a curriculum and train the texture team based on that curriculum. We offer products that really work, but to get the most out of them, you need to know your hair and how to use them.
The Global Texture team helps Aveda as a brand focus on and share the same message. When textured girls try to find answers on their own, they get a lot of conflicting messages, so it helps to align as a team. This is a team effort to get more extensive testing and feedback to further improve the product.
Can these products be used for all curl types and textures? How can consumers decide which products are best suited for their strands?
RG: The best thing to do is to talk to the stylist who uses the product and ask for advice as it’s not one size fits all. You need both emollients and water to moisturize and moisturize your hair, so you need to wash your hair, but you can also wash them together in between hair washes. The conditioner acts as a leave-in conditioner, which causes slippage in your hair. Masks can also be used in the bathroom. 2 to 5 minutes is sufficient for maximum effect.
Always use a primer when you get out of the shower. This is a tool that helps you reduce the amount of styling products you use. It’s also important to understand the nature of your hair and decide whether you want something with more slip or grip. Since Antonia comes from an area with a lot of heat damage, she prefers something lighter as she works with two textures and gets the best balance from the cream.
CH: I think it’s good to try different things. If you had asked me before I developed this, I would have said, “I’m a cream person through and through.” However, I tried pointing the coil definer at both ends for more clarity and found that I liked the look. Give it a try.
What are you most excited about about the launch of this collection?
RG: Honestly, I want it to be a safe space for Black women. And what I want to hear is, are these products providing that for women of color? I want my customers to feel at ease in the shower, to be able to trust the products they use, and to get the results they want. I also hope it helps them embrace their natural hair.
CH: I’m really excited because I think it’s a labor of love. We had a training session in Minnesota and the sheer excitement from all the stylists and educators was amazing. I hope everything is reflected in everything we do. I want you to roll it up with me!
Check out our Be Curly Advanced collection
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beakerly advanced shampoo
Aveda
beakerly advanced conditioner
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Beakery Advanced Cowash
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Be Curly Advanced Curl Enhancer Cream
Aveda
Be Curly Advanced Coil Definer Gel
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Be Curly Advanced Curl Perfecting Primer
Aveda
Be Curly Advanced Intensive Curl Perfecting Mask
