SheaMoisture: Black founded & Black Led Certified B Corp Hair & skin care made with fair trade ingredients and love SheaMoisture is the legacy of founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis’ grandmother Sofi, who sold handcrafted shea butter soaps and salves in Sierra Leone to support her family, after she was widowed at a young age. Sofi became known as a healer throughout the countryside, and taught her recipes to her Richelieu. Nubian Heritage had its humble beginnings in Harlem. After graduating from college, Richelieu and his best friend, Nyema Tubman, began selling their culturally authentic creations in Harlem as street vendors. Guided by the legacy of ancient Nubia, the world's first melting pot, we remix global healing traditions into modern wellness solutions. Though our purpose-driven Community Commerce business model, SheaMoisture ethically sources shea butter from 15 women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana. We don’t just buy the women’s raw materials — we help them develop self-sustaining businesses. An ethical wage premium is paid to these enterprising women, and they become our partners, not just our suppliers. With their rise in income, they experience greater health, access to education and the benefits of financial freedom.