Local midwife and owner of Yapheh Hair & Skin, Toni Tipton promotes her natural products she is sure customers will trust
Hamiltonian Toni Tipton has studied chemistry and works in the midwifery field, all while having a focus on living in a natural way. For instance, she’s a vegetarian and prefers to always know what she’s putting in her body.
When she was learning how to style natural hair, she started making her own products and discovered that, while it could be challenging, the products she created were well-received by her friends and family members and early customers.
“I worked on my shampoo and conditioner products for a year to make sure I had the right lather, the right pH, and the right scent,” she explains. “A lot of it was trial and error. When people would try it, they’d give me feedback – my customers are so honest!”
From her first product, Tipton expanded her line of natural hair and skin products, calling the business Yapheh, a word for “Beautiful” from the Hebrew language. The name is Biblical and connects with her own spirituality.
She’s learned over the years that creating a great product is far more than mixing a few good natural ingredients like shea butter and cocoa butter together.
“I bring a lot of my chemistry background to this, things like knowing how oil and water mix and when you need emulsifiers,” she says. “I can adjust a pH so that a product won’t burn if it gets in your eyes.”
She understands that people can be hesitant at first to switch to a fresh, locally-made product after having used other products on their hair and skin.
“I see a lot of people’s hair and skin issues actually coming from the products they’re using; even if they don’t want to try my products, I suggest that they stop using what they’re using and I’ll share what could help, licorice root or pine tar or another key ingredient,” she says. “I’m passionate about helping people make that transition to natural hair and skin – I’m not keeping any secrets.”
As a result, Tipton’s positive attitude and helpful customer service have won her a loyal following across the country: while much of her product is sold locally, barbershops in Philadelphia, Houston, and California also carry her line.
Her mother and sisters as well as other family members have been part of the business all along, from staffing events like Hamilpalooza with her to mixing up the products and preparing them to ship out of her home-based business. This is particularly important because Tipton herself has a full-time job and children of her own to care for. That being said, she can also use her family members as a source of valuable testimonials. She won’t carry any product she wouldn’t recommend fully for her own family to use.
It was her customers who carried her through the challenges of 2020. Her own experiences of the COVID shutdowns while being pregnant made it hard to continue with this business, but she is proud to say that the business made a profit even during those hard days.
“I was so tired, and I wanted to quit, but my customers wouldn’t let me quit,” she says. “Even without marketing, I get great customer orders – I attribute our success to the customer base.”
As more people try her creams, sprays, and butters and fall in love with natural hair and skin products from Yapheh, Toni and her team are looking toward an exciting new milestone. She’s looking for a location where she can sell her products, since many customers want to be able to come shop and smell different scents in-person.
To see the product line for yourself, check out www.yaphehhairskinllc.com and try out one of her many types of hair and skin products in any of the various fragrances.