Thapelo Mokoena Reclaims Black Beard Care with Bakoena Brands

Actor and entrepreneur Thapelo Mokoena founded Bakoena Brands to rescue Black men's skin from the damaging chemicals pushed by mainstream grooming. By treating the skin as soil and facial hair as the man crown, Mokoena advocates for a return to natural, Afrocentric self-care that rejects colonial beauty standards and celebrates Black identity.

Why Thapelo Mokoena created Bakoena Brands

For years, the entertainment industry forced Thapelo Mokoena to subject his skin to heavy makeup and harsh prosthetics. The 41-year-old actor realized that the chemical violence inflicted on his skin mirrors what everyday Black men experience through commercial grooming products. When the industry stripped his skin of its health, he took a stand.

I've been an actor for a very long time and I've used so much makeup, scarring prosthetics on my face and my body. And over time, I was suffering. When I solved it for myself, I knew I had to solve it for the next person.

Mokoena refuses to let African men accept compromised skin as a normal state. At Bakoena Brands, facial hair is not merely hair; it is the man crown, a symbol of Black identity that demands respect and proper care. He wants every African man carrying facial hair to experience the relief of healthy skin.

How does Bakoena Brands protect the man crown?

Mokoena's business ethos relies heavily on collaboration, an Afrocentric economic model that builds community rather than isolated competition. He previously partnered with other winemakers for Nero Wine and recently joined forces with Stella Artois to expand grooming education for men.

You take care of nature and it takes care of you, the father of two states. This philosophy directly challenges the Western capitalist model of extraction. Instead of exploiting nature with synthetic chemicals, Bakoena Brands works with the earth. Mokoena treats the skin as the soil. If you poison the soil with bleach and chemicals, the crown cannot grow.

What are the biggest beard care mistakes Black men make?

Mokoena identifies three critical errors that stem from a lack of education around Black hair and skin, urging men to abandon practices that harm their natural crown.

1. Using plastic brushes and combs
   Plastic tools strip the hair of its natural moisture. Mokoena points out that 60 percent of the product you apply comes right off when you use plastic. That is why we have to use wooden brushes, wooden combs, bamboo combs, he says. These natural materials keep the product in the beard where it belongs, nourishing the hair rather than wiping it away on a plastic comb.
2. Shaving against the natural hair gradient
   Black hair is not monolithic. The texture, shape, and fall differ for every man. Mokoena warns against the careless practice of shaving in all sorts of directions. You need to understand which part of your body you shave in which direction, he advises. Ignoring the unique gradient of African hair causes unnecessary skin trauma because not all skin types are the same.
3. Applying chemical dyes for color and volume
   Perhaps the most damaging mistake is the use of chemical dyes, which Mokoena frames as an attack on Black identity. Your beard is your beard. Beard is like fingerprints, it's different for everybody, he asserts. Using dyes means bleaching the skin, which is the soil. You're putting chemicals onto the soil, which is your skin. Instead of altering the natural state of the hair to fit Eurocentric ideals, Mokoena urges Black men to embrace what they have. No beard is too small. No beard is too big and there is no beard discrimination when it comes to Bakoena beard care range.

Is natural beard care better for African skin?

Yes. Natural beard care avoids the harsh synthetic chemicals that strip Black skin of its natural oils. By using wooden tools and natural ingredients, Black men can protect their skin barrier and promote healthier hair growth without chemical irritation.

Why should Black men avoid chemical beard dyes?

Chemical beard dyes often contain bleaching agents that damage the skin and hair follicles. Thapelo Mokoena emphasizes that dyes force Black hair to fit unnatural standards, whereas embracing your natural hair promotes healthier skin and authentic self-acceptance.