Twelve years ago Tarece Hassell had long, processed hair, but she found there was something inherently beautiful about those women who would confidently rock their natural curls and kinks.The natural look “was calling me,” she said.Ms Hassell made a bold move by chopping off all her hair — a choice that paid off for her after she founded a natural hair brand called Beauty & Glory.The wife and mother has also become a champion for curly, coily and kinky hair and was recently on Island speaking at the Natural Hair and Beauty Expo, held by Bermudian Nicole Famous.Ms Famous said she was hoping to make the beauty show an annual event on the Island and wanted more women to be mindful about the quality of products they are putting in their hair.Ms Famous first stumbled on Beauty & Glory products while visiting a hair show in Atlanta. She said: “There were all kinds of products at the show, but Beauty & Glory stood out because it was organic and had this great little product called the sunshine oil.“I rubbed it on my skin and was like ‘wow’ and when I looked at the shampoo I learned it doubled as a body wash. I was like ‘This has to come to Bermuda’ and I told Tarece I would see her in Bermuda.”The two women have partnered together to offer the hair and body products to beauty enthusiasts on the Island. They are also sold in Belize, Canada and throughout the US.Ms Hassell created the Beauty & Glory line back in 2009. “It was just out of the need to find a natural and organic product line for my daughter and I. We both have natural hair,” she said.“I wanted something that was chemical free and effective and there was nothing on the market at that time, so I did a lot of research and created an ingredient list by teaching myself about what products were on the market and what ingredients were good for natural hair.”The ingredients she chose for the line were shea butter, which is a “magnificent moisturiser”, grapeseed oil and vitamins A and E.Though it took her many tries to get the recipes exactly right, at the end of a three- to six- month period she had a product that she was proud of.Ms Hassell said she has seen a wave of women embracing the natural hair look. She told The Royal Gazette: “I think there are two reasons why people go natural.“The first is that it has become a fad. You see so many people going natural and they see this is a good style and they want to do it because so many other people and even a few celebrities are doing it.“But I think it originally started from a movement. People who had hair that was processed started embracing their hair as part of their individuality and expressing themselves for who they are and no longer putting chemicals in their hair.“I think it’s an evolution black women had to go through in finding their true beauty. There is so much power when we can walk into a room and love ourselves and we may look different than someone with straight hair, but you love who you are and that energy shows.”People can find out more about the beauty line, by visiting www.beautyandglory.net; or order the products via Ms Famous’ website: www.naturalblessingsalways.com.