Grillz have been a staple in Black American communities for years. Popularized in hip-hop culture by entrepreneur Eddie Plein, they have become an integral part of wardrobes everywhere and can serve as a point of connection for fashion and beauty lovers alike. For years, the grillz space has remained relatively untouched, mostly allowing for customizations in the types of metals and designs that you can use to create your dream piece — until Christina Rogers entered the scene.
As the founder of Ease, which launched five months ago, Rogers has set out to revolutionize oral jewelry by making it more protective and safe. “Beauty for me has always been linked to self-care,” Rogers tells POPSUGAR. “I’ve always been surrounded by people who really take the time to take care of their appearances, and it’s definitely a practice that stuck with me.” Rogers grew up in Houston and was entrenched in grillz culture. “They were a normal, everyday thing, and being around it so much also made me want them.”
There was just one catch: she didn’t want to mess up her teeth. “I’ve seen so many people wear them and their teeth health just decline,” she says. “So I’d always wondered if there was a better way to go about it.” Hence the idea to start a protective grillz brand was formed.
The genius of Ease lies in the fact that its grillz are stylish and functional, a balance that can be very hard to strike in the beauty space. “When I initially started seriously thinking about the brand, I was also going through a round of aligner treatment to straighten my teeth,” she says. “This ended up being a key component for the company because I and so many other people wear retainers, so why not be able to get those decked out to make you actually want to keep them in?”
The actual process for Rogers’s grillz is patent pending, so while she can’t go into exact detail about how hers are made, it’s not too far off that of the regular jewelry. “Essentially, the protective method is bonded to the inside of the grill,” she says. “It doesn’t hinder the aesthetic of the piece, so you can get any type of design, metal, or even stones like diamonds added to your grill — it’s all up to you and your personal preference.” Depending on everything you choose to customize the piece, the cost can range anywhere from $130 to the thousands, and just like your regular fine jewelry, it lasts forever.
As of right now, the accessories are only available to shop via the company’s website, but that’s something Rogers hopes will eventually change. “The goal is to be inside dental offices,” she says. “We want people to have the option to go to their doctors’ physical offices, get an impression, and get a normal grill, or after completing their braces or aligners treatment, ask for their final retainers to be a grill.”
With this strategy, Rogers hopes customers feel even more integrated into the process of getting their grillz. It also provides an on-the-ground point of contact should customers have any questions or concerns about the process.
It’s safe to say that a future with more readily accessible protective grillz doesn’t feel too far off, because for a brand that is less than six months old, Rogers has seen an impressive response. “We’ve gotten over 240,000 people to access the site and over 8.3 million [dollars] in abandoned carts,” Rogers says. “The interest has truly been astounding.”
The beauty industry is constantly evolving, whether it be with makeup, hair, or nail trends. Too often, true innovation is rare. Still, when you talk about ingenuity, make sure to keep Christina Rogers, Ease, and these incredible grillz top of mind.