Nature’s Syrup Beauty

Building a legacy brand

For DeVonna Pittman, the journey to founding Nature’s Syrup Beauty was as much about self-discovery as it was about hair care. Her path began with a personal revelation — learning to embrace her natural hair after years of chemically treating it. 

“I only knew how to style my relaxed hair, I had never known how to have a relationship with my hair the way it grew out of my scalp. So after I wrote my first book, “My Pretty and Its Ugly Truth,” it was as if I came face to face with who I was and who I was meant to be. 

“I ended up making the decision to go natural, and like many Black women transitioning to natural, the journey I was on was just to let my hair grow out, with the chemical relaxer on the end and my natural roots growing out of my scalp. 

“My hair was very unhappy with that process. It was tangly, it was dry. It was two different textures that needed two different things. My hair just wasn’t compliant. So I made the decision at like 2 o’clock in the morning, to just chop off the chemical relaxer. 

“I cut my hair down to 1.5 inches, and the next week I was formulating products because I couldn’t find anything that moisturized my hair and gave it the deep hydration that it needed. That was the beginning of me creating this amazing product — hair butter.”

What started as a personal necessity soon became a thriving business as she shared her creations with others. “People are embracing their natural hair, and I’m honored to be one of the many individuals to make people feel comfortable with their hair. People are inspired through my entrepreneurial journey, but people are also inspired to embrace their natural beauty and walk in that,” Pittman says.

Building a brand

As Nature’s Syrup Beauty grew, so did its impact. Customers fell in love with the brand’s deeply moisturizing hair and body butters, often buying multiple jars at a time. “I’ve heard stories of husbands and wives fighting over the body butters, getting down to the last corner,” Pittman says with a smile.

Despite the overwhelming support, Pittman faced her fair share of obstacles. “You’ve gotta have tough skin because you’re gonna get a whole lot of no’s,” she admits. One of her hardest lessons came early on when she unknowingly shared her body butter formula with a local manufacturer and chemist without a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA). After the meeting, they refused to return her calls. “I can’t prove that they stole my formula, but that experience taught me never to do business without an NDA.”

Still, she remained committed to pushing forward. “In this business, you always gotta put one foot in front of the other. Every time I felt like I wanted to quit, something incredibly unbelievable happened. And I’m like, ‘Oh my god, if I would have quit last week, none of this would have even mattered.’”

Growth and expansion

Through persistence and determination, Pittman has continued to grow her brand. Nature’s Syrup now enjoys a partnership with Macy’s, helping it reach even more customers. “Ninety percent of people who buy Nature’s Syrup products from Macy’s are from the East Coast,” she notes, emphasizing the brand’s expanding reach.

More recently, she has opened the Curls and Culture Lounge, a brick-and-mortar extension of her manufacturing office that allows her to connect with the community on a more personal level. The lounge hosts pop-up events, hair education sessions, and live networking opportunities, giving customers a space to learn, shop, and celebrate their natural beauty.

A vision for legacy

While Pittman remains dedicated to the success of Nature’s Syrup, she is also looking to the future. With a new book on the way, “The Beauty Brand Playbook,” she hopes to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in the beauty industry by sharing her knowledge of customer service, brand credibility, and unique selling propositions.

Her definition of success isn’t solely about financial growth — it’s about impact. “Happiness and joy aren’t about what we can get, it’s about what we can give.” That philosophy is reflected in her ultimate goal to see Nature’s Syrup become a global legacy brand. 

As she grooms her niece, MonA, who serves as her chief of staff, to take the reins one day, Pittman is focused on ensuring that the brand remains a trusted and beloved part of the community. “I really want it to be a legacy brand. I want it to be something the community can continue to be proud of, whether I’m here or not.”

Pittman’s journey is one of resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication to uplifting the beauty and confidence of Black consumers. Whether through her products, her business journey, or her mentorship, she is paving the way for future entrepreneurs to thrive while embracing the power of their natural selves.

Kiara welcomes reader responses at kwilliams@spokesman-recorder.com.