SHYNE

What SHYNE does

SHYNE (legal entity WE ARE SHYNE LTD, Company Number 12991587) is a London-headquartered direct-to-consumer men's grooming brand founded in 2018 by Alvin Mills to address the lack of grooming products designed for men with textured (afro and curly) hair in the UK market. The company develops proprietary, 95%+ naturally derived formulations — including a Curl Defining Cream and a multi-oil Hair & Beard Oil — manufactured in the United Kingdom, with raw shea butter sourced from Ghana. Its catalog spans styling formulas, headwear (silky and velvet durags, dome caps, bonnets, bandanas), mechanical tools (curved wave brushes, twist-and-curl sponges, wide-tooth afro combs, a 540-needle derma roller), and routine bundles such as the 360 Waves Kit ($95) and the Hair & Beard Growth Duo ($44).

SHYNE sells exclusively through its own Shopify storefront at weareshyne.com, with worldwide shipping and free-shipping thresholds set for the UK (£35), Europe (€65), and the US ($75). A Subscribe & Save subscription mechanic offers 15% off core SKUs on monthly, bi-monthly, or tri-monthly cadence, introducing a recurring layer to a catalog that is otherwise transactional. Unit prices range from roughly $11 (single durags) to $95 (the 360 Waves Kit), with bundle discounts of 10–15% and multi-packs across headwear and brushes.

The brand is founder-led, bootstrapped, and privately held, with no disclosed external funding or parent company. Go-to-market relies on organic social (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X), an editorial blog ('The Journal'), email, trade-event presence (UK Black Business Show), and earned media (Black Hair & Beauty Magazine). Operational footprint is small (1–10 employees) with a registered office on Shelton Street in London and a third-party warehouse/returns address in Stevenage. The company has cited 50,000+ customers served and a 4.6/5 rating across 811 reviews as its principal scale signals.

Name

SHYNE

Legal name

WE ARE SHYNE LTD

Website

https://weareshyne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SHYNE is a London-based DTC grooming brand founded in 2018 by Alvin Mills, selling naturally derived hair care, headwear, and tools designed specifically for men with textured (afro and curly) hair via its weareshyne.com Shopify store with worldwide shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Men's Grooming Products

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Men’s Grooming (Shaving, Beard Care, Aftershave) (CRADANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Men’s Grooming Tools & Accessories (Brushes, Combs, Scissors, Kits) (CRABAGAJ), Men’s Grooming Gift Sets & Bundles (CRABAGAL)

Keywords

• Men's textured hair care
• Hair styling products
• Beard grooming
• Hair accessories
• Naturally derived grooming

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: SHYNE generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of grooming products including hair styling creams, oils, headwear (durags, bonnets, caps), and hairbrushes. Products are sold individually with bundle discounts available. The store operates on Shopify e-commerce platform.
2. Subscription (Subscribe & Save): SHYNE offers a subscription model with 15% savings, allowing customers to receive products monthly, every 2 months, or every 3 months. This creates recurring revenue and customer retention.
3. Gift Cards: SHYNE sells digital gift cards starting from £10.00, available in £10, £25, £50, and £100 denominations. Delivered instantly via email.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SHYNE designs and sells grooming products formulated specifically for men with textured hair (types 2A–4C). The assortment includes styling creams, hair and beard oils, durags, bonnets, dome caps, wave brushes, sponges, combs, derma rollers, and curated kits, sold direct-to-consumer through its Shopify e-commerce store with worldwide shipping and a subscription option.

Product overview

SHYNE is a UK-based men's grooming brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of hair care and styling products specifically formulated for men with textured hair. The product line is organized into five main categories: Hair Styling Products (Curl Defining Cream, Hair & Beard Oil, Define & Shine Duo), Headwear (Silky Durags, Velvet Durags, Dome Caps, Bonnets, Bandanas in multiple colors and packs), Hair Styling Tools (360 Wave Brushes in single/duo/trio sets, Twist & Curl Sponges, Wide Tooth Fro Combs, Hair & Beard Derma Rollers), Bundles & Kits (360 Waves Kit, Hair & Beard Growth Duo), and Gift Cards. Products feature naturally derived ingredients (95%+ natural origin), are vegan and cruelty-free, and are designed for all hair types from 2A to 4C. The brand focuses on waves, curls, locs & braids, and beard grooming routines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curl Defining Cream Award-winning curl defining cream formulated with 95%+ natural origin ingredients (shea butter, castor oil, coconut oil) that provides lasting hydration, definition, and shine for curls, waves, and coils. Available in Regular (135ml) and Large (300ml) sizes for men with textured hair (types 2A–4C).
• Hair & Beard Oil Nourishing oil powered by 7 oils (grape seed, olive, castor, argan, nigella sativa, rosemary) that deeply nourishes the scalp, reduces dryness, and supports healthier-looking hair and beard growth with a lightweight, non-greasy formula for men with textured hair and beards.
• Define & Shine Duo A two-product bundle combining Curl Defining Cream and Nourishing Hair Oil for curl definition, frizz elimination, moisture retention, and healthy shine without heavy buildup. Sold for $43 one-time or $28 on subscription.
• Silky Durag Premium silky durag that protects against friction, locks in moisture, and helps reduce breakage. Available in 12 colors including Obsidian Black, Pearl White, Cocoa Bronze, Bubblegum Pink, Grape Purple, Pacific Blue, Babyboy Blue, Slime Green, Butter Yellow, Laser Orange, Blood Red, and Silver.
• Silky Durags (4 Pack) 4-pack of premium silky durags in Obsidian Black that retain moisture, prevent frizz, tangles, and hair damage while keeping hairstyles intact overnight. Priced at $39.
• Velvet Durag Velvet durag designed for maintaining waves, braids, and locs. Available in Midnight Blue and Emerald Green; priced at $13 each.
• Velvet Durags (3 Pack) 3-pack of velvet durags in Phantom Black for maintaining waves, braids, and locs. Priced at $35 (10% savings).
• Dome Cap Dome cap providing protection for waves, braids, and locs. Priced at $20 individually.
• Silky Bonnet Silky bonnet for protecting curls, braids, and locs during sleep or daily wear. Priced at $19 individually.
• 360 Wave & Beard Hairbrush Curved wave brush with beechwood handle that contours to the head for even, consistent brushing. Available with Hard, Medium, or Soft bristles for wave training and beard grooming. Priced at $22.
• 360 Wave & Beard Hairbrush Duo Duo set of curved wave brushes including Hard and Soft bristle brushes for wave training at different hair lengths. Priced at $38.
• 360 Wave & Beard Hairbrush Trio Trio set of curved wave brushes with Hard, Medium, and Soft bristles for comprehensive wave training and beard grooming at any hair length. Priced at $57.
• Twist & Curl Sponge Twist and curl defining styling sponge with precisely designed holes and grooves for enhancing natural curl texture. Dual-sided and travel-friendly for twists, coils, and curls.
• Wide Tooth Fro Comb Wide tooth afro comb inspired by duafe adinkra symbolism of Ghana, with the SHYNE star engraved in the handle. Made from sustainably sourced cellulose acetate plastic with anti-static wide teeth for detangling, adding volume, and styling. Priced at $18.
• Hair & Beard Roller (Derma Roller) Derma roller with 540 high-grade 0.5mm stainless steel micro-needles designed to gently stimulate scalp and support healthy hair growth. Suitable for all hair types. Priced at $25.
• 360 Waves Kit Complete 3-step wave routine kit including Curl Defining Cream, three wave brushes (Hard, Medium, Soft bristles), and four premium silky durags for creating and maintaining 360 waves. Priced at $95.
• Hair & Beard Growth Duo Two-step routine pairing the Hair & Beard Derma Roller with Hair & Beard Oil to stimulate scalp, improve oil absorption, and support stronger, fuller-looking hair and beard growth. Priced at $44.
• Paisley Bandana Paisley bandana accessory for styling and head protection. Priced at $18.
• SHYNE Gift Card Digital gift card delivered via email with denominations of £10, £25, £50, and £100, allowing recipients to choose products from the full SHYNE range.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ customers served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Distant Relatives ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025SHYNE collaborated with The Distant Relatives Project to host a charity community day in Accra, Ghana. The event provided over 100 free haircuts, sanitary products, school supplies, medical screenings, and catering to local community members. This partnership aligns with SHYNE's commitment to giving back to communities that have supported the brand, particularly Ghana due to founder Alvin Mills' Ghanaian roots and the use of Ghanaian raw shea butter in products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lumin: Men's personal care DTC brand offering skincare, haircare, and grooming products. Comparable men's-grooming DTC motion, content-driven marketing, and subscription infrastructure, though focused on general (non-textured) men's hair and skincare.
• Shea Moisture: Iconic textured-hair and body care brand (now owned by Unilever) offering a broad portfolio of naturally-derived products. Comparable clean-ingredient positioning and target hair types, but operates as a mass-market incumbent across men's and women's categories.
• Bevel: Men's grooming brand (owned by Walker & Company) targeting men of color with shaving, haircare, and beard products. Closest men's-grooming-anchor peer to SHYNE in addressing the same male consumer with textured hair, though primarily US-focused and with stronger beard/shave emphasis.
• Patricks: Premium men's hair care and grooming brand offering shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. Comparable premium men's grooming positioning, DTC-first model, and focus on quality formulations, though targeting general (non-textured) men's hair.

Direct peers

• As I Am: US-based naturally-derived hair care brand with deep focus on curly, coily, and textured hair. Comparable in clean/natural ingredient positioning (95%+ naturally derived at SHYNE), curl cream category, and DTC/retail omnichannel.
• Cantu: Mass-market textured-hair care brand offering creams, oils, and styling products. Cited directly by a SHYNE customer as the incumbent being replaced. Highly comparable product portfolio and customer overlap, though Cantu is much larger and broader in distribution.
• TGIN (Thank God It's Natural): US-based natural hair care brand specializing in products for curly, coily, and textured hair. Comparable product formats (moisture creams, hair oils) and natural-ingredient positioning, though primarily women-targeted and US-distributed.
• Tropics: UK-based textured-hair and skincare brand with strong emphasis on natural ingredients for afro and curly hair. Closest UK-headquartered peer to SHYNE in category, values, and target customer.
• Duke New York: US-based men's grooming brand focused on textured and wavy hair styling products. Directly comparable to SHYNE in target demographic (men with textured hair), product mix (creams, brushes, durags), and DTC go-to-market motion.

Others

• Duke & Dexter: UK-based premium men's accessories and lifestyle brand (loafers, grooming, accessories) with strong DTC and content-led marketing. Comparable in founder-led, premium-positioned UK men's brand building, and in leveraging content and community rather than paid acquisition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/weareshyne
• YouTubeyoutube.com/weareshyne
• Facebookfacebook.com/weareshyne
• Instagraminstagram.com/weareshyne
• TikToktiktok.com/@weareshyne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weareshyne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHYNE