This Founder Created an Edge Brush Designed for Black Women
Edges are scared for Black women. They can transform a hairstyle from plain to stylish in a few scoops. Whether it’s box braids, a slicked-back bun, or styling your locs, edges can elevate any hairstyle. In nearly every Black home, you will find a toothbrush specifically used for your edges. These toothbrushes are often found in bedrooms or bathrooms, stacked with gel. They often aren’t the most glamorous of tools, which is where Beemco comes in.
Beemco is a Black-owned beauty brand founded by Leonie Campbell-King that launched the Edgedrop, the first compact edge brush. POCIT sat down with Campbell-King to discuss the launch of Beemco, the creation of Edgegrop, and its response so far.
Launching Beemco
Campbell-King has been doing her edges for as long as she can remember. She describes using a toothbrush to style her edges as a formative rite of passage, but has always sought toothbrushes that would enhance the experience of doing her hair.
“I started asking myself, why am I using a toothbrush to do my hair? She told POCIT. “I started looking for edge brushes that looked nicer, and there were a few on the market then; this was around 2016. But they were all just basically variations of a toothbrush, and it didn’t feel like they would provide a better experience, and they also couldn’t really fit into bags easily.”
She continued: “If t you’re looking for something to make doing your hair feel like a bit of an indulgence, or something that feels nice in itself, I think you’re quite hard-pressed to find products that help you do that”
After spending years trying to find a good replacement for her toothbrush, she decided to create her own, and Beemco was launched in October 2025.
Finding good materials for Edgedrop
Whilst Black women have been using toothbrushes for their edges for years, they aren’t the best tools for hair. Repeated toothbrush use can cause excessive tension, leading to thinning of the edges. “The thing about toothbrushes is, because they’re made for your teeth, they’re not good for your edges. They’re hard, and even if they’re too hard in my experience, or you get the soft ones, then they’re too soft,” Campbell-King says.
For this reason, Campbell-King was intentional about the hair used on the brushes. “The bristles are a mixture of boar hair and nylon, and I took a few, had a few different iterations of like the proportion of each to try and make sure I got it like just right.”
Campbell-King tells POCIT that boar hair is gentler on hair than some synthetic fibres because it has a structure similar to human hair. But if you use boar hair on its own, the hair becomes harder. “So I ended up mixing the boar hair with nylon and had a few of my friends with different hair textures try it, so to check, it kind of did work on everyone’s hair.”
Current reception of the Edgedrop
Campbell-King says that, overall, the reception for the Edgedrop has been positive, which she is relieved about. Prior to launching the product, she told friends she was worried about how well it would be received.
“I’ve had a lot of feedback saying that it’s like people can’t believe I didn’t exist already, which I felt as well when I was looking into getting it made, so it’s generally been really positive.”
However, after a TikTok about the product was posted, some users commented that it was useless. “They’ll say, I love my toothbrush; I could just use a toothbrush. Why would I not just use a toothbrush? ‘And it’s ot the law that you have to buy the brush; just don’t buy it.” However, these comments evidently have not stopped the brand grom growing.
Applying for a patent
Campbell-King is currently in the process of acquiring a patent.
She currently has several design rights in the UK but explains that the intellectual property process is complicated and varies by country. “So I do have a patent pending, but it’s a long process. It takes like three or so years, so I started the process about a year ago, maybe even longer, so it’s ticking on, but I expect it will take a while still.”
She is currently managing the business on her own whilst also working as a commercial lawyer. Campbell-King has several other ideas for Beemco in the future, such as a key ring for the brush. “I have loads of ideas, because I think there’s just like a big gap in the market for black hair products, or products aimed predominantly at black women. I’ve got loads of ideas for hair products and, like, accessories I think could fit in that space.”
Image: BEEMCO
