Bebonia Curly Clip-In Hair Extensions: Our Founder's Story

 

 

Bebonia curly hair extensions founder Soleil Guerrero is many things: a businesswoman, a Latina, and a person with naturally curly hair. During her time selling technology in corporate America, she felt like these things didn’t always work in harmony in the corporate world. 

She loved boosting the length and volume of her hair with hair extensions, but she struggled to blend them with her naturally curly hair. “I never felt confident enough to wear my natural texture out, because I did feel as though it didn’t look very professional, and therefore it wasn’t well-received when I’d go to these companies and meet with C-level executives,” she says. “I had all these things against me. Not only was I a woman in business, but I also am a Latina with an accent. On top of that, I’m going to wear my hair curly to an event or to a meeting? It was a lot.”

Soleil felt the need to straighten her hair not only so it would blend in better in the corporate world, but so it would blend better with the extensions she liked to wear. (Not to mention that hair extensions for curly hair were non-existent.) Every morning, she would spend hours using heat tools to straighten her natural hair in order to match and blend with straight hair extensions. And as anyone with hair—especially curly hair—will tell you, that eventually takes a toll and does a lot of damage.

 

(heat damaged hair during transition)

 

 

After years working for corporate America, Soleil felt something inside her change. “I had a wonderful career, but I just didn’t feel fulfilled. I decided that I really needed to focus on something that was near and dear to my heart, where I could contribute to a larger community and where I can run my own business,” she says.

 

 

Where Are All The Curly Hair Extensions?

At first, Soleil was unsure what her own business would look like. She knew she had a passion for beauty, so she started attending beauty trade shows. At the same time, she made the decision to stop heat-styling her hair and began embracing her natural hair texture. “I was personally going through a tremendous transition. Not only with my hair, but also with my career,” she recalls. 

During her time at the beauty trade shows, Soleil realized that there wasn’t a big focus on curly human hair extensions. To her it seemed that nobody wanted to focus on curly hair extensions—specifically curly clip-in human hair extensions—and that’s when her dream of starting her own business finally began to take shape. Soleil would begin work on what would become Bebonia curly clip-in hair extensions.

 

Soleil’s biggest question was, How can I create the perfect hair extensions that are curly and clip in? “I became extremely obsessed with it. All I did was play with hair extensions and try to really figure out a real, solid method and product that I whole-heartedly believed in,” she says. Eventually, through lots of work and research, she found the perfect way to create natural, curly hair extensions that clip in using real Remy human hair.

 

(Mom working on a prototype)

 

Soleil threw herself into learning everything she could about building a business. She had tons of experience working for someone else and generating revenue for other companies, but bootstrapping her own company was uncharted territory. Soleil’s goal was for her curly extensions business to be self-funded, so she kept things lean, learned everything she could, and moved on to the next step: naming her new curly hair extensions company.

 

 

 

Finding The Perfect Name For a Curly Hair Extensions Business

“I wanted the name to be very mysterious, in a way, and not super obvious. I wanted it to be a word that was easy to pronounce,” says Soleil. For inspiration in naming her curly extensions business, she turned to the people who knew her best: her family. 

 

Soleil is the youngest in her family and has always  been affectionately called “beba,” which is Spanish for “baby girl.” While spending time with her family, her father called her, “Bebonia,” which immediately struck a chord with Soleil. She felt that it perfectly represented her vision for her brand, and finally, Bebonia curly clip-in hair extensions finally had a name!

 

 

 

 

Growing Bebonia

Soleil now had a concept, a name, and a viable curly extensions product—she was ready to launch her business. She was invited to the New York Hair Show, where connections she had made during the beginning stages of Bebonia helped her secure a small space at the show. The reception of her curly hair extensions was astounding.

 

 

 

Launching Bebonia was a humbling experience for Soleil. As any budding entrepreneur will attest, the beginning stages of a new business often require a lot of personal cut-backs. Soleil found herself doing much of the legwork herself. “I had this tiny apartment in New York City. It was so small that I could touch my sink and stove from my bed. In this apartment, I ran Bebonia. I had inventory in the trundle of my bed, and I’d run after the mail carriers when I’d see them to get orders out to my amazing customers. I managed all the shipping and returns, and I did customer service. ”

 

Slowly but surely, with lots of dedication, Bebonia began to grow into the successful hair extension company that it is today. In addition to offering curly human hair extensions, Bebonia offers accessories like a storage bag and a curly drawstring ponytail—and offerings are only expected to grow! Soleil remains hands-on with her business with a small team of creatives and curly hair experts that help with Bebonia. And of course, Bebonia’s customers play a vital role in the company’s success. 

 

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without all of the love and support from our curly hair community,” Soleil says.

 

 

Preserving Values and Building Curl Confidence

Soleil is passionate about preserving Bebonia’s core values of integrity, community, authenticity, and respect. One of the biggest things Soleil has noticed about the community the company has cultivated is how people feel once they use their curly clip-in hair extensions. “It’s just this tremendous, powerful boost of confidence,” says Soleil. 

 

Whether you’re looking for curly blonde hair extensions, curly black hair extensions, or another shade of curly hair extensions, Bebonia has a perfect curly hair extensions match for you. If you’re wondering, what is my curl type, contact us for a hair extension color and texture consultation. Let us be your guide on your journey to Curl Confidence!