Masodi Beauty founder Liz Letsoalo talks about taking her haircare brand into major retail, including Foschini and Bash, both part of The Foschini Group, alongside Dis-Chem and Beauty Box.
Liz Letsoalo built Masodi Beauty from her kitchen in 2018. Nearly eight years on, the brand is landing on shelves at some of South Africa’s biggest retailers, a milestone that looks sudden from the outside but was, by Letsoalo’s own account, years in the making. We sat down with her to talk about the discipline behind the growth, what she has learned about scaling a South African beauty business, and where Masodi goes from here.
Masodi is entering an exciting new chapter with its launch in The Foschini Group. What does this milestone represent for the brand, and did you ever imagine this level of national visibility when you first started?
This milestone represents the visible fruits of the strategy, effort and execution we have been working on over the past few years. It is such a great honour for me to see my plan materialise almost exactly as I had intended, reminding me that nothing is entirely by accident. It has always been my dream to build an internationally loved and consumed brand, and this feels like the beginning of that wave. At the risk of sounding like I lack humility, this is precisely what I had hoped for and envisioned when it all began. But nothing compares to seeing a hope materialise into reality, and that is deeply, deeply humbling to me.
Moving from a direct-to-consumer brand to being stocked in major retailers, including those under The Foschini Group, is no small feat. What has this process taught you about scaling a South African beauty business?
Expanding Masodi’s reach through retail listings is an incredible way to support our direct-to-consumer channel, which remains important to our brand. My key objective is to make hair and scalp care accessible to as many people as possible. Retail partners such as Dis-Chem, Foschini, Bash and Beauty Box have a wide reach to audiences that absolutely love Masodi products, so it is a mutually beneficial relationship for Masodi, the retailers and, most importantly, Masodi customers. This process has made a quote I heard from Brené Brown, that has anchored me throughout my entrepreneurial journey, so true: build slow and deep. So much of the slow and deep work, such as rebranding Masodi’s identity, reformulating our products to create high performing and inclusive formulas, and redesigning our packaging to align with global standards, has led us to this moment. During the slow phase it is tempting to feel stagnant, but the discipline to sit in that diligently and with clarity is something I am proud I did.
Many entrepreneurs dream about seeing their products on retail shelves, but few make it there. Looking back, what were some of the pivotal decisions that helped Masodi reach this point?
People do not buy products, they buy real solutions for their pain points or problems. The best decision I have made to date is to prioritise formulas that really deliver visible results for people. That is the best way to make the demand not only stick, but grow too. We can be cool and trendy for a moment, but what sustains our brand is being the place people go to when they are serious about solving their hair and scalp concerns. Another pivotal decision was the rebrand, which I have been working on since 2021. It helped clarify Masodi’s positioning and solidify its place as a high performing hair and scalp care brand for all hair types, textures and demographics.
South Africa’s beauty industry has evolved considerably over the past few years. How has Masodi evolved alongside it, and what do today’s consumers expect that they perhaps did not five years ago?
Our tagline for the Masodi rebrand is “it’s like skincare, but for hair and scalp.” That is the best way to describe the shift, evolution and growth of Masodi within the industry, and it is an approach Masodi is at the forefront of championing. When Masodi started back in 2018, everyone was raving about natural ingredients. Looking back at that era with a more critical eye, it was really more of a demand for thoughtfully made and rigorously considered product formulations than anything else. Customers were demanding more from haircare in a way that skincare brands were already offering, but haircare brands were not. What I jokingly coined the skincare-ification of hair and scalp care during our rebranding project became a huge driver for the reformulations, the packaging improvements and the relentless push for an inclusive range in an industry that is often demographically segmented. I kept asking the team: if Masodi were a skincare brand, what would it be like? The performance standards would be higher, the ingredient choices backed by strong scientific research, the packaging stunning and practical, the fragrances an experience in themselves. The products would be holistically complete. That is what the consumer appreciates, and I believe that is precisely what Masodi offers.
Masodi has become synonymous with healthy hair and scalp care. As the category continues to grow, how do you ensure the brand remains innovative instead of simply following trends?
As founder, my biggest priority and passion within the business is product development. I genuinely love hair, and experimenting with it for different occasions, even when it is not my own. A great example is the Masodi Hairline Fortifying Serum and Root Stimulating Serum, which became an instant hit after launch. They were among the first scalp serums, if not the first in some chains, to sit on physical retail shelves across Southern Africa, and our first viral product launch as a brand. What made them stand out was simple: the before and after images from our customer testimonials showed remarkable results, and even I was taken aback, although I knew how strong the formulas were. While the serums were a success, I did not see that as the completion of our work. I have continued developing more products, such as the Bond Repair Serum, Detangling Milk and Volumising Curling Mousse, which have also won people over. I like to say to people, assume I am always in the lab, even with no clear evidence of it.
As founder, your role has inevitably changed as the business has grown. How have you evolved as a leader, and what have you had to learn about yourself while building Masodi?
The Liz that started Masodi cannot, and is not, the Liz that is to grow Masodi, in some respects. What worked when we started might not work at this scale of the business, and there is a grief that comes with that, because shedding a layer of yourself to make way for a renewed one is hard. Firstly, I have had to adjust the way I participate in the business. That has meant relinquishing control over aspects of the operation, to give the team more room and space to do their work with slightly less hands-on involvement from me. That was not easy for someone who prides herself on being a grinder, but it is important to recognise that it is not just about me, but also about the team, which has to grow in capability, responsibility and a genuine sense of ownership of their own workstreams. I have also had to evolve in seeing the game for what it is: increased success means increased stakes, and higher stakes mean more challenges, so I have to be mentally and emotionally resilient and clear as a business leader. What all of this has taught me is that whatever the party is, I can always trust myself to show up and dance.
Entrepreneurship is often celebrated for its wins, but rarely for the difficult moments. During this stage of growth, what has challenged you the most, and what has kept you motivated to keep building?
I have no better way of phrasing this than to say machine and process are the easiest aspects of business for me, and people are the hardest. The biggest challenges I have encountered as a founder are linked to one of my greatest passions, which is social dynamics, and I think it is something one usually has to experience for oneself to truly grasp and empathise with. As technical a businesswoman as I am, I am also intuitive, and I have learned over the years not to downplay the feeling in my gut. There has not been a single time I ignored that instinct when making business decisions and did not come to deeply regret it later. None of the challenges, nonetheless, have ever made me reconsider my work. What I have to offer sits deeply in my heart. I know it, I believe in it, and I will do it for as long as it remains my calling. The only motivation I need is people needing solutions for their everyday hair and scalp concerns, concerns that affect their self-esteem, self-perception and how they show up in the world. I am here for that, and for them.
Expanding into national retailers, including those under The Foschini Group, means introducing Masodi to an entirely new audience. If someone discovers the brand for the very first time on a store shelf, what do you hope they immediately understand about who you are and what you stand for?
Most people who first see Masodi on retail shelves mention they were instantly caught by the unique packaging. They say it looks clean and luxe, and that it gives the impression the product inside is well considered and works. I could not be happier about that impression, because it is precisely what we wanted the packaging to communicate about the formulas inside it. Another important aspect I hope people feel is that regardless of their hair texture or type, this is a product for them. Every hair texture, styling need and type can find several products in this range to genuinely benefit from. What we stand for is simple: advanced formulas for all hair types and textures, holistic hair care that repairs, protects and styles, and trademarked, lab proven ingredients that truly work.
African beauty brands are increasingly proving that they can compete with global names. Where do you see Masodi fitting into that future, and what role do you hope the brand will play in shaping the industry’s next chapter?
From the very beginning, Masodi was created to play on the global stage. There is a lot of showing up Masodi can do, to let the world in on African excellence in a way that is true, tangible and undeniable. What is currently an African expansion is making way, with all the hope in me, for global success. As founder and creator, I want African beauty to be synonymous with the very best the world has to offer, and for Masodi to be there among those who dare to dare, to borrow from Muhammad Ali. There is also a lot of innovative work and research underway to expand what hair and scalp care, and beauty altogether, should look like in the long term. Masodi lovers can expect our skincare line to return through a rebrand similar to what haircare has gone through, but with a twist. The brand started as a skincare and haircare brand from day one, and it intends to continue that way, while giving each offering its own space to truly grow and excel.
This retail expansion feels like a major milestone, but it also feels like the beginning of something bigger. What can customers expect from Masodi over the next few years?
The next few years are simple for me: solidify the home base, which is Southern Africa, solidify the product base, which is our haircare, skincare and wellness ranges, and then pursue global expansion. Think of the most ambitious expansion story possible, and picture Masodi right there.
