Exploring Life & Business with Quiana Curry of Butter By Q

Quiana Curry

As a concerned parent who wanted the best for their baby, I dove head first into the complex and complicated world of eczema. Even so, we never second-guessed the pediatric dermatologist when he prescribed topical corticosteroids. While I couldn’t understand or pronounce any ingredients, I trusted the dermatologist’s approach and expertise.

Then, I started noticing the adverse effects of these steroids in the form of hypopigmentation. Noticeable white spots began to appear in the areas where we applied the medicine. It was unacceptable. As a mother, my primary purpose is to protect my child. When I saw those white spots, I knew there had to be a better alternative! Because I couldn’t find something safe and effective, I embarked on a journey to create an all-natural eczema balm. I researched and tested various ingredients, ensuring each one was safe and effective for my infant’s eczema-prone skin. The result was a balm that helped prevent and alleviate her eczema breakouts without side effects. Without knowing it, Butter By Q was born.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Everyone has the next big idea. My husband and I have learned that a big idea is nothing but…an idea that is big. Turning that potential big idea into reality takes time, financial resources, patience, resilience, and more. We’ve learned that the journey can be many things—”relatively smooth” doesn’t make the list.

Advertising, posting daily on social media, writing blogs, and keeping the website fresh costs time and money. It costs time and money to manage different sets of inventory. It costs more time and money to participate in vending opportunities.

As we approach the second birthday of Butter by Q, we can reflect and appreciate the connections, on-the-job learnings, and hurdles we have overcome. In a short time, we have managed to be in a storefront in McDonough, GA. We have a store on Amazon and are part of the Buy with Prime program with Amazon.

Butter By Q’s mission is to give natural hair and skin care options to the world, especially the Black and African American community. We believe in empowering our customers with knowledge. We encourage you to read the labels on products you use. Anything you put on your scalp or skin—your body’s largest organ—will seep into your bloodstream. Most importantly, everything that smells good is not suitable for you. We advocate for natural skincare, where every ingredient is carefully chosen for its benefits and safety.

At Butter by Q, we are extremely mindful of every ingredient we use. We originally began to find a safe, side-effect-free solution for our infant daughter, so we only used the best ingredients. Our ingredient list is short. You can not only pronounce every word, but you will know what each ingredient is.

Currently, we offer body butter, body oil, hair oil, beard balm, beard oil lip balm, and eczema balm. Our products are not only for those with eczema and sensitive skin but for everyone with skin.

When I was 10, I decided to sell cupsicles during the summer. I made the cupsicles one day, placed them in the freezer, and waited for the kids to show up and buy my product. I was so excited.

Then, the next day came, and no one showed up, not one person. My parent asked me, “Well, who told you you were selling cupsicles?” I looked shocked, “I didn’t tell anyone,” I replied.

At that moment, I learned a precious lesson in business. How will consumers know you exist if you do not market your product? How will consumers know you have a solution to their problem? This was an important lesson to learn. It was not my favorite memory, but it was impactful.