After nearly 11 years of working with hair, viewing hundreds of peoples scalp, feeling different hair textures and asking clients what they are doing at home. One thing that has become very clear to me:
Hair is hair.
Now before anyone starts clutching their shea moisture and running for oil, hear me out.
I've braided and worked with hair from people of all backgrounds. African hair, European hair, Pacific Island hair, Asian hair, mixed-race hair, fine hair, thick hair, curly hair, coily hair, straight hair—you name it.
I've worked with clients using everything from black hair products to expensive high end products and kits, curly hair products or just using the cheapest products down the aisle, cause they don't got the muuney huuney..
Somehow the black community (I'm going there) has been taught that the first thing we should look for when buying hair products is our ethnicity.
I'm Black, so I need Black hair products.
I'm Asian, so I need Asian hair products. Actually many Japanese and Korean hair brands focus on scalp health..did you know that? they often just as much time talking about hair as they do scalp health.
But when you look at the actual science of hair, things get a lot more interesting.
Your Hair Doesn't Know What Race You Are
Every single strand of hair on your head is made primarily from keratin protein.
Not Black keratin, Not White keratin, Not Asian keratin, Not Samoan keratin…Just keratin.
The structure of human hair is pretty similar across all ethnicities. Every hair strand has a cuticle, cortex, and sometimes a medulla. Every hair strand grows from a follicle. Every scalp produces oils, sheds skin cells, and follows the same basic biological processes.
What Actually Makes Hair Different?
Hair is different because of its individual and unique characteristics.
Some hair is curly, straight, coarse, fine. Some hair absorbs moisture easily, some hair struggles to absorb moisture at all.
Some scalps are oily.
Some scalps are dry.
Some people have hard water buildup.
Some people have damaged cuticles from years of colouring and heat styling.
These are the things that matter. Knowing what your hair needs.
For example, my hair loves to be washed twice a week, followed by liquid leave in conditioner, then a cream leave in conditioner and a little oil to seal everything in. I know my hair very well and so should you.
Why I Focus On Scalp Health first
One thing I've learned from years of braiding is that many hair issues start at the scalp. Now what you eat matters too, Iron and Vitamin D levels, your protein intake, does play a major role. But that’s for a whole other article.
Topically what you put on your scalp can contribute to dryness, inflammation, product and mineral buildup, blocked follicles and poor circulation.
So if your bargain priced shampoo is leaving your hair dry and scalp irritated it might be time for a change. Overtime, these issues can lead to hair thinning, thickened scalp tissue and follicles that aren't performing well.
An unhealthy scalp doesn't care what race you are.
Shop For Your Hair Needs, Not Your Identity
Instead of asking:
"What products are made for people like me?"
Ask:
"What does my hair actually need?"
Does your scalp need cleansing?
Does your hair need moisture?
Do you have hard water buildup?
Do you need protein?
Are your strands fine or coarse?
Is your hair damaged?
Those questions will tell you far more than any marketing label ever will.
My Final Thoughts
I'm not saying every product marketed toward a certain community is bad.
What I am saying is this:
Don't buy a product because someone told you it's made for your race.
Buy it because it solves a problem.
Healthy hair isn't about your ethnicity.
It's about understanding your scalp, understanding your hair, and giving both of them what they actually need.
Because at the end of the day, hair is hair and your scalp is skin too.