Today we’d like to introduce you to Teneya Gholston
Hi Teneya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in Washington, DC, I found my creative voice as a dance major at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where performance became my gateway to expression. While my love for the arts was strong, I decided to pivot into business at FAMU, but I didn’t want to follow a traditional corporate path. Encouraged by my professor to not settle for status quo, I followed my passion and entered a business pitch competition centered around beauty and hair salons, which sounded crazy to most people around me. I doubled down on beauty and went on to earn my MBA in business and cosmetology license in the same year.
After working behind the chair and consulting in education and marketing with Revlon, I landed a brand management role with a professional salon brand. Three years into my career, I was assigned a small seemingly insignificant project that gave me a chance to learn the retail market. That overlooked line extension grew into a massive success for Creme of Nature, driving double-digit growth for the brand for over 8 years.
While working on the launch of Creme of Nature with Argan Oil I creatively labored over every formula, sku, product name, and personally tested the brands – even on myself, to ensure they not only worked, but outperformed the alternatives. This detailed-oriented approach and creative obsession with excellence became my wheelhouse within the company.
Years later I became the Senior Director of Marketing and reignited the Creme of Nature brand and introduced it to a younger millennial generation at the time, by infusing an ingredient story with innovative packaging to launch the Pure Honey collection. It grew to become the 2nd largest collection in the brand portfolio.
After twelve years of championing Creme of Nature and cultivating a powerful network, I knew it was time for a career shifting pivot into entrepreneurship. I launched The Gholston Strategy Group, a beauty marketing agency, and leveraged my extensive expertise to scale emerging entrepreneur beauty brands in mass retail.
Three years afterwards, I was ready to take the leap of faith into launching my very own beauty hair care brand, Texture Crush. My mission is to champion the beauty of textured hair by offering products that honor hair health, celebrate diversity, and provide the freedom to experiment with limitless styles
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many startups, we faced product development challenges when securing custom packaging and high-grade ingredients for the Texture Crush formulation. The MOQs for packaging, premium ingredients, and fragrances were sky-high, but I tapped into my network and colleagues to explore potential partnerships in formulation and production. By sharing my vision directly with suppliers, I remained laser-focused on key elements where I refused to compromise. These steps helped us maintain quality and keep the business moving forward smoothly. I often reminded myself that setbacks are just bumps in the road, not the end of the journey.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We believe you deserve a hair care experience that celebrates the beauty of texture through the power of plant-based botanicals, along with modern education tailored for curly and coily hair. We are not for one curl type or only for “wash n go’s… we are her to champion Texture Without Limits! I included the Shine Shield Deliver Frizz Fighting Leave-In Conditioner and the Silk Me Out Frizz Fighting Smoothing Serum for the girls who like to switch up their style and want to embrace heat stylea while staying healthy. These products combined with our foundational hair care products are here to meet the needs of our Curly Cuties, Silk Press Beauties, and Protective Style Queens.
The need for today and tomorrow’s naturalista is: Free Style Flexibility – the universal ability to wear any style desired, with no limits.At Texture Crush, we’re not just creating hair products—we’re creating an experience that embraces every curl, coil, and wave. Our mantra, ‘We’re hair for you and your textures!’ reflects the importance of listening to consumers.
One of our proudest moments so far includes winning the ESSENCE Best in Beauty 2025 Award for our Silk Me Out Frizz Fighting Smoothing Serum and hosting an unforgettable FAMU Pop-Up, where our limited-edition merch sparked groundbreaking support —all within just six months of launching Texture Crush.
While our products care for your hair, our waterproof, reusable Radiant Reflections Cards feed your mindset—because we believe true beauty is as much about confidence and intention as it is about great hair. It’s just one more way Texture Crush is redefining the beauty routine with something truly unique, making us more than a brand—we’re a whole vibe.
What are your plans for the future?
We’re so excited about what’s ahead for Texture Crush! Show season is here, and we can’t wait to connect with our customers in real life at events like the Impressions of Beauty AchieveHER Summit, where we’ll vibe with HBCU and college beauty lovers. Plus, we’re gearing up for our very own Texture Crush Silk Me Out Pop-Up Salon Series—and we’re inviting our community to help name the tour! So much energy and magic in store—we’re just getting started!
Pricing:
- 14.99 – 16.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.texturecrush.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texturecrush/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Texturecrush
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@texturecrush
Image Credits
All Images Provided by Texture Crush
