Hair Products Marketed Specifically To Black Consumers

[DarkAngell]

i saw a mixture of both

before i used to think items that were in salons and marketed toward white people were not for our textured hair but when i started learning what was in the productes marketed towards blacks i realize a lot of that stuff is not good for my hair and not for me

when it comes to shampoos and conditioners most of the stuff i used is marketed towards whites. as for leave in conditioners most of the stuff is "black products"

This is me all the way as well as with deep conditioners

 

[Brownie518]

I said a mixture of both. What really matters is what the ingredients are, how the product works with my hair, etc. There are some "black" products that work well on my hair (Profectiv, John Frieda Relax line (when it was still around), Elasta) and there are some that don't do anything for me (grease, Pink Oil, etc). I don't really care who the product is being marketed to, as long as it works

Word! If it works, it works.

 

[Creatividual]

welll, in my opinion, they work less. a lot of them are filled with mineral oils, waxes, and a ton of other stuff im not even sure of..lol so im going to say no..they just seem to clog my pores or make my scalp dry and my hair oily as anything..id say the only black product that really works for me is sulfur 8, jojoba oil (queen helene) and cholesterol...thats about it..everything else doesnt work or is too greasy..

lol my hair is so crazy..i cant even use steryotypical "white" products either.. i mainly have learned that using oils and thick conditioners help me a lot more than anything else..

I couldn't agree more. I don't use a lot of hair care products geared toward african american women anymore. And when I started branching out and using the "white" hair care products like Biolage, Nexxus, dominican products, etc is when I got the best results. My has looked incredible since!

 

[LocksOfLuV]

i buy products based on ingredients, research & recommendations, not whether it's marketed to black folks or not, or for men or women for that matter. what matters is does the product work for your hair -- not who is it intended for. don't be fooled or intimidated by marketing.

Basically!

When I joined my haircare journey I tried to venture so far from what I normally used and I started using mainstrem products (and shelling out mass dollars too) thinking I was hitting gold. Thinking I was somehow ahead of the game. Well now that I am broke and I was forced to go back to what's cheap (mainly black products) I find that in the end my hair STILL grows and retains. It's not a matter of what's better, it's being a smart consumer and reading (and knowing) ingredients.

I cannot be the only one who have seen a large influx of "salon" and "white" products starting to contain mineral oil and petro?! I mean, I went to the store the other day and was floored. It was crazy all those junk filled products for 10 and 20 bucks. They are no better than the "dont be bald" products that are out today. All I am saying, is don't get played in the name of 'white is right.' Be a smart consumer, PERIOD.

 

[ToyToy]

Basically!

When I joined my haircare journey I tried to venture so far from what I normally used and I started using mainstrem products (and shelling out mass dollars too) thinking I was hitting gold. Thinking I was somehow ahead of the game. Well now that I am broke and I was forced to go back to what's cheap (mainly black products) I find that in the end my hair STILL grows and retains. It's not a matter of what's better, it's being a smart consumer and reading (and knowing) ingredients.

I cannot be the only one who have seen a large influx of "salon" and "white" products starting to contain mineral oil and petro?! I mean, I went to the store the other day and was floored. It was crazy all those junk filled products for 10 and 20 bucks. They are no better than the "dont be bald" products that are out today. All I am saying, is don't get played in the name of 'white is right.' Be a smart consumer, PERIOD.

I absolutely agree with the bolded. There are so many "white" products that contain the very ingredients we are trying to run away from!

I just use what works for me, and that's a mix of both "black" and "white" products.

 

[tnorenberg]

I voted no. I tend to shy away form "black" marketed products because in my experience, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's they were all crap. A true conspiracy to get us to spend money on products that were damaging and did nothing good for our hair. But I have recently begun to try various lines again. I think this generation of product developers are more concerned truely with beauty and in tune with our desire for healthy products for our hair as well as our bodies. The masses are no longer just ignorant consumers, but educated conciencious consumers and won't blindly settle for crap just because someone says it's for "black" hair. They realize that we have more options and if they want our dollars and more marketshare they need to make products as good as or better than mainstream america.

 

[Amber_moon]

you're right... it makes no sense to me. every black hair shop is filled to the brim with "doo gro" "won't gro" bla bla bla... and then its also filled with relaxers of every type! now if people think their hair doesnt grow, what the hell are they relaxing? companies are making a killing from a totally racist idea that most black people are happy to believe.

I TOTALLY agree with you.

In the past 500 years Black people have had to deal with SO many racist notions (born of ignorance) about our hair. Slaveowners used to force us to refer to our hair as "wool", and shave it off our heads. And then 500 years later they STILL demean us by pressuring us to either shave it short, or relax it to "fit in".

Then they market these CRAP products that do nothing but damage our hair, and instead of educating ourselves about what OUR hare care regiemins are suposed to be, we get frusterated when we cant "wash and shake" everyday like we think we should be able to do.

Its madness.

(not that this want something everybody here didnt already know... I just had to vent sorry.)erplexed

 

[Amber_moon]

I voted no. I tend to shy away form "black" marketed products because in my experience, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's they were all crap. A true conspiracy to get us to spend money on products that were damaging and did nothing good for our hair. But I have recently begun to try various lines again. I think this generation of product developers are more concerned truely with beauty and in tune with our desire for healthy products for our hair as well as our bodies. The masses are no longer just ignorant consumers, but educated conciencious consumers and won't blindly settle for crap just because someone says it's for "black" hair. They realize that we have more options and if they want our dollars and more marketshare they need to make products as good as or better than mainstream america.

Sure! I agree 100% Its like the lip balms that contain camphor and are marketed as "medicated". Camphor isnt medication!! The only reason thing the camphor does is tingle and dry out your lips so you have to use MORE of the lip balm. (therefore you have to buy MORE of it).

The products for black people I really feel are made so that we feel like we get a temporary "fix" and then have to buy more and more of the product. Like an addiction. Its sickening. They make us believe that we NEED their products so much... and then it does nothing but ruin our hair in the long run.

 

[Seeking8Rights]

This is a good thread because it leads to many questions other than just hair care products.

In my opinion, regardless to how and whom it's marketed to, the hair product industry is a billion dollar industry. Which means that your going to get marketed to regardless of the ingredients. Most of the time, people don't even read the ingredients, they just see "tangle free" or "silk this silk that" and buy it. If I was a business like Johnson & Johnson I would slap a different label on a bottle of baby shampoo can claim it to be "hydrating and moisturizing", since I know that it will be consumed. So what does that tell us?

Basically, whether it's Motions, Dudley's or Paul Mitchell, we need to pay attention and understand consumer product terminology in terms of ingredients. Also, in order for one to learn what their hair likes or dislikes we need to try it first for a period of time to see if it bears positive results (not intantanous results).

For me, I come from a cosmetology background and my mother has always used natural products from the health food store because that what she preferred. The health food store was my moms after work club joint (I'm sure if we could buy all natural clothes from the health food store, I would have been wearing them in elementary). As I got older I became sucked into the "pamper me stylist" cycle and the only person who touched my hair was my stylist for umteen years. I didn't know what products black or white worked for my hair, quite frankly, I didn't even ask when sitting in the chair!

Now that I am forced by location to do my own hair, I prefer products with less chemically engineered ingredients. But I do have a few products regardless of its demographic marketing champaign that I love like ORS Hair Mayo, Profectiv, Biolage (I learned that biolage works on any kind of hair when an Italian sylist told me to use it because he noticed it made a HUGE difference on afro textured haired than european hair, sure nuff Fredrico was right!).

Use what works, we cannot get around the white or black marketing tactics because its a marketing tactic being applied accross the board from White, Dominican, Black or Asian.

I do agree that majority of the AA products have mineral oil, and such in it but also take a look at some of the while hair care ingredients and see if there is a big difference (I guarantee you will find a few things that are not good for the hair).

I love topics like this!

 

[Energee]

I'm answering this without having read any of the other responses yet.
I will have to say that these products don't work well at all. For years I tried to stick with using only 'black products' I didn't know better and this was what we had to use. I'd tried some other 'white products'--cheapie ones like Pantene etc and they left my hair dry. However, that changed when I went to a white salon when we first moved to my area now about 15 years ago. They used Paul Mitchell on my hair at that time and my hair loved it. I ended up leaving the salon with every item the stylist used on my hair. I stayed with Paul for a long time...lol. Then I branched out and started using other products marketed to 'whites'. I've found that my hair loves these products more. The ingredients are richer and better for ALL hair.

The two best black haircare lines I've used are Mizani, Keracare, and Elucence (is Elucence 'black'?) but I don't even like all of their products either. I've found with most white hair care lines I can use the entire system and the system works wonders together. With Mizani and Keracare I had to mix the line up. I'd use a poo from Mizani and at con from Keracare because that is what worked best for me. Now that I use Aveda and Abba almost exclusively, I use the entire lines from these products and they always work well for my hair. These are my staple products and I'm sticking with them.

If a black haircare line comes out with comparable products then I will buy them but until then I'm sticking with what I know works for me and my hair.

 

[Energee]

A lot of these "black products" aren't even made or owned by black people so go figure

Great observation. I noticed that long ago too. Most of 'our products' aren't made by us. However, I've made this observation as well..the main chemist for Phyto is a black woman (African woman) and Phyto is mainly targeted to whites but also very good for black hair. A lot of the 'white' companies have black people working for them as chemist and product developers. I was reading a story about a sister in Black Enterprise a few months back and this is what she was doing. I forgot which company she worked for but it was a prominent white hair care/beauty company. I have to find that article but those mags are packed up now.

 

[InNeedofHairapy]

I find that the majority of the products I have are NOT geared to African American Hair. I voted for a mixture of both though, b/c I do use Bronner Bros. Castor Oil on occasion and Cholesterol Conditioners.

The products I have are either dominican products or not marketed to 'us'

 

[Lyoness]

I use black, white and indian products and food products.. just whatever works works!

 

[shtow]

Hahah.. that was me that voted yes!

But I really only use products designed for relaxed (not just black) hair-not "stressed" or "Color-treated"- but RELAXED gosh darnnit. I do tend to not to trust most "white" companies that come out with lines for black women cause i feel like the use the same formulas anyways and are just trying to increase their market share.

A good book to buy is called DOnt go Shopping for Hair care products without me by Paula Begoun. She speaks the truth on all products-down to the chemicals they use, whos using the same formula over and over again, etc tho shes doenst have all the products I use like mizani and keracare. But she let me know the truth about Pantene, Neutrogena, Nexxus, Aveda and all them erplexed. It has definately changed the way i go shopping for hair products

ITA with the bolded

 

[growinmyhair]

See this is a great thread, i'm trying to set up a hair and beauty business, before the end of the year, and would like to sell a mixture of black and non black hair products, the kind of products you would not find in your average bss. just trying to make sure i get the market research right. while i am happy using black hair products, i still use products targeted to others and it has not done my hair any harm.

 

[chebaby]

Here we go, another poll. Just kidding, you know I wuv your polls.

I do not know the difference between what product belongs to what nationality. I see it, I like the ingredients, out the store the pj go!

I thought Paul Mitchell was targeted toward white people, but I love it![/quote]
yes OMG i am in love with almost everything paul mitchell makes and i just knew that stuff wouldnt work for my hair. can i tell you his leave in are staples in my regi. esp. the moisture mist.

 

[MizAvalon]

But I believe together we can design a better product. Using real science and tested on our own hair. Who wants to join forces with me? Who wants to start a revolution of products designed specifically for African American women? We have physicians, scientist and sales and marketing people right here. We know that we like "slip, moisture, fragrance." Madam Walker had many more obstacles than you and I.

Yo seriously! This is my life's mission ( me and sweetpea) have been talking about doing this. In fact, I quit my job to do this. So, we are on it! We are both going to hair school and are planning on going into business with the intent to change things! Im talking products, salon equipment, schools and EVERYthing! So look out for us...cause seriously its about TIME [/quote]






^^^Just wanted to quote Macherie's post. She wrote this 3 years ago and darn if she isn't really doing big things right now. She put her money where her mouth is!

 

[jamaraa]

I do have to say that the new generation of products geared towards Blacks are FAR SUPERIOR than those of the past, notably the 1980s-early 00s.

Some of the old school standbys are still nice, usually oils if you're not put off by mineral oil.

 

[Kay.Dee]

I just use anything compatible w/ my hair. Right now I have a mixture of products.


Like Jamaraa posted, their are decent black lines that you can find in the BSS like Africa's Best, Organic Root Stimulator, Elasta QP, Jamaican Mango and Lime.

But I think the old school products(Lusters and Softee and things like that) with the limited ingredient lists.

And you will find mineral oil and "crappy" ingredients in products marketed towards whites too, it may not be the 1st ingredient, but it's hiding up in there.

 

[jamaraa]

^^ Oh yes, let's not forget about Dudley's. I find it hard to get in my neck of the woods and it can be expensive, but it's a very nice line, IMHO. AFAIK, Dudley's is still Black owned and manufactured. It was developed by a Black man.

 

[disgtgyal]

I think a mixture of both only because i've had success with UBH other than that i would say no. IMO companies that create lines geared towards us spend more on packaging and advertising rather than research because a lot of black women who aren't educated about their hair simply read what the product label says and purchases it based on its promises

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

Drug stores ones--hell no!
Specialty/Online/Natural ones--Oyin Handmade, Kinky Curly, Qhemet, etc.--Yes!

 

[Barbara]

The best hair care line for me is Verifen Complex.

 

[Barbara]

I just use anything compatible w/ my hair. Right now I have a mixture of products.


Like Jamaraa posted, their are decent black lines that you can find in the BSS like Africa's Best, Organic Root Stimulator, Elasta QP, Jamaican Mango and Lime.

But I think the old school products(Lusters and Softee and things like that) with the limited ingredient lists.

And you will find mineral oil and "crappy" ingredients in products marketed towards whites too, it may not be the 1st ingredient, but it's hiding up in there.

These products are effective and affordable, too.