MAKERS: Monica Slayton, owner, and Dr. Irene Reyzis, chemist
BUSINESS: CarloMoni Hair Care
STARTING YOUNG: Monica Slayton always knew she want to create something big.
"My vision has always been large," Slayton said. "I remember my aunt worked at a bottling company in Michigan who made shampoo bottles. She gave me hundreds of bottles. I didn't know what I was going to do with them," Slayton said. "But knew I was gonna put some type of product in there."
She didn't end up using the bottles for her product, CarloMoni Hair Freshener, but the idea seed was planted.
PATH COLLIDE: Around five years ago, it occurred to Slayton there was a need for hair freshener, which she describes as a "hair Febreze." As a hairstylist, she noticed that customers who wore braids or extensions didn't want to ruin the style with frequent shampooing. If a customer encountered heavy scents, such as foods or smoke, there wasn't an alternative to remove the odor. A chance encounter at Akron's Bounce Innovation Hub led to a lasting friendship with chemist Dr. Irene Reyzis. Reyzis spent nearly a year working to design and perfect Slayton's dream product.
MORE THAN ONE USE: Customers tell Slayton they use it on more than just hair.
"They're like, ‘I use it as a deodorant,’" Slayton said. "I had someone tell me that they put it in an iron. People spray it after workouts, on their yoga mats. People spray it in their cars. It has multiple uses, so that's very exciting to me."
CarloMoni's other products include a beard oil and a hair and body oil.
