Today we’d like to introduce you to Thembekile Dube.
Hi Thembekile, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey began with my hair. At just five years old, I received my first chemical relaxer — not by choice, but because that was the standard: straight hair was considered “better,” “easier to manage.” That became my norm. Then, when I was twelve, my father came home and told my sister and me that we would no longer be getting relaxers. He had discovered that the same chemicals found in Drano were in the products we were putting on our scalps.
At the time, I wasn’t focused on the chemicals — I was focused on what I was supposed to do with my hair now. I had never seen fully natural hair regularly worn around me. No roadmap. No guidance. Just me, standing at the beginning of what felt like an unlit path.
But then I discovered my YouTube mothers — Black women with naturally curly and kinky hair who were documenting their journeys, offering tutorials, and recommending healing products made with plants and herbs. Through them, I finally saw examples of women who looked like me loving their hair, and in turn, loving themselves.
I began using their methods, and when I saw how effective they were, I became curious. Why did these herbs work? Why did these hair masques make such a difference? That curiosity led me deeper into the science of hair care. After getting my degree in biology, I continued my own personal research into the structure of hair, the power of plant medicine, and the science of growth and healing. I began making my own products — not just for myself, but for my community. I wanted others to feel empowered and informed on their journey too.
All of that became the foundation for my book — a guide created so no one would have to feel as alone or as confused as I once did. It’s not just about hair. It’s about healing. It’s about returning to yourself. For me, caring for my hair became a sacred ritual, one that taught me to love myself — gently, tenderly, and intentionally.
That care extended beyond my strands and into my spirit. I started meditating in 2017, and after listening to the voices of others guide me, I realized the most powerful voice I could follow was my own. I began creating guided meditations — first for myself, then for my community, and now in person at a studio where I witness healing in real time. People come in with tension, pain, and emotional weight — and they leave lighter, softer, freer.
Healing doesn’t always come from a pill or a prescription. Sometimes it starts with a plant, a prayer, a practice. Sometimes it starts with your hair. I teach people to reconnect with themselves — to find value in their natural state of being, to trust the earth and the medicine it provides, and to believe they are worthy of love, care, and restoration.
I am a vessel for healing. Through my book, my meditations, my workshops, and my presence, I offer others what was once offered to me: the chance to remember who they are.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, I’d say the road has always been smooth when I’m moving in the direction of my dreams. What has made the journey feel difficult at times has been things like self-doubt, distraction, and not following my intuition. When I’m aligned and committed, doors open. Opportunities find their way to me unexpectedly. But when I allow fear or hesitation to take the lead, that’s when things become challenging.
Recently, I came to realize that my biggest obstacle has actually been myself — or more specifically, my attachment to the version of myself I’ve always known. There’s a part of me that’s been young, wild, and free — a beautiful expression of who I was during college, following a chapter in high school where I was deeply dedicated, motivated, and intentional.
Now, I’m transitioning into a new version of myself — a woman I haven’t fully met yet. She looks like something I’ve never seen before, and that unfamiliarity has brought fear. Who will I become? Can I trust this version of me? That fear of the unknown has been one of my greatest hurdles. But it’s one I’m actively overcoming by choosing to show up, to step forward, and to say yes to opportunities like this.
Each step I take toward my desires reminds me that I’m growing — not away from myself, but deeper into who I truly am.
As you know, we’re big fans of TIL (Trust In Love). For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My work is rooted in education, healing, and transformation — starting with hair care and expanding into deeper layers of self-love and self-knowledge. What began as a personal journey turned into a mission: to equip others with the tools I never had growing up. I specialize in holistic hair education that combines the science of hair with the spiritual and emotional aspects of care — because hair is not just hair, especially for Black people. It holds memory, identity, and power.
I’ve taught workshops in salons and barbershops, to stylists and beauticians, to individuals, parents, and children — because I believe the revolution starts in our homes and ripples out into our communities. We are rewriting the relationship we have with our hair and with ourselves. It’s not just about products — it’s about empowerment.
One of the offerings I’m most proud of is my book. It holds the knowledge I had to dig for myself — information that should’ve been easy to access, but wasn’t. I wrote it so no one else would have to search as hard as I did to understand how to care for their natural hair, how to trust it, and how to embrace it. That book is a legacy piece. It’s something that can be passed down, taught, shared, and held.
What sets my work apart is the deep intention behind it. I’m not just selling products or teaching techniques — I’m creating a shift. My offerings include custom regimens, plant-based products, guided meditations, and hands-on workshops — all of which work together to return people to themselves.
At the heart of it all is giving back. My knowledge is not mine to hoard — it belongs to the people. My goal is to continue pouring into my community, especially Black men, women and children, because when we know how to care for ourselves, we create generational healing.
This is bigger than beauty. This is about love.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Yes. I want you to know that healing is possible — and it begins with how we care for ourselves. Whether it’s through the way we nurture our hair, the way we speak to ourselves, or how we choose to breathe through life’s challenges, we are always in relationship with our healing.
I am a vessel — but the true healer is already within you. Everything I create, from my book to my meditations to my workshops to my hair products, is designed to remind you of your own power. You are not too far gone. You are not too late. You are worthy of softness, of love, of care.
And finally, to anyone on the edge of stepping into their calling: trust your path. Even if it feels unlit. Even if you’re walking alone. Sometimes, the very thing you’re searching for is already inside of you — waiting for your attention, your belief, and your commitment.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story. I pray it reminds you to honor yours.
Pricing:
- What Is Good Hair? (Ebook) – $16.16
- Hair Clinic Masterclass (4 week course) $4500
- What Is Good Hair? (Hardback) – $25.95
- One Time One-on-One Virtual Hair Consultation- $350
- Healthy Hair = Happy Clients (3hr Salon Curly/Healthy Hair Workshop and Demonstration) – $3500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wetil.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fourctee/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thembekile-dube-3860071a9
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fourctee19?si=Z6Tl3PcFBA9KXVY7
- Soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/show/10WkTQI6uedQLcs5QgllLA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fourctee?_t=ZP-8vl8UgMSMvu&_r=1
