Why Do "Our" Products Stink So Much?

[emerald06]

I'm a loose, 4-a/3-b natural who wears her hair out 98% of the time. Typically, I use a natural oil to lubricate in the shower and a clear gel like Eco Styler or Fantasia (or any clear gel). The oil helps cut down on the gel's crunchiness, so this is my frequent daily styling aid combination.

Wednesday, I wanted a little more "hang" with less crunchiness, so I went back to old-school Royal Crown and left out the gel.

I love how the pomade cuts through my tangles, but my GOODNESS! I'd forgotten how much this stuff can stink. I found myself overlaying some Sauve coconut as a leave in just to cut down on the smell.

Why is it that many of "our" products smell? Even in gels, when I use an activator gel, I cannot STAND the smell of it.

Does anyone have any theories?

 

[loolalooh]

A lot more chemicals ... and cheap chemicals at that.

 

[lovenharmony]

Why? i'd assume that most of the stuff that is in there is chemicals or products that are supposed to make your hair grow faster like sulfur, menthol, and castor oil. Then there are stabilizers (parabens) and other junk to keep it from going bad so all those things mixed up tends to give off a bad smell.

 

[lushlady]

Maybe because they are full of stinky chemicals and needs fragrance to cover it up. Just a guess. Also, just because something is "fragrance free" doesn't mean there is no added fragrances (did that make sense?).

 

[QueenNefi]

I so agree with you. I've always said the same thing. I love the smell of pert, prell and so many other products that I don't dare use. Our products always seem to stink. I use Africa's Best gel with olive oil. It smells great and I like the hold. I went thru so many stinky gels before I found one that had the hold and smell that I like.

 

[PeanutButterandHoney]

I think it's done purposely.
I believe it's part of their marketing ploy to toy Black women into believing that the products "smell 'Afrocentric' and natural" (ie the smell of Tea tree oil, sulfur, etc).
I know when I was younger and less knowledgeable, there were plenty of times when I smelled a product and thought it smelled like "herbs" or "African stuff" and bought it because of that.

 

[shinyblackhair]

I think a lot of those mineral oil or petroleum based products tend to be the ones that are heavily fragranced. Other than that, I can't think of any other products of "ours" that stink.

 

[SignatureBeauty]

I won't say they stink, but I will say they don't have a nice fragrant to them, but like others have said, it could be all those cheap chemicals they put in them. But I do understand what you mean!

 

[sharifeh]

I have this idea in my head that it's the mineral oil or petroleum even though it's probably not true. I hate the smell of most of the products in the ethnic section of the aisle. And I hate all the colors. Ladies, we need to change that! It's just embarrassing really!

 

[JinaRicci]

I have no idea. Miss Jessie's is famous for this. Right before Xmas I had a little bit of buttercreme in my hair and I guess because of the peppermint oil, a lady at work said to me "Oh I love your holiday perfume."

 

[natura87]

A lot more chemicals ... and cheap chemicals at that.

Pretty much, and some people aren't smart enough to look beyond the packaging so they think it is supposed to smell like that.

 

[lushlady]

I have this idea in my head that it's the mineral oil or petroleum even though it's probably not true. I hate the smell of most of the products in the ethnic section of the aisle. And I hate all the colors. Ladies, we need to change that! It's just embarrassing really!

The whole idea of an ethnic section bothers me, but I won't go off on that rant. That's another topic.

 

[natura87]

The whole idea of an ethnic section bothers me, but I won't go off on that rant. That's another topic.

Yeah! Why do i have to be ethnic? Are Latinas and Asians not ethnic? What about Black Latinas? What are they? Why aren't white people "ethnic"?

That really grinds my gears!

 

[Aviah]

Yeah I think a lot of "black" products hav this musky, non-fresh smell. Particularly blue magic that we used to use as kids... Nasty.

 

[caribeandiva]

... because the stench means it's working.

 

[bahamababe242]

... because the stench means it's working.

 

[ava2]

I've thought the same thing. I wish I could find products that meet our hair needs AND smell decent.

 

[knt1229]

Grease smells but I think that's the nature of that product. I mean it is called "grease" after all . Activator gel has a disgusting smell but I have heard of some people that don't mind the smell. Shampoos and conditioners that I have used that were from the "ethnic" aisle didn't smell bad at all at least not the ones I used.

 

[Lola Laughs]

I always thought maybe they smelled that way to make "us" think they're "working." For example, how confident would you feel about a relaxer that smelled lavender?

 

[Lady S]

The interesting thing is, some of them would smell decent if they weren't so heavily fragranced. You don't even want to try to use perfume or you may cause people within a 6 ft radius to pass out.

I don't know why companies will douse tons of fragrance into a product, but I've tossed products because of the scent.

 

[Jas123]

I think it's done purposely.
I believe it's part of their marketing ploy to toy Black women into believing that the products "smell 'Afrocentric' and natural" (ie the smell of Tea tree oil, sulfur, etc).
I know when I was younger and less knowledgeable, there were plenty of times when I smelled a product and thought it smelled like "herbs" or "African stuff" and bought it because of that.