One of the most commonly composted foods alongside coffee grounds and eggshells are also the butt of many slapstick jokes – the humble banana peel. While the sweet flesh of America’s most consumed fruit is widely celebrated as a fiber-rich, potassium-packed powerhouse, the peel is an afterthought. As the banana’s exterior accounts for 35% of the 5 million metric tons imported stateside, we’ve got peels galore. It was only a matter of time before one of the hottest holy grail ingredients for sustainably-sourced products, used increasingly in textiles, fertilizer, and as a plastic substitute, would be harnessed for the beautysphere by a clever entrepreneur. Cue the entry of Lasio CEO Nadine Ramos, who discovered the banana peel is a bounty for sustainable, deeply nourishing hair care.
Rich in potassium, vitamins, antioxidants, and silica, along with antibacterial properties, the oil extracted from the oft-disregarded peel has been used in indigenous, tropical cultures to treat a variety of ailments. Given the old-fashioned growth-promoting diy hair mask of banana, avocados, and honey, true beauty warriors have had it on the radar for its ability to hydrate the hair shaft… remember Cardi B’s viral video? For a more sophisticated formulation of the fruit’s lock-loving benefits, Blessed Bananas combines banana oil with other tropical ingredients, namely aloe, cocoa butter, avocado oil, and coconut (milk and oil) in a full clean, sulfate and paraben-free hair care line that delivers mega moisture and detangling.
For a thorough cleansing, the Crown and Glory Shampoo adds nettle extract to invigorate the scalp and strengthen the hair from root to tip. With a combo of cocoa butter and coconut milk, the Crown of Glory Conditioner is like a detangling smoothie for dry strands.
For more leisurely wash days, Blessed Bananas offers three puddling-like deep conditioners – Mommy & Me Banana & Coconut Hair Mask, Single & Free | Rosemary & Banana Hair Mask, and Daddy & Me | Banana & Aloe Hair Masks – bolstered with avocado oils that deeply nourish in just 10 minutes, in addition to working as a leave-in for textured, curly hair and extensions.
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The final and star product of the Blessed Bananas line, Crown of Glory Hair & Scalp Serum, multitasks as a pre-shampoo scalp treatment and shine-enhancing finishing serum. The blend of vitamin E, banana and coconut oils is tailor-made for dry, itchy scalps from product build-up, dandruff, or eczema, as well as for sealing up split ends after heat styling without a greasy residue.
After a few weeks of deeply-conditioned hair from the latest sustainable powerhouse ingredient, I was thrilled to speak to Nadine Ramos, CEO of Blessed Bananas about entrepreneurship and her pivot to clean beauty after being one of the first movers and shakers in the keratin treatment boom last decade.
Q & A with Nadine Ramos, CEO of Lasio and Blessed Bananas
1. Your previous brand Lasio, a keratin brand, is the opposite of clean beauty. How would you explain your pivot to and embrace of clean beauty as an entrepreneur?
After the success of Lasio Professional, I found the courage to pursue a new business venture that was deeply meaningful to me. Inspired by my two young children, I felt compelled to address the need for clean haircare in the beauty industry. Observing my children’s enthusiasm for bananas sparked an idea in me. Upon further research, I was astonished to discover the remarkable benefits that bananas offer for hair and scalp health. This revelation became the foundation for my new venture, Blessed Bananas.
2. The beauty and wellness industries are sometimes criticized for fostering women’s insecurities about their appearance and exploiting that insecurity for profit, while others see the beauty/wellness industry as empowering. Where do you fall in this debate?
Gone are the days of exploiting insecurities for profits, and gone are the days of using sexism for revenue. The “Me Too” movement has opened the eyes of many. We are now living in a time of promoting self-worth. While not every woman understands their self-worth, our goal at Lasio and Blessed Bananas is to empower women to understand their true identity. It’s deeper than outer-surface appearance. We were all born with a great purpose, and empowering our followers to find it is our greatest goal. We believe in the power of serving each other, and that includes promoting blessings.
3. What had you wished a more seasoned business owner in any industry had told you when you started?
Starting my business was an exciting journey, and looking back, I realize the immense value of receiving guidance from a seasoned business owner in any industry. If I had been advised to prioritize saving and feel confident in self-funding, it would have set me on a more secure path from the start. Learning effective strategies for managing expenses without compromising success would have been invaluable. Moreover, being encouraged to leverage my network more effectively for the benefit of my business would have been a game-changer. Reflecting on this, I’m eager to teach these insights to propel other businesses forward with even greater confidence and success!
4. When the next generation of women beauty entrepreneurs make themselves known, how will you help or support them?
As a female entrepreneur in the beauty industry, I reflect on the challenges I faced when I first embarked on my journey. Looking back, I realize the value of having a mentor to guide me through the initial stages of my business. Consequently, I now feel a strong sense of social responsibility to support new startups by sharing the knowledge and wisdom I have accumulated over the years. I am keen on emphasizing the significance of personal growth, mental stability, and utilizing all available resources to pave the way for emerging entrepreneurs. The journey is long and diverse, and by offering my guidance, I hope to fulfill my purpose of contributing to the success of others in the industry.
5. Describe the moment when you first opened and tried your first, officially launched, product.
After my first product launch, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment came over me. It was as if healing had finally embraced the little girl within me, who had bravely faced the odds and overcame so many obstacles. In that moment, time seemed to pause and I
experienced a flashback of my journey. I saw a glimmer of light and hope illuminating my future while I was reminded that everything I had gone through prepared me for that very moment.
Read Part 1 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Glow Bar CEO HERE.
Read Part 2 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Uzima CEO HERE.
Read Part 3 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Kinship CEO HERE.
Read Part 4 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Raw Sugar Living CEO HERE.
Read Part 5 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Alchimie Forever CEO HERE.
Read Part 6 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Kindness Powered Skincaee CEO HERE.
Read Part 7 in the “Female Founders Q&A” series with the Iles Formula CEO HERE.
