AIRFRO is making physical activity easier for Black women
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU
Founder Nneka Fleming believes you shouldn’t have to choose between performance and self-care, so she launched a range of body and hair care products to make living an active life that much easier.
Photographed by Krystal Nuevill
When Nneka Fleming got the email that she’d won BGF and Glossier’s Black Beauty Grant in 2023, she was so stunned she nearly crashed her car. “I thought I was too old!” she laughs. “I was driving home from the gym, saw the message, and had a full-on moment. I couldn’t believe it.”
That moment was a major milestone for AIRFRO, the natural, unisex hair and skin care brand she launched in 2022. But it wasn’t Fleming’s first venture into the beauty space. In 2013, she launched Novel Skincare – an African black soap brand that prides itself on its modern fragrance and cultural storytelling. With extensive experience as a project manager in the creative industries, she knows a thing or two about bringing a brand to life.
AIRFRO originated from a relatable parental struggle. While her and her three curly-haired kids were enjoying an active lifestyle, managing constant haircare became a challenge.
“I found myself choosing between my kids swimming and not wanting to deal with the wash day chaos,” she says. “It felt unfair that hair was becoming a barrier to health.”
And she’s not alone. An article in Refinery29 recently revealed that 40% of Black women avoid exercise due to concerns about their hair.
Now Fleming is on a path to change that.
Starting small, she first created the DFY CURL REFRESH spray which soothes, tackles humidity, and is perfect to spritz post-workout. Then, two years later she launched the edge balm, a protein-enriched wash – targeted towards runners or those prone to hair loss – a swim wash, an SPF lip balm and she’s even ventured into waterproof bandanas.
“I guess I’m a product designer!” she says. “Basically if I see a gap, I create a product to fix it.”
So far, her innovative approach to beauty has garnered her a lot of attention with press and retailers. Just a year into launching, AIRFRO was stocked in Liberty, Harrods, and Sephora. “We weren’t ready, but you don’t say no. You figure it out,” Fleming adds. On reflection she realised that these luxury spaces didn’t align with the brand’s vision. “I want AIRFRO to be functional, affordable, and accessible,” she says. “Right now we’re stocked in Superdrug and about to launch with another major retailer.”
Winning the grant not only validated her vision, but gave her a behind-the-scenes look at how a giant like Glossier operates.
“It showed me the difference isn’t always in talent, it’s in scale and support,” she says.
Now, her biggest challenge is awareness. “People don’t know these products exist because they’ve learned to live without them,” she says. But Fleming is ready to change that narrative. You don’t have to choose between your health and your hair anymore. AIRFRO’s here to make sure of it.
Thank you so much to Nnekka for sharing her powerful story with us.
Connect with Nneka or read more about the Black Beauty Grant programme here.
We’re eager to learn, collaborate, and share knowledge, so if you’re interested in working with us, say hello@blackgirlfest.com
BGF x
