Helping women love their hair as it was #BornToBe

Did you know that by 2030, 40% of the world population will have curly hair? 

Hola! We're OCOA, Clean curl care for hermanas (sisters) everywhere, inspired by the beauty of our homeland, the Dominican Republic. We are changing the curly hair experience from average products that were made with the bare minimum to products made with the quality ingredients curly hair needs. 

Our mission is to end hair assimilation so the next generation can grow up loving and embracing their authentic beauty. So curly women can love and embrace who they are born to be.

The curly hair care market is already huge—but often ignored. Allied Market Research predicts the curly hair-care market will grow to be worth $15.65 billion by 2031. The hair care aisle has less than 5 Latina owned brands and all formulates with the same average ingredients.

We are redefining curls & reclaiming la cultura, because when the care is right, your hair is how it was always meant to be; Healthy, Moisturized, Soft yet defined.  

We selected our ingredients to nourish curls, skin care as scalp care. Co-formulated by hermanas for hermanas.

As busy professionals with kids under age 7, we had things to do and raindrops to run in. We were done with pretending to be someone else.

We needed safe, wonderful products that let us feel beautiful but saved time—and were safe enough to use on our kids. It didn’t exist, so our curl journey began.

We created a four-step kit to simplify the curl routine with a curl care shampoo, conditioner, curl cream and a styling gel.  

OCOA is led by sister-duo, Cory and Nicol Varona. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, they saw their hair as "pelo malo" (bad hair). They thought the only way to be beautiful was by straightening their hait to fit in. Fast forward to moving to the U.S. and then damaging their hair even more their curls were damaged and erased. But finally in 2017, they went through a wellness transformation and as sisters decided to embrace their naturally curly hair. That shift inspired them to help more women love their curls and themselves to embrace who they are born to be. OCOA goes beyond products it's truly a sisterhood where all hermanas are welcomed. 

With a combined 20+ years of accounting and marketing experience they are leading OCOA to new heights. Their team is comprised by a majority women and minority led group of experts and continues to grow as they expand the business. They also have a team of OCOA advisors that provide guidance and mentorship to continue to grow the business. As of August 2024, OCOA is also available online at UrbanOutfittters.com. By next year, they want OCOA in more retailers to make their innovative products accessible for all their community. 

Today, we’re asking for your support as we aim to raise $60,000 to fund our next full time hire to lead operational support and to fund inventory production (for our custom bottles so we can prevent being out of stock) and continue our growth to propel OCOA into a household brand.

At OCOA, we go beyond hair care, we are on a mission to uplift and inspire the next generation. That's why in 2023, we launched our Helping Hermanas social impact program. Through this program we donate our curly products to organizations impacting our youth. Two years in a row we have supported two local back-to-school events to foster self-care for young boys and girls in the new school year. As a small business it's very important for us to give back to the community that has uplifted us since day one. Our efforts also extend to better packaging and more sustainability so we can keep our planet safe and clean for a better future for all.

Check out our amazing rewards lineup to pledge your support for OCOA. Whether you can contribute through a reward or by sharing with your network we are grateful for your support.

Together, we are positioned to make a difference in curly hair care bringing a premium experience, Latina representation and elevated products that help our community embrace who they are born to be. 

Muchas GRACIAS for your support!