What's the Deal?
THE C.R.O.W.N Act and the Curl Economy, How Some Celebrity Brands Win, And Why A Lack of Skincare Service Research Can Cost You
She Shall Wear a Crown
I have been absent from your inbox for a few weeks Between IRL celebrations, prepping for Season 3 of the pod, and other writing obligations, I was overwhelmed. Now, hopefully, we are back to regularly scheduled programming.
During my unexpected hiatus, I was excited to see so many posts about the partnership between LinkedIn and Dove to end natural hair discrimination in the workplace. Folks not only shared images from the campaign, which were awesome by the way, but they also offered their personal stories about navigating their own tress struggles in the places they work.
As part of their partnership, LinkedIn/Dove commissioned a study that pointed out that 2/3 of Black women change their hair for job interviews, and their natural texture is 2.5x more likely to be deemed unprofessional. Their research reminded me of The Good Hair Study conducted by The Perception Institute, in 2016 (in conjunction with Shea Moisture) and unfortunately not enough has changed. That is why passing The C.R.O.W.N. Act nationwide is critical. But the political climate that seeks to categorize facts as a “woke agenda” is a significant challenge, made even more difficult with a Republican majority House and not enough support in the Senate.
In the midst of all this, the curly/textured hair category is a multibillion enterprise that shows no signs of slowing down. Last month, The Kline Group reported that the curly haircare category was the only area to experience double-digit growth in the first three quarters of 2022. This dovetails with the overall skinification of the haircare category. Those of us with textured hair want to do more than style it, we want to nurture it. For some, that means buying retail products after a salon visit, because Kline also pointed to a 19% increase in haircare product sales at salons.
Maybe if we shared how much our decisions to wear our beautiful, textured tresses in professional environments boost the economy, they would understand that it is not only our right, it is also a financial win.
It’s Not About Deal Or No Deal! The Real Question is Are They Qualified?
Many of you heard about four Americans kidnapped in Mexico by a cartel. The group encountered danger ( and two people lost their lives) because a woman was in search of an inexpensive cosmetic procedure. It is by no means their fault, but they were taking a risk. While here in the United States, another woman was convinced by her aesthetician that a BBL (Broad Band Light Therapy, an advanced form of Intense Pulse Light aka IPL) was safe for her skin. As a result, the patient went into shock and ended up in the emergency room.
In a reel on Instagram, Dr. Adeline Kikam (aka Brown Skin Derm), explains why that particular treatment is not an ideal choice for anyone with melanated skin. The side effects that can include burns, hypopigmentation (lighter spots), additional hyperpigmentation (darker discoloration), and scars could take years to heal if they do at all. I hope she is one of the lucky ones.
When it comes to our skin, body, and well-being it is critical to do our research. Even though this woman knew her aesthetician, it was important to do research, ask questions, and see pictures of people who have had the treatment. When we do, we might be able to see the red flags, like no one in the before/afters that look like us. In which the answer should always be, “let me do some more research”. And when you have stubborn dark spots, as I did, you are willing to try just about anything. Still, you can’t overlook facts.
I don’t know where this woman lived but it is important for us to find aestheticians and dermatologists familiar with our skin needs. These incidents reminded me of three previous episodes on the pod: First, in episode 25 beauty entrepreneur, Eunice Cofie-Obeng, talked about founding the Neukie brand, but we also discussed the work she continues to do with the Nuekie Skin of Color Academy, training other aestheticians about the particular needs of melanin-rich skin. Then, in episode 33, I talked to Dr. Cheryl Burgess about the need for more Black dermatologists, why it is such an in-demand specialty, why Black folks should be included in clinical studies, and much more. In episode 37, Dr. Edward Dickerson shared his knowledge as a Black plastic surgeon and gave me the lowdown on fillers, among other things.
Listen, I understand that medical tourism has been a thing for quite some time. But do you really want to cut a deal when your life is at stake? Especially when we hear story after story about women of color not surviving. Heed the words of Randy Jackson…
A Bright Spot The Celebrity Beauty Brand Battle
Is there a celebrity beauty brand boom, or is it a bust? It depends on who you ask. According to a piece in The Financial Times, it all boils down to authenticity. The article mentioned the success of A-Frame, an incubator concept that has birthed affordable brands from John Legend, Naomi Osaka, Gabrielle Union, and Dwayne Wade, but it also shared the skepticism associated with a skincare line from Brad Pitt. An unnamed source says agents are to blame.
Agents wil slap their clients names on anything.
The bright spot in this landscape is when celebrities use their position to help others. Pharrell, and Felecia Hatcher. have made a significant impact with their Black Ambition Fund, which gives away a total of one million dollars to entrepreneurs of color. This week, Flawless by GU, Gabrielle Union’s haircare line has announced the Lift As We Climb Grant Initiative through which three Black female-identifying entrepreneurs in skincare, hair accessories (including tools), or fashion, are eligible to win $25,000 each. Applications are open until April 19th. If you know someone who can benefit from this, pass it on. When you are building a brand, every little bit counts!
I want to end this week’s newsletter with this throwback hit from TLC. See you next time!