Ethnic hairstyles go back to basics: healthy, natural look

Drug Store News, June 8, 1992 by Liz Parks

Hair styles that were popular in the 1950s with African-Americans are making a comeback in the 1990s, says Geri Duncan-Jones, executive director of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute.

Once again, she says, "healthy hair is |in.'" In response to consumer concerns, hair care manufacturers and stylists are making a strong concerted effort to keep hair healthy. More after-shampoo conditioning products are coming to the market; more consumers are buying and using them.

Duncan-Jones says, "relaxed hair will always be popular. [It] offers consumers the greatest styling flexibility. It's a flexible style that can be adopted to a wide variety of looks."

And today, she points out, more and more manufacturers are introducing relaxers with built-in conditioning agents, designed to keep hair healthy. She says natural hair is becoming more popular and many consumers are weaving or braiding their hair.

Styling products are hot now; they make hair easy to handle and maintain while often conditioning.

In the South, women are wearing curly hair with a "drier look."

Men's products, she says, are being used more often, particularly texturizers and combouts that maintain the high-top look.

She notes that while many general market companies have recently begun to aggressively produce and market products formulated specifically for African-American consumers, they haven't always followed up by making the commitment to community service, which she says is a commitment "necessary to the black consumer."

"Companies must re-invest in the communities from which they make benefits or profits," she says, citing Simply Satin Cosmetics from Worlds of Curls, which "gives approximately $30,000 in scholarships for minority students desiring to attend college."

She also called the recent AHBAI-Eckerd Drug joint program with the United Negro College Fund "a primary example of companies joining forces to help the communities they serve."

To celebrate "A Salute To The Black Family," AHBAI and Eckerd gave away six computers last April, in the process raising $50,000 that was donated to the UNCF.

"We hope that getting computers into black households will provide a stimulus to their greater educational achievement," Duncan-Jones said.

Entry forms were distributed through Essence and Ebony magazines and in Eckerd stores. Winners were selected by a random drawing.

Stewart Turley, chairman and president of the Jack Eckerd Corporation, parent company of Eckerd Drug, said, "Eckerd believes very strongly in the value of education, and we hope that in addition to our donation to the [UNCF], these computers contribute to educational opportunities in the black community."

Eckerd Drug, Coca-Cola and Channel 2 "Action News" also co-sponsored a Share The Dream essay contest in the Atlanta Regional contest.

Tara Gunter, a graduate of Henderson High School in Decatur, Georgia, won the contest and a $10,000 scholarship. Her essay then captured first place in the national competition, and won her an additional $15,000 in scholarship funds.