Date: 15.11.23
Author: Eartha Terrell
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About Janell Stephens
The multicultural beauty industry moves billions of dollars a year, driven by a consumer base that knows exactly what it wants. At the front of that industry is Janell Stephens — CEO and Founder of Camille Rose, and one of the women who built a company from scratch to rival brands with decades and dollars behind them.
It started in her kitchen in 2011, with a simple problem: her five young children had eczema that dried out their skin and hair, and she couldn't find anything that actually worked. So she made her own. Within three years, what began as a home remedy had grown into a multi-million dollar company with a loyal following, national retail partners, and a reputation as one of the natural hair community's defining brands.
That growth was built on a single idea: whatever goes on your body should be good enough to go in it. Every Camille Rose product starts with food-grade ingredients and gourmet blends — a standard that's earned the brand a devoted community of customers, influencers, and everyday advocates known as "Rosettes."
From Kitchen to Shelf
The business grew fast, but not by accident. After launching online to sell her original eczema cream, Janell quickly expanded into Moisture Milk and what would become the brand's breakout hit, the Almond Jai Twisting Butter. In 2012, a chance meeting with a Target buyer at a gifting event put Camille Rose on shelves in over 100 stores — the beginning of a retail footprint that now spans more than 300,000 locations, including Ulta, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sally's Beauty, Whole Foods, Walgreens, and CVS, plus international markets like the UK, Africa, Brazil, and Ireland.
Beyond the Brand
Janell's influence reaches well past product development. She's become one of the most recognized voices in beauty, business, and natural hair care — a go-to authority for consumers across generations, from longtime loyalists to Gen Z. Her expertise has taken her to stages and screens including Essence Magazine, The Real, Strahan, Sara & Keke, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, HuffPost, WWD, and KTLA.
That reach expanded further with the launch of Camille Rose FACE and Camille Rose HOME, rounding the brand out into a full lifestyle name. Alongside the business, Janell founded the Janell Ennis Stephens Foundation to support women and families — with a particular focus on single mothers building businesses or working to provide for their families. The foundation has already touched the lives of hundreds of women, giving Janell a platform for impact that goes beyond product.
That vision took a new shape with the launch of the Beauté Noir Festival — a three-day celebration of Black beauty, culture, and changemakers in Atlanta, built out from the brand's original Beauté Noir honoree dinner. The expanded event brought together an honoree dinner, a VIP brunch, and the city's first Juneteenth music festival and summit.
Janell took that same instinct to Hollywood with The Art of Glam Awards, an Oscar-weekend dinner she created to honor the hairstylists, makeup artists, and creative talent behind some of the industry's most iconic red carpet looks — the people awards season celebrates least. The inaugural event drew honorees including Ruth E. Carter, Sergio Hudson, and Camille Friend, with presenters and guests spanning Samuel L. Jackson, Kelly Rowland, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and generated more than 53 media placements and 13 billion social impressions.
Today, Camille Rose spans five collections and nearly forty products, all built on the same standard Janell started with in her kitchen.
As the beauty industry continues to evolve, Janell has embraced her role as one of its leading voices — not just as a founder, but as someone committed to educating, inspiring, and opening doors for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
"It should be everyone's mission to inspire the uninspired to see the true value of who they are and what they can accomplish. Our gifts go beyond what we see immediately before us and encompass the limitless opportunities that we are given every day to be great."
– Janell Stephens
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For press-related inquiries about Janell Stephens or Camille Rose Naturals, please email
press@camillerosenaturals.com.
