Richualist, a beauty technology startup founded by Dawn Myers, has developed a hair styling device that reduces styling time for textured hair from more than an hour to approximately seven to 10 minutes. The company, selected for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Startup Battlefield 200, says its Mint device can also reduce hair shedding and breakage by up to 70%.
The Mint combines detangling, conditioning, product application, and styling in a single stroke, using refillable pods and technology that gently warms hair products before application. A travel-sized version is also available, with the device designed to simplify wash-day routines for people with naturally curly and textured hair.
Developing Technology for Textured Hair
Myers conceived the idea approximately eight years ago while watching a hair product pitch on “Shark Tank.” She questioned why existing styling tools, including blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons, largely focused on straightening hair rather than simplifying the maintenance of natural curls.
Myers said her own wash-day routine takes approximately one hour and 20 minutes. She also noted that textured hair has historically received limited attention in beauty hardware development, with many products designed to alter its natural appearance.
She initially sketched the concept on a legal pad before purchasing materials from Ace Hardware and CVS to assemble a prototype. The idea eventually became The Mint, which underwent approximately five years of development and testing before reaching a commercially viable design.
Myers collaborated with materials science company Dow after an early prototype attracted attention during a startup accelerator program. Dow, which had also identified opportunities in textured hair care, provided engineering assistance and manufacturing guidance.
Richualist conducted its own research to address missing product development data, including how much styling product people with textured hair typically use. The company also detailed the device’s design process in an official product development announcement.
Funding Challenges and Commercial Expansion
Myers sold her home and liquidated her 401(k) retirement savings to finance early development. She subsequently secured approximately $1.4 million to commercialize and validate the product, becoming one of the first 100 Black women to raise more than $1 million in venture funding.
She also described difficulties securing hardware investment and explaining textured hair care requirements to beauty industry executives. According to Myers, some executives were unfamiliar with wash-day routines and the specific engineering requirements of textured hair.
In 2022, Myers was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer while preparing to expand the business. She continued fundraising during chemotherapy treatment at Johns Hopkins and completed an investment round while undergoing treatment.
Myers applied to “Shark Tank” in 2023 and appeared on the program that year, with the episode airing in 2024. She secured an investment agreement with Mark Cuban and Emma Grede, helping Richualist formally launch its product.
Grede subsequently helped Richualist expand onto Ulta Beauty’s online platform, where the product became available earlier in 2026. Myers said the company was approaching a sellout and was evaluating further expansion opportunities.
Featured image credits: PxHere
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