How It All Started

Born in Liberia, Sundial Brands CEO Richelieu Dennis came to the United States to attend renowned business school Babson College. When he graduated in 1991, he was unable to return to Liberia because of civil war. Driven by his passion for entrepreneurship and sustained by a vision to fill unmet consumer needs, Richelieu partnered with his best friend and college roommate, Nyema Tubman, to pursue a bold concept: address skin and hair care issues traditionally ignored by mass market companies. Drawing from deep traditions born out of his family’s roots in Africa and passed down to him from his grandmother, Richelieu incorporated four generations of recipes, wisdom and cultural experiences into natural bath and body care products, co-founding Sundial with his mother – Mary Dennis – and Nyema.

Sundial remains true to the deep family legacy and inspiration of Richelieu’s grandmother, Sofi Tucker. Widowed at 19, our indomitable and enterprising Grandma Sofi began making handmade shea butter soaps, salves and other products and selling them to missionaries and villagers as a way to support her family in her native Sierra Leone, eventually becoming known as a village healer. Building upon her foundation, Sundial’s products are inclusive, serving all people to address underserved issues such as hyperpigmentation, dark spots and the special needs of textured hair, as well as consumer demands for efficacious natural products.

Today, our uncompromising focus on research and innovation enables us to continuously explore holistic and culturally authentic practices and ingredients from around the globe and incorporate them into the unique skin and hair care formulations of our brands. Sundial – a certified B Corp company with a Fair for Life social and fair trade certification – proudly self-manufactures our natural and certified organic ingredient products at our state-of-the-art facilities in Long Island, NY. https://www.sundialbrands.com/our-story/