File this under -- this is how you fuck up a natural hair brand in 5, 4, 3 ....
Promise you: Shea Moisture just won't ever fucking learn. It's a shame too, considering their audience -- Black women with natural hair --- told them this shit would happen. And not one lie was told.
But since they won't listen, I'll tell them: Y'all fucked up. White folks got hair products. Plenty of 'em.
But someway, somewhere, these brands started thinking that they needed Biff and Buffy's money, to come up. And soon our faces started disappearing from ads in favor of more 'multi-cultural' or racially ambiguous models. Gone were the melanin-rich models with kinky hair who first helped sell their products to us.
Promise you: Shea Moisture just won't ever fucking learn. It's a shame too, considering their audience -- Black women with natural hair --- told them this shit would happen. And not one lie was told.
The infamous video about 'Hair Hate' is now pulled featuring Caucasian and other multi-cultural hair models and not one Black women with natural hair -- you know the folks they built their brand on.
And here we have Becky complaining about how she "hates her hair." Shea Moisture just Pepsi'd all our black asses.
And here we have Becky complaining about how she "hates her hair." Shea Moisture just Pepsi'd all our black asses.
They don't need no dayum more. I dare you to stroll up in any hair aisle in any store and you'll see rows and rows of hair care products dedicated to blonde, brunette and black Caucasian hair.
Black women, though, whom Shea Moisture's brand was built on, out there in these natural hair streets snapping up ever curl custard, pudding and lotion that y'all can make and known to man, even if it's more than a Fillet Mignon per pound.
Dayum. Is Shea Moisture's white gaze so strong that they just don't see this shit? Are they blinded by Becky with the good hair? They must be. I mean. How could they not know this shit? Black women feel some kind of way about our products, and I don't blame us one bit.
What and the fuckshit is this?
For years, we had to deal with bullshit hair products or no hair products at all. When we did find hair care products, they were often made by majority companies (African Braid products are, in fact, not made by Black hair care companies).
Black women, though, whom Shea Moisture's brand was built on, out there in these natural hair streets snapping up ever curl custard, pudding and lotion that y'all can make and known to man, even if it's more than a Fillet Mignon per pound.
Dayum. Is Shea Moisture's white gaze so strong that they just don't see this shit? Are they blinded by Becky with the good hair? They must be. I mean. How could they not know this shit? Black women feel some kind of way about our products, and I don't blame us one bit.
What and the fuckshit is this?
For years, we had to deal with bullshit hair products or no hair products at all. When we did find hair care products, they were often made by majority companies (African Braid products are, in fact, not made by Black hair care companies).
We've seen natural hair care products disappear in the last 40 years, as brands like Johnson Hair Care Products and others sold out to majority companies.
So imagine our cult-like devotion and all the fan girling that happened when we started seeing natural hair lining the shelves, or rather, online at first, about 15 years ago.
So imagine our cult-like devotion and all the fan girling that happened when we started seeing natural hair lining the shelves, or rather, online at first, about 15 years ago.
I remember when you had to get all of your hair products for natural hair online. Way back in 2010, there was only one store that you could get Miss Jessie's from. I placed my order for Kinky Kurly online in 2008.
Now, all the natural hair care products you want are in Target, CVS and Rite Aid. I can go pick up Miss Jessie's and a Merona dress in Target. And that's how it should be. But these brands ain't loyal. Black women will cut you over our hair products.
Now, all the natural hair care products you want are in Target, CVS and Rite Aid. I can go pick up Miss Jessie's and a Merona dress in Target. And that's how it should be. But these brands ain't loyal. Black women will cut you over our hair products.
We have a fierce, fierce devotion, and many natural hair brands we loved started out of their kitchens (Hello, Carol's Daughter).
I can't anymore
They made products for our hair. We loved it. We bought it. A brand was made. End of story.
I can't anymore
They made products for our hair. We loved it. We bought it. A brand was made. End of story.
But someway, somewhere, these brands started thinking that they needed Biff and Buffy's money, to come up. And soon our faces started disappearing from ads in favor of more 'multi-cultural' or racially ambiguous models. Gone were the melanin-rich models with kinky hair who first helped sell their products to us.
Now, we all say that hair is hair -- and it is, and is not. I can't use what Becky uses, and Becky can't use what Tameka uses. We cannot even share the same comb!
But we're talking about Black natural hair, which when we first started going natural rn masse, had like ZERO hair products. Most hair products catered to relaxed Black hair.
Becky 'nem don't want Shea Moisture's asses tho. They have enough L'Oreal, Revlon and Tresemme to fill grocery carts and aisles and aisles.
Becky 'nem don't want Shea Moisture's asses tho. They have enough L'Oreal, Revlon and Tresemme to fill grocery carts and aisles and aisles.
Black women on the other hand tho? We got the end cap. We're fine to build up a brand, but not good enough to see it through. We are the world's mule, even hair care companies.
Sigh. We've been here before. And it's a tired and old trope that we're used to, and we've seen it before with Carol's Daughter.
Sigh. We've been here before. And it's a tired and old trope that we're used to, and we've seen it before with Carol's Daughter.
That brand was coveted by naturals, then sold out to Wall Street investors, naturals swore their formula changed, and then next thing you know they had 'multi-cultural hair' representation in their ads and their celeb spokeswoman Solange said she was not down with their bullshit and bounced.
They needed receipts
Carol's Daughter almost collapsed, but was sold to L'Oreal. Now Shea Moisture wants to go the same route.
They needed receipts
Carol's Daughter almost collapsed, but was sold to L'Oreal. Now Shea Moisture wants to go the same route.
It's already faced charges that it's no longer Black-owned (sold some interest to Bain Capital in 2015), changed it's products, and faced criticism when it began pushing the brand for a more multi-cultural audience. Now this.
I wish these natural hair brands like Shea Moisture would get it all the way together. Honor your customer base. I hope it was worth it, because wypipo don't want their asses. I love their black soap and it's the one product I consistently buy from them.
Shea Moisture has apologized, but the damage is done. They are getting dragged, and Black Twitter is showing no mercy. I'm sure they probably paid an ad agency good money for this shit. Too bad it's gonna cost them their brand.
You'll never see L'Oreal and Revlon 'nem abandoning Becky for Bonquisha. They simply create different products for varying markets while still focusing on their target market. Shea Moisture needs to do the damn same.
Cause they just shitted and stepped in it to the very people that built their brand. Shea Moisture's product packaging says it was created in 1912. Too bad this campaign, and others, may cost it the entire brand.
Cause they just shitted and stepped in it to the very people that built their brand. Shea Moisture's product packaging says it was created in 1912. Too bad this campaign, and others, may cost it the entire brand.
