MEET KENNI: THE FOUNDER'S STORY
From Boardrooms to Beauty Rituals: Why I Created Juje
The Unexpected Journey
I've built teams for the NFL. Scaled a VR studio from 30 to 150+ employees. Developed talent strategies for companies working with Warner Bros., HBO, and CNN. Coached executives and partnered with teams creating revolutionary experiences for Disney, Pixar, and Apple.
But some of my most formative moments happened long before any of that—sitting between my grandmother's knees on a Sunday afternoon, her hands moving with intention as she oiled my scalp, her fingers communicating love more clearly than words ever could.
Those weren't just "hair moments." They were acts of preservation—of culture, of connection, of care.
When Everything Changed
A few years ago, I'm staring at my reflection, noticing more hair in the shower drain than usual. My scalp is itchy, flaky, and nothing helps. I'm in perimenopause, and my hair—my crown—is betraying me.
The irony wasn't lost on me. I'd spent decades building systems for success, coaching leaders through transitions, creating environments where people could thrive—and I couldn't solve my own hair crisis.
I tried everything. Heavy greases that sat on my scalp for days. Harsh scrubs that left me more irritated. Products with promises they couldn't keep. I was settling for "good enough" because that's all that seemed available.
I was tired of it.
The Truth About Perimenopause That No One Talks About
Let's be real: perimenopause changes everything. Your hair texture shifts. Your scalp becomes more sensitive, drier, or suddenly oilier. Products that worked for years stop working overnight.
And if you're a Black woman? Good luck finding anyone—dermatologists, hair care brands, even other women—talking about it openly.
Standing in those beauty supply aisles, frustrated and defeated, I thought about my grandmother. She didn't have fancy products, but she had intention. She had ritual. She had formulas passed down through generations that actually worked because they understood that healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp.
I realized: I needed to stop settling and start creating.
The Scent Problem No One Wants to Talk About
As I researched scalp care, I sampled everything. The "serious" treatments. The medicated formulas. The products promising results.
They almost all smelled terrible.
Medicinal. Harsh. Clinical.
Here's what I realized: scent matters. It's not frivolous—it's fundamental. Our sense of smell connects directly to memory, emotion, and well-being. When my grandmother oiled my scalp, part of what made it feel like love was the scent—even if it was just Blue Magic or Sulfur 8.
I wanted products that worked as well as clinical treatments but felt like a ritual, not a prescription. Where the scent elevated the experience instead of making you count down the minutes until you could rinse it out.
Leading With Fragrance
From the beginning, Juje would lead with fragrance—not as an afterthought, but as a core part of formulation.
I worked with perfumers to create sophisticated, subtle scents designed to make you feel confident, not nostalgic for childhood or like you're treating a medical condition. Scents that make you want to take your time, breathe deeply, enjoy the moment.
Because self-care that doesn't feel good isn't sustainable. A product that smells medicinal—no matter how effective—will sit in your cabinet unused.
I wanted Juje to be something you reached for not just because you needed it, but because you wanted it.
The Breaking Point
After years creating cultures where people flourish—from tech startups to entertainment giants—I understood: foundations matter. The environment you create determines everything that grows from it.
So why was I accepting mediocrity in my own hair care? Why was I choosing between products that worked but smelled terrible, or products that smelled nice but didn't deliver?
That question wouldn't let me go.
What Juje Really Is
Juje was born from my own struggle—and my refusal to keep struggling.
It's the scalp scrub I needed when dealing with persistent flaking—one that actually smells beautiful. It's the lightweight oil that absorbs instead of sitting on my scalp, with a subtle fragrance that makes me feel pampered. It's the daily elixir that soothes hormonal irritation without the heavy texture or overpowering medicinal smell.
Every product exists because I needed it first. Every scent was chosen because I refused to compromise on the experience.
The Personal Truth
Here's what I learned: your scalp is skin. It needs exfoliation, hydration, and nourishment just like your face. But textured hair care has focused on strands while neglecting the foundation.
And when scalp care products do exist, they treat the experience like a chore—something to endure, not enjoy.
When I finally treated my scalp with intentionality—regular exfoliation, deep moisture, daily nourishment, and yes, products that smelled incredible—everything changed. The itching stopped. The flaking reduced. My hair felt healthier, stronger, more like mine again.
But just as importantly, the ritual itself became something I looked forward to. Not a task to check off, but a moment of genuine self-care.
Why "Luxe" Means Everything
"Luxe" isn't about being expensive. It's about being intentional. Premium ingredients that actually work. Textures that feel indulgent, not medicinal. Scents that transform your bathroom into a spa, not a medicine cabinet. Honoring yourself the way your grandmother honored you when she took the time to care for your scalp.
It's about refusing to settle—especially when your body is already asking so much of you.
The Juje Promise
I created Juje for the woman I was a few years ago—standing in front of her mirror, frustrated and tired of compromising. For the woman navigating perimenopause, career demands, and everything in between. For the woman who remembers those childhood rituals and wants to honor them without being bound by outdated products or medicinal-smelling formulas.
You deserve products that see you—all of you. Your history and your present. Your grandmother's wisdom and your perimenopause reality. Your textured hair and your high standards. Your need for results and your desire for luxury.
Welcome Home
Whether you're navigating hormonal changes, juggling boardrooms and blow-drys, or simply tired of settling for products that don't work or smell good—Juje is for you.
Because the same hands that built your crown deserve products worthy of them. Products that work. Products that feel luxurious. Products that smell beautiful.
Welcome to Juje. Welcome home.
Kenni Kaufman
Founder & CEO
Austin, Texas
A Note on Perimenopause & Hair
If you're going through it too: You're not alone. Your hair changes are real, valid, and manageable. You don't have to navigate them with subpar products or medicinal-smelling treatments. I created Juje because I needed it first—and I'm sharing it because I know you need it too.
Let's normalize the conversation about aging, hormones, and hair. Our grandmothers taught us that care is love. Now it's time to extend that same love to ourselves.
Connect With Me
Email: Connect@Juje.boutique
Instagram: @juje.boutique
My Other Work
When I'm not formulating scalp care, I help tech and entertainment companies build world-class teams through The Kenni Kaufman Collective. I also continue advocacy work with organizations supporting young people, women in tech, and survivors of trafficking.