Get Even More Visitors To Your Blog, Upgrade To A Business Listing >>

Why I Have To Break Up With Shea Moisture



Yall, I gotta break up with Shea Moisture......they are doing too much.  

You're wondering why I'm offended?  This is why.  


It's because once again black women are erased. We are diminished, and we are segregated.

Shea Moisture wouldn't exist without it's black clientele. So we find it offensive that not only are you excluding the very people who built your business in your advertising, but you're also changing the formulation of products that was made for our Hair to appease the masses.

Black women have always been innovators, people have mimicked us, but with the mimicking and innovating, we've been mocked. Mercilessly.

Growing up in suburbia I've heard my fair share of comments about ugly greasy fried chicken big lips, big thighs, and big noses. How ugly they are and how it is unattractive on a woman.

Now yall are out here en masse running around with injected lips, asses, and thighs, when not even a decade ago, you were calling it ugly and undesirable.

I've heard that my hair is unprofessional, I've heard my hair is full of Crisco, is greasy, is ugly all because it isn't silky straight but coarse and kinky. I have been relaxer free since 1999, but I only was brave enough to stop using a flat iron in 2006. Even then, I still I heard the comments about how unprofessional and wild "afro hair" was, no matter how it was styled, in a bun, a bob, or just in a simple ponytail.

It was an actual act of rebellion to wear your hair Natural to work, even in 2006.

When I went natural, I was quick to support and embrace black owned hair care companies, as the stuff I found at the beauty supply and shelves of stores near me was just awful. I remember my Carol's daughter coming with a freezer pack and having to be refrigerated. I remember supporting Oyin Handmade: Natural Products for Happy, Healthy Hair, Curl Sisters, Kinky Kurly, and Anita Grant.

That's why I'm offended. That's why I'm tired of these commercials, that's why I'm not using your products anymore.


I then found SheaMoisture. Between them and Oyin offering me easy access, by being available at the local Target and drug stores, my natural hair care became so much easier. There was no panic, I could just hop to my store and always get more. I purchased soaps, lotions, body wash, numerous hair products, and even makeup, not just for me; but also for my children. I was very happy to see their success and to support a black owned business, not just because the business was black owned, but the products were truly great for my hair.

Then I saw your advertising about being accessible to everyone and I was still supporting you, yes expand your customer demographic, make products for all, it makes perfect sense.
Then it changed, instead of focusing on products for all, you focused on products for the "mainstream". Your products weren't made for me anymore. They were made for people who have so much access to products that work for them already. Instead of seeing beautiful women of all hues, now your advertising does what advertising has always done, which is excluded darker hued black people to make white people comfortable.

I've suggested your products to nonblack people. Over and over and over again. I've suggested them to other black women.

I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to support businesses that not only wants to grow and expand but still respect me and my money. I want to see products that represent and work for me.

Shea Moisture, unfortunately, doesn't do that. They decided they didn't need people like me anymore and we're tired of being the innovators, embracing the new, essentially being guinea pigs and test subjects for these companies, to only then again get pushed to the background, just like we never existed.

I know they have apologized, but it's a little too late for that.  

We've been side eyeing you for a while. 


This post first appeared on Siditty, please read the originial post: here

Share the post

Why I Have To Break Up With Shea Moisture

×

Subscribe to Siditty

Get updates delivered right to your inbox!

Thank you for your subscription

×