Firefighter by day and hair care entrepreneur by night, Brooklyn native Gregory Shepherd is making a name for himself in the world of natural hair care.
Since launching Kultivated Hair Care, a local company that specializes in natural hair care products three years ago, Shepherd is hoping more people will feel empowered with natural hair styles.
“I just want people to love their hair in its natural state,” said Shepherd.
Growing up between Crown Heights and Flatbush, Shepherd maintained a healthy afro style at a young age thanks to his parents. Once he hit junior high, Shepherd traded in the long hair for waves, citing basketball player Jalen Rose and rapper Fabolous as inspiration.
“As far as hair care, they always seemed clean cut and sharp,” said Shepherd whose own short, wave style makes his job as a first responder for Battalion 38 in Crown Heights easy.
After seeing multiple fires in the late 80s and early 90s, Shepherd knew that the best way to serve his community was to join the fight to make the area safer.
“I wanted more. I didn't want some mundane task of being behind a desk, not really doing anything,” said Shepherd.
After fulfilling his childhood dream of being a firefighter, Shepherd found a new ambition during the pandemic, creating his own natural hair care line.
“I was a product junkie… And I’d look at the back of the label, there are like 30 different ingredients I couldn't even pronounce,” he said.
Shepherd has noticed the hair care industry's evolution into adding sulfates and parabens into their products for mass production. Over the past few years, many people have spoken against these added ingredients citing hair damage and dryness. More people have opted whole-natural ingredients, a trend Shepherd is trying to capitalize.
“I don't have a team, everything is me from start to finish,” he said.
Many of his products use macadamia oil, which hydrates dry hair, while other products that target scalp growth uses jojoba oil, which mimics sebum, an oily substance that protect and hydrate the skin's surface.
Shepherd noted that his grandmother was a guiding inspiration for his product line and its ingredients.
“She has a lot of allergies and a sensitive scalp… it was tough trying to find something that would work for her,” he said.
Searching for hypo-allergenic alternatives for hair care for her gave Shepherd his final push to launch his brand.
Shepherd's products can currently be bought on his online store, Etsy, and the occasional Brooklyn market or event where he sells directly to the consumer while promoting the brand's benefits. Kultivated Hair Care products are vegan, cruelty-free and organic.
Shepherd's next step is to open a brick-and-mortar shop, a place where he can further enhance the beauty of his community.
“The best thing about our people is we don't have to do much to look beautiful… I want products to promote growth and to give it that look and confidence that they're seeking without having to go elsewhere for it," he said.
