While Queer Eye's culture expert Karamo Brown was trying to help others feel more confident about themselves, he had been hiding a personal secret that was weighing on his own mind: he was losing his hair. Now he says his new personal care line is meant to support and empower men who are balding..
During the first two seasons of Queer Eye, unbeknownst to fans, Karamo used makeup to fake his hairline, but ultimately he took a leap of faith and embraced his insecurity.
"I put on the boldest red jacket and shaved my head and said, 'I want to not be insecure about this anymore,'" Brown told Cheddar.
This inspired him to launch MANTL. The line includes four face and scalp grooming products including a cleanser, moisturizer, a gel sunscreen, and No-Shine Sheets.
In a market where many products are created to fight hair loss, Brown says the brand is about embracing it. "Instead of telling them the opposite, here at MANTL, let's embrace what's happening, this is natural," he said.
Brown first rose to fame as a cast member on MTV's The Real World where he got the nickname 'crazy Karamo' because he never "checked" his insecurities, but he says he spent time changing that. "I checked my insecurities, I checked my trauma, I went to a therapist, I did the work, and one of the only insecurities I had left was that I was thinning and balding."
As the culture expert on Queer Eye, Brown's role is to help people find their inner confidence. He says being an empathetic listener and sharing his own stories helped him connect with the people on the show and develop his product line.
"You have to be able to share your insecurities and what you went through so people know they're not alone," Brown said.
Thanksgiving travel is set to smash records as millions fly, drive, and ride despite FAA disruptions and economic uncertainty. Here’s what you need to know.
AI, BNPL and new digital tools are reshaping holiday shopping. PayPal’s Michelle Gill shares survey insights, tech trends, and tips for smarter spending in 2025
'The Chair Company' blends sharp satire with workplace conspiracy. Lake Bell joins us to talk its corporate themes, quirky characters, and why viewers love it!
It's a tough time for the job market. Amid wider economic uncertainty, some analysts have said that businesses are at a “no-hire, no fire” standstill. At the same time, some sizeable layoffs have continued to pile up — raising worker anxieties across sectors. Some companies have pointed to rising operational costs due to U.S.'s new tariffs, while others have redirected money to artificial intelligence investments. Workers in the public sector have also been hit hard. Federal jobs were cut by the thousands earlier this year. And many workers are now going without pay as the U.S. government shutdown has now dragged on for more than a month.
Nvidia smashes earnings with record-breaking revenue and soaring Blackwell demand as shares slip this morning, Barron’s senior writer Adam Levine unpacks it all
Jeff Wagoner, CEO of Outrigger Hospitality Group, discusses the company’s coral preservation initiatives and sustainable practices at their hotels and resorts.
