A’Lelia Bundles, Madam C.J. Walker’s great-great-granddaughter, has created a new line of Black hair care products to honor her grandmother’s legacy more than a century later. The Madam by Madam C.J. Walker brand is already available at over 3,000 Walmart locations and online.
Madam C.J. Walker developed a haircare empire in the 1900s that made her the first African millionaire in American history. She developed her breakthrough product, Fantastic Hair Grower, specifically for Black ladies with natural hair. It has since become a standard for textured hair care. It was also the basis for Madam by Madam C.J. Walker, which was created for the next generation.
Bundles, who also wrote Walker’s biography On Her Own Ground, is now the Madam by Madam C.J. Walker brand historian. She is in charge of ensuring that every area of the brand matches the quality and ideals embodied by the original Madam C.J. Walker items.
“I think she’d be pleased that some of the ideas she thought worked more than 100 years ago can still be applied today and have been taken to a new level,” Bundles told Byrdie. “[She believed in] having a great product, using high-quality ingredients, marketing your product, and having a strong team. That’s the DNA of this line.”
Sundial Brands distributes Madam by Madam C.J. Walker, which focuses on the “Scalp to Strand System,” which promises to strengthen textured hair from the root and instill confidence in hair styling. There are presently 11 items available, including scalp serums, shampoos, conditioners, and curl creams.