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Forget the relaxers.
More and more, African-American women are leaving behind chemicals used to straighten hair and accepting their natural curls.
The shift to Afro, locks and other natural hairstyles comes amid health concerns about relaxers, which have been linked to fibroids, as well as worries about hair breakage and loss. Celebrities such as Lupita Nyong’o and Viola Davis have fueled the movement, as well, by sporting natural styles.
“In general, in the beauty category, black consumers are beginning to embrace their natural self,” said Tonya Roberts, a multicultural analyst for the intelligence firm Mintel.
Two-thirds of African-American women wore a natural hairstyle in 2013, according to Mintel’s Black Consumers and Haircare executive summary, published last year.
Karen Grant, the global beauty industry analyst for the NPD Group research firm, said adopting natural hairstyles is a lifestyle choice, similar to how certain people favor organic and natural food. Importantly, it’s a lifestyle that is crossing generations.
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source: cnbc.com
