During the discussion of society’s standards of beauty came about an interesting point about hair. I am an Indian woman, so I am stereotyped to have “good” hair, but that does not justify the fact that I am limited to such a small section in the hair aisle. Multicultural women are constantly being compared to White women, especially when it comes to beauty, we are held to this standard that white is better. The lighter our skin or eyes are the more attractive we are and the straighter our hair is the more appealing and “presentable” we are.

I have naturally curly, thick hair, so growing up I was always told to go brush my hair. Even if I had brushed it, I could not deny the curls and frizz I was born with. With this new wave of naturalists, it is still so hard to find the right product for your hair texture. I mean, you go to the store and you see two aisles of White women’s products then, on the very end, you see a quarter of the aisle labeled “Multicultural Hair,” not only are the products few in number, but they are also ridiculously high in price.

A big problem I see within advertising beauty products is that it is not diverse or accommodating enough. It may seem like such a small issue to anyone else, but it is hiding a much bigger issue. It is not just hair, hair is a woman’s most prized possession. We hold so much value to our hair and we should be able to have more options and availability to products that are suitable for each and every texture. It’s not just about hair, it is about accommodating all peoples and providing equality.

It is also about respecting cultures, Black women are born with kinky curls, who use weaves and braids in their hair, dating back to centuries, it is cultural styles specific for African Americans. Whereas, recently White women, like the Kardashians, take on those hairstyles and pose for the camera. This is called cultural appropriation. African American women take on these styles, not only to provide a different style but also protection. One’s culture is not another’s costumes. I believe we need to stick to what we all know about our own races and educate ourselves on others’ before wearing it on ourselves for fun.