The Tikri Collection in Little Ethiopia

One morning in Los Angeles, I had a taste for injera, a spongy flatbread native to Ethiopian cuisine that tastes a little like sourdough.

I drove to Little Ethiopia, a street on Fairfax Avenue (at Olympic and San Vincente Blvd) that houses several African-owned restaurants and vintage clothing boutiques. I had breakfast at Buna Ethiopian Restaurant & Market, the only Ethiopian restaurant that was open in the morning. I ordered traditional eggs scrambled with tomato, onion and jalapeno, a side dish called miser wot which is lentils cooked with onion garlic and ginger, several pieces of injera, and coffee. The meal was delicious.

Before I left, I browsed the offerings in the restaurant’s little market. I found an Ethiopian-owned beauty brand called T’ik’uri Collection tucked among pomades and black soap. Meaning black in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, T’ik’uri Collection uses locally sourced ingredients and a proprietary blend of herbs that has been steeped for five days.

I purchased a bottle of Growth & Hydration Oil infused with chebe, a natural herb that T’ik’uri Collection claims to help prevent breakage and strengthen the hair. It can be used as a hot oil treatment or a daily oil for all hair types and styles. The other products in their collection included:

• Rosemary Oil – $25.00
• Beard & Wave Oil – $25.00
• Braid Loc & Twist Oil – $25.00
• Growth & Hydration Oil Regular price – $25.00
• Kibbeh Body Butter – $20.00
• Tikuri Clay Mask – $15.00