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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Sunday Chat: Are Natural Hair Care Lines Ignoring Relaxed Heads?

Happy Sunday lovelies!

I hope you all have had a great weekend. Mine has been busy, busy, busy but I can't complain. Today's chat topic is something that has been on my mind for awhile. I have noticed that myself and other relaxed hair bloggers sing the praises of hair care lines such as Qhemet, Bee Mine, HairVeda, Kinky Curly, Shea Moisture, and others. However, I have noticed that those lines rarely ever acknowledge us.

Let me explain.

If you ever follow some of this hair care lines on Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media, you will notice that they always highlight the natural hairstyles. Oftentimes, those hair styles will be a gorgeous twist out or puff or whatever but I'm always left saying: Us relaxed heads use your products to style too. Our styles are never prominently featured (yes, we do more to our hair than just wear it straight) At most, all relaxed heads will get is 'oh y'all can use our products too.'


And this is a problem.

To me, hair product is just that...product. Some may serve to moisturize while others provide hold-whatever. I think for those cases it doesn't matter if you're natural or not. The problem comes in when I have folks approach me as though I'm natural because I use 'natural products' (whatever that means) and that lets me know that these lines are not targeted towards us (by us, I' mean relaxed heads) even thought lots of us use those lines with great results. It really makes me kind of sad


This is why I try out products of all sorts for my blog. You guys will notice that I never focus on 'relaxed hair only' lines because my hair simply doesn't work like that. I highlight what works and hopefully it will make others see that what was previously thought a 'natural' hair care line can work for them too.


Anyway, do you think relaxed heads are ignored by natural hair care lines? Do you think is right? Do you think they should make an effort to be more inclusive? I'd love to hear with you think!

7 comments:

  1. I think you are pretty much correct. I never really thought about it before, but it's true, we are ignored to a very great extent. I think that it's a marketing thing though, natural hair is "in" right now and they want to appeal to that group. After all relaxed hair lines do the same thing.

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    1. I can understand your point. I would just like to see something else beyond 'yall can use it too' because there are relaxed heads who use their products for styling and the like. However, how would other relaxed heads know? They are alienating potential customers and that doesn't sit well with me.

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  2. I TOTALLY agree. Natural hair is the in trend right now and that who they want to market to. However I'm offended because I don't want to follow the pack. I love having relaxed hair. I'm not trying to lord it over anybody like a lot of ladies with relaxed hair tend to do but I would just rather have relaxed hair. I use shea moisture and it would be great if they would acknowledge their relaxed hair customers. They would definitely get more business in my opinion.

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    1. Exactly!! They just completely narrowed down potential customers! These products can do tremendous things for natural hair in terms of moisture, health, styling, etc. but most relaxed heads wouldn't know it. Us relaxed heads use their products too and a little acknowledgment would be nice.

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  3. I really don't think it should matter. Relaxed hair has the same needs as natural hair, moisture,strengthening, detangling etc. Products for permed hair have been on the market for decades. The only thing I can think of different is the products that are meant to define curls. The market is going to follow the money, if more if us are going natural and buying products geared towards that, is what companies are going to make. So no, I don't think that relaxed hair customers are ignored, they are just no longer up front in center in advertising. And that is a good thing, IMO . It's about time that's we women of color are glorified as we are, in all our diversity,

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  4. Yes, they are ignoring us, there is a lot of relaxed ladies supporting these companies but they act like they don't notice!

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  5. Exactly! It would just be nice to see a pic of a relaxed head using these products for styling every now and again. Us relaxed heads do use these products too!

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