A Magical Collaboration: Carol’s Daughter & The Little Mermaid Join Forces

Prepare to be whisked away into a world where beauty and fantasy collide. Carol's Daughter, founded as a homemade hair-care line by Lisa Price in 1993, has significantly impacted the beauty industry through its dedication to natural ingredients and celebration of diverse beauty. Over the past three decades, the brand has become a trusted name in high-quality products catering to various hair and skin types. Above all, Carol’s Daughter stands for empowering women and embracing individuality, so its captivating new partnership is a perfect fit.

In collaboration with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the trailblazing brand is re-releasing three classic collections — Black Vanilla, Wash Day Delight, and Goddess Strength — with limited-edition packaging in honor of Disney Princess Ariel, as depicted by Halle Bailey in the noteworthy film. Together, Carol's Daughter and The Little Mermaid ignite the imagination, inspire self-confidence, and remind us all that beauty knows no bounds (on land or by sea).

While attending the world premiere of The Little Mermaid, I had the opportunity to sit down with Lisa Price. We spoke about the significance of collaborating with the film and what it’s been like to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Carol's Daughter. 

Unbothered: Why was it important for Carol's daughter to be a part of The Little Mermaid’s reinvention?

Lisa Price: We can speak to the obvious part in that this is a re-imagining of The Little Mermaid: a retelling of the story in live action. Having someone like Halle play Ariel is such an amazing first, and so historic that you would love to be a part of that conversation. We would have supported it and posted about it and pretty much done whatever we could to celebrate it regardless of having an official participation capacity. Like many children, I grew up with Disney, and I looked at Disney Princesses and never saw myself. I envisioned that, to be a Princess, you had to look like that, So it’s wonderful to now have children not have that limitation in their imaginations. As the Auntie that I am in the community, I adore Halle and her sister Chloe and every success that they achieved since the days when my daughter watched them on YouTube. To see Halle in this space, in this role, and shining in this way is just beautiful.

Unbothered: Carol's Daughter has been in the homes of the Black community for 30 years now. Congratulations! Now that younger generations are starting beauty regimens earlier, how is the brand speaking to the younger audience on hair care?

LP: One of the things I learned from my mom growing up was that the health of my hair was most important. When I had friends who were getting their hair straightened and I wanted to get my hair straightened, it wasn’t something my mother was open to me doing. When it did happen, it was done in a modified kind of way. It was presented as, You have to learn how to take care of your hair now, so we're gonna do this process to make it easier for you to take care of your hair. It was never presented in a way that would say, Now you look better, now you are more beautiful, now you are presentable to the world. I've always had that in the back of my mind, so when we are selling to a younger audience, we are speaking to the health of the hair. You can do all the styling and wigs and protective styles and all the things that you want to do, but properly shampoo, properly condition. Give your hair rest when it needs it, massage your scalp with some good oil, and take care of your hair.

Unbothered: What would be your Princess fairytale story?

LP: It sounds a little bit cliché because Ariel’s story was about finding her voice, and I grew up in a time when it was better for me to make people happy and be a people pleaser. To no fault of their own, my parents accidentally taught me to put my feelings and opinions on the back burner in order to please and not be confrontational. I came up as an adult not knowing how to voice, “No, I don’t want to do that,” or “I’m not comfortable with that” — that, to me, was being rude. I would want to be able to speak my mind and not have any fear of repercussions. I am getting better at it now but I still have to think about it and steel myself, so my Princess dream for myself would be to speak up and say what I feel.

Unbothered: I feel like you’re living your dream as we speak.

LP: I’m very happy with how my life has gone, and I can’t imagine it without Carol’s Daughter. I call her my first child. I had to protect her and help her grow; I had to do things that were hard and uncomfortable, but as parents we do that for our children. So I learned how to do things that I didn’t think I could do — I don’t know how it would have happened otherwise. So while I’m grateful for the accolades, premieres, and building wealth for my family, I am so happy about the person I was able to become. 

Unbothered: How do you stay unbothered?

LP: I knit and crochet. Crafting helps to keep me calm, and I'm always creating. I still go into the kitchen and make products. I still make moisturizers, oils, and bath salts. One of the most important things that I've learned in therapy is, two things can exist at the same time. My therapist said, ”Let’s give space for that feeling and then let’s give space for the other feelings. You can be excited, but you can also be afraid about what you’re about to do. Give space for both feelings.