Our Story
THE CREATOR
Botlhale Tshetlo believes in being fearless in the self-discovery of one's uniqueness. It is through self-awareness and self-acceptance that one is able to fully celebrate the self... that is why she's passionate about celebrating natural hair, because it is part of that self that is uniquely you.
Botlhale's journey in exploring her unique place in the world has led her to discoveries of creative expression. Her first business was in 2010 when she was a Cake Couturist, followed by a stint as a photographer, and later a pilates instructor.
It was during a pivotal moment in 2013, while preparing to give her first TEDx talk in Soweto on random acts of kindness, that Botlhale decided to set free her own afro and vowed to truly understand her hair. That decision marked the beginning of her natural hair journey. She later returned to the TEDx stage to share more of this philosophy in her talk "Celebrating Beautiful, Kinky, Curly, Coily Natural Hair".
Driven by this new passion, Botlhale launched Hairtural in 2014, creating a product range mindfully formulated for natural hair. In 2016, she expanded this vision by opening Hairtural Studio, followed a few months late by Autum, a speciality retail store for natural hair.
Her creative drive has always been fuelled by a desire for deeper knowledge. In early 2023, she completed her trichology studies with the International Association of Trichologists (IAT) to understand the clinical health of the scalp and hair. In 2026, she brought her journey full circle by qualifying as a cosmetic chemist ... marrying scientific precision with creative formulation. Today, she uses this rare blend of trichology and cosmetic chemistry to formulate products and innovate within the natural hair space.
OUR HAIRETAGE IS OUR HERITAGE
South Africa is not only the birthplace of humankind, it is rich with natural and cultural heritage. Our natural heritage of natural resources provides the flora ingredients our treatments are made from. The Hairtural logo (named Floweral) represents these flora ingredients used, and our brand name is a play on two words; the combination of "Hair" and "Natural".
Our cultural heritage contributes to our sense of identity as a people. At Hairtural we celebrate and enjoy this uniqueness and incorporate it in how we do natural hair. Our hairetage is our heritage.
NATURAL + HAIR = HAIRTURAL
As a proudly South African brand with a strong connection to our heritage, Hairtural creates a modern take on styling natural hair. Combining traditional hairstyles (moropotso) with a modern outlook, Hairtural takes natural hairstyling to the ultimate representation of modern South Africa. Our Hairturalists blend the old with the new in the creation of classic yet contemporary hairstyles that are steeped in tradition and history.
OUR CRAFTMANSHIP
Hairtural is for those seeking their own individuality, those on an exploration that turns inward into discovering what makes them unique... the freedom-seekers!
At Hairtural, your freedom begins by learning to accept your natural hair for what it is (coily, curly and kinky) and accepting it for what it is not (straight or smooth). At Hairtural, we celebrate your natural hair as it is, without adding unnatural products or using harsh tools.
OUR HAIRSTYLING PHILOSOPHY
HAIRTURALISTS
A Hairturalist is a skilled hairlthcare specialist that's been trained in Hairtural's creative, intricate, and unique techniques and methods of styling hair - based on the traditional methods (moropotso). They are trained at hand-crafting with expertise, and their unique creations are imbued with love for natural hair. It takes 12 months to train a hair stylist to become a Hairturalist.
HAIRTURAL STUDIO
A GREEN SALON
There is no denying that the beauty industry produces a lot of plastic waste and is guilty of treating animals badly. Products are often laden with environmentally harmful chemicals (relaxers and hair dyes) that get washed down the drain and pollute our water systems.
Being a hair salon for natural hair, our Damage-Free philosophy (free of traumatic hairstyling practices) extends beyond how we do hair to the environment. Hairtural is a green and eco-friendly natural hair salon in Johannesburg. Our goal is to continue to find new ways of being more greener and to make your Hairtural experience environmentally friendly. Read more about the 10 Ways Hairtural Is Eco-Friendly.
