CURLS FOUNDER MAHISHA DELLINGER ENTERS INTO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH BEAUTY BY IMAGINATION (BBI), JOINS BBI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Goody & WetBrush Owner Invests in Prominent Curly Hair Brand To Fuel Growth, Innovation and Broader Distribution

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Mar 11, 2021, 12:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CURLS founder Mahisha Dellinger today announced she has entered into a partnership and collaboration with Beauty by Imagination ("BBI" or the "Company"), a leader in hair care products, tools and accessories, in order to accelerate CURLS' next phase of growth. Dellinger will remain the majority and controlling owner, while continuing to lead the CURLS brand.

With BBI's strategic partnership, Dellinger will be able to rapidly increase brand awareness, product accessibility and innovation, as well as expand CURLS' signature community give-back programs focused on developing the next generation of female black entrepreneurs. In addition, Dellinger will join BBI's Board of Directors.

BBI, parent company to iconic brands including WetBrush, Goody, Ouidad and Bio Ionic, is a portfolio company of ACON Investments, L.L.C. and its affiliates ("ACON"). Through this strategic partnership, BBI will enable the CURLS brand to expand its product offering to curly, coily and textured hair customers nationwide, while extending its reach across all distribution channels.

Mahisha Dellinger, CURLS owner, remarked: "After 19 years building and leading the CURLS brand, I have chosen to partner with Beauty by Imagination because their investment, resources and expertise will accelerate our growth. Our values are aligned, and they wholeheartedly support my vision to bring more innovation and inspiration to an ever-growing CURLS community. This is an exciting new chapter for CURListas everywhere - longtime customers, and those who will discover us soon!"

According to Francesca Raminella, co-CEO of BBI: "BBI and CURLS recognized a unique opportunity to join forces in a strategic partnership that is a win-win for both companies. CURLS is a perfect fit for our strategy because we look for "founder" brands with category authority in hair; strong, authentic customer engagement; and high-performance formulas. The BBI family is thrilled to welcome Mahisha Dellinger and support her in realizing the next chapter of success for CURLS."

"The expertise and leadership that Mahisha will bring to our Board of Directors is something we all look forward to," Raminella added.

BBI Co-CEO Gary Dailey added: "The CURLS & BBI partnership will rapidly expand CURLS' distribution. By leveraging BBI's omni-channel sales platform, CURLS will benefit from our vertically-integrated supply chain resources, bringing the brand to more consumers while enabling Mahisha to focus additional time on product innovation, leadership and inspiration. Mahisha will continue to oversee CURLS' product formulas and product development, with BBI by her side to optimize operations, logistics and sales."

ABOUT CURLS
For nearly two decades, CURLS has been a leader in natural hair care, innovating new product collections that are specifically formulated to cater to each hair texture's needs, across all age groups. Prior to this, women just wanted something to "tame" their manes. Now, they demand quality products that "celebrate" and showcase their perfectly imperfect curly coifs. Founded in 2002 by Mahisha Dellinger, CURLS Beauty Brands has become one of the foremost black-owned hair care brands in North America. In addition to leading CURLS, Dellinger authored the memoir "Against All Odds: From the Projects to the Penthouse" and starred in "Mind Your Business with Mahisha" on the OWN network. Visit curls.biz or follow us @CURLS on Instagram.

ABOUT BEAUTY BY IMAGINATION
Beauty by Imagination ("BBI") is one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of beauty products. Based in New York, BBI develops some of the industry's most recognizable and innovative brands and products such as Goody, WetBrush, Bio Ionic, Ouidad, Twist, Solano and Ace. These brands promise quality and innovation to provide beautiful results to professionals and consumers alike. For more information, visit www.bbicompany.com.

ABOUT ACON INVESTMENTS, L.L.C.
ACON Investments, L.L.C., headquartered in Washington, DC, is an international private equity firm investing in North America, Latin America and Europe. Founded in 1996, ACON has raised approximately $5.9 billion of capital to date and has professionals in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Mexico City, São Paulo, Bogotá and Madrid. For more information, visit www.aconinvestments.com.

SOURCE Beauty by Imagination