Every brand we have partnered with has a story, and some of the best ones start on a Sunday. This one does.
Gabrielle Zalina
Founder & Pro Stylist, én Love Beauty
Where it started
For a lot of us, wash day was a family affair. Gabrielle Zalina learned to style hair at the Sunday beauty rituals of her childhood, with her mother and sisters around her. That is where the skill started, and where the feeling behind her brand comes from: hair care as time together, and as a way of caring for yourself.
She has now spent nearly two decades behind the chair, while raising four children with her husband. Alongside her work behind the chair, she created én Love Beauty, a line of products formulated for curls.
"I continue the journey of transforming curls, both behind the chair and through the curation of meticulously formulated products designed exclusively for our exquisite curls."
Gabrielle Zalina
Why aloe comes first
Turn over most hair products and the first ingredient is water. In én Love's formulas, it's 100% aloe vera.
Aloe is mostly water itself, but it also carries natural sugars that help hold moisture, which is part of why so many aloe-based products feel soft and give good slip. That slip matters on curly and coily hair, which tends to run dry at the ends and tangles more easily. For a stylist, starting with aloe is a practical choice: it gives a gel or a detangler moisture and glide from the very first ingredient.
The Hub take: Aloe is a gentle, moisturizing base, and it suits dry, textured hair well. What it won't do on its own is change how fast your hair grows. Length comes from a healthy scalp and from keeping the hair you already have, so gentle detangling, low-tension styles and regular moisture do the heavy lifting. (More on that in our guide to length retention.)
The batana collection
The products in our final box came from én Love's batana line. Every formula in it is made with batana oil, a cold-pressed oil from Honduras that has long been used for nourishment and shine. From the 100% pure Bloom N Curls oil to the Strength & Length styling line, batana is there to soften dry strands, help you hold on to your length and bring out your natural curl pattern.
Bloom N Curls 100% Pure Batana Oil
Batana and nothing else. A few drops worked through dry ends add softness and shine, and a little goes a long way on the scalp before a protective style.
Miracle X Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner
A leave-in spray with batana oil, rosemary oil and rice water that hydrates, helps detangle and tames frizz without weighing hair down. It works on wash-and-gos, protective styles and blowouts alike.
Strength & Length Curl Jelly
Aloe first, then batana oil, rice water and rosemary extract for moisture, plus biotin and caffeine for stronger-looking hair. It defines curls, coils and waves with a flexible hold that won't flake, for wash-and-gos, twist-outs, braid-outs and style refreshes.
The Hub take: Batana oil, like other rich oils, helps seal in moisture and smooth the hair's surface, which means less friction and less breakage. That's what "length retention" really comes down to: keeping the length you've already grown. Research on batana oil itself is still limited, so think of it as a strong conditioning oil, not a growth treatment.
Plus one everyday favorite
Forever For Always Edge Control
Gabrielle calls it the perfect purse companion. It's small enough to carry, so you can smooth your edges and refresh your look anywhere the day takes you. Use a soft brush and a light hand: edges are the most delicate hair on your head.
En love, on purpose
The name says a lot about what Gabrielle is building. The brand's mission is to promote self-love and self-care through hair rituals, and its vision is to empower women with professional hair education and natural products. In her words:
"We aspire for every woman to feel that being en love with your hair is being unapologetically en love with yourself."
It's a sentiment we share. A wash day you look forward to is a form of self-care, and so is a routine that's simple enough to keep.
Thank you, Gabrielle
We have been honored to partner with én Love Beauty over the years, and even more honored to feature Gabrielle's batana collection in the final COCOTIQUE box. As COCOTIQUE moves fully into the Health & Wellness Hub, it means a lot to close that chapter with a stylist-founder whose brand started where so many of ours did: with family, and with love for our hair. Follow along at @enlovebeauty.
Through Saturday, October 31: take 25% off on the én Love Beauty site with code BATANA25. Shop én Love Beauty.
This post features a COCOTIQUE brand partner. It is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. If you have ongoing hair loss, scalp pain or irritation, talk to a dermatologist. Full disclaimer.
