Sheamoisture Is Cancelled: 26 Black-owned Hair Care Brands You Can Support Instead

[Iammoney]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past 48 hours, you’ve probably seen SheaMoisture trending from Facebook to Twitter – unfortunately not for good reasons. Black consumers everywhere were up in arms after a commercial ad from Shea Moisture made its way to social media for their new “Hair Hate” campaign. The ad featured a light skin woman with long wavy hair, a blonde white woman, and 2 red-head white women discussing why they’ve suffered from “hair hate.” Oddly enough, Shea Moisture’s long-time core consumer base, Black women with kinky hair, were missing from the conversation and video. While some see this as the brand simply “diversifying” their line in order to expand out of the “ethnic” section and into the mainstream beauty aisle for more coins, many Black women feel betrayed that a brand they supported and built with their dollars would erase them to appeal to the masses. Not to mention, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity to address the bias and discrimination Black men and women still face for simply wearing our natural hair.

Since Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital acquired a “minority stake” in Shea Moisture in 2015, the brand has been slowly but surely swapping out some of its Black and kinky haired models for more white and ambiguous women and changing their formula. (That’s right… sadly, everyone’s favorite “natural” hair care line is no longer 100% Black-owned). The good news is, there are still a plethora of Black owned brands that cater to Black women and have found a way to diversify their brand without leaving their core consumers behind. Here are 26 other Black hair care lines to try once you’ve finished the last drop of your SM Curl Enhancing Smoothie.

If you know of a Black-owned hair care brand that isn’t listed, let us know in the comments below! You can find more Black-owned businesses in our directory HERE.


Alikay Naturals


Purchase: www.alikaynaturals.com
Owner: Rochelle Campbell



Bee Mine Organics


Purchase: www.beemineorganics.com
Owners: Arthur & Tracey Q

Camille Rose Naturals


Purchase: www.camillerosenaturals.com
Owner: Janell Stephens

Curls


Purchase: www.curls.biz
Owner: Mahisha Dellinger

EDEN BodyWorks


Purchase: www.edenbodyworks.com
Owner: Jasmine Lawrence

Entwine Couture


Purchase: www.entwinecouture.com
Owner: Dr. Adrienne Carthon

Huetiful


Purchase: www.behuetiful.com
Owner: Ken Burkeen

Jane Carter

 

[Iammoney]

Carter


Purchase: www.janecartersolution.com
Owner: Jane Carter

Karen’s Body Beautiful


Purchase: www.karensbodybeautiful.com
Owner: Karen Tappin

Kinky-Curly


Purchase: www.kinky-curly.com
Owner: Shelley Davis

Koils By Nature


Purchase: www.koilsbynature.com
Owner: Pamela J. Booker

Mielle Organics


Purchase: www.mielleorganics.com
Owner: Monique Rodriguez

Miss Jessie’s


Purchase: www.missjessies.com
Owner: Miko Branch

Moisture Love


Purchase: www.moisturelove.com
Owner: Jeannell Darden

My Honey Child


Purchase: www.myhoneychild.com
Owner: Krika Bradsher

Naturalicious


Purchase: www.naturalicious.net
Owner: Gwen Jimmere

OBIA Naturals


Purchase: www.obianaturals.com
Owner: Obia & Omini Ewah

Oyin Handmade


Purchase: www.oyinhandmade.com
Owner: Jamyla Bennu

Qhemet Biologics


Purchase: www.qhemetbiologics.com
Owner: Felis Butler

Soultanicals


Purchase: www.soultanicals.com
Owner: Ayo Ogun-McCants

Taliah Waajid


Purchase: www.naturalhair.org
Owner: Taliah Waajid



tgin. Thank God It’s Natural


Purchase: www.thankgodimnatural.com
Owner: Chris-Tia Donaldson

 

[Lucie]

Thank you!

 

[Iammoney]

The Mane Choice


Purchase: www.themanechoice.com
Owner: Courtney Adeleye

Tropic Isle Living


Purchase: www.tropicisleliving.com
Owners: Lois & Michael Hines

Uncle Funky’s Daughter


Purchase: www.unclefunkysdaughter.com
Owner: Renee Morris

Wonder Curl


Purchase: www.wondercurl.com
Owner: Scarlett Rocourt

 

[Iammoney]

 

[Iammoney]

 

[CodeRed]

I mean, Shea Moisture was never really all that anyway so...

 

[**SaSSy**]

Well I use to like Soultanicals and KBB, but the owner of Soultanical became a B*t*h real quick with shipping orders out and KBB closed her Brooklyn store so...

 

[nysister]

I've not heard of most of them. Just last night I stumbled across Thank god it's natural in the hair section and they look like they have items that I could use. I'll purchase some of their creams and look into the others.

Kinky Curly Knot Today I use regularly. Good stuff!

There are lots of JBCO companies to add to the list as well.

 

[Evolving78]

I have been living under a rock! I didn't hear about this at all! Black women should have trash SM products party! All of those other products listed are much better anyway.

 

[Kimiche]

I mean, Shea Moisture was never really all that anyway so...

Right! I tried many of their products and my hair hated them all. It seems like they come out with a new collection every dang day.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

I can be mad but Ima finish up my SM products.
No need to throw my hard earned $$$ in the trash over this foolishness.

HOWEVER, I will be in search of replacement products post haste.

 

[Kimiche]

I've tried Mielle Organics and I like their leave-in especially when I wear my hair in braids. Ladies what other brands posted here have you used that has great moisture?

 

[IslandMummy]

Bee Mine is great for little ones as is Curls, I use those for the kids

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water line and their Curl Maker gel are ah-maz-ing.

Qhemet Detangling Ghee smells like hot cocoa but fades, and it ROCKS.

 

[KhandiB]

I think their products are overrated, I went on a Shea Moisture spree with they were on clearance at CVS. But they did nothing special to my hair.

Their PR department sucks, they had a video with just black women that came out before this one and they did nothing to promote it.

 

[Tefnut]

I believe the Bronner Bros. brand is still black-owned. Many of their products work on my natural hair though they don't fall under this new "natural" label.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I can be mad but Ima finish up my SM products.
No need to throw my hard earned $$$ in the trash over this foolishness.

HOWEVER, I will be in search of replacement products post haste.

Same, I got like 8 more products to go through though. I knew they were reformulating and starting to make unnatural products when they stopped putting expiration dates on most of their products. I've been eying the Alikay Naturals for a while so looks like I'll be having to pick some up soon.

 

[naturalgyrl5199]

I mean, Shea Moisture was never really all that anyway so...

I just love their Bar Soaps. But there are other all natural bar soaps out there.

 

[naturalgyrl5199]

And a lot of these products are available online or non Asian -owned BSS stores...So they are no longer difficult to find.

 

[naturalgyrl5199]

Same, I got like 8 more products to go through though. I knew they were reformulating and starting to make unnatural products when they stopped putting expiration dates on most of their products. I've been eying the Alikay Naturals for a while so looks like I'll be having to pick some up soon.

I'm almost done. I got more bath products though. Cause my baby girl has sensitive skin and the SM Baby Line for Hypoallergenic formula is good for her.

 

[sunnydaze]

I've not heard of most of them. Just last night I stumbled across Thank god it's natural in the hair section and they look like they have items that I could use. I'll purchase some of their creams and look into the others.

Kinky Curly Knot Today I use regularly. Good stuff!

There are lots of JBCO companies to add to the list as well.

I love their twist cream for both mine (3c/4a) and my daughter's (4a/b) twist outs. Very moisturizing with the right amount of hold.

 

[naturalgyrl5199]

I've tried Mielle Organics and I like their leave-in especially when I wear my hair in braids. Ladies what other brands posted here have you used that has great moisture?

I like Curls. It was good for my baby when she had that baby hair. Light but worked. I bought some Mielle Organics that I liked.
Honestly Design Essentials has a Natural Line that I love and my salon uses that product. Its always been good to me. I used the DE Leave in with avocado this morning on my wash n go...and yasssss.... Better than the SM JBCO Line I've been using for years.

 

[naturalgyrl5199]

Oh and ENTWINE...
YASS!

 

[auntybe]

I am going to finish the Shea Moisture I have then. I am going to try some of the other lines I have not tried.

 

[nysister]

I love their twist cream for both mine (3c/4a) and my daughter's (4a/b) twist outs. Very moisturizing with the right amount of hold.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Kimiche]

I like Curls. It was good for my baby when she had that baby hair. Light but worked. I bought some Mielle Organics that I liked.
Honestly Design Essentials has a Natural Line that I love and my salon uses that product. Its always been good to me. I used the DE Leave in with avocado this morning on my wash n go...and yasssss.... Better than the SM JBCO Line I've been using for years.

Thank you! I will look into the Design Essentials products.

 

[Saludable84]

I guess I'll have to find a new shampoo. Sucks because their JBCO Shampoo works really well for me.

 

[NappyNelle]

Annabelle's Perfect Blends, JAKEALA and She Scent It are also black-owned companies with great products.

 

[NaturalShe94]

Look here mannnn SM JBCO Strengthen Grow & Restore Leave In & DC is my ishhh... Completely brought my curls back to life and put the strength back into my strands... I can't be giving that up...