By Contributor,Corein Carter
Copyright forbes
Founder Lisa Grain holds a Chelsea French Barrelette, the luxury roller at the center of her viral beauty launch celebrating Black hair traditions with modern innovation.
Emiy Blair Media
In a beauty industry often obsessed with youth, Lisa Grain is boldly rewriting the narrative. At 60, the former orthodontist is stepping into the spotlight with her debut brand, French Barrelettes—a luxury line of high-performance, heritage-inspired hair rollers designed to protect, style, and empower.
But make no mistake: French Barrelettes are more than a beauty product. They represent a cultural revival, a generational love letter and a celebration of confidence at every stage of womanhood.
Lisa Grain applies the Chelsea-size French Barrelettes on Forbes Contributor Corein Carter during a hair transformation session at Iron Feather Salon in New York City.
Emiy Blair Media
I had the privilege of spending the day with Lisa for a 1-on-1 transformation experience at Iron Feather Salon in New York City, where I witnessed the French Barlettes magic in real time. Guided by Grain, her longtime stylist Jamilah Curry, and assistant Casey Mac, I experienced firsthand the tradition the style icon grew up with—wet-setting the hair, protecting the strands, and embracing beauty without damage.
“This isn’t just haircare,” Grain told me. “It’s heritage care. And our hair deserves to be adorned.”
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A Tradition Reimagined
Grain first began wet-setting her hair at 10 years old—a practice passed down from her grandmother to her mother and now embedded in her identity.
“We didn’t have blow dryers or flat irons. If you had natural hair, rollers were the only way,” Grain explained. “That Sunday night tradition became sacred.”
When her decades-old French-made rollers began breaking and replacements proved impossible to find, Grain took matters into her own hands.
“I searched everywhere and couldn’t find the quality I remembered. So I decided to create it.”
Named after Lisa’s daughter, the Chelsea rollers are designed for long hair and polished, healthy styling.
Emily Blair Media
Seven years later, French Barlreettes was born. The brand’s three collections—The Chelsea, Carolyn, and Ellen—are each named after a woman in Lisa’s lineage: her daughter, her mother and her grandmother.
“It’s a generational story,” Grain added. “And now, it belongs to everyone who wants to honor their roots with elegance.”
Confidence You Can See—and Feel
Lisa’s hair story mirrors that of many Black women: one filled with trial, transformation and ultimately, self-acceptance.
“I went through every phase—perms, breakage, color, growing it out. And now, I’m confident in who I am. My hair reflects that.”
Today, her signature blonde hue is as much a personal expression as it is a power move.
“I’m not trying to look younger—I’m trying to feel uplifted. Going blonde gave me life,” she said. “It was my way of embracing age with joy, not resistance.”
She credits Curry for perfecting the tone that works best for her complexion:
“She’s such a beautiful woman—she could wear any color,” Curry said. “But we landed on tones that light her up.”
A Bronx-Born Stylist’s Stamp of Approval
At the heart of Grain’s beauty evolution is her stylist, Jamilah Curry, a Bronx native and 18-year industry veteran who has been styling her hair for the last three years.
“Lisa makes my job easy—she was born with a head of hair most people dream of,” Curry said. “When I look at her hair, I’m not trying to change it. I want to enhance it—through cut, tone and styling that works with her natural beauty.”
A trained colorist with deep roots in both salon and editorial work, Curry is thoughtful in her approach:
Hairstylist Jamilah Curry installs the Chelsea French Barrelettes during a styling session at Iron Feather Salon in New York City.
Emily Blair Media
“She gets compliments from every type of woman—Black, white, Asian. And when people from all backgrounds admire the work, that’s when you know it’s art.”
She’s also a believer in the power and design of French Barrelettes:
“Growing up in the Bronx, I lived by Dominican salons—round brushes and rollers were everything. But Lisa took it to another level. These rollers are so intentionally developed, I’m obsessed. They heat evenly, protect the ends, add luster, and come in multiple sizes. She checked every box.”
Behind the Barrelettes: Where Tradition Meets Technology
After my in-salon transformation with Grain, I understood something clearly—French Barlettes aren’t just beautiful, they’re brilliantly designed.
As Grain herself explained:
“ French Barrelettes were born from my family’s Sunday night hair-salon traditions, a practice passed down from my grandmother to my mother, to me, and now to my daughter. They are a tribute to that legacy of care and elegance, reimagined with modern innovation to meet the needs of today.”
Each French Barrelettes eatures an innovative stainless steel core with hexagonal cutouts—engineered for even heat distribution and enhanced airflow, which reduces drying time and helps hair set more smoothly. The core heats gently under the dryer, allowing it to straighten and shape the hair without frying it.
Lisa Grain wearing French Barrelettes, the luxury roller at the center of her viral beauty launch celebrating Black hair traditions with modern innovation.
Emiy Blair Media
Encased in smooth, perforated polyester fabric, the roller is soft enough to safeguard both hair and skin while still delivering a polished finish. It’s this thoughtful construction—luxurious and durable—that sets French Barrelettes apart from standard sponge or Velcro rollers that often cause frizz, trap moisture, or collapse over time.
“She checked off so many things that have been missing,” Curry told me. “The luster, the airflow, the material, the feel—it’s all intentional. I’m obsessed.”
Whether you’re looking to stretch and shine natural curls or add bounce and body to straighter strands, French Barrelettes are designed to work with most hair types and textures—a true reflection of Grain’s inclusive beauty philosophy.
Unboxing of The Chelsea French Barrelettes
Emiy Blair Media
“These rollers aren’t just a styling tool,” Grain expressed. “They’re a tradition, a statement, and a secret passed through generations, now redesigned for today. Beautiful, elegant, and enduring—they are truly jewelry for the hair.”
More Than a Moment—A Movement
With legislation like the Crown Act aiming to protect natural hairstyles from discrimination, Lisa sees French Barlettes as part of a larger cultural shift.
“You must own your hair journey,” she told me. “We need to teach that from childhood. And the media must reflect all textures, lengths, and styles.”
Hairstylist Jamilah Curry uses a round brush to complete Forbes.com contributor Corein Carter’s look during a styling session at Iron Feather Salon.
Emiy Blair Media
French Barrelettes is a return to softness in beauty—without sacrificing strength. It offers a path back to healthy hair for women tired of heat damage, and gives permission to elevate even the most routine hair day into something intentional and elegant.
“When I walk into the market with my rollers in, people stare. They say, ‘Those are beautiful,’ and I say, ‘They’re meant to be. They’re jewelry for the hair.’”
Building Beauty, Stage by Stage
Grain’s story is a reminder that life is lived in chapters—and each one has a purpose.
“I always tell young women: don’t worry about what you’re ‘supposed’ to be. You’ll have many stages. You might pause your career, start another, have a family—or not. Just embrace the season you’re in.”
L to R: Hairstylist Jamilah Curry, founder Lisa Grain, during a private salon experience and exclusive preview of French Barlettes at Iron Feather Salon in New York City.
Emiy Blair Media
This season? It’s about purpose, creativity and legacy. Lisa is not only preserving a hair tradition—she’s reclaiming the narrative around aging, confidence and beauty for Black women everywhere.
Forbes contributor Corein Carter, final look using French Barrelettes during private salon experience at Iron Feather Salon in New York City.
Emiy Blair Media
And after spending the day with her, one thing is abundantly clear:
Lisa Grain isn’t just selling a product. She’s redefining what it means to show up in the world—with elegance, with tradition, and with a crown that never comes off.
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