It's usually one of the first things people ask us. Sometimes it's the very first thing, before they even ask what's in the bottle. "What does My Hapii mean?" It's a good question, and it's one we love answering, because the answer is really the whole reason this brand exists.
Hapii Means Roots
"Hapii" means roots in Mende, a language spoken in Sierra Leone. It's not a made up word or a clever bit of branding. It's a real word, tied to a real place, and it carries a lot of meaning for us.
Roots hold everything up. They're the part you don't always see, but they're the reason a tree can grow tall, survive a storm, and keep coming back season after season. That felt like exactly the right word for what we wanted to build. Not a brand about quick fixes or surface level shine, but one about getting to the actual root of things, whether that's your hair, your skin, or your sense of where you come from.
Why Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is where our founder comes from, and it's also where a lot of our inspiration comes from. Long before "natural hair care" became a trend on social media, communities in West Africa were already using botanical oils, plant extracts, and simple, effective routines passed down through generations. Rosemary, baobab, and argan oil weren't new discoveries. They were everyday tools, used with intention and care.
We wanted My Hapii to honour that. Not to package it up and sell it back as something new, but to genuinely reconnect people, wherever they're from, with wellness practices that have always worked. That's why our signature product, Our Roots Hair, Beard and Body Oil, leans on ingredients like rosemary, lavender, and neroli. They're simple, they're proven, and they mean something.
Getting to the Root, Not Just the Surface
A lot of hair and skin products focus on how things look in the moment. A quick shine, a temporary fix, a nice smell that fades by lunchtime. My Hapii was built with a different question in mind. What actually helps, long term, from the root up?
That's why we make one multi-purpose oil rather than ten different products for ten different problems. Real wellness, the kind that lasts, usually comes from doing a few things well and consistently, not from adding more steps to your routine.
More Than a Name
When people ask us what My Hapii means, we could give a one line answer and leave it there. But the truth is, the name is the mission. It's a reminder to ourselves, every time we make a batch of oil by hand in the UK, that we're not just making a product. We're trying to help people feel grounded, connected to something real, and cared for from the roots up.
If you're new here, that's who we are. A small, UK handmade brand with roots in Sierra Leone, making one honest, plant powered oil for your hair, beard, and skin.
Curious to try it for yourself? Take a look at Our Roots Hair, Beard and Body Oil, or sign up to Join Di Fambul to stay close to the story as it grows.
