In deep, dark corner of London Liverpool Street’s Boots store, I found something I did not expect to find on my local high street — outside of a Pax or similar hair shop, that is.
Design Essentials had a spot on the bottom shelf of Boots’ curls, coils and waves section. It was the Agave & Lavender range to be exact, and only three products remained, with the rest cleared and sold out (no surprise there).
I let TikTok know in a video that now has over 24,000 views and comments from viewers who are equally excited as me to find the brand on the high street.
Design Essentials is a legacy brand, one that has been in Afro-textured hair salons for decades, with the brand celebrating its 35th year this year.
It was founded in 1990 by Cornell McBride Sr., a visionary who saw a need for professional-grade haircare.
Design Essentials is Black-owned, family-owned and has initiatives to give back to its global communities, through college scholarships, clean water access, healing-centred care and more.
Over the years, it has become something of a salon-status symbol within Black haircare. In my TikTok comments, one user said Design Essentials’ products are “in all the Black hair education books” and are “honestly the best”.
In my local hair salon, the Almond & Avocado range is displayed neatly on the shelves and carries that same prestige — the kind that makes you think, “Oh, they use the good stuff here.”
Pre-Olaplex, my long-time hairdresser Nads relied on Design Essentials as her go-to premium brand for everything from a sleek silk press to refreshing and defining natural curls.
Back then, she swore by the Moroccon Oil Thermal Serum for a glossy finish and, for natural curls, the Coconut & Monoi Deep Moisture Masque or the Almond & Avocado Nourishing Co Wash for “moisturising and revitalising dry and dull kinks and curls.”
Eventually, the brand made its way onto the shelves of local beauty supply stores too, although usually behind the till.
Of the Design Essentials range in Boots, you can currently purchase the Agave and Lavender range from Boots — and what’s available is currently on offer:
Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Moisturising & Strengthening Shampoo — £8 was £13
Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Moisturising & Detangling Conditioner — £8 was £13
Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Weightless Thermal Protectant Serum — £6 was £9
Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Blow-Dry & Heat Shield — £8 was £12 [sold out]
I asked the Boots team whether they’d be bringing more ranges in store and/or online, but for now it’s just the Agave & Lavender products you’ll find. They’ve said they’ll let me know me if there’s any updates…
As someone in my TikTok comments pointed out, Design Essentials is available at Superdrug too. There, you can shop 19 products, including items from their Coconut & Monoi and Almond & Avocado lines.
However, all of the Design Essentials products are available through the Superdrug Marketplace, meaning it’s shipped by a Marketplace seller — not Superdrug. The site states that the Marketplace is stocked with products from “verified sellers”.
In any situation where product is coming from a third party seller, I’d advise shopping with caution. You can find out how to shop hair products safely — and how to avoid fakes — here.
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