Is anybody else SICK of the "ethnic hair care" section in stores??

I'm not bothered by it at all. It's just marketing. They are putting products that are bought the most by one group together to make it easier for those people to find. Since most of those mainstream stores only carry a small amount of "ethnic" products, why would they spread them out and let them get lost in the shuffle? I think we LHCFers forget that we (and our hair knowledge) is still very much in the minority. I know lots of black women who still will only use "black products", and those women I'm sure are glad to find that stuff all together.

No different from the Mexican section or Jamaican section in Publix/Kroger. haha
 
Jhunt-smith said:
u know what? i understand that there are some products that are not as useful for other hair types than "our" hair type, but c'mon! why does it need to be labeled "ethnic"? why cant it just be in the same section with everything else?? are those with "ethnicity" not smart enouh to find it?? this just gets me. its even like that on drugstore.com...... :angry2:
feel free to speak freely, whether or not u agree
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I understand what you are saying. It does appear to have a negative untertone.

Sometimes it seems like they are labeling this section like they labled the COLORED SECTION during segregated times.

Like only black people can use these products. There are other ethnicities other that the black race, but we don't see. Italian section or Jewish section in the hair care isle.

Maybe they should just label it, RELAXERS, HAIR OILS & ACTIVATORS, etc.

I don't use nothing in that area so I definantly wouldn't miss it if they got rid of it.

I know it isn't intended to be preceived that way. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid.
 
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LuvMyBigHair said:
I'm not bothered by it at all. It's just marketing. They are putting products that are bought the most by one group together to make it easier for those people to find. Since most of those mainstream stores only carry a small amount of "ethnic" products, why would they spread them out and let them get lost in the shuffle? I think we LHCFers forget that we (and our hair knowledge) is still very much in the minority. I know lots of black women who still will only use "black products", and those women I'm sure are glad to find that stuff all together.

No different from the Mexican section or Jamaican section in Publix/Kroger. haha
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Yup..folks learn a thing or two and then want to get all brand new. Like they ain't never used/had a relaxer, activator, pink oil, pomade, hair oil, pick, pressing comb, black gel, oil sheen, etc. in their life. Like they have always been using nothing but natural oils, baking soda and/or ACV while moisturizing with HH, VO5, Nature's beauty, etc. Like their momma and 'em ain't STILL using those products and shopping in those sections. :rolleyes:
 
Since webster's definition of ethnic is: (check number 6...)

adjective 1.pertaining to or characteristic of a people, esp. a group (ethnic group) sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like.2.referring to the origin, classification, characteristics, etc., of such groups.3.being a member of an ethnic group, esp. of a group that is a minority within a larger society: ethnic Chinese in San Francisco. 4.of, pertaining to, or characteristic of members of such a group.5.belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious, or linguistic traditions of a people or country: ethnic dances. 6.Obsolete. pagan; heathen.–noun 7.a member of an ethnic group.



HELL no.... I Don't like that section of the store.
DH - always says... "we're walking thru the heathen section...":lachen:

Like another poster said, there is nothing there for me.
 
Interesting that you would ignore all the other 6 definitions and focus on just that one.

samanthajones67 said:
Since webster's definition of ethnic is: (check number 6...)

adjective 1.pertaining to or characteristic of a people, esp. a group (ethnic group) sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like.2.referring to the origin, classification, characteristics, etc., of such groups.3.being a member of an ethnic group, esp. of a group that is a minority within a larger society: ethnic Chinese in San Francisco. 4.of, pertaining to, or characteristic of members of such a group.5.belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious, or linguistic traditions of a people or country: ethnic dances. 6.Obsolete. pagan; heathen.–noun 7.a member of an ethnic group.



HELL no.... I Don't like that section of the store.
DH - always says... "we're walking thru the heathen section...":lachen:

Like another poster said, there is nothing there for me.
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envybeauty said:
Yup..folks learn a thing or two and then want to get all brand new. Like they ain't never used/had a relaxer, activator, pink oil, pomade, hair oil, pick, pressing comb, black gel, oil sheen, etc. in their life. Like they have always been using nothing but natural oils, baking soda and/or ACV while moisturizing with HH, VO5, Nature's beauty, etc. Like their momma and 'em ain't STILL using those products and shopping in those sections. :rolleyes:
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You're making too much sense! haha
 
My grocery store has an ethnic hair section and it makes things easier to find for Black folks. A long time ago I was passing through a mostly White area and when I went inside a store there was no ethnic hair section. I couldn't even find any Vaseline.
 
I went to in Walgreens 2 days ago and thought to myself "we get a little over 2 feet of wall space all the way at the end (in the back of the store) of the hair care aisle" on the opposite side were the Spanish hair care products. CVS has a little more of a selection and there are on there own aisle in the front of the store. I generally don't shop at these stores for my products, but it did get my attention. I bought nothing, and kept it moving at both stores.
 
I don't have a problem with it... Compare this to the "Ethnic Food Sections" in the grocery store. They have an Aisle for East Asian, an aisle for south asian, an aisle for middle eastern an aisle for caribbean, latin american etc etc etc. It's made for convienience, not to segregate :spinning:. Like VNaps (sp?) said, we at least have recognition. And there are certain products (old CON) that I still purchase from that section and I find it very convienient and helpful. They chould choose to not sell it AT ALL (and then I'd have to travel many many distances to get my products).
 
i would feel silly complaining about the 'ethnic/black hair section'..in a walmart isle.....when i ....*ahem....signed up for a black hair care site.
 
poochie167 said:
i would feel silly complaining about the 'ethnic/black hair section'..in a walmart isle.....when i ....*ahem....signed up for a black hair care site.
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I thought about posting about this too but I have raised my fair share of points in this thread. Folks up on an ETHNIC website disgusted about the ETHNIC aisle in a store. :rolleyes:
 
I don't really mind having an 'ethnic' hair section, but it DOES annoy me that 90% of the stuff there is complete crap.
 
Just another way to subliminally remind us all that we are still a minority, we are different, to separate us and single us out. I don't believe for one moment that the "powers that be" want racial harmony in this country and you can see that in places that you wouldn't expect, like shelving arrangements in stores.

Or maybe I'm just a conspiracy theorist:grin:
 
Bri505 said:
I don't have a problem with it... Compare this to the "Ethnic Food Sections" in the grocery store. They have an Aisle for East Asian, an aisle for south asian, an aisle for middle eastern an aisle for caribbean, latin american etc etc etc. It's made for convienience, not to segregate :spinning:. Like VNaps (sp?) said, we at least have recognition. And there are certain products (old CON) that I still purchase from that section and I find it very convienient and helpful. They chould choose to not sell it AT ALL (and then I'd have to travel many many distances to get my products).
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EXACTLY!!!!!

I think that sometimes we let our own insecurities and issues shape our world instead of really looking at what is truly happening.
 
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Bri505 said:
I don't have a problem with it... Compare this to the "Ethnic Food Sections" in the grocery store. They have an Aisle for East Asian, an aisle for south asian, an aisle for middle eastern an aisle for caribbean, latin american etc etc etc. It's made for convienience, not to segregate :spinning:. Like VNaps (sp?) said, we at least have recognition. And there are certain products (old CON) that I still purchase from that section and I find it very convienient and helpful. They chould choose to not sell it AT ALL (and then I'd have to travel many many distances to get my products).
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Exactly. I don't hear folks complaining about their plaintain chips being segregated and how white folks eat plaintain chips too so why are they not with the potato chips. Or about how coconut water is not shelved with Kool Aid at Walmart. :rolleyes:
 
It's all a marketing ploy to me, although I can understand why it upsets some of you. It really doesn't bother me because either way, ethnic or not, I'm going to buy whatever works on my hair, whether it be Dark & Lovely (even though I don't use anything from that line) or Pantene (which is mostly catered to caucasians). These people are going to get money regardless of what ethnicity buys those products, so I could care less who markets what to what ethnicity. I got teased all the time in high school about using Pantene products, and it never stopped me from using them. I use what works for me, not for who it's catered to. As far as the ethnic sections in stores, it doesn't phase me one bit. I get what I went in there to get, and I keeps it moving:yep:
 
Muse said:
Just another way to subliminally remind us all that we are still a minority, we are different, to separate us and single us out. I don't believe for one moment that the "powers that be" want racial harmony in this country and you can see that in places that you wouldn't expect, like shelving arrangements in stores.

Or maybe I'm just a conspiracy theorist:grin:
Click to expand...


Right..... hence - MY focus on the "heathen" definition.
 
envybeauty said:
Yup..folks learn a thing or two and then want to get all brand new. Like they ain't never used/had a relaxer, activator, pink oil, pomade, hair oil, pick, pressing comb, black gel, oil sheen, etc. in their life. Like they have always been using nothing but natural oils, baking soda and/or ACV while moisturizing with HH, VO5, Nature's beauty, etc. Like their momma and 'em ain't STILL using those products and shopping in those sections. :rolleyes:
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Okay........:yep:




Would it be Different if the "Ethnic Hair Section" section Carried Good Quality Products such as Qhemet,Oyin,Shescentit,Karens etc...? Would you still be SICK of the "Ethnic Hair Isle"
 
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This is hilarious. I don't think the OP nor any people who agreed with her on points were saying anything other than what LHCF has (thankfully) taught us...hair is hair no matter whether you eat plantains, platanos or don't know what either of those are... Not that it isn't a blessing to have the section, only that at some point "moving past it" is the goal so that people can do what is best for them as people....however we are not there yet as a society and quite frankly...that prolly ain't where we should start...I can think of a few larger issues...but, alas, this is an "ethnic hair website" so our topics can stray but only so far...
it's the irony of existence :grin:

BTW, what is in the HISPANIC hair section!!?!?!:ohwell:
 
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MyHeavenlyFatherKnows said:
This is hilarious. I don't think the OP nor any people who agreed with her on points were saying anything other than what LHCF has (thankfully) taught us...hair is hair no matter whether you eat plantains, platanos or don't know what either of those are... Not that it isn't a blessing to have the section, only that at some point "moving past it" is the goal so that people can do what is best for them as people....however we are not there yet as a society and quite frankly...that prolly ain't where we should start...I can think of a few larger issues...but, alas, this is an "ethnic hair website" so our topics can stray but only so far...
it's the irony of existence :grin:

BTW, what is in the HISPANIC hair section!!?!?!:ohwell:
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A lot of dominican products as well as products with spanish language labeling. ..from what I have seen.
 
Sometimes just to throw people off, I walk right past the ethnic hair care line and go straight to the John Freida section and pick up some Blonde shampoo lol. They're like "omg, she has JOHN FREIDA" but i'm just like... it's whatever. I only look at ingredients. I don't limit myself to the front label. I also hate how a lot of black hair products aren't spelled correctly. Like "Doo Gro" and stuff like that... it's kinda embarrassing. It makes it more embarassing that they separate our things, but that's the way that it is. Yes, segregation still exists, but look at it as separating the super maxi pads from the lite pantiliners. They are the same but different at the same time. You can't just shove the pads all together and expect everyone to be happy. Plus, it makes the black people products or should i say "ethnic" easier to find.
 
I have bought all sorts of products and no one ever blinked an eye twice at my selection.

I even liked the john frieda blonde detangler too (years ago) :lol:

There really are some idiots in this world. :perplexed
 
yeah it's like segregated and ridiculous lol!!! I do feel like i'm being watched if there's a time when I want to buy an ethnic product. But at my local bss i don't feel that way, but if i go to a duane reade, walmart or stores like those stuff is all segregated for our products. it's silly. and then at my locan walmart the section has like 2 products.
 
You ladies are too funny. A lot of these companies that are selling "ethnic" hair products know that there is a huge demand for products that work for our hair type.

It doesn't bother me that they separate them, it just makes it easier for me to find. What bother's me are the ingredients that most of them are using that are not healthy or beneficial to our hair.
 
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AHA! yall make me snicker. i was not trying to ruffle feathers in here.
1. im gonna be truthful. i came on this website cuz i USED to think i could only use "black girl" products. but being on here has shown be different. thats the reason i came on the "ethnic" hair care website
2. im nowhere near acting brand new because i still use many of those products over in the 1/8 of an aisle. i relax, i like lusters, i like hot 6 oil...
3. when i said "they" have control of bhm, i think it depends where u come from. at my school, we got a little window for 28 days and the intercom for one fact for 28 days. it is probably different where u live.
4. i just want to lt yall know. the other day i went to a different from normal walmart and asked where the shampoo && conditioner as and guess where she led me..... u already know
5. i think instead of focusing on marketing to ethnic hair, they should focus on educating us on how to care for our hair. just like ORS, if u ever read the pamphlets, they say not to blow dry & stuff like that. at least its a start.
 
I hate those signs! Everytime I see one I rip it down and hide it lol! They always find it, or I switch the signs. I dunno maybe I'm being stupid but why isn't there a sign that says "WHITE PEOPLE OVER HERE" LOL or something like come on. I knew the section before the sign was there, why the sign now? UGH
 
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