Check out the caption on this absolutely harmless hair video.
Why were some black women angry? Because, according to some of the comments, when white people “discover” a product that has been or is used by black people, and then white people bring popularity to said product, then it’s a Bad Racist Thing.
One person suggested that when that happens, the makers of the product change up the ingredients to suit white women more, and then it no longer works for black people. This was an Actual Comment.
But here’s the reality. In this case, the hair oil used by the chick in the video was from a black woman-owned business called Mielle. The product is made with Rosemary Mint Oil. The video prompted a ton of people (white AND black, I’m assuming) to patronize Mielle and buy out the product. I’m sure the business owner was pleased by the sales uptick.
In other words, white people supported a black business, contributing to its bottom line and likely providing more opportunities for black stakeholders in the process, and black people are all, “OMG RACIST B*TCHES.” This is how stupid everything is.
Incidentally, Rose Mint Oil isn’t a product only sold by that particular establishment. It’s not some secret sauce only found in the Mielle owner’s backyard. You can get it on Amazon FFS, under all kinds of different brand names.
It should also be pointed out that plenty of white people have used hair oil forever. This isn’t a black-only thing.
The owner of Mielle has promised that no formula changes are taking place, so essentially people can calm the f*ck down about this hair oil being changed to suit white people. (My words, not hers).
I just re-read this entire post and cannot believe this is even a discussion. The amount of melanin in your skin shouldn’t dictate what products you can or can’t buy. If you think it should, you’re racist. The end.
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One of my favorite MGM musicals performers, swimmer and actress, Esther Williams applied Vaseline to her hair to help keep it in place when shooting her underwater performances. I’m sure she used the equivalent of Dawn dish detergent to wash it out. According that silly Gojo’s Baby Mama female, Williams “appropriated black culture”. What does she do about the hot oil treatments sold by V-O5 that was pitched by “international actress”, Rula Lenska, (whom no one ever heard of)? I’m black and think GBM is asinine and is an embarrassment to me. She should be glad “that white girl’s” video is generating more business for Mielle, but she’s too irrational to realize it.
There was a story I read not so long ago about someone suing Apple for adding a feature to their watch that uses light based technology to try to read your blood oxygen level. Since it is light based it has trouble getting through skin with higher melanin content or with tattoos. In short these are people who are basically accusing physics of being racist. These people are so hardwired to try to find some form of oppression in a society where there is very little supply that they are going to great lengths to try to manufacture it.
Someone is trying to make a case for a form of “cultural appropriation”, when, if it has to be applied should work both ways. Any black person is profoundly guilty of cultural appropriation when the internet, poly phase electricity, even the simple light bulb was created or discovered by other cultures. If it was not for their cultural appropriation, they would still be sitting around a fire with a bone in their nose.