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1. Scapegoating or Community Empowerment? The Flipside of "Korean Takeover of the Black Haircare Industry" Debate at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture on 21 Jun 2007 at 8:53 am

   […] set of questions and find some answers. Carmen raised a question of her own back in December, “Do Korean-Americans Control the Black Hair Market?” prompting readers to check out Aron Ranen’s documentary Black Hair and leaving them to render […]

Comments

1. KEYSHA wrote:

   I saw the whole thing. I really do believe that koreans have a hold on the african american hair care industry, as well as small grocery stores in african american neighborhoods. Andrew Young was correct in his thoughts. I found it outageous that the purposly dont sell products to non korean, hair store owners, which is descrimination.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 9:32 am ¶

2. Kaywil wrote:

   Clue: US immigration policy
   Another Clue: US culture of business grants and loans (check out the trends)

   All the Koreans are doing is running a successful business. They have just been given an opportunity by the racist country that they are trying to do business in. Let’s see if there’s a Lou Dobbs special on this one!

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 10:45 am ¶

3. mr guy wrote:

   Yeah, When I watched it the first time, I wasn’t sure what to make of the whole thing myself.Still not sure what to make of it.

   “Also, I wonder if the film will attempt to explore why it is that African-Americans don’t control a larger share of the black hair care market. After all, there’s been a long history of entrepreneurship among black women, in particular (think Madame CJ Walker). ”

   See that’s the thing Carmen.They didn’t dive into that much which bothered me.It only got brief mention.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 10:55 am ¶

4. Kaywil wrote:

   By the way - this has happened many times in the West Indies (also known by most vacationers as the ‘Caribbean’). When slavery ended and they didn’t want to have to pay the slaves, they brought in east Asians and south Asians to do the work. Nike, Hanes, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger brought in east Asians to Jamaica when they didn’t want to pay the locals what they agreed to pay them (google: free zones) or didn’t want local businesses to benefit. All of those opportunities were facilitated by the US government. (Life and Debt: http://www.lifeanddebt.org/)

   It’s a staple in history. That’s why I am suspicious of the way that white business people and policy makers have been removed from the scene, as if they have no say or control over who gets opportunities in their country’s market.

   Now, it’s happening to a group of people inside the US, but it’s not as important because it’s not affecting what Lou Dobbs calls ‘middle America’. I guess that’s code language for the majority.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 11:07 am ¶

5. Lyonside wrote:

   >Clue: US immigration policy
   Another Clue: US culture of business grants and loans (check out the trends)

   Kaywil: it’s not just that, it’s that South Korean and Korean-American business associations will often form co-ops so that their members can start up their own businesses - they they pay back the co-op. I believe this was started because of the LACK of affordable American bank loans for “risky” business enterprises. For a while, I’m sure any minority business serving mostly minorities would be a “risk,” and I wonder if that’s still not the case (answering that riddle of why there AREN’T more AA hair care owners).

   I honestly don’t grudge anyone who does honest business in an niche market, so long as you’re not unfairly forcing out the competition or screwing the consumer.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 11:32 am ¶

6. Kim wrote:

   Kaywil, and Lyonsided have covered all the bases, but one…

   The Wal-Mart effect of the purchasing power the Korean Distributor (who will actually sell to the Black business owner, through high-volume catalog orders) possesses, and then passes off to the retail stores by way of lower prices, was so attractive to Blacks, who spend way too much money on hair products(yes, that is my position).

   The whole ’70’s and and 80’s ‘Buy Black’ initiatives and call to economic power building were ignored on a case-by-case basis when the consumer went to purchase products. Not seeing way down the line, not seeing him/herself as part of a power buying block, and therefore supporting the small Black retailer or local distributor pushed those businesses into the red.

   Sad, but true.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 1:11 pm ¶

7. Mrs. J wrote:

   As soon as I my mom let me get a relaxer, I became aware of this trend. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a black beauty supply store that wasn’t Korean owned. Some people resent that they’re there, but I admire the perserverance that allows these entrepreneurs to be successful in a market that doesn’t cater to their particular ethnic group. I still feel this way, despite the rude treatment I’ve experienced in some of them.

   But overall, I really don’t see this as a “Koreans vs. Black People” issue.

   I think it’s important to remember that any successful immigrant in the United States is here because somewhere down the line, there was a desire to come to this country and become economically successful. By not acknowledging this, we buy into stereotypes by assuming an entire ethnic group is a certain way, for better or for worse. In actuality, there really are South Koreans, West Indians, East Indians who lack entrepreneurial ambition – the reason we don’t see them because they stayed home!

   African Americans as a group may not have a stronghold on the black hair care market, but there are many black enterpreneurs who have found economic success within it. Carol’s Daughter and the Bronner Brothers are just two examples. And there’s even Miss Jessies (www.missjessies.com) – a salon and product line for ethnic hair, founded by a pair of sisters who happen to be half Korean and half black.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 2:26 pm ¶

8. Katie wrote:

   Do you want to know what I find problematic? Koreans are participating in an economy that generally presupposes that something is wrong with Black women’s hair that must be fixed, and fixed good. Relaxing/weave/etc. are big chunks of the Black hair care industry, and Korean business owners are, by necessity, perpetuating that mindset. It’s frustrating to watch one minority make money off of another minority by hitching its wagon to racist beauty trends. My Korean half is ashamed.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 3:30 pm ¶

9. Katie wrote:

   BTW, I didn’t see the movie, so I’m assuming its premises are correct.

   Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 3:30 pm ¶

10. Anonymous Coward wrote:

    This was great propaganda for a boycott but passing this off as a documentary is laughable. I have nothing against instilling ethnic pride, but this is ethnic baiting and fear mongering. I loved the scene where the Korean woman is showing off the wig heads and then indicates the new ones which are white, equating the asian menace with the white menace. Nice touch. The only fearful image they left out was the Korean laughing manically as they push a wheelbarrow of money to the bank and crushing the world in the palm of their hand.

    Practically all of the claims of unfairness against the Korean owners were anecdotal, hardly the type of empirical evidence to justify the documentation aspect of the film. They were there at the Korean stores, ask THEM why they own it all, why they are successful, why they don’t hire blacks or if they engage in unfair business practice… and if they spin then provide the contrary evidence — evidence which was sorely lacking in this film.

    I agree with Lyonside, explore why it is that white bankers refuse to grant business loans, examine those trends, investigate why Koreans are successful by examining how their business practices operate. Because it’s not just because they are Koreans, if that were the case, after the LA riots when Korean businesses got burned down you’d see a crap load of black businesses taking over in Ktown. You think any white bank is going to front a loan to rebuild business in a practically all minority (high risk) district? Boycott all you want, but you better know the real reasons and not just play off racial fear. This has all been done before, I point you to the early 1990’s Brooklyn boycott of Korean grocery stores. Racial screaming across a boycott line offers no solution to the actual problem. Without clarity this will amount to little.

    p.s. why does everyone think ethnic hair products are only black? You wouldn’t believe how popular hair straightening techniques and products are among the Korean and Japanese.

    Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 3:52 pm ¶

11. t-hype wrote:

    My only beef with the situation is the stranglehold mindset.

    If you watch the documentary in its entirety, you’ll see the door was opened to Korean domination in the “black hair” industry as the result of hair itself–human hair. There’s a brief mention about the US banning Chinese hair (Indian hair wasn’t big then) and the Korean govenment subsequently barring non-Koreans from exporting Korean hair. Thus began the fringe monopoly–a very specialized one. As one of the black business owners mentioned, (at that time) the majority of people in black hair care were still black.

    So how did we get where we are today? As a foothold was gained in hair sales, the next logical step was to provide hair appliances (curlers, etc) that could cheaply produced and cheaply sold and finally, as we see today, to provide hair care products (relaxers, etc.) as well.

    Most of the Korean hair store owners are 1st generation immigrants. When they want to sell their store and retire, they will most likely “keep it in the family” and sell to a relative (which may offer them US residency rights) or another member of their ethnic community. Thus, the money never changes “faces” and the enterprise continues to grow. Typically, the black businesses weren’t owned by 1stgenners. The “community” mindset was already lost and black ownership soon followed.

    All I can say to that is “whatever.” May the best man win. What does piss me off though is the thought that some of the distributors have the audacity to refuse to sell to black owned businesses. That’s absolutely ridiculous and probably illegal.

    Personally, I think some of the BOBSA folks should build relationships with manufacturing plants in China and Hong Kong, lower prices and increase availability.

    Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 4:15 pm ¶

12. S wrote:

    O.K., so I admit that I haven’t watched the whole thing, but there were internet articles written about this late last year. How “Asian” (they were not always Koreans) distributers would zero in on the black owners and screw up their orders and eventually stop selling to them so the industry would be controlled by mostly Asians. This is how it is in my area.

    I think black people have gotten lazy and have lowered their standards. Some of them know this is going on and continue to buy from stores that participate in this hateful act, just because “they prices is lower over dare”. I have noticed that only one black-owned beauty supply remains in my area. I don’t shop there because their professionalism is very inconsistent, however, I did support one of the other stores that closed. I hate that this is going on because they are becoming wealthy off us, and cursing us in their korean language, right in our faces! I don’t believe all Asians are involved or are aware, but there are enough to make a difference.

    Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 4:24 pm ¶

13. Kim wrote:

    “they prices is lower over dare.”

    damn.

    Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 5:23 pm ¶

14. Thoughts on Hair wrote:

    I went to get a manicure at the Vietnamese salon in my neighborhood, the proprietor asked if I wanted her to straighten my hair. No thank you, I said, thinking of all the years that this hair has made people cringe.

    Seems only my white-looking mama likes it curly and long. Fancy that!

    The global political economy of haircare intersects everything else. . .going after lenders who discriminate, developers who gentrify, and chemical companies that make megamillions while producing carcinogenic beauty products, that’s where it begins.

    The Afro-Korean Business Alliance could start growing herbs in the ghetto and making natural haircare products. I would buy them, but would anybody else?

    Posted 15 Dec 2006 at 6:56 pm ¶

15. anon wrote:

    This is why African-Amercian women need to wear their hair natural and stop giving into eurocentric ideals on beauty. These “beauty products” ruin our hair, burn our scalps, and take too much upkeep for the bother. When African-Amercians start loving themselves independent of other peoples ideals maybe then we won’t contiune feeding a market that ultimately benefits others.

    Posted 16 Dec 2006 at 11:04 am ¶

16. Koko wrote:

    I guess it just shows how smart the people in the hair buisness are. To be honest(cause im black my self) a large number of black women seem to be willing to do a lot to get this “good hair”(not all but many). And BOOM. there is your million dollar industry. How couldn’t you make millions explioting centuries of insecurities?

    Posted 16 Dec 2006 at 1:03 pm ¶

17. Kim wrote:

    What responsibility to the Black woman who is willing to sublimate her skeletal and organic truths for the acquisition of characteristics she has driven her self and her offspring to covet, does anyone have?

    The haircare industry is a for-profit, commercial venture. Just like with drugs, bad tv, premature sex, and the like , if you don’t want it DON’T DO IT.

    This is not a cultural/racial war. How insulting to the self-determination of Koreans, and of Blacks.

    The idea that if Koreans didn’t thrive in the business, then its demise would happen, is foolish and naive. Someone would step in and fill the void…Blacks? Oh no, they’d (we’d) never deliberately push something less than wholesome on our folks.

    Puh-leeze.

    Posted 16 Dec 2006 at 2:36 pm ¶

18. anon wrote:

    uh…yeah…ever heard of Madam J Walker???

    Posted 16 Dec 2006 at 4:08 pm ¶

19. Kim wrote:

    Anon,

    Madame C.J. Walker.Her legacy is two-fold, to be sure.

    Posted 16 Dec 2006 at 6:50 pm ¶

20. S wrote:

    Just to be clear:
    Not every black woman who perms her hair is falling into the Euro standard of beauty. It also helps some people get a comb through their hair without major struggle, as well as creating a “straight” foundation for many of the “black” hairstyles that Euro chick usually find ghetto.

    Although they are big sellers, there are more products sold in Korean stores than weaves and perms.

    Posted 17 Dec 2006 at 12:00 am ¶

21. Kim wrote:

    S:

    This is prolonging something that, quite frankly, should be done elsewhere, but:

    Why do Black women feel they need to get a comb through their hair? Who uses a pick beside African-Americans?

    Why do Black women think the comb is for them? Certainly, I would ask, why try to use a comb with the tiny teeth, as opposed to that thick, black, wide-spaced comb?

    To me, on a PURELY PURIST basis, this is an instance of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

    Posted 17 Dec 2006 at 2:36 am ¶

22. S wrote:

    A pick? I don’t know who all uses a pick besides people who rock afros. And as far as using a comb, well people use it to guide their hair into a certain style. They use different size teeth for different functions.

    What is the purpose of those questions???

    Posted 18 Dec 2006 at 2:25 pm ¶

23. Megan wrote:

    I agree with Anonymous Coward 100%.

    This video could have been really good and helpful. However, I feel that instead it has furthered the belief of it being “us against them.” All you have to do is take a look at some of the comments to these videos for proof of that.

    But, whether the businesses are owned by Black people or Koreans is completely irrelevant. The fact that some (not just Koreans… Black people are just as guilty of it as well) are promoting a damaging and harmful beauty standard is the real issue. I think that this video was just propaganda in the very end. Yes, talk about why there are a lack of businesses that are owned by Black people and cater to them, but also talk about why the hair care industry rakes in billions of dollars each year and why it doesn’t give back to the community. And dont tell me its because it is run by Koreans. I know that if it were run by our own people, it’d still be exactly the same.

    Posted 18 Dec 2006 at 6:52 pm ¶

24. Kim wrote:

    S:

    The purpose of those questions goes to the short-sighted comment you made about Black women’s hairstyles not being the outgrowth of their seeking a Euro look.

    Even the ‘ghetto’ styles you reference are done after one has chemically altered the natural strand, and could definitely be seen to be in imitation of Euro culture.

    I spoke to more than a pick, mind you. I spoke to the thick, black, wides-spaced comb-with-handle that is quite capable of parting and combing through kinky, curly, nappy hair (and not all of us have it, though it is the kinky that I’m talking about here).

    Do you remember when little girls wore plaits? And women wore two thick cornrows, or frenchbraids? When hair was still worn, and styled, even outside of the afro?

    Posted 18 Dec 2006 at 10:45 pm ¶

25. Ann wrote:

    Kim.

    “I spoke to more than a pick, mind you. I spoke to the thick, black, wides-spaced comb-with-handle that is quite capable of parting and combing through kinky, curly, nappy hair (and not all of us have it, though it is the kinky that I’m talking about here).

    Do you remember when little girls wore plaits? And women wore two thick cornrows, or frenchbraids? When hair was still worn, and styled, even outside of the afro? ”

    I remember.

    In fact, I’m one of those black women who wears her hair in its natural state:

    -As an “Afro”;
    -And in braids

    Now, mind you, I do not go the full spectrum of the braid department with the Senegalese Twists (too involved for me, plus the hours sitting under the hands of the lady whose home I visit, well, I don’t think I can sit still for that long.

    But, I digress.

    Yes, I still know the many benefits of a wide-tooth comb gliding thru my naturally soft, gravity-defying nappy hair.

    Unfortunately for many black women, they have worn their hair permed for so long that many of them would not know how to take care of their hair in its natural state.

    Heck, many of them don’t even remember what their natural hair looked like before Mom put the perms on at the tender childhood age. Many of them would be too afraid to go through the “big chop” to go back to their true natural hair, leaving the “bone straight helmet” hair behind.

    And that is a crying shame.

    We black people have the most unique hair type in the world.

    Why continue to destroy it to alter our difference? Why try and force our beautiful tightly coiled hair to be something it was never meant to be?

    Sigh.

    I know one thing:

    I love my nappy hair.

    No stringy straight hair for me.

    And one more thing. Whatever you non-black people do:

    Do…not…come…up…to…me…wanting…to…run…your…fingers…thru…my…hair…without…my…permission!

    Thank you.

    Posted 19 Dec 2006 at 12:59 am ¶

26. Kim wrote:

    Ann,

    Hey. Nice to meet you.

    My youngest daughter really shocked me one day, standing before the mirror with me, doing that semi-circle-swing-of-arms and body rocking thing little kids do when they want to say something, or ask something.

    “What is it, Lil’ Mama, what do you want to say?” I asked her, as I shaped my ‘fro with my fingers.

    This little tiny thing with silky chestnut hair, and fine ringlets down her back (at the ‘kitchen’) said to me, doe-eyed and sugar voiced,” I wish I had hair like yours, Mommy. You can do anything with your hair, even make it like mine. But I can’t make my hair like yours.”

    I believe I model for her all that I naturally am, and she loves that, and will love all that she is because of it.

    Posted 19 Dec 2006 at 2:42 am ¶

27. Trisha wrote:

    > Katie wrote:
    > Do you want to know what I find problematic?
    > Koreans are participating in an economy that
    > generally presupposes that something is wrong
    > with Black women’s hair
    > …
    > It’s frustrating to watch one minority make
    > money off of another minority by hitching its
    > wagon to racist beauty trends.

    Supply does not create demand.

    It’s demand that creates supply.

    If African American’s didn’t create a demand for these hair products, then the Koreans would not be there to supply it.

    Posted 21 Dec 2006 at 3:58 pm ¶

28. Lyonside wrote:

    Honestly, a lot of products, esp. shampoos and conditioners, work for other people than strictly African-Americans with tightly curled or kinked texture. Anyone with frizzy thick hair can benefit from some of the products marketed to black women.

    But as a mixed person w/ curly hair, I hate the idea that all curly hair must be messy and unmanageable - it doesnt have to be, and curly hair of all textures gets a bad rap.

    Posted 21 Dec 2006 at 4:52 pm ¶

29. Kaywil wrote:

    It seems to me that some of the comments went straight to blaming black women for the history of hair and race. When you still have kids calling your natural hair “pubes” and having commercials making fun of our “wild” and “uncontrollable” hair, what do you expect.

    It’s nice to be in a bubble of “black people just need to _______” and “black women just need to _______” but that’s not the way that it is. There is a very very long history of race and hair in America. Pre-emancipation period, that’s what determined who was a slave and who wasn’t - by way of texture.

    Even here in the post civil rights era, you can ask around and find that some will tell you that they were felt they had to or were asked to cut their ‘fro, remove the braids, or straighten the hair in order to get a job.

    http://www.diversityinc.com/public/962.cfm
    http://www.blackcollegewire.org/news/060327_hampton-hair/
    http://condor.depaul.edu/~mwilson/divided/chptthre.html
    http://sitemaker.umich.edu/intersections.cultural.studies/_black_hair_

    In 2001, when my hair was natural, I was personally asked by my white boss whether or not I really had to wear my hair like that - whether or not something could be done to make it seem more ‘professional’. I quit that job, mind you, but the question still followed.

    There are many problems with race in America, which involves not just skin color, but hair as well. It’s not the “black people” who are to blame.

    Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 3:53 pm ¶

30. Mary Wong-Shelton wrote:

    This comment has been deleted by the moderator. Please do not create multiple identities/personalities for yourself. If you have something to say, pick one identity and stick with it please.

    Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 4:20 pm ¶

31. kim wrote:

    Kaywil, there was even a link here at Racialicious, to workingmother.com, on an article entitled Keeping it Real, maybe just a month ago.

    So we all know the history, and the current pressures, both within and without the Black community to alter one’s hair , to fit in, to make others less uncomfortable with our natural look.

    When there is no modeling of that which is natural, there is no refutation of the widespread idea of it as unacceptable, and there is a transmission of the idea that the natural is to be avoided, abhorred, erased.

    Little kids (I assume thiese are teenagers) saying this seek to ridicule, and when they find an easy target, continue to do so. We pick our battles, and seek refuge from those who are not so minded, those who are ready to speak and act toward us in affirmation of ourselves, i.e., many of the main people who post at this site.

    We proclaimed for so long that Black is Beautiful, which ushered in a way for us to develop a language that sought to upheld ourselves as standard, even while developing unfair hierarchies of what could represent authentic Black beauty.

    One of the ways in which the potential for appreciation of your hair, and mine, was undermined was truly by a watering down, and then withering away of the push for Black economic development, side by side with the political and social and educational strides that the Civil Rights Movement opened up.

    Without parity in the economic arena, and autonomy within our own communities, yes, the standards for beauty were bound to always be determined by those outside of ourselves.

    In many ways, there is that irrefutable fact of having a subordinate position to whites, who act as the human resource administrators, managers, supervisors, and the like, who simply do not seek to “understand” your/our differentness, and would rather that the corporate environment reflect that which they are most comfortable with: whiteness, and simitude to whiteness.

    Question is: even with that being true for the adult in the workplace, where does the ingrained idea that the texture and look of Black hair (and now we get into gender issues and ideas of feminity…length of hair for a girl, etc.) get passed onto our children as a truth? Where do they learn the language, and the ostracizing behavior?

    They learn it from their fathers and mothers. They learn it from us. Will we continue to teach it? If the idea is that there is no way to win unless you ‘change,’ then yes, we will.

    Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 5:04 pm ¶

32. Just Wondering wrote:

    In many ways, there is that irrefutable fact of having a subordinate position to whites, who act as the human resource administrators, managers, supervisors, and the like …

    You mean there are no human resources people who are black? No supervisors who are black? No managers who are black?

    Reading this blog, one might get the impression that no black people had jobs. I know that’s not the case.

    Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 8:55 pm ¶

33. kim wrote:

    Just Wondering,

    While I did not use numbers, or even modifiers such as many or most or all, as Kaywil referenced a ‘white boss,’ who was made uncomfortable by her hair and its impact on his perceptions of her fit there, and she felt the impact of those remarks as a sense of racial injury, I chose to speak to the white authority in employment aspect, and its pervasiveness as effects Blacks [and others, I know].

    Not to even imply that there are no such persons of color employed in those roles, nor to suggest that they do not act from a similar strain of perception of corporate/cultural appropriateness in their hiring practices.

    Posted 02 Jan 2007 at 10:49 pm ¶

34. derek wrote:

    There’s a podcast on NPR about this very subject (in fact, it was the impetus for me doing the search to find this post) available here.

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 11:07 am ¶

35. Just Wondering wrote:

    Kim:

    Your wording was inflammatory … as you wrote, white bosses “simply do not seek to ‘understand’ your/our differentness” and only want a “white” workplace.

    In other words, you are generalizing — or stereotyping — whites with regard to the way they carry out their job duties as HR people or supervisors.

    Surely there are some — or even many — white supervisors who try hard to understand differences.

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 2:14 pm ¶

36. kim wrote:

    You know, Just Wondering, I think you know full well that I did not seek to be inflammatory, nor is the generalization one which does not allow for the culturally sensitive white.

    If you want to jump up, then jump, I was not wagging that bone at you.

    There are studies, well known, one of which I will look for for you, which document the perceptions of whites toward ‘ethnic’ names and their associated behaviors, and/or workplace ethic based on how ‘ethnic,’ or how Black-Power-Movement-black the name sounded, and who, in pre-interview strategy decided that such persons would not even fit into the corporate culture, and therefore summarily disposed of the resumes without so much as granting a phone interview.

    That is in keeping with Kaywil’s discomfort at being found to be a source of dicomfort just for walking in the door the way Kaywil comes: with natural hair. Again, the sense of injury was from the (perceived) racially motivated statement .

    The conclusion of the one study I am thinking of , and I know of two that have been done and widely received and publicized around 2002, found that white HR personnel overwhelmingly did not wish to deal with someone outside of the ‘established culture.’

    You can read that as educated, well-spoken, hard working, prompt, self-motivated, bright, team-oriented (the words often used to suggest just where the fit did not take place), or you can view it as corporate culture reflecting that which is true for social groupings in human nature, and find that whites are hiring whites, and others who can least disturb them with any traits or aspects of ‘conspicuous otherness.’

    Or you can be purely letter- of- the- law, and say that there are no greater, or larger, forces at work in the hiring practices and employment policies of companies.

    Question: Do you think white people (maybe you are white, and thus are in a position to speak from what you act on, and are privy to; if not,perhaps you will have to surmise, as I do) seek to ‘understand cultural differences?’ You’ve been at this site long enough to know that plenty of other people do not feel that that is a driving concern for white people, [modifier for you] on the whole.

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 2:40 pm ¶

37. kim wrote:

    This one is what I could find, dated, and yet reflective of that which I speak of.

    Soft Skills and Race: Black Men and Employment Problems:
    http://www.russellsage.org/publications/workingpapers/Soft%20Skills%20and%20Race

    It is rather long, but if you skim through and find where the perceptions of minorities, based on the loaded baggage HR people are working with, and the lean toward the homogeneous workplace, you will at least get a flavor of what I am referring to. Sorry, the cutting and pasting is exhausting to me, as I don’t toggle between windows well, and am working as well.

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 3:55 pm ¶

38. Just Wondering wrote:

    Kim:

    I’ve been purposefully vague, but I’ll stop.

    My point is this: many people here at Racialicious get extremely bent out of shape at generalizations or stereotypes.

    Fair enough. As they often say, you cannot tell me when I should or shouldn’t be offended by a generalization.

    That being the case, don’t you think all of us should be sensitive about the generalizations and stereotypes we use against any ethnic group, even white HR managers?

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 5:16 pm ¶

39. kim wrote:

    That being true, sometimes people just want to argue. I often refuse to participate if I feel someone just doesn’t want to listen.

    I’m open to being re-directed, and often find that are perspectives to consider that were not even on the table before I enter a particular thread.

    I do feel I addressed the reason for my generalization, without modifier, and felt that any reasonable assessment would glean as much.

    However, carefull and considerate is careful and considerate. I could have used the modifier, as I do believe there exists this nomadic group of White HR managers who are open to diversity, and seek to pass that on in practice to their staff.

    Posted 03 Jan 2007 at 5:51 pm ¶

40. Christina wrote:

    Yes the koreans are taking over, I’m a black beauty supply owner, I hear this countless times from black patrons, Koreans always have what i need for the best price. Black beauty supplies never have anything! That’s the point you don’t get until you really open your eyes they are successfully with our help putting black businesses out of business. And laughing in our faces. I have no problem with a korean person that is a hard worker, All that we are demanding is that same right Don’t Bite My Hands Off So I can’t make a living to support my family.In any other business pratice this would be illegal.
    Don’t you see the elephant in the room.

    Posted 04 Jan 2007 at 3:57 am ¶

41. Cynthia wrote:

    You must review this!!!!!

    Posted 20 Feb 2007 at 11:23 am ¶

42. valencia wrote:

    Hello I’m a 23 year old black cosmetologist from maryland who works in an
    upscale salon which has an upscale beauty supply store. Both the owners
    are black and our salon spealizes in haircare. I’m commenting on the
    diversion of our hair industry over to the koreans. My thing is its ok for them to sale their hair, weaves etc. But they want to take over everything. They want to also sale the professional lines and just
    completely take over a privilege that we have from being a cosmetologist.
    They are selling products like paul mitchell, sebastien, and even a black line of products called natural oasis, which they shouldn’t be
    cause they don’t know the knowlege behind them. They somehow get these products and sell them mostly at a higher price from what we sell in our salon, and the sad thing about it is alot of black people don’t
    understand that they can buy it at a cheaper price and that the product
    would even be fresh when purchasing it at at a salon. The caucasian product lines are starting to see the huge amount of money that they are losing from this and they are starting to do something about it. Check out a magazine called” American
    salon”. They are doing something about it by working together to stop this before they soon take over their industry too. In reality I thinks its ok for them to sell hair but they have no right selling black products
    to us when they have no education on our hair!……..please lets get
    together and stop this!

    Posted 22 Feb 2007 at 9:12 pm ¶

43. Luzinda Pierce wrote:

    I am a cosmetologist /salon ower located in Oakland, California. When I first received the information about the Korean Connection/The Korean take over of African American hair products! I was very very upset about it.

    I can remember a time when the hair industry, that NO one could purchase relaxers, hair colors, perms etc unless you brought in your License to show the clerk at the store that you were trained to used these products.

    The person who sold you these products were also trained to use the product so that they could give you information about the product before selling it to you and before using on the public.

    Now any one can walk in to a beauty supply store and purchase what ever hair care product they want.

    We have dropped the ball in this industry and have given all the power to the ALL MIGHTLY DOLLAR to control our industry.

    What happen to the” BBB”, and “The State Board of Cosmetology” in United STATES OF AMERICA??

    Products such as SODIUM HYROXIDE, AMMONIUM THIOGLYCOLATE, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, etc

    These products should never be sold at any time to the public because they have no idea how to use them.

    It can be very very dangerous to the public due to lack of knowledge on how to use these products.

    I feel that we should all stand up and stay to the “BBB” , The State Board of Cosmetology, and the Banks. STOP THE MADNESS$$$$$$$$$

    ALL THE BEAUTY SUPPLY STORES NEED A GOOD CLEAN UP!

    ” STOP THE MADNESS$$$”

    I spent 1600 hours at a school to learn how to apply product to my clients hair without burning out all their hair.

    And now anyone can SALE/Purchase these chemical product?

    STOP THE MADNESS$$$$$$$$$

    STOP THE MADNESS$$$$

    Posted 22 Mar 2007 at 2:15 am ¶

44. Like Your Hair wrote:

    Such things only stir up hatred between races. Who cares who makes more money? To me the more important thing is that black women have quality products and services to take care of themselves.

    Posted 30 Mar 2007 at 5:39 pm ¶

45. emmanuela wrote:

    A beauty supply store that I frequent regularly was sold to a korean lady a few years ago and yes they expanded the store and added more products but I feel less of a connection as a customer because koreans don’t use these products we do, but instead her employers are the black people. I have no problem with any race at all, but I’m all for success in the black community so we can stop blaming each other or other people, and just be human.
    I wear my hair in twists and I find that it is an issue at my school, to be natural, because most black people think it’s ugly or ask me if i’m getting dreads. They just can’t accept the reality of hair unaltered from the scalp.

    Posted 05 Apr 2007 at 11:22 pm ¶

46. Norman wrote:

    Today Black women have the freedom to wear their hair any way they want to. Natural, cut very short, extended etc. I think that is a good thing. Their flair shows in the variety of ways they wear their hair.

    I am a business consultant. I teach entrepreneurs that in order to be successful they must be innovative (like Apple or Sony), low cost (like Wal-Mart) or provide excellent service to their customers (like Marriott). I forgot one thing, they could become a monopoly. The Koreans are not cheaper, more innovative, or generally service oriented. In fact I am often really offended by the apparent disdain for their customers that I often encounter. However, they are virtually the only game in town.

    Buy Black didn’t work because often the price wasn’t fair and the service often was too shoddy. However, we were not a monopoly. If Microsoft is wrong for being a monopoly in the software business, Korea, Inc. is wrong for being a monopoly in the ethnic hair care business.

    Posted 11 May 2007 at 1:59 pm ¶

47. Tracey wrote:

    I’m from Crown Heights, Brooklyn NYC. In my neighborhood thats all you see are Korean owned beauty supply stores and there are TWO that I see that has black employees. WOW!!!!
    By the way I wear my hair short and curly.

    Posted 31 Jul 2007 at 5:49 pm ¶

48. Viv wrote:

    You are falling into the Eurocentric ideal if you straighten your hair. It’s a reality. I understand how hard it is to come to that reality. I’ve been getting my hair straightened, gheri curled, permed, weaved you name it. Think of this. If blacks were the only race on Earth, would we perm our hair straight? I understand that some whites think our hair is ghetto despite our straightening, but it’s about what we think. Going natural was the best thing for me. My hair is at it’s healthiest yet. I hope that many will join the natural hair population. The fear is stronger than actually putting it into action.

    Posted 16 Aug 2007 at 10:27 pm ¶

49. faye wrote:

    Call me crazy but i have not seen this documentary can someone direct me to where i can find it? I do have a comment on what i have read so far with the blogs for some reason no matter what the field of service is we as african amer can not ban together to help out one another there is always a problem with a couple of people who do not want to see you prosper not realizing they can to you just have to wait for your season to come. we as african amer have to do better with being on time and care about perfecting whatever it is you want to achieve.the koreans and the whites see our short comings as a people and they used it to there advantage. but know this the Gov will give grants and loans to koreans before we get them .

    Posted 24 Sep 2007 at 2:23 pm ¶

50. Wendi Muse wrote:

    faye, the links to the video are included at the end of the article itself (above). i also suggest you read the follow up article “scapegoating or community empowerment?” (which is also linked above).

    Posted 25 Sep 2007 at 3:59 am ¶

51. Economist Student wrote:

    This documentary is a joke! This is not about a race issue. It’s about an economic issue. Why does it matter if you buy a product from black people or from korean or from white?

    The reason why there is more korean store than black is because they invest more in haircare research to provide a better product in a market of consumer while also increasing inefficiency , which provide a much lower cost for producing a better product. This lead to an increase in the amount of black consumer

    Who gain from this? BLACK CONSUMERS!!! They get a higher quality hair product at a much lower price. KOREAN SELLERS/PRODUCERS also gain from this, because they sell more product.

    Who loose from this? BLACK SELLERS/PRODUCERS. They don’t sell as much product because their product cost more for the kind of quality it provide.

    ————————————————–
    It’s all simply economics. As a consumer simply go for what is a better product for the price that you want. If you let race become an issue in making your decision you’ll be the looser in the market, because you’ll end up paying more for the lower quality product.

    Posted 25 Sep 2007 at 2:13 pm ¶

52. Felicia wrote:

    I agree with Chirstina’s comment. While I am not opposed to entrepreneurial spirit, my take on the situation is simple. Yes, we do have to look at the big picture to see how it got to be this way and obviously, these businesses wouldn’t exist if blacks didn’t patronize these stores. At some point, these Asian business people who own these stores made a conscious decision to sell black hair care products in black neighborhoods because they KNEW that black people spend a lot of money on hair care products. It’s a numbers game and a source of embarrasment for me personally. Almost every single time I have been in one of these these stores, it has been an unpleasant experience on some level-either I have been followed around like I was going to shoplift,which I have NEVER done in my life (which makes it even more infuriating), or someone else has gotten into an arguement with the store owner. This may be just a cultural misunderstanding, but personally, I just choose not to deal with it. I choose to not even deal with the possibilty of being treated this way-and WHY should I when purchasing products for my natural-kinky curly BEAUTIFUL hair? I choose to support black owned businesses as much as I can. Like I said before, it’s very simple to me. I don’t like the way that I’ m treated at these stores and I’d just rather support black-owned companies-especially the ones who give back to the community, and YES I do my research. At this point, everyone has access to the internet, whether at home or at the library. I hear black women complaining all the time about these Asian owned beauty supply places–its really simple-if you feel you’re not being treated fairly or you just don’t like the idea of these business in the black communities–DON’T SHOP THERE! Stop making excuses all and complaining while you are headed into these stores. I’ts RIDICULOUS. I am a full-time student and I pay all of my own bills. I don’t have a lot of money. I buy all of haircare products online from business-savvy African Americans who sell QUALITY products. Many of the products available at these beauty supply chains aren’t very healthy-read the ingredients.

    Posted 01 Oct 2007 at 9:36 pm ¶

53. Karmen wrote:

    I believe that this can be best explained by saying that African Americans care about their hair and will do anything for it to maintain its beauty. The ownership of supply stores and distributors is becoming more of a Korean dominate market and African Americans need to realize that the money that is being spent is not going back into the African American community. When you buy products from an African American owner supplier, distributor, or product line, you are putting money back into the community for a good cause.
    For example: Luster, Dudley, and BB hair products are African American owned and the money made provides scholarships for African American students heading to college.

    I know of several people who have gone into Korean supply stores and the employees told them any and everything to get them to buy a product. I made that statement to emphasize that one of these people left with a product, used it and had very bad results…..so bad that she cut off all of her hair and is now going natural.

    I dont agree with buying products from an Asian run market becuase first, their hair and my hair are nothing alike. I want some one who has my hair to tell me what to use and how to use it. Secondly, if you didnt go to cosmetology school, then I dont believe that you should be able to sell someone a relaxer/perm because there are different kinds for different hair types and without know the chemicals that it contains you could be putting someone in jeopardy.

    Posted 02 Oct 2007 at 1:55 pm ¶

54. Wendi Muse wrote:

    Karmen, with regard to your statement “Secondly, if you didnt go to cosmetology school, then I dont believe that you should be able to sell someone a relaxer/perm because there are different kinds for different hair types and without know the chemicals that it contains you could be putting someone in jeopardy.” it makes me wonder how far this line goes.

    Should grocery store owners also be nutritionists? As most of the food we put into our bodies is practically poisonous… Should clothing store owners be fully aware of child labor laws in South East Asia or Latin America? As so many of our clothing is made in sweatshops…

    Posted 02 Oct 2007 at 3:13 pm ¶

55. Karmen wrote:

    maybe I should rephrase that statement and say that if you are going to do something then don’t just do it for the money. If you are selling a product…..know what you are talking about because some people trust and rely on others for this kind of help.

    Posted 03 Oct 2007 at 12:18 pm ¶

56. Terry Briggs wrote:

    There is an African-American owned manufacturer of hair extensions now. They are called Jaguar Luxury. They have their own hair factory in China where most hair extensions are made. They are the first in America to have their own line of hair. The line is called Jaguar Luxury Remi. And they sell hair wholesale to any salon or beauty store regardless of race. They are based in Philadelphia. The company currently manuafactures Jaguar Luxury Remi Hair, LACE WIGS, Torain Fusion Hair by Jaguar Luxury, Jaguar Luxury Lip Gloss and Nail Polish. The Jaguar Luxury Movement of taking back the black hair and beauty business is strong in Philadelphia. There products are good. So I encourage all to check them out. 215-382-1523.

    Posted 16 Dec 2007 at 8:10 pm ¶

57. Gina wrote:

    Hey all, I’d first like to say that I really enjoy the intelligent comments made here. I’d also like to say that I’m a Korean born and raised in the US (and not in Korea-town either haha). My parents own a beauty supply and clothing store, we totally only started one because my mom’s “mom” (just a really nice lady that my mom treats as her own mom b/c her parents died when she was young) had a son who had a store in WI.

    I really think it’s all about the contacts you have and the willingness to loan your friends thousands of dollars to start up a business when you yourself don’t have much. Someone who previously commented before was right when they said it’s hard to get loans from banks. Not because they’re “white” but because on paper, it sounds very risky. I think the reason that many beauty stores are Korean-owned is because of the culture we have and that 1st gens tend to hang out with 1st gens. That’s true with any 1st generation person from any country. Less cultural barriers, less misunderstandings, less difficulty with language ( I lived in Italy for a semester and sometimes it was just SOOOO frustrating because of my inability to communicate. Couldn’t imagine doing that for 20 yrs). One Korean started a business that became sucessful and then helped out 2 people who then helped two more, and there you have it.

    If my parents’ friends owned a sporting goods store, that’s what kind of store we’d have. It’s like an apprenticeship for trade skills.Even with a loan it’s not close to being easy. For the first 8-10 years my parents worked at least 90 hrs a week at the store and at home and we only close 5 days a year. My brother and I had babysitters during that entire time. Then we just watched ourselves. Even now my parents still work around 70 hrs a week each.

    As for having cheaper prices, that’s because our invoices will total something like $17,000 for one hair company. If you want great prices, you have to buy in super bulk.

    Posted 28 Mar 2008 at 10:54 pm ¶

58. Gina wrote:

    BTW, even Koreans with reasonably straight hair pay $400 for a straight perm. And the Magic Straight Perm can be more than that. Korean women are also obsessed with getting laser eyelid surgery, colored contacts, and curly perms (there’s even a cornrow and afro fad for both men and women in Korea right now). Asian women use clip-in ponytails too!

    I guess no one is ever satisfied, heh.

    I’m all about being able to change your style everyday. I don’t think it’s betraying your race or hating on yourself. Be proud of what you were born with, but don’t be afraid to use your hair as expression. I use clip-in extensions that I make myself to change length and add highlights when I want.

    If changing your hair was euro-centric, what about white people who dye their hair platinum blond or fiery red? Or white people who wear extensions or wigs? I think it’s more about womens’ insecurities, the urge to look like celebrities, and the feminine ideal of an hourglass figure (though maybe not anymore), long legs, long shiny locks, luscious lips, and big eyes. Look at Beyonce, J.lo, Jessica Simpson, Ciara, Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba, anyone famous etc.

    Although hair can be used as personal expression or enhancement of beauty, please don’t choose buying hair over rent money! Or getting nails done over grocery money! Unfortunately, I see that a lot.

    Posted 28 Mar 2008 at 11:18 pm ¶

59. Edsel wrote:

    After reading many of the comments written by my beautiful sisters, I feel compelled to add a follow-up message. To my dismay, there were far too many comments which focused on the racial aspect of this great devide. We live in a country that prides itself on its cultural pluralism. Diversity is intrinstically woven into the social fabric of our society. It’s the glue that binds us together and the foundation of our empathy, the ability to understand our neighbors’ plight. A racial fight is a self-defeating battle, lost from its outset. Moreover, I’m not so naive as to deny the fact that racism and bigotry are no longer firmly intrenched within our society. Though it’s not as visible as it was in yesteryear, every now and then it shows it ugly little head above the harmonious co-existence that prevents us from regressing into polarized, warring factions composed nihilistic anarchists who thrive on chaos. Political correctness is the current social zeitgeist covering everyone under a cloak of civil propriety, fearing that any violation will garner a visit from the thought police.

    I believe that a viable, working partnership can be achieved by American Koreans and African-Americans. One that fosters cooperation and the development of harmonious business relations, leaving time to persue more profitable endeavors. Wherefore, there is enough money out there for everyone to get a piece of the so-called American dream. As a race, we African-Americans should pool our resources and start copying sucessful business models. In “The Prince” his treatise on the acquition of power, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote, “If you lack the natural virtue to create or achieve a desired goal, then copy or emulate a person who has been successful in the same endeavor. And if by fate you still fail, at least there will be honor and nobility in your attempt.” What’s happening with the Koreans and the Black hair care situation is nothing new. We’ve all seen this before. Remember when the Jews took flight and abandoned the neighborhood stores, leaving a golden opertunity for us to fill this important nitch? And what did we do? Nothing! We left the stores opened and that nitch was filled by Asians, Pakistanis and Indians from India. On The Simpsons, who runs the Quickie Mart? An Indian. We have to develope business partnerships with these people and be honest and work hard.

    Guided by our egoes and arrogance, we always seem copy the wrong things. Lacking patience, we want immediate satisfaction as if we are entitled by the sins of white societiy’s granfathers. We fought for and gained affirmative action; but not utilizing it, they’re now taking it back. In the hood it’s dangerous to be smart. Kids are teased for speaking well, bullied for reading books, called fags for not participating in violent initiations which are supposed to consumate manhood. My face still bears the scar of my refusal to beat-up a white boy just because he was white and— he was there. It saddens me to see our children walking ’round in a video game haze, their eyes blurred by the glared of the screen. They possess the ability stab and shoot, with the best of them, the most dangerous interactive soldier, yet can’t read nor write and couldn’t solve a word problem if their life depended on it. The Black male is becoming an endangered species on college campuses. Black women constitute 57% of our people’s graduation rate. And that number is rising. I’m out. If I don’t stop now I won’t.

    Edsel

    Posted 06 Apr 2008 at 12:57 am ¶

60. kenny wrote:

    As an Asian male who struggled to raised Black kids after my African American wife died of cancer, I take this whole issue personally. In my city of Phila., there are 5 Black teenagers facing murder charges for beating a White man to death just for fun in the subways. Fewer than half of Black kids are graduating high school in 4 years. Most Black kids are growing up in fatherless homes. If you magically remove all Koreans/Indians/ etc., these problems would not go away. Stop teaching Black kids the success of other people through sacrifice and hard work is not available to them. Over the years, I hear a lot of grumbling about how “outsiders” don’t support the Black community, only taking cash out. I want to know where are the multimillions Black athletes and musicians are investing in the “hood.

    Posted 07 Apr 2008 at 10:09 am ¶

61. abw wrote:

    Kenny, I think that folks should distinguish genuine problems and legitimate gripes from stereotyping/scapegoating. They should also refrain from generalizing.-especially overgeneralizing. But other groups should look at where blacks come from at times too. There are some things we have not done internally but there are things that blacks try to do-some efforts successful and some not . I also feel that Black kids are taught the value of hard work and success-but some mess up due to circumstances outside their control in addition to circumstances within their control. To the extent they mess up, they share responsibility in their mistakes. Which is why the segment of these members get criticized and why the community is creating programs to counteract this stuff.Still,these observations can be made for the poorer segments of other ethnic groups. People sometimes forget this.As for the thing about outsiders not given back some do and some don’t. You have a legit point about people criticizing outsiders sometimes, but how is this argument that different from the argument ex-colonies use against former colonial powers-even as they criticize their own lack of progress in progressing.Many of the immigrants doing this have come from countries criticizing these things. I know that the immigrants have not declared war on the communities they set up shop in or that they usually HAVE NOT made a concerted effort to control businesses in the neighborhood to blacklist black business. I also know that MANY are simply trying to survive. Our lack of focus on this arena made the predominance of outside control all too easy.But some immigrant businessfolks do take and not give back though which does not help matters. I feel that blacks should revive their own pre-integration self-help traditions that they stop practicing after integration to create self-employment and that White financial institutions should stop redlining and that blacks should stop supporting those that do. But they make some points even as people put their points in perspective. Also,black people do criticize athletes and musicians for this.This is THE MAIN criticism often made of these people!!! But here again, some do and some don’t.

    Posted 12 May 2008 at 2:06 am ¶

62. abw wrote:

    In any other business practice this would be illegal. Don’t you see the elephant in the room.

    Exactly. That is my only gripe about people to willing to overlook certain truths that are uncomfortable at times.

    Don’t get me wrong I blame us for:

    a) for not supporting black businesses
    b)for not always provide good services when we have them
    c) and for not reviving self-help traditions to apply to business growth

    But folks should look at both sides instead of one. We as blacks can’t scapegoat others when we do not support our own but folks should not ignore the truth of some black peoples complaints either.

    Posted 12 May 2008 at 2:23 am ¶

63. Fitzgerald Gilmore wrote:

    It would be great if we as people could take one month and not buy form any korean store. You can go to the grocery store if need and get hair products.

    During this month we will not ownly control our money but eat healthy for that entire month. At the end of the month we can eviluate and see what the results are.

    We can pass a list of healthy food’s to purchase for those whom have never tried this technque before.

    Posted 25 May 2008 at 7:27 am ¶

64. Shooting Star wrote:

    I believe there are a lot of factors that go into this. Do I believe the Koreans are using unfair business practices? Yes, but where have we been since the 80s? The Korean take over didn’t happen over night. Something happened between then and now and we have been too busy making a huge fuss out of our hair that we have been too blind to notice it.

    Now that the market is 99% Korean owned, we look around puzzled, wondering what happened. I’ll admit it, I’ve bought hair care items from Koreans before, but now that I have been educated, I will only buy Black.

    I believe that if every single Black man and woman went natural tonight, the Black hair care market would suffer greatly. We have been taught that our hair needs all of these products and we run out and buy them expecting to transform ourselves. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being a product junkie, but when a person makes monthly and weekly trips to go buy weaves or creams that burn the sh*t out your scalp, it’s time to say enough is enough.

    It has been proved that the chemicals that are in relaxers contain toxins that can lead to cancer. Those chemicals can seep through the scalp and cause painful burns. Also, inhaling those chemicals is not good for your lungs, either.

    Weaves are a safer way of obtaining straight hair or achieving different styles, but once a lady found something very disgusting in her weave. A lady took a strand of “human hair” weave to get analyzed and the hair was not human. That single strand alone contained rat, cat, and dog hair. I kid you not.

    Now, I don’t hate Koreans at all. They can run whatever business they like. However, when they sell products that are physically harmful for the consumer just to make money, I have a big a** problem with that.

    Black people, educate yourself. Come on, we’re beautiful the way we are. There’s nothing wrong with switching up your style, but why is it that everyone else can wear their natural hair and we can’t? Why must we spend so much money on hair and not put it towards something more worth while?

    We need to think. It’s not only the Koreans that are screwing us over, it’s our own selves.

    Posted 23 Jun 2008 at 3:28 pm ¶

65. African American wrote:

    There are more and more black owned hair store every day but I like the idea of going natural.

    Posted 03 Jul 2008 at 12:06 am ¶

66. Kathy wrote:

    Wow! I think anyone, it doesn’t even matter what ethnic backround you have, should be able to sell whatever product they want. With that being said, anyone or perhaps everyone should have enough knowledge to know what is good for them and what isn’t.

    I’m seeing a lot of complaints about said groups not knowing ‘our hair’ and so on, but that is truly implied. If you have someone that doesn’t share the same hair type as you, most likely what they use will not work for you(Unless it’s natural, sometimes ^_^).

    The point is if everyone was on their grind they would learn that all products aren’t created equal, which perhaps translate into the creators of these products are creating under a bias. Sub-translation, basically a bias that happens to work for the masses (them).

    The truth is even if a group sells a certain product, doesn’t mean they make it. (herbal essencse and suave) Many brandname products are being sold in the asian market and if it jax up you hair guess where the fault lies? That’s right the unknowing consumer…
    Ignorance is never bless, who ever mad that statement knows they are poor and ranting about some trick that stole her man and she can’t prove it…
    I digress. Be filled with knowledge and use it to your advantage.

    Disclaim: The above statement is opinions made by me, and have nothing to do with anyone elses comments.

    Posted 02 Sep 2008 at 2:19 pm ¶

67. Cami G. wrote:

    Right now I think it’s an international thing that asians have taken over the black beauty market. It’s upsetting and disturbing because if you look at a lot of these products they play on black womens insecurities and percieved flaws.
    Of course not everyone uses them because they think something is wrong with them but quite a number of us do.

    On the other hand I have to give it to the beauty supply people because they have seen where they can tap into a market and make a profit. From a business standpoint that’s very admirable.

    Posted 17 Sep 2008 at 9:30 am ¶

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