A rapidly expanding hair care startup is using a traditional Filipino botanical remedy to create a national e-commerce platform centered on empowering women.
TAMEINGA combines a clean hair care line built around a proprietary moringa formula with a multi-step confidence ritual designed to foster female resilience. Co-founders Mei-Lin Reisin, a Tampa-based former medical spa owner, and Miami-based business partner Tasha Rojas launched the startup in April.
The company was born after a series of devastating events. Rojas was overcoming the unexpected death of her husband, and Reisin was confronting the collapse of her business.
“We both had crumbling moments, and we both had to figure out a way to self-motivate ourselves every day,” Reisin said. “You can teach a girl to be confident and love herself – you can bark that at someone – but how do you actually do it?”
The two found that answer in TAMEINGA, a name Rojas coined by weaving together their names and key ingredients: “TA” for Tasha, “MEI” for Mei-Lin and “NGA” for the final three letters in “moringa.”
Moringa, an herb native to Asia and Africa, is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids and moisturizing fatty acids. Reisin’s grandmother, who migrated from the Philippines to Hawaii, grew it in her backyard and touted its universal benefits.
“Fast forward 35 years later, and I realized my grandma was right,” she said.
The cofounders partnered with a cosmetic chemist and spent two years developing their formula. After testing several iterations, they successfully synthesized an extract with hyaluronic acid to create a hydrating “Moringa Moisture Matrix.”
To avoid an herbal odor or synthetic perfumes found in mass-market brands, the cofounders collaborated with another cosmetic chemist to engineer a subtle, non-irritating scent. “I have a degree in everything glam, so I have high expectations,” Reisin said.
“I know my ingredient list,” she added. “We weren’t just going to make some cheap product.”
TAMEINGA centers its messaging around a three-part physical and emotional ritual. The first involves putting on a branded exercise hat and going on a “hot girl walk,” Reisin said.
She noted that Rojas would “get up with her girls and make them exercise every morning” after her husband died. “So, that’s why we have our hat,” Reisin explained.
The co-founders have also curated several mood-specific Spotify playlists and created folding hand fans that double as a vision board. Customers write down their goals and affirmations on the fan to “remind yourself that your day doesn’t suck,” Reisin said.
The ritual concludes in the shower with TAMEINGA’s shampoo, conditioner and company mantra: “Tame it… Till You Claim It.”
“Life is going to try you,” Reisin elaborated. “How are you going to get up? How are you going to change your mindset when your boyfriend breaks up with you, or your career of 15 years is done? We decided to make a confidence ritual. Move your body, write down your goals, then step into the shower, wash your hair and wash away the day. It’s about resetting your mindset, reclaiming your confidence and stepping out ready to claim your day.”
Reisin drives brand identity, creative direction and regional marketing for TAMEINGA from Tampa. Rojas manages manufacturing, logistics and drop-shipping operations from South Florida.
“Our lights, camera, and action are here in Tampa,” Reisin said, noting that Rojas frequently visits the area for content production and community outreach.
After initially bootstrapping the business, the founders secured strategic backing from an experienced e-commerce investor who now oversees digital advertising infrastructure, landing page optimization and backend operations. The operational expansion hit a major milestone as TAMEINGA recently completed a rigorous vetting process to list its products on Amazon Prime.
“It was a three-to-four-week process, but getting fully listed and into the fulfillment network is a massive step for us,” Reisin said.
The two entrepreneurs are now preparing to expand their product lineup. Reisin said they are currently developing an “all-over” body spray with the same moringa moisturizing matrix.
While that “particular formulation is taking us a long time because we wanted to go all natural,” Reisin expects the spray to launch by the summer of 2027.
However, her ambitions for TAMEINGA extend far beyond moringa-infused beauty products. Reisin envisions building an expansive media platform and hosting live gatherings focused on female achievement, mentorship and personal growth.
“My ultimate goal is to host a platform where I can interview awesome, resilient women every single day – female surgeons, attorneys, and mothers who built businesses after major life changes,” Reisin said. “It’s not just shampoo and conditioner. It’s showing women that they already have the tools within themselves to succeed.”
