'Luke Cage' Actor Mike Colter and Wife Create Hair Care Line for Mixed-Race Kids

Actor Mike Colter, who portrayed Luke Cage—the first Black American superhero to lead his own comic book series—won over audiences with his powerful, gritty take on Marvel's bulletproof hero, quickly becoming a fan favorite.

Luke Cage ran for just two seasons, yet it captivated audiences, and fans are still hoping to see him return to the MCU. Colter said fans need to ask Feige if the Luke Cage character will be returning to the MCU. "If I had a dollar for every time," Colter said in our interview.

While Colter is known for playing one of the few Black superheroes, he also took on the role of a villain in Girls Trip—or as he likes to say, he was "misunderstood and double-crossed."

While he continues to come across our screens in series like Evil and films like Plane, Colter’s focus is shifting to something personal and impactful. Alongside his wife, Iva Colter, the actor recently launched a new hair care line, inspired by their daughters Niles and Chaz, and designed specifically for mixed-race children.

Niles & Chaz, named after his daughters, was born from a familiar parental challenge – finding the right hair care products for children with diverse hair textures.

"It was born out of a need, a necessity, to find products that were specifically for children with the multicultural, multi-ethnic, biracial texture of hair that isn't just one thing," Colter shared. The journey began when his daughter made a simple suggestion during a moment of frustration: "Why don't we just make our own?" That childhood wisdom, combined with his wife's research prowess (she holds a doctorate in comparative literature), set the wheels in motion for what would become a new hair care collection in the market.

The line includes an innovative haircare collection consisting of four hero products: Tangles Shmangles, a detangler and curl enhancer; Curl Raiser, a revival spray; What The Frizz!, a styling gel cream; and Scalp Enchanter, a pre-shampoo scalp treatment.

When trying to identify what type of products they wanted to create, Colter said, "We wanted something that was clean for kids. The world is changing now so we got to find things that are sustainable, that are good for children to put on their skin and hair, smell good. Also fun because it's a kid's brand."

Each product was developed with sustainability in mind, featuring aluminum packaging and plant-based ingredients. The brand's colorful, eye-catching packaging was a collaborative process that included input from Colter's artistic daughters, who are in art class and love to draw and paint.

Despite being bald himself, Colter is passionate about this hair care venture. "I'm fascinated with hair; I live vicariously through other people and their hair," he admits with a laugh. But past the humor, he is seriously committed to filling a gap in the market. "Kids of their demographic are often overlooked," he shares, referring to the growing multiethnic population that often struggles to find suitable hair care products.

As a "girl dad," Colter sees the brand as more than just a business venture – it's an extension of the father-daughter relationship and a platform for building confidence in young people. "Hair is confidence," he reflects. "People overlook how much more confidence people have when they have their hair in the right place. It's like when a guy goes to get a haircut. You walk out of the barbershop a different dude."

The brand's approach is deliberately measured and community-focused. Instead of rushing to mass market, Colter and his team are focused on building a grassroots following through direct-to-consumer sales and Amazon. Their vision includes creating a user-generated content platform where children can celebrate their curls and unique identities.

For Colter, this venture represents a natural evolution in his career, even if it might seem unexpected for an actor known for his action-packed roles. "It's a children's brand that is predicated on the father-daughter relationship and children's identity and confidence," he explains. In an industry dominated by major corporations, Niles & Chaz offers something different: a personal touch from a father who understands the importance of helping children embrace their natural beauty.

The brand aims to expand to retail shelves within the next year, but for now, Colter is focused on organic growth and building genuine connections with their customer base. Through Niles & Chaz, he's not just selling hair care products – he's creating a platform for celebrating diversity and empowering the next generation to embrace their unique identities, one curl at a time.

Check out the full interview.