OKAY….this is in no way intended to be a rant. Howeverrrrr….in recent weeks I have been bombarded as I surf the blogs with these ‘new’ formulas, products, and lines geared towards natural hair. To be more specific, an onslaught of hair products marketed toward “US”; ladies who have chosen to wear our hair in its natural state. Some of the product ads are from new start up companies touting natural ingredients blah, blah, or existing companies with new “lines” with buzz words such as “coily”, “textured” (insert marketing target term here) etc. Am I wrong to feel a little offended that certain industry giants are pushing a “new” product line toward us natural revolutionaries because a new consumer base has been honed in on? Or should I be flattered that they are even paying attention to our haircare needs? And as far as the new upstart companies; do we really need ANOTHER natural hair care product? Or is there room in the market for everyone? I for one have been natural for 2 years and the amount of products and information gave me a blazing headache! It can be very overwhelming for those newly going natural. So ladies what do you think?
LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS O H M Y !!!! I was thinking the same exact thing looking at curlmart a few days ago . I'm like really …would this have been created if women were still in the same state of conciousness about hair 10 years ago ? ? ? I don't think soo …
All the new oils that they are pushing and opening up industry for. They claim to have sooo many benefits even soley for the hair.
I am not flattered naither disguisted at the end of the day . It is what it is. These are corporations trying to make a profit. It wouldn't be a corporation if they weren't making profit. They see so they get. If you were in their place , and you were business savvy too, you would surely do the same.
The debate on whether these products or new findings actually even deliver what they claim is a whole different debate and that is what you should pit your judgement on. For all you know that new company or oil or clay may be the holy grail you needed.
And if you have such deep opinions about it, like curlynikki has said, if what your doing and using isn't broken, then don't fix it.
This is my thought. Some mainstream companies will address the natural world with their "new line" targeted towards naturals. What I dont like is some of these products will still contain the 'bad' ingredients that are not good for natural hair. Since a major company has taken the time to make a product, why not make sure that the product is what a natural desires and not something to make a quick buck. Yes, I will support an up and coming company, but I will draw the line when it comes to an outrageous price for a small amount of product. Research is really key. Once you know what works for you and you find your regimen, you cant go wrong after that.
Just like putting cream and potions on bad skin will not make it better, nor will packing our natural hair with products make our hair better. We underestimate the two most vaulable components of strong health hair: diet and water. I remember as a little girl having hair down my back. Natural hair that a relative kept braided, oiled, and watered. This year, I returned to that same simple routine. As a result, my hair is turning into a beautiful halo that is so easy to manage that no one believes me when I tell them what I do to keep it this way.
I was in Target last weekend and I saw this giant display of a chocolate sister. Beneath it was all sorts of kinky this and curly that. I was a bit put off by it all. Welcome to capitalist America. On the other hand, shame on us if we think commercial made hair products are our main or only source to beautiful natural hair. In my case, I use only water and raw cold pressed coconut oil on my natural hair. This may be easier for me to do since my hair is kinky, but very soft and I wear a giant afro with only a rare bun. Because I do not do curls, etc, I have no need for products to manipulate my hair. Not judging, BUT ladies, read the ingredients on most of these new products. Scary. NOTHING replaces a good primarily raw diet, water, AND exercise in terms of beautiful natural hair. I avoid putting things on my hair that are not edible and living. Just sayin'
I kind of see where the author is coming from here though. No one is boo-hooing the fact that we can now shop in normal stores like everyone else to get hair care products. The issue is that these companies were busy pushing products on us to force us to conform. Now, we've had to pick ourselves up and say, no, we are happy how we were created to look and here they are with the nerve to have their hands out to profit off us yet again. They are not helping hands! They're the same grimy hands that didn't care a thing about us to offer anything sooner. These companies have had centuries upon centuries to revolutionize their approach to black hair care. We've been nappy since the beginning of time. It's relateable to the story of "The Little Red Hen". We asked for help. Nobody wanted to help with the long, hard process to bake the bread, but as soon as it is ready, everyone wants a piece and we shouldn't share since they didn't care!
Its no surprise there that everyone is jumping on the band wagon. Like everything else, we need to educate ourselves and not fall for their adverts. It all comes down to reading the labels and ingredients and recognizing its not about brands but what is in the bottle. In a way its a good thing that they are jumping on the band wagon to make products for curly/kinky hair, with the competition, they would develop more better products and the monopoly that a few companies had in first place would be broken and more affordable products would be out there.
More players in the hair product market..means more competition….whichs can lead to better and more affordable products. It may be annoying to have so many to choose from, but I don't mind..I think its great!
I will not be buying from those companies that are jumping on the bandwagon.Will stick to what i know and might try a few natural lines(small companies). I agree with kimmie0810 @ 1:12pm.
we should not be suspicious of everything.
This has been happening for some time now, and with it I have seen more and more inferior products introduced or products that already existed just remarketed. (Add a drop of shea butter, change the packaging and introduced language about highly textured/curls). As with all things, read ingredients, decide what you really want and need, know and respect your budget, and one shouldn't fall into product traps.
this post is ridiculous. you sound really self-centered and paranoid indeed. The fact that there are a wider range of products for natural ladies is a good thing. I can't believe you actually typed this and sent this in. Just SMH @ the pettiness of this post. Get a life!
I don't think it's accurate to say that companies have ignored natural hair. Companies market to what they see the majority of people wearing. Now that more people are being vocal about wearing natural hair, some people are changing their labels. So what.
I mean, no one is born with a relaxer(I was a young adult before I got one) and my mom never had a problem using what was available on our hair or her own, and honestly, despite trying out a lot of the trendy natural lines, the things that work the best for me are all things that I used when I still had a relaxer. And my favorite shea butter mixes come from non-black women who sell it as "body butter." A lot of this is about marketing. A lot of the things you use, and their ingredients, are in other things that you used before. Change the label, change the target market, and voila, you have a "natural" hair care line. It only works so well b/c so many people have convinced themselves that there is something so special about these new "focused" brands, as if relaxed hair will fall out if you use shea butter or coconut oil on it, or as if your special mix will let you grow hair to your ankles. Lots of people had nice natural hair when they bothered to wear their natural hair, and they did it with regular hair grease and in some cases soap instead of shampoo(that's all my mom had growing up and her hair is spectacular). It's not like everyone was bald or relaxed until Carol's Daughter came along.
Do I really care if you put a picture of someone with an afro on the bottle? Do I need to see that to feel better about buying it? Actually no, b/c as we've seen recently, it makes some people want to charge $50 for something that I can buy from someone else who knows nothing about black hair for $8.
I know what is in my products, and like I said, a lot of those "special" products don't work as well for me as things that I've used for over half of my life and that weren't specifically designed for black hair. Beware of paying a premium for something (whether it is from a big manufacturing or someone mixing it up in the basement) just b/c they've realized that you are desperate for it (esp. if it's not something really complicated).
Just because you are paranoid, does not mean they are not out to get you!
I don't want my emotions to get involved, I just want products that are effective in home healthy hair care. I say, "Bring it on" to the hair care companies, but with stipulations. Companies have ignored our natural tresses for far-too-long, but they need to use the right ingredients when they formulate these "new" and (unfortunately, not so) "improved" hair care lines. I don't want "crappy" oils, I don't want mostly watered-down products because I have that "ingredient" already at home, I want top of the line ingredients and science to back up the formulations. I want them to be tested on "real" everyday heads like mine and for them to take note of these findings with their products. If they can't get it right, don't put it out on the market until they do. Women spend a lot on their hair and the women-of-color "hair care" (seems to be not so caring) section is a billion-dollar industry. I know some companies want to make a quick buck and sell us mediocre and knowingly "bad" products, but I'm just hoping some mainstream companies will catch on through all of the new hair care lines for natural hair and see that they can make money, if they provide us with what our various hair types, textures, curl-patterns or lack there of, scalp issues and concerns; they will make money and make even more money, if it is effective. I say, "BRING IT ON and IT IS ABOUT TIME"! I don't want my hair to be ignored by the hair care companies, I want them to assist me in helping and keeping my hair healthy.
You should feel neither flattered nor offended. You should feel relieved that the cosmetics industry is not geared solely toward chemical straighteners but also toward products for black women that compliment our naturL hair. It really kills two birds with one stone: facilitating the means of which black women will preserve their hair and raising awareness and self esteem in the black female community. Also companies being aware of the natural alternatives they can use in their products helps everyone–not just black women. If more companies go down the natural road and become more mainstream we'll even see lower prices on our favorite products!!
Having BCed in 08, I do realize there's a huge influx of products now compared to before. In a way, it feels good to be recognized as a consumer and its great that companies are trying to appeal to us. What hurts me about all of this is the fact that big companies are the one's trying to jerk us, advertising shea butter when there's less then %1 of it in the actual product. I'd much rather stick to the small scale, African American, startups, even if it might cost me an extra $5. Who are the other guys to tell us what we need for our hair! Since hair is a huge industry, we need to be more proactive in helping our community make the profit. It's a few extra bucks here and there, but the effects will be lasting. Letting the others know that we support our people and we know how to take care of our own hair.
And the fact that these start-ups are charging $60, $70 dollars for certain products means that they have the clientele for it. Some people go to Wal-mart, others go to Bloomingdale's. That's business, and it shouldn't make you mad if you can't or don't want to pay for it, someone else will. There are great products that won't kill your wallet, for the past two years, I've been hooked on Jane Carter Solution and its great for my hair as well as my wallet. And just because there are a million products out there does not mean you have to go and buy them all. Be more conscious of your decision to buy something, and if you've tried something and it works, what's wrong with sticking to it? …I'm just sayin.
It's a business decision – you see a trend, and you jump on it. The upside with more companies getting into the natural hair game is that one can quickly eliminate the crap from the cream out of all the available options, and the successful product lines will realize that they better keep their standards high or else. I'm no product junkie as I've found shampoos and conditioners that work well with my hair (although I will be changing my leave-in once the bottle's empty), but having more products eliminates the existence of a monopoly – where the few natural products holding the swing could have sold us all kinds of crud and they knew we had no where else to go.
I say bring it on! If their products are up to snuff, their reputation will grow along with their customers. If not, the customers can and will kill it.
Bottom line it's up to you to be an educated consumer. These companies are out to make a profit, that's just business. We want to be buying from companies who are putting out good products and are excercising good business practices…as should be with anything else. Having a natural hair care line is a trend, just as the trend in the food industry is to have trans fat free, gluten free, lo cal/no cal. Do your research, and this website is a great place to start with.
I forgot to mention – I'm the BIGGEST PJ! That's how I know I saved money!
It's a win-win for naturals, for there's so much stuff out there that we can choose to buy/not to buy whatever product(s) from whichever line for whatever reason. I stick to what I know helps my hair stay healthy, natural products made from natural ingredients. Or just natural ingredients purchased in bulk. Saved plenty of money that way. :o)
When there weren't enough products aimed toward our natural hair textures, we complained. Now that more women are going natural and hair companies (big, small and independent) are paying attention to the market needs, we complain. Some people will never be happy. How about enjoying the fact that our options are growing daily. If you don't want to buy something, then don't. ALL marketers care about profit! Some of them listen more carefully to their consumer base than others but at the end of the day ALL of them want and need to make a profit. To think otherwise is just silly.
What we're doing (women of color abandoning the perm and going natural) is a revolution, not a fad. More and more women are going to do it. So I think it's inevitable that more and more established hair product manufacturers will see the opportunity to get into it & make some more bucks. Yes, it's about the money, but it's about the money for the small online manufacturers as well. They're not pricing products at $30 per 8 oz. jar for nothing. And, as Anonymous @ 4:57am said, the large manufacturers will be able to offer quality products to us for much less. Heck yeah, I'm happy about that. It won't be such good news for smaller manufacturers. They'll have to rethink their pricing strategy, go out of business, or maybe even make a profit by being bought out by one of the giants. That's just the way it goes. But, ultimately, I think we naturals will benefit from it in the way of more affordable good hair care products.
Actually, the advantage to you as the consumer is that because of economies of scale, the products made by the large corporations can be much cheaper than what someone is mixing in their kitchen, will be consistently made, and will be immediately available at your local stores. And you'll be better off having options at the low, mid, and high price range, so if you are really fixated on using all natural products, large companies can more easily formulate those things, produce them, and still provide them at a lower price point than people mixing stuff at home.
I don't like the supply chain and manufacturing practices of these small internet sellers, and would much rather be able to head to the local store to get something that I want on the same day than wait 14 days for something.
Like many posters have said, you complain that you can't find anything, then want to turn it into some big conspiracy when they decide to sell it.
Any company, whether marketing to blacks, whites, Asians, whatever, is paying attention to what is popular, and they'll develop products as interest is there and eliminate products as interest wanes.
would you rather have mineral oil based products and other crappy ingredients in your hair products?
as long as companies arent ripping off consumers with high priced merchandise and have superior ingredients then i dont have a problem with it
I agree with the "damned if you, damned if you don't" comment. Not too long ago these "natural" hair products didn't exist, short of Stay Soft Fro and Afro Sheen. African Americans have such varied hair textures, along with styling needs and wants, that it is beneficial to the purchasing public that companies have decided to respond to the blogs and comments that people make on them when complaining or praising the type of hair products available, that now they have made a business decision to throw their hat into the ring. These larger companies have the money and the educated staff to do the necessary research and can afford the investment in the raw materials that would be too costly for a start up to use and therefore they to have to use substandard materials and create below par products. Do we have to purchase from every company and/or everything they make? No! Do your research and make an educated decision. PJism is a choice you know!
I will support any All Natural product line (Aubrey Organics, Shea Moisture, Darcy's Botanicals), and I will support them for offering that option of not only good products, but HEALTHY products for natural women. I think it is great, but I won't spend more than $13 or $14 on a single products. Which is why I love Aubrey Organics and Shea Moisture. They target women with natural hair but they don't exploit us by overcharging or "ripping us off" with their natural products.
I would not go as far as say I am offended by these companies, but as many have said it is all about a profit. They are not doing it because they recognize natural hair is the way to go but because it will help them buy a new house. I am also a recovering product junkie and I say stick to what you know. Just like any change you need to make sure it is informed and what is best for your hair. One thing I have learned throughout my transition is do not fall for the gimmicks.
Never forget the old adage, Buyer Beware. If your only motive is the bottom dollar there is very little reason for you to have integrity. Besides that the little man will lose out because he or she will be priced out. We just need to make sure we make choices so the AA entrepreneur will not lose out.
I agree with Anony @ 8:41
i dont think its that deep and kimmie0810 @ 1:12pm said its best.
i really dont think its that deep.
AMEN to kimmie0810 @ 1:12pm.
Personally, I am wary and flattered. Never thought I would see the day when hair care products, tools, and accessories would be geared toward wearing afro textured hair. On the other hand, I am very wary for I am not impressed by the ingredients in some of the products and / or prices. Words cannot express how thankful I am to know how to make a majority of the products that I use on my hair and I remember feeling at the mercy of the companies to figure out what would work for my hair. I almost broke my wallet and I expected more out of the products. Not long after, I was ready to return to staple my protective styles (braids and head-wrap) in order to protect the 10 years of growth on my head. I am thankful to all the people that helped me keep the faith and it truly paid off. In time, I hope the products on the market will improve and I will feel more flattered than wary.
Live, Love, Peace. ~OrganicallyGrownCurls
Am I wrong to feel a little offended that certain industry giants are pushing a "new" product line toward us natural revolutionaries because a new consumer base has been honed in on?
*No, you’re not wrong to feel the way you feel. I agree that all of the attention big companies are now giving to natural hair is a little suspect. Their marketing must have shown that a percentage of black women have been using their products all along regardless of their hair styles and said companies never made an effort to direct their product lines towards natural hair/kinky hair, specifically until now. The reason they’re doing it now is to make money. Period. That’s what companies do, so I’m not mad at them, but I’m not going to jump up and down in the streets that they’ve produced something which may or may not work on my curls.
Or should I be flattered that they are even paying attention to our hair care needs?
*I’m not flattered by any new natural hair products made by big companies, i.e. Revlon, Pantene, and even black hair care companies (SoftSheen/Carson), etc. I don’t see any large company as actually caring about my hair…they are businesses and their goal is to make money. That’s life. When more small companies develop and offer natural hair care products that truly have healthy, natural ingredients, they will get my business.
And as far as the new upstart companies; do we really need ANOTHER natural hair care product? Or is there room in the market for everyone?
*I believe there’s room for everyone. If the products don’t sell, they won’t be offered for long. As long as women (and men) do their homework (if they even care about the product ingredients) no one should feel bombarded by new products. Either it’s something that will work for you or not. We don’t have to buy anything we don’t wish to buy. There will be enough PJs purchasing because they can’t help it and thankfully most are more than willing to share their reviews on sites such as this one or YouTube so we can make an educated purchase or not.
Overall, I feel it’s a good thing because I hope natural/curly/kinky hair will be viewed as mainstream and not some aberration.
I think ultimately it's a good thing.. the natural hair movement is being noticed, and now that products are being targetted toward us, it should follow that we will start seeing more and more naturals in our faces via advertising. More visibility = a move toward more acceptance inside and outside of our community.
I'm glad there are more options for my hair now compared to when I bc'd twelve years ago. I am skeptical about the bigger companies trying to market products towards us now and taking away the market share of smaller companies who only focus on natural haircare. At this point, I want to continue supporting the smaller companies who make quality products at reasonable prices and work for my hair.
I am not offended because as a business I know it is in their best interest to find and capitalize on the newest "trends" to stay relevant, [and they pay big bucks to do it] so I figured it was coming and it doesn't cry foul to me.
But I do think enough is enough with all the products, there is WAY too much selection and price points for essentially the same ingredients w/different labeling. Honestly it's not inthe best interest of your hair or your wallet to be a PJ and honestly my hair flourished when I cut a lot of that mess out of my routine.
**One thing we ladies need to keep in mind, the natural ladies who have reached these very long lengths, not a single one of them has a complex product filled routine. NONE. And even if your goal isn't super long lengths, that just goes to show how unecessary all the PJism is.**
If you notice, there's starting to be a new mainstream advertising push toward naturals anyway. My first thought is the new PSA to not be a follower. It basically is of this black girl walking down a street talking about how "when everyone else was getting perms, she went natural." Then there's the Sesame Street song about "loving your hair". These are good things, but it just seems like the outside world is picking up more on the natural movement.
Yeah but all of you PJ's be careful…anybody remember that perm that came out in the 90's that was "natural" and the company got sued because it was burning women's scalps? I can't think of the name of it right now….
I love it! I find that a lot of "natural" products really aren't all that natural when you read the labels – so the more the merrier. I want options! and I don't just want a product for natural hair – I want a NATURAL product, with good trustworthy ingredients. There aren't really that many of those out there yet – at least not that I have found to meet my crazy high standards 🙂
I think your being a little over the top. Why should'nt these main stream companies turn their attention our way. Black women purchase the most hair care products than any other ace…AND our hair(some)is coily and textured…
Also there is a countless number of products for people with straigt or relaxed hair. Before you went natural where you faced with the same overwhelming feeling of too many products? People are just looking to complain about anything…
I say be wary. Another way the "Man" tries to profit off of us. Many of the products aren't any better than what they already had on the market. Another way to make our feelings of liberation and glory in our hair and trying to make it like a fad for those who really aren't empowered by the movement.
Supply and demand…the way of the world. I think it's okay that these companies are offering natural product lines to turn a profit. It's really no different than the onslaught of natural hair blogs and websites that are popping up offering a plethora of information on natural hair care. I guess when you think about it, it's just par for the course when something becomes popular to the masses.
ECON 101 – supply and demand.
Absolutely..not lol no but on a serious note, I have seen some commercials on BET about new natural hair care lines and curl definers. I'm not about to invest in them though; i have enough products as is. And yes, they don't care about us, they just want whats in our wallet.
I'm entirely too pessimistic to think any of the upsurge in products and recognition is in any way linked to how we are valued as consumers. We spend money on products, and they want our money, just like they want everyone else's money. Of course, if a company makes a good product, I'm happy to give them money, but I don't have any grand ideas about me being valued in any way, lol.
There are A LOT of products out there and its sort of smothering, but I'm glad there is so much to choose from since all our hair is so different, and we all need different things.
BUT, I don't feel that sort of grateful feeling, like "Oh thank you for acknowledging we exist" They don't get cookies for that. Our existence should be acknowledged, and they don't get pats on the back for it…. our money is enough, right? 😀
I'm a recovering product junky – so I don't pay much attention to the new. I just stick with what I know works!
I'm glad! The industry is finally seeing us as valuable consumers like everyone else 🙂
LOL at the muppet comment. Hahaha! But I agree that I am glad there are products to choose from. I have been natural allll of my life and I am 31, but I blew dry, pressed, curled and flat ironed my hair over the years. I believe that's what made me lose a lot of the thickness I had as a child. Now that I am an adult embracing my natural texture without the heat, I am glad there are products out there that will help my hair and keep it healthy and growing. I am learning so much from these haircare blogs and other info…so I say keep it coming!
Now what I don't want is counterfeit products and folks with no concept of how to treat natural hair trying to tell me what works and get my money!
I'm glad that we have more options to choose from in the natural hair care market… and you can rest assure that we PJs will continue to help each other w/ product reviews in the event that the evil hair companies attempt to sell us inferior products. Websites like this help promote useful products & expose the less than good ones.
I am also happy that we have new options to choose from. Plus it creates competition among company's for better prices/ products which can be very beneficial to us
it is a business' responsibility to recognize and capitalize on a new "market". that's how they stay and grow in business. it's not something to be flattered or offended by in my opinion. it just is. it's the nature of running a for profit business.
i for one am happy about it, that just gives me more options to choose from. i'm pleased that they are paying attention to black women's changing hair needs whatever the reason. as long as the products are quality and affordable it's all good in my book.
As a product junkie myself, and two year naturalista, I'm glad to see more products for me to choose. I don't, however, want to be bombarded by the big name companies who could care less about the health of my hair. I certainly support sistas and brothas starting their own hair-care lines in this economy. I believe everyone needs a hustle on the side, so I'm down to support. BUT, I can't afford to spend $60 and $70 on a jar of product that will only last me a couple weeks. Too much, too crazy.
Every day more and more people are leaving the relaxer in the past and trying new things with their hair. It's on trend right now, so we should continue to expect the main stream companies to do everything they can to pick our pockets and cash in on this. Shoot when the muppets get in on the act, you know you've hit the big time.
Personally, I would not be offended about this. Even though they are not doing it for our benefit. We would do just fine if they did not make a natural formula for us. No matter who is making new products I know that I will be sticking to my old tried and true. So these new people that are trying to cash in on our hair care needs can forget about it because women that have been natural for a while know what works. There are those new naturals and P.J.'s out there that are still looking for that miracle product but that is still not going to give them a whole lot of profit, but if every natural were buying their product it would be a different story. So no thanks, I will keep what I have been using all this time, unless I get an awesome review from Nikki saying that it works even better than what I have now then, maybe.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't.
I've noticed that there are ALOT of hair products & lines being made for natural hair these days. I think it's great!! Of COURSE some of these major manufacturers/household name brands are doing it b/c they see that there is lots of money to be made, but as long as they aren't selling inferior products or exploiting anyone, WHO CARES?
If there was nothing available to us & for us, we'd be complaining about that. Now that we have so many choices, some of us want to complain about that? As we all know, all natural hair isn't the same & what may work for one may be disastrous for another. So having all of these options is a great thing!
I read alot of testimonials about people saying they have tried to go natural before & gave up b/c there weren't product & information sources available. I know I gave up on going natural when all I had was some pink oil & moisture max!!! This is a helpful thing ladies. Let's not look at EVERYTHING as a c-o-n-spiracy!
"Am I wrong to feel a little offended that certain industry giants are pushing a "new" product line toward us natural revolutionaries because a new consumer base has been honed in on?"
The motive is always profit! As more women opt out of relaxing or extend the time between relaxers the profit margins are shrinking on relaxers and related products so they are simply following the money.
"Or should I be flattered that they are even paying attention to our haircare needs?"
No, they don't care about your needs, just your wallet. Many of the "new" products are old formulas that have been tweaked and relabeled.