Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Patterson.
Hi Nicole, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After suffering from a thyroid storm, and being diagnosed with Graves Disease, I began to search for answers and solutions that would work from myself. Unknown to me at the time, God began to led me to look into hair care and how that plays a role in endocrine health. Through research, I learned how common hair care ingredients have been known to be connected to many disorders and diseases for many years. This knowledge revealed how wicked the industry was and gave me a drive to truly understand hair health, and what was actually required for healthy hair, so that I could create safe products that would not negatively affect my health. After seeing no improvement with traditional medicine prescribed for my elevated thyroid hormones, I realized that it was time to put into action my research and using products for my hair that I hand mixed, at the time. To my suprise, my next bloodwork showed major improvement that even my endocrinologist hadn’t anticipated… I hadn’t been taking my deciation, so I knew in that moment that the things I had been researching had weight and were truth.
This prompted me empty out the store bought hair care products, to then fill those bottles with my handcrafted hair care, so that I could be intentional in only using products I created. With this change, not only did my health continue to improve, but my hair began to change as well. As time passed, I realized just how unhealthy my hair used to be, and that just because it looks “nice” doesn’t mean that it’s healthy.
About a year after graduation, God began to lead her to a ministry where I learn daily how to live for him, which has shown me that this knowledge was given to heal me, but to help others also. That it was God that sparked that one idea that lead to a product that is responsible for healing my body & putting me in remission from a disease that was supposed to be lifelong.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, the road has not been smooth. At the age of 20, I was diagnosed with a disease that caused me to lose 30lbs in just 3 weeks, that made it impossible to eat or hold down food, that was killing my body with elevated levels of thyroid hormone that my endocrinologist had never seen in someone alive. (She told me she was shocked that someone with that amount of hormone was alive, that I should be dead). It took 20 years to see the compounding affects of chemical exposure, it took 1 month to see improvement after reducing my chemical exposure, 2-3 years to see most of my numbers improve to normal, and 5 years for full remission and healing. I am an athletic trainer (sports medicine field), and was taught to not look at symptoms only, but to determine root cause of an injury or ailment that my athlete’s may face. I took a few chemistry courses, but if I’m being honest OChem gave me a run for my money!
My struggles, are mostly with self-doubt and lack of confidence. I saw how the products helped me, but I couldn’t convince myself that other people would care, because I’m not “qualified,” I don’t have a chemistry background, I don’t have a trichology background, I’m just simply a regular every day person that had an issue and created a solution. God began to use others to pour into me and encourage me, to let me know that I didn’t need to be “qualified” to know what I was doing, that God was the one who gave me the knowledge and I was the proof of that knowledge. That while I don’t have the traditional background, I have a background in medicine, I have a background in problem-solving, I am a root-cause practitioner, and more importantly I am led by God!
Moving past self-doubt and lack of confidence wasn’t easy, but God began to instruct me on how to overcome, how to formulate my products better for the business, how to set goals for myself, and more, but I first had to learn how to acknowledge him in these things, how to hear his voice and to trust him when he is leading me!
God began to show me that this wasn’t something that I asked for or even desired until he put it in my heart, and that if he is instructing me to do something, my only job is to say yes and obey, he has the knowledge I need.
I know today, that my confidence doesn’t need to be in myself but in God, trusting that because He is, I am!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Mane Temptation, MT, was borne out of medical crisis and is dedicated to breaking the linkage between health disorders (specifically endocrine disorders) and hair care products. Further, Mane Temptation is a Texas Based Hair Health Brand focused on incorporating health into hair care and is committed to helping “hair-care-conscious” consumers take control of both their hair and health. Mane Temptation researches, formulates, manufactures, and sells hair products free of endocrine disrupting chemicals. MT also imports and offers auxiliary products related to hair, health and styling, such as quality human hair extensions used for protective styles.
Through faith, service and commitment, Mane Temptation is known for putting the health of consumers first, Our best sellers are the Mane Foundation Set (full-sized Moisturizer and Cleanser), Increase (our hair & scalp oil), and our Naturally Wavy Hair Extensions. All of our products are pH balanced, endocrine safe, and hormone free, featuring only ingredients that contain the nutrients that hair needs, making them safe for all hair types. Our single-donor human hair extensions are collected ethically in the country side of Vietnam. Laos, and Cambodia, with each of our donors receiving compensation for their hair to help build communities.
I am most proud of the testimonies of our clients, who have also been seeing the benefit of healthy hair care, from men who have grown their beards back, who rave about the increase in retention and moisture, to the women and mothers who are finding it easier to manage their young children’s hair. I’m proud that I took a chance to put myself and the brand out their, and to see the benefit of that chance.
Mane Temptation is for the everyday person who doesn’t know why they’re going through their own health issues, for the person who was told they would be “sick” for life, for the future generation to have a chance to live healthy, and for those who see hair care as a burden. I want readers to know that Mane Temptation was founded, to serve & encourage their families, cities, and communities to take an interest in being good over our bodies through safe and effective hair care practices.
I am currently in the process of rebranding Mane Temptation and making offers more family friendly, with larger product sizes coming within the year, I would love your help and input, so as the brand makes these changes and continues to grow, I will be putting the process on our Instagram and Facebook to get the opinions of our community. Because community and connection is important, I am also available to answer questions and have discussions in our inbox or comments,
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Lisa Salley – Start up specialist Lisa Salley is both an award-winning corporate officer and an award winning entrepreneur. She spent nearly twenty years at GE during the Jack Welch era. Additionally, she has helped four small businesses go from concept stage to fully operating, with the first being near IPO. Her expertise includes Strategy, Commercialization, and Market Development. Lisa also teaches Growth & Risk Management in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. Her degrees include a MS in Simulation & Modeling and a BS in Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Carnegie Mellon University, respectively. She advises Mane Temptation in the areas of strategy and development.
DeAdria Daniels – Chemist
DeAdria Daniels has over thirty years in Supply Chain, Procurement & Inventory Management. She earned a BS in Chemistry with a minor in Business from Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to joining the Petrochemical industry, DeAdria spent over 10 years in Waste Management. She advises Mane Temptation in the areas of formulation and procurement.
Lynne Kelly – Finance Expert
Dr. Lynne J. Kelly is a tenured professor at Howard University in the Department of Finance International Business and Insurance. Dr. Kelly teaches Managerial Economics and Finance and is also on the Faculty Senate. She earned a PhD in Finance from George Washington University, an MBA from Ohio State University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. She advises Mane Temptation in the area of Finance.
I have had much help over the years, and there is no little role in my eyes, I appreciate everyone who has supported Mane Temptation, encouraged me, tested new products and formulations, pray with me and even those who motivate me in my walk with Jesus! Without God’s help even before I was aware, there would be no way my personal healing would have come, nor the concept of Mane Temptation. I’m grateful to everything that has gotten me to this point!
Pricing:
- Mane Foundation $159.38
- Incease Oil $25.99
- Natural Wavy Extensions (18,20,22) $254.70
- Steamed Curly Extensions (18,20,22) $242.20
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@manetemptation.com
- Website: www.manetemptation.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/manetemptation
- Facebook: facebook.com/manetemptation
Image Credits
Farah Mithani (instagram.com/artbyfarahmithani)
