All rights reserved. A combo image … We are different – and we should know better. The company was founded in Harlem in 1991 by Liberians Nyema Tubman and Richelieu Dennis (and his mother Mary Dennis), who were part of the Liberian Diaspora to the United States.The company was inspired by Dennis' Sierra Leonean grandmother, Sofi Tucker, who sold shea … What we need to do differently is have more conversation and engagement with our community as we’re building and growing the business so they understand where we’re headed and are not feeling disenfranchised. Shea Moisture is also a great option if you’re finding DevaCurl too expensive. Every time we get something, here y'all come trying to steal it, putting some blonde hair on it and calling it different -Bring It On, 2000 . Their ad – “break free from hair hate” – featured close to zero representations of black women, instead, opting for a blonde-haired white woman who claims she “didn’t know what to do with her hair” and a redhead … We appreciate you. Shea Moisture is getting dragged on their FB page for that new commercial. Well, you’re not the only one. I had to constantly scrub my bathtub after using it to clean all the black residue. The important thing is that we understand how precious our community is to us. Forms a loose “S” very easily straightened, Forms a definite “S” shaped like a corkscrew, Very tight curl when stretched creates an “S”, Hair intentionally matted to form "ropes", Guides and resources for easy product selection, Learn how to read your hair product labels, Easy-to-make recipes for all your haircare needs, Community member favorites make up this coveted list, Chat with curl friends about your favorite curly topics. The company was founded in Harlem in 1991 by Liberians Nyema Tubman and Richelieu Dennis (and his mother Mary Dennis), who were part of the Liberian Diaspora to the United States. Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate. On Thursday, SheaMoisture haircare and skincare products founder Richelieu Dennis announced a $100 million fund for women entrepreneurs of color at the 2018 … Richelieu Dennis, founder of Sundial Brands and Shea Moisture, walks through what happened when his company found itself in hot water over their advertising. Tag: what happened with shea moisture. Created by a healer and crafted with care. I used the Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention … Coupled with the fact that it came only after a firestorm of criticism on Twitter, it’s too little too late. So, the feedback we are seeing here brings to light a very important point. To revisit this article, select My⁠ ⁠Account, then View saved stories. The omission of tighter textures and dark skinned women, the brand’s core customer and a group which experiences hair hate in uniquely acute ways, caused a social media maelstrom with accusations of whitewashing and threats to boycott the brand reminiscent of Pepsi’s recent fiasco. The products, known for natural ingredients and deep hydration, were no longer leaving waves, curls, and kinks feeling the way they used to. In 1912, a young woman named Sofi Tucker started selling Shea Nuts at her village market in Bonthe, Sierra Leone. High quality products for both hair and body that are PETA-approved Cruelty-Free, Organic and with 10% of SheaMoisture Community Commerce sales going to women-led businesses, these are the best Shea Moisture … A post dating back to November 2015 on the popular natural-hair and lifestyle site Curly Nikki discovered that SheaMoisture had in fact changed the formula of one its most popular products. Shea Moisture is a hair care product that comes with different hair treatment solutions in terms of nourishing the hair from the roots. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Smith-Wilson says "We welcome that level of dialogue, understanding, and engagement, and we’re constantly listening to our consumer community, which means we don’t shy away. Richelieu Dennis, founder of Sundial Brands and Shea Moisture, walks through what happened when his company found itself in hot water over their advertising. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. My hair took the color really well. Shea Moisture Sugarcane Extract & Meadowfoam Seed Silicone Free Miracle Styler Leave-in Treatment does it all; detangles, nourishes, softens, cuts drying time, adds shine, smoothes and is enhanced with an anti frizz formula, adds silkiness, and protects against thermal and environmental damage. We built this business with the community, for the community, and we’re going to continue doing that. Castor oil has always known as one of the best medicinal oils available in the market; it has used by people both culinary and cosmetic purposes; it is rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, and antioxidants that help … We built this business with the community, for the community, and we’re going to continue doing that. A post dating back to November 2015 on the popular natural-hair and lifestyle site Curly Nikki discovered that SheaMoisture had in fact changed the formula of one its most popular products. Miracles do happen! Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up. Over the last few months, the go-to product line for many naturalistas, myself included, has done a series of questionable things that’s left its core group of customers, women of color, feeling utterly confused and quite frankly hurt. Moreover, the brand has also attempted to perform damage control by pulling the new ad. So, you’re right. It's messy, too. What we need to do differently is have more conversation and engagement with our community as we’re building and growing the business so they understand where we’re headed and are not feeling disenfranchised. Give your dry, damaged hair the moisture infusion it needs with products from our Yucca & Plantain hair care collection featuring an anti-breakage formula. But now, left with an extremely bad taste in my mouth, I’ll happily be taking my dollar to one of the other amazing brands that truly celebrates my beauty. For decades, we’ve been overlooked and grossly underserved by the hair-care industry. At first glance, the campaign's message, that women should break free from hair hate, is fitting for a brand that cemented itself as a natural-hair mainstay. He hopes that "twenty five years of work won't be wiped away by one errant Facebook post, which is not at all reflective of who we are as a company. JERGENS ® Wet Skin ® Moisturizer with Enriching Shea Oil Water, glycerin, mineral oil, ethylhexyl isononanoate, petrolatum, butyrospermum parkii (shea) buter, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, cetearyl alcohol, ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer, fragrance, acrylates/Q10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, ceteareth … The tone reads like that of a knowing girlfriend and begs customers for understanding and compassion, yet the words do nothing to assuage my feeling of deep betrayal. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Your California Privacy Rights. And we’re always here for you. The support of our community is what has enabled us to support women around the globe. © 2021 Condé Nast. Despite the formula change, I still stuck by the brand and continued to purchase products. Hey guys, I love this board so much and have spent a long time on it digging around. The support of our community is what has enabled us to support women around the globe. It all started when customers noticed something was amiss with their favorite conditioners, styling creams, and co-washes. We are keenly aware of the journey that WOC face – and our work will continue to serve as the inspiration for work like the Perception Institute’s Good Hair Study/Implicit Association Test that suggests that a majority of people, regardless of race and gender, hold some bias towards women of color based on their textured or natural hair. We’re not going to forget this core community." From our family to yours...Shop your favorite natural products made with certified organic Shea Butter. A likely explanation for the new formula? April 30, 2017 January 13, 2018 by ayethatsnicole, posted in Blog Posts, Thoughts & Opinions. SheaMoisture. I looked at the ingredients and nothing really stood out at me at the time. As a huge fan of the brand’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave-In Conditioner — I religiously used and enthusiastically recommended it to my friends and family — I noticed that something was a bit off when I bought it at the end of last year. Is this whole Shea Moisture controversy rubbing you the wrong way (sorry, we couldn’t help it)? You guys know that we have always stood for inclusion in beauty and have always fought for our community and given them credit for not just building our business but for shifting the beauty landscape. (In case people wonder why this is relevant to r/curlyhair is because Shea Moisture is recommended all the time for our hair type. Walker’s original brand still lives on. Yikes pic.twitter.com/8wPFVy83wz, — DarkSkintDostoyevsky (@daniecal) April 24, 2017, — Yadii In My Blood (@BlessedZvy) April 25, 2017, The controversy continues in the comments section of the apology and the brand is responding directly. Thanks x 7; May 15, 2019 #14. Popular natural hair brand Shea Moisture issued an apology Monday following social media backlash over its latest ad spot. Yes, the company owned up to missing the mark and pulled the campaign, but it also fails to adequately address how it’ll prevent this from happening again. You’ve probably heard of black haircare company Shea Moisture’s controversial ad campaign, released on Monday. However, many are now wondering if SheaMoisture is as in touch as they once believed it was. I noticed my scalp has been so irritated lately. They should have extended it and added a hair mask and styling products. Let’s say a plus sized fashion brand that dedicates themselves to putting plus size women at the fore front decides one day to put out … We count on you. Ad Choices, What SheaMoisture Forgot About Women With Natural Hair, Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave-In Conditioner, https://twitter.com/girlswithtoys/status/856563772223365122, How to Find Your PERFECT Salon If You Have Natural Hair. ", We spoke on Tuesday with the company’s Founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis, who was inspired by his grandmother Sofi Tucker to co-found Sundial Brands with his college roommate and his mother, about whether the brand was surprised by the reaction to the ad, “if this were reaction were to the overall campaign I would have been surprised, because I think the overall campaign articulates our message of inclusion  in which we have dozens of different people talking about their need states. In this particular edit there was no representation of 4c or 4b hair types, it didn’t include the diversity that the others did. In this particular edit there was no representation of 4c or 4b hair types, it didn’t include the diversity that the others did. With over a century’s worth of innovation and haircare experience, Shea Moisture know what they’re talking about. There are fifteen thousand women in West Africa who rely on this brand to live above poverty, we wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that. I don’t use Shea Moisture because it doesn’t work well with my hair. With a little Internet digging, my sneaking suspicion was confirmed. The real reason I was so excited to buy this brand was because I wanted to see a black-owned business do well. The standard of beauty that’s traditionally been sold to us is one that doesn’t celebrate our naturally thick and coarse hair. When it comes to beauty brands, even the most seemingly authentic are still prone to the type of missteps that leave their most loyal customers scratching our heads. When we learn that a brand we once thought was on our side and here for us isn’t, it hurts. I recently switched to the SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter line. My hair wasn’t too red but it did scream “˜Look At Me!’ I loved it so far. I have been trying a lot of Shea Moisture products for my 2C hair and while they have all been good, this one is exactly what I was looking for. With black women spending a billion dollars on products we are not surprised by Shea Moisture’s … We’re not going to forget this core community." The young person’s guide to conquering (and saving) the world. But this didn’t happen AT ALL! What happened? Shea Moisture is a personal care company which focuses on shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Related: How to Find Your PERFECT Salon If You Have Natural Hair. But that skeptical optimism and unwavering brand support was completely destroyed over the past few weeks with the release of a troubling commercial from the brand. We hear you. A white woman appears onscreen lamenting the trials and tribulation of cutting her pin-straight hair, something that doesn’t resonate with the commercial’s presumed target audience, women of color. Shea Moisture was forced to deliver a swift apology after a new campaign fell flat with their key demographic and sparked outrage on social. Which, was recommended by the 100 ways to shea, so thank you so much for finally adding that to your website!! I then shampooed with the Raw Shea Moisture Retention Shampoo that came in the box. Popular natural hair brand Shea Moisture issued an apology Monday following social media backlash over its latest Facebook ad spot. I am so in love with this product line! Shea Moisture, you tried it! I proudly spent double digits (something I’d never done before) at my local drugstore knowing I was supporting a brand that valued me and one that I saw myself reflected in. That was an error on our part, and that's what lead to this response that we’re seeing.”. It’s priced comparatively well, so it’s easier to justify buying spending the money on it before you know whether it’s going to work for you. He hopes that "t. wenty five years of work won't be wiped away by one errant Facebook post, which is not at all reflective of who we are as a company. Teen Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. While showing a range of hair and skin textures in a beauty commercial is wonderful, it feels tone-deaf for a brand that sells co-washes and edge treatments to have a white woman talk about her hair struggles. The Shea Moisture color system is 100% Ammonia-free so that is why my hair wasn’t stripped. SheaMoisture has since issued an apology, but it feels a bit half-hearted to me. Thank you all, as always, for the honest and candid feedback. When the brand decided to highlight the curly hair struggles of those with wavy hair and complexions much lighter than those that have been using the products for years, we have a problem. Participate in product testing surveys discussions etc. The density of the hair increases and once can deal with hair problems by implementing this hair cream that cleanses the hair roots and support hydration process. The ad opens with a light skinned woman with 3c curls sharing her journey to embracing her natural hair, then cuts to a woman with straight blonde hair, “lots of days spent staring in the mirror like, I don’t know what to do with it,” followed by a woman with red hair sharing that she spent years dying her red hair platinum blonde. How could a brand that prides itself on celebrating textured hair suddenly abandon its devout customers? The ad opens with a light skinned woman with 3c curls sharing her journey to embracing her natural hair, then cuts to a woman with straight blonde hair, “lots of days spent staring in the mirror like, I don’t know what to do with it,” followed by a woman with red hair sharing that she spent years dying her red hair platinum blonde. In no way are we trying to say that we are going to shift our focus from serving women of color when that’s what we’ve championed for 25 years.". This didn’t sit right with many women of color, and rightfully so. The omission of tighter textures and dark skinned women, the brand’s core customer and a group which experiences hair hate in uniquely acute ways, caused a social media maelstrom with accusations of … We’re listening. For me, Shea Moisture is cancelled until I have no other choice but to use it. It's been dry, itchy and sore in certain spots. ! Thank you, #SheaFam, for being there for us, even when we make mistakes. If Shea Moisture actually had a majority of white women buying their products that would not have stirred up any problems but white women are not the majority consumer in this case. But though the doors of her manufacturing company have long since shuttered, Madam C.J. Teen Vogue covers the latest in celebrity news, politics, fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and entertainment. This Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo will help to get your that healthy and strong hair in no time. However, I believe the low porosity line was way too limited. Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. . I think its in everyone's interest to discuss something that's been going on … The brand was intentionally trying to attract a new customer base with lightweight products (read: white women). All in all, I’ve had great results with Shea Moisture so I absolutely recommend it to anyone. about whether the brand was surprised by the reaction to the ad, “if this were reaction were to the overall campaign I would have been surprised, because I think the overall campaign articulates our message of inclusion  in which we have dozens of different people talking about their need states. By the time she was 19, Tucker was a widowed mother of four selling Shea Butter, African Black Soap, as well as homemade hair and skin preparations all over the countryside to satisfied customers.