Lisa Price

Born 1962

Fact

Started the brand with a few dollars and kitchen recipes

Fact

Jay-Z, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mary J. Blige were early investors

Fact

Bought Carol's Daughter back from L'Oréal in 2025 after a decade

Lisa Price started making hair and body products in her Brooklyn kitchen in 1993, mixing fragrances inspired by her love of music and her mother Carol. What began as a hobby sold at church flea markets became Carol's Daughter — one of the most beloved and influential Black beauty brands in history.

Price built the company on authenticity and community. She spoke directly to Black women about their hair and skin in a way the mainstream beauty industry refused to. Her products were not just effective — they felt personal. Celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith, Mary J. Blige, and Jay-Z became early investors because the brand meant something deeper than commerce.

In 2014, L'Oreal USA acquired Carol's Daughter, and Price stayed on to oversee product development. But in March 2025, she did what few founders ever get to do — she bought it back. Partnering with independent beauty entrepreneur Joe Wong, Price reclaimed the brand and became President, bringing Carol's Daughter full circle back to independent, Black-led ownership. Her journey from kitchen chemist to corporate beauty to reclaiming her legacy is one of the great entrepreneurship stories in American business.