Jamyla Bennu founded Oyin Handmade in 2001 after struggling to find natural and organic products for her highly textured, natural hair. A lifelong naturalista and ingredient-conscious maker, she created her own line of nourishing hair and skincare products. In 2003, her husband and business partner, Pierre, joined her, helping grow Oyin Handmade from an online-only brand to a nationally distributed company with independent retailers across the country.

The name "Oyin" comes from the Yoruba word for honey, a natural humectant and a key ingredient in the brand’s formulations. More than just an ingredient, "Oyin" represents sweetness, joy, and love—values that Oyin Handmade embodies in every product and encourages in its customers' self-care rituals.