When Houston native Jasmine Nelson first started noticing thick hair growing along her jawline and neck in her early teens, she didnโt have a name for what was happening.
What she did have was confusion, sadness, and a relentless desire to fix what she didnโt understand. Years later, that private struggle would become the foundation for Umber by J. Lenay, a natural skincare brand thatโs now earning national attention and helping women around the world reclaim confidence from a condition most people still donโt talk about, hirsutism.
Hirsutism is a condition linked to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that causes irregular periods, excess androgen, and cysts on the ovaries, leading to issues like acne, infertility, and weight gain. For Black women, PCOS may involve a higher risk of serious health complications, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, and can also be underdiagnosed.
She was prescribed birth control and anti-androgen medication spironolactone, but her doctor suggested bloodwork for hormonal imbalances; but everything returned normal. Nelson continued to suffer well into her first pregnancy when she discovered many cysts in her ultrasound scam. Thatโs when she knew she had PCOS and connected it to abnormal hair growth.
โI tried everything, laser, electrolysis, razors, hair removal brands, plucking, even home remedies from YouTube,โ Nelson says. โNothing worked. Every failed treatment just made me feel more disappointed. But eventually, I got tired of waiting for someone else to create what I needed.โ
So she did it herself.
Nelson began researching tirelessly, drawing on studies, herbalism books, and natural skincare science, often between naps and while homeschooling her kids. What started as a kitchen experiment in her grandmotherโs home turned into a breakthrough formula that reduced unwanted hair growth while nurturing sensitive skin.
After months of trial and error, Nelson found a blend that produced visible results. She shared it with a small group of women who, like her, battled excessive facial hair due to hormonal imbalance. When their results matched hers, she knew it was bigger than she had thought.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, while home with her children, she officially began developing what would become her natural beauty brand focused on confidence and healing for women dealing with PCOS, menopause, or other hormone-related hair growth.
โUmberโ itself holds meaning. The word refers to a natural brown pigment, a symbol of earth, melanin, and authenticity. โItโs the color of us,โ Nelson says. โItโs warmth, depth, and realness. I wanted a name that felt grounded in who we are as Black women, not filtered, not hidden, just seen.โ
โItโs the color of us,โ Nelson says. โItโs warmth, depth and realness. I wanted a name that felt grounded in who we are as Black women, not filtered, not hidden, just seen.โ
Jasmine Nelson
That grassroots beginning has since evolved into a nationally recognized brand. Nelson secured $50,000 in funding, became a BET โBet on Blackโ finalist, and was featured by Essence and iHeart Media, achievements that, to her, are less about validation and more about visibility.
โI didnโt want other women to go through what I went through in silence,โ she says. โBlack women deserve honest solutions.โ
Her younger sister, Rashia Stewart, remembers watching the transformation unfold up close.
โAt home, Jasmine was always outspoken, but outside she became quieter, more observant,โ Stewart says. โOnce she started experimenting with ingredients, I realized she was trying to heal herself. And when she asked me to try her formula, I saw my own skin change. Thatโs when I knew she was onto something real.โ
Nelsonโs determination is sparking real conversations about womenโs health and creating a safe space for Black women to share their experiences in a topic that rarely centers them. Her journey taught her how often Black womenโs health concerns are dismissed or minimized, a truth echoed in both personal stories and national headlines.
โYou learn quickly that you canโt just rely on doctors to have all the answers,โ Stewart adds. โYou have to be your own advocate, because if we donโt speak up, we get overlooked.โ
Through Umber, Nelson has built a community that combines self-care with self-advocacy, where healing encompasses both physical and emotional aspects.
โUmber exists because no one was talking to us, the women who feel like they donโt fit the mold,โ she says. โI just want women to know that your story matters, your body matters, and youโre not alone.โFor more information, visit: umberjlenay.com
