# Dawn Myers simplifies curly hair care with Mint tool

> Dawn Myers' Mint hair tool cuts wash time from 90 minutes to 7-10 minutes for curly hair.
- Title: Dawn Myers simplifies curly hair care with Mint tool
- Summary: Dawn Myers' Mint hair tool cuts wash time from 90 minutes to 7-10 minutes for curly hair. Dawn Myers' Mint hair tool reduces curly hair wash time from 90…
- Keywords: dawn myers, mint, richualist, curly hair, textured hair care, shark tank, disrupt, techcrunch, technology, startups, Dawn, Myers
- Source: TechCrunch — https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/11/dawn-myers-is-making-it-easier-to-style-detangle-and-care-for-curly-hair
- Author: Dominic-Madori Davis
- Published: 2026-10-11T16:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dawn myers, mint, richualist, curly hair, textured hair care, shark tank, disrupt, techcrunch, technology, startups
## Dawn Myers' hair care struggle
Myers wears her hair up in a big afro and finds wash days tedious for textured hair.

> I was watching 'Shark Tank,' and there was another curly girl idea
## Wash days take 90 minutes
Washing and styling textured hair takes about one hour and 20 minutes with current tools.

> it takes around an hour and 20 minutes to wash and style her own hair
## Gap in textured hair tools
The beauty hardware space lacks tools designed for textured hair, a complex and expensive niche.

> a lack of tooling for textured hair
## Historical context of hair care
Historically, Black women were mandated to cover their hair due to its perceived ugliness and unkempt appearance.

> If you think back to slavery, we were mandated to cover our hair
## Myers' business idea
Myers sketched a business idea after a Shark Tank pitch and built a prototype at Ace Hardware and CVS.

> Soon after that episode aired, she whipped out a legal pad and sketched out a business idea
## Richualist's Mint product
Richualist's Mint tool detangles, conditions, gels, and styles hair in one stroke using refillable pods.

> It even has warming technology to gently heat the product before it’s applied
## Mint reduces hair damage
Mint reduces shedding and breakage by up to 70% by eliminating the need to tug on hair strands.

> it helps make hair a bit healthier, reducing shedding and breakage by up to 70%
## Dow partnership
Richualist partnered with Dow for engineering help and manufacturing guidance after an early prototype caught their attention.

> We built it with the materials science company Dow
## Funding challenges
Myers sold her home and liquidated her 401(k) to fund the product, securing $1.4 million in commercialization.

> We were able to get about $1.4 million in the door to commercialize the product
## Cancer diagnosis
Myers was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer in 2022 while preparing to expand the business.

> Then, in 2022, just as she was about to expand and go to market, she was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer
## Shark Tank appearance
Myers appeared on Shark Tank in 2023 and secured deals from Mark Cuban and Emma Grede.

> She applied to Shark Tank in 2023 and appeared on the show later that year
## Product launch
Richualist launched Mint after securing deals from Mark Cuban and Emma Grede, expanding into Ulta’s online website.

> Grede then helped it expand into Ulta’s online website earlier this year
## Key takeaway

Dawn Myers' Mint hair tool reduces curly hair wash time from 90 minutes to 7-10 minutes by detangling and styling in one stroke.