We originally interviewed Dominique as part of our spotlight on Birmingham-based makers in the May-July edition of our Little Black Book.
Dominique champions Black British-made haircare. Through Hair Popp, she pioneers accessibility to Afro care essentials in Birmingham and across Britain, working closely with the talented makers she believes in.
Dominique Lescott, creator of Hair Popp. Credit: Lensi Photography
What is Hair Popp’s vision?
I’m a natural curls advocate and Hair Popp is a digital lifestyle brand designed to make it easier and more convenient for people with curly and textured hair to shop for natural haircare products and accessories online. With Hair Popp, we’re on a mission to get high-quality and independent haircare brands that encompass the globe’s diverse and unique hair needs into homes everywhere.
What’s been your biggest achievement in bringing together Black British-owned haircare brands?
There have been so many achievements since we launched. However, one achievement was being able to feature a lockdown hair tutorial for the BBC with one of our brands and a customer who needed support on how to do her hair at home. Shining a light on the many small and up-and-coming British Black-owned brands that exist showed that Hair Popp is not a static marketplace but an extension of the brand’s business, and I feel equally accountable for the progress and achievements of the brands we promote.
What is the Afro haircare scene like in Birmingham and the Midlands?
Since our launch event at iCentrum in Birmingham in 2018, I realised just how important it really is to bring Black women together in a safe space to talk about all things haircare and culture. There is a massive Black business community in Birmingham and I’m proud to support brands coming from my city to access their customers.
When I returned home to Birmingham from [living in] London and St. Kitts & Nevis, I engrossed myself in the business communities with a focus on Black business and women in business. As much as we can access more people online, we listen to our customers and they still crave the face-to-face interaction, so we host pop up shops and exhibit at events such as the Black Pound Day marketplace at the Legacy Centre (colloquially known as The Drum).
People will say that “Black people don’t come out on a weekday”; however, all of our Birmingham in-person events have been well-attended on weekdays.
What do you love the most about working with fellow ambitious Black business owners?
What I love most is the economic growth potential. Wanting to support the Black community where I can, as a founder I seek to secure economic longevity within the Black economy. Where information on embracing and managing natural hair is generally lacking for the Black community, Hair Popp provides a platform for Black-owned hair brands and our owners to digitally provide their services, knowledge and experiences to men and women in need, and their children.
What are your future plans for Hair Popp?
The Hair Popp algorithm will be an impressive function on [our] website that enables customers to save time and money [when buying] suitable products as the company seeks to become the number one platform for quality haircare brands across the UK and worldwide. Crucially, at a time when the wider community needs it most, Hair Popp is at the forefront of supporting Black-owned businesses to receive the recognition they so deserve.