Janell Stephens Built Camille Rose From Kitchen Formulas to Target Shelves

Stephens, a trained speech-language pathologist, had previously worked with people recovering from strokes and living with swallowing, brain injury and speech disorders. She later ran a home-health agency for about eight years. After selling the clinic, she studied for roughly a year with an herbalist, learning about oils, herbs and butters and how they could be used on hair and skin.

Her first product, Algae Renew Deep Conditioner, remains a bestseller. Curl Love Moisture Milk is another early hit. Stephens calls those products, along with Cocoa Nibs & Honey Growth Serum and Almond Jai Twisting Butter, the brand’s “core four.” Camille Rose’s food-inspired approach draws a connection between ingredients used in nutrition and personal care. Stephens says the company uses natural and naturally derived ingredients, as well as preservatives and science-backed ingredients; she cautions that it does not claim to be “all-natural.”

Stephens initially gave her homemade products to friends and family for feedback. After repeat requests, she launched a website and began taking orders in 2011. Word-of-mouth, Facebook and customer results helped build demand. A contract chemist helped turn her informal recipes into precise, scalable formulas. Finding the right chemist and manufacturer took about a year and a half, she said.

The Target buyer’s offer followed a roughly hour-long conversation at the 2012 hair show. The initial orders—thousands of units per product—were demanding, and Stephens enlisted family and friends to help. She also handled customer service, shipping, packing, social media and operations. Camille Rose has since expanded to retailers including Ulta and CVS, and grown into a 35-employee business. The company is on track for nine-figure revenue this year and projects continued double-digit growth in 2027.

Stephens remains involved in product development, working with a lab and a team of chemists and researchers. New products can take months to a year to develop, with testing across curl types and textures and revisions to performance. The company promotes its products through social media, influencers and celebrity relationships. Earlier this year, reality TV star Kim Kardashian used Camille Rose products to style her 8-year-old daughter Chicago’s hair. Stephens advises founders to start talking about their products online, market consistently and make a plan rather than letting an idea sit.