CURLS AREN'T AN AFTERTHOUGHT HERE

Finally. Haircare that understands curls.

Created in Aotearoa by a cosmetic formulator with curls of her own. Science-led formulation, not shortcuts or one-size-fits-all thinking.

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Where Cabela began

Hi, I'm Nicola.

In my house, curls aren't a trend. They're a constant, from loose waves to tighter curls. And for years, it felt like the products on the shelf weren't made for any of us.

So I set out to make something better. I worked alongside chemists, and while their formulas were technically sound, they kept missing what textured hair actually needs.

What works on paper doesn't always work on curls.

Rather than settle, I qualified as a cosmetic formulator so I could build the formulas myself. Every Cabela product is an original formula, developed through more research and trials than I care to count. I was never setting out to make a budget range or a luxury one, just curl care that genuinely performs.

Cabela started at home. Until now, I've formulated, made, filled, labelled, packed and dispatched every bottle myself. It has grown almost entirely by word of mouth: customers telling friends, and now curl specialists trying and testing the range and choosing to stand behind it.

Now we're taking our next big step, moving to larger-scale manufacturing with specialist partners so we can reach more curls. That doesn't mean stepping back. I'm still very much in the thick of it: developing new formulas, approving every product before it reaches you, and working hands-on with our partners, stockists and curl specialists. Scaling up simply frees me to do more of what I love, which is creating better curl care.

Nicola
Founder & Formulator

Read my Founder Diary

Why curls deserve better

Curls are a texture to celebrate, not a problem to manage.

Most products are designed for straight hair first, or smother curls in heavy butters and oils, leaving them weighed down, dry or undefined. We pair modern cosmetic science with high-performance botanicals to create curl care that works with your texture, not against it.

Formulated by a curly
Every product is developed by a qualified cosmetic formulator who lives with curls every day.
Powered by native botanicals
Native red seaweed from Aotearoa for gloss and moisture, and Mamaku black fern for deep hydration, alongside New Zealand-grown green tea and blackcurrant for antioxidant protection. 100% vegan.
Tested on real curls
Formulas are refined until they perform on real heads of curls, not just on paper.

Rooted in Aotearoa

Native botanicals, sourced with respect.

Our native botanicals, New Zealand red seaweed and Mamaku black fern, come from Organic Bioactives, a Māori-owned Kiwi company. They're harvested by hand by local iwi in line with tikanga Māori, alongside regenerative replanting, through a model that champions wāhine Māori enterprise.

It matters to us that native ingredients give back to the first peoples of Aotearoa.

Trusted by the pros

Backed by curl specialists.

Cabela is used and stocked by curl specialists across New Zealand and Australia — people who work with every curl type, every day.

Their honest feedback on my formulas has been invaluable — it pushes me to keep making every Cabela product better.

Pictured: Donna of The Curl Next Door (Taranaki), Nicola, and Tahni Daniels (Wellington) at a Tahni Daniels Curly Academy course, which we were proud to sponsor.

Find a curl specialist near you

Real Curls. Real Results.