WELCOME TO BLACK FRIDAYS!
"African-American women spend $7.5 billion annually on beauty
products, which is 80 percent more than the general market. The reason it's such a dramatic difference is attributed to the fact that
African-American women have to sample more products to find the right ones for their skin." (Essence magazine - beauty research panel 2008)
Helloooo LADIES! My name is Jasmine and I will be your host for the newest Megsmakeup.com feature - Black Fridays!
Over the past two decades, the black beauty industry has grown leaps and bounds into a multi-billion dollar business. There are products for every type of ethnic hair - long and loose curls, tight curls, dry hair, brittle hair, natural afros, dreads, relaxed hair, and the list goes on. As for makeup and skincare for ethnic women, there are less targeted options, though a few black entrepreneurs (Iman, Black Opal, Fashion Fair) have broken through the noise to provide products whose colors and ingredients work in tandem with our genetic makeup (pun intended...yes I'm a dork as you will quickly come to learn!) 
However, let's be honest here. Most of the products with a beautiful woman of color on the front are made by a group of old white guys in the back. People that do not have our type of hair or skin are calling the shots and making lots of money off our desire to recreate that "fresh-from-the-salon" look and that magazine model glow. In my experience most of these "black products" are actually the least effective with less than ideal ingredients.
But fear not and waste money no more - my product trials and reviews will hopefully break through the marketing noise save you all time and money. And ladies listen up - I am here to represent all ethnicities of color - that means you too boricuas and betes! :) If you have olive to dark skin and/or Type 2C or curlier hair which may or may not be processed (see link to hair chart from source: www.longhaircareforum.com), I'm talking to you. Though I'm African American of mixed descent, I've realized that I have a lot of the same beauty concerns as my Latin and Indian/Asian friends.
Also, just so you know, I put integrity of ingredients and actual product effectiveness over any marketing or loyalty to products
supposedly "for us, by us". I will be open to try everything, but I
have found that many of the best products work well for all types (to get the results I want anyway) because they are organic or all natural, with lots of wholesome ingredients, butters and oils, but sans those pesky and toxic petroleum and sulfate products (or alcohol if I can help it - but more on that later... I will school you on the main no-no products to help you in your independent product selections/trials).
Through this forum, I hope to open you all up to a new world where beauty does not compromise our health, our environment, or our wallet; and believe me, getting products that may slightly more expensive up front but actually work for us will save lots of money in the long run!
I look forward to our beautiful friendships and the discovery of the
best options to address the multitude of our individual ethnic beauty needs. Think Pink!
Any suggestions for any lines you have been wondering about?
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oooooo im excited :) lol, i was hoping a feature like this would be made eventually.but as for your topic, your right about most of the products for "women of colour" not even being as good/less effective...the amount of shampoos ive tried and just ended up goin back to "regular" shampoos....ah well :)
yes! this is so necessary on this site. with the exception of carol's daughter, i have not found a line that targets women of color and represents us well. i look forward to your posts.
http://www.youtube.com/ashleya1002
a great addition to a great website!!
Would love to know your thoughts on the movie, "Good Hair".
http://ediblelove.wordpress.com/
This is an absolutely great topic...I am a white girl who has curly hair and uses many hair products that are used by the african american community. I love to see new hair products and usually go on other sites to see what is being used for curly hair girls but now i can check it out on here. Yeah!!!
I'm excited and can't wait to read your reviews!
Letitahttp://letitaslogic.blogspot.com/
What a wonderful new addition to the site.
http://www.beautifullyglossy.blogspot.com
This is a fantastic idea Jasmine and I look forward to a beautiful friendship with you as well! I'm Italian with wavy/curly hair and often feel like I don't quite fit into any category when it comes to my hair. That's actually true with most things ;). You are on to something and are going to help so many of us! Your quirky, dorky side is just icing on the cake! Welcome beautiful Jasmine!!
I'm looking forward to reading about this topic. It's definitely a nice addition to the site :)
This was from the Chris Rock movie no doubt. I saw some trailers when he was on talk shows. Very interesting and had no idea African American women spent so much on their hair. I was upset about spending $200.00 on a cut, color, highlights, and felt it was a bit much, but not any longer. I won't tell my hair dresser that though. She may try to hike up the price. No thanks. Not in this ugly recession.
Chanelisbest
Wow, so great to meet you Jasmine! I think this corner of Meg's Makeup will be amazingly informative. I'm not part of your target demographic but I still find all of this information really really super interesting. I love your writing and your approach already - really looking forward to reading you lots more! ♥
This is an awesome topic! I am so excited to hear more. I have long thought that this was an area that needed to be explored here. Kudos to Meg and Jasmine!! Yay!! I would like a review on Carol's Daughter's hair milk.
Welcome Jasmine! I'm also very interested in hearing what you have to say. Even though I'm a white chick, I have hair that is probably 3C or D. So while I probably not in your target audience for cosmetics (but who knows?) - I am so there with the hair! Besides, this is an excellent addition to Meg World.
Carole
Is there a way to enlarge the little picture? I've cleaned out my contacts and peered through my glasses to no avail.
Welcome and love the idea of black Fridays. This will be a great help to every one even a 2B like me. Great to have you on board.
Beste Hilsin
Very cool addition to the site! I look forward to hearing about it too because most african americans have curly hair :D Lol and So do I so I can benefit!
Tan is Love
While I have blonde, stick straight, thin hair - this is a fantastic addition to the website! I also struggle to find products right for my hair (thin and oily, anyone?) so it's great to see a forum for helping specific needs and wants! I'll definately be tuning in :)
This is a great idea it must be so annoying trying to find products that really work when there are hardly any reviews anywhere to guide you-there is a sore lack of information out there for ethnic girls-Imean I think it was only once I ever saw a foundation special in cosmo-so jasmine guidance will be an amazing addition to the site.
PotionPrincess♥
Oooh I would love to read about your reviews!
I think this is a wonderful addition !! here here!!
makeup makeup makeup!!!!!!!
very interesting
I'd love to know about some good nourishing lotions.My hair always seem to be dried out :(
SO glad you're here with us and I am excited to hear about new to me products and get the skinny on some fabulous things I might well have overlooked otherwise!I'm a huge fan of Carol's Daughter,Jessicurl,and yes,some of the "ethnic" makeup lines have AMAZING colors we all can enjoy!WELCOME GORGEOUS!!!
Welcome Jasmine! I look forward to reading your upcoming articles. (:
what a wonderful idea!! looking forward to read your posts :)
My new Ebay Store: cossiepieMy blog: http://lazyscorner.blogspot.com/
What a great new feature!!!
this is excellent, i spend a lot of money of make up in the process of trial and error to get the right product for my skin tone and type. this would be great.
I can't wait to hear and learn more . . . WELCOME ABOARD!
As a thick haired girl, I can't wait to hear the "skinny" on all types of hair.
Nice addition to the site! I'd like any reviews on products that are designed to fade scars and hyperpigmentation. Years ago, I used to buy fade cream from the "ethnic" section of CVS, but I haven't seen it in ages, so I assume the old-fashioned products were yanked because they had ingredients that have been deemed dangerous or something. Too bad because they WORKED.
This would be interesting! I'm definitely looking forward to this new forum! :)
This is a great addition! I look forward to reading your posts :)
This is a wonderful addition, I cant wait to read your features!
awesome! im not black, but i have really delicate thin hair, so maybe we'll find something for me too! =)
Can't wait to read more from you!
This sounds great! I have 3a/3b curly hair, and a skintone that is very difficult to match thanks to my background of Euromutt and Native American :). (I think I'm neutral with yellow, olive, AND red undertones!!!!! I'm not sure how that's possible, but I can pull off coral & fuchsia, and look equally good in gold & silver jewelery.)Looking forward to these reviews! I'm super obsessed with trying to find the perfect hair product: a moisturizing/conditioning styler with at least medium hold that has UV filters and heat protection. Of course, it would have to provide curl definition, softness, HOLD, humidity shields... It would also be great if the same product could be used for blow drying straight. Does it exist? Ok, I could settle for 2 products that do all of this. That would be better than the 3-6 I use now!!!Thanks, Jasmine!
Hi Jasmine! What a great new addition, I can't wait to read your posts! My hair is a big curly/wavy mess (judging by the chart, I want to say 3A looks closest, although my curls aren't nearly as pretty and defined). I'm going to try the MC line to try to tame it, and look forward to Fridays! :)
This is a great idea! I would suggest the brand Black Radiance. I have a friend who loves their products.
I'm super excited about this new post category! Especially in posts regarding hair. I'm one of the whitest white girls you'll ever meet, but I've got curly hair and find that a lot of ethnic lines are better suited to my hair than other brands. It's hard to tell from the teeny pictures, but I think my hair falls somewhere between 2c and 3b. Jasmine, I'm really interested in hearing about products (hair and otherwise) from Carole's Daughter and Miss Jessie of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding. I look forward to your next post!
Looking forward to reading more!
My Beauty Blog:http://www.glam-morena.com/
what a fabulous idea! looking forward to read your posts :) It's also great to read reviews of products that work so I can pass them on to my sister-in-law. She'll be oh so thankful
Hello Jesmine, Great Post and very interesting topic too, looking forward to read posts now..;
Hollywood http://thehollywoodheels.blogspot.com
Wow I never really thought about this before... good to know and interesting
This is very cool--welcome! I know we've got all sorts of hair types and concerns here and this is surely going to really help people out!
what a wonderful addition...cant wait to read ur reviews!
Welcome! I look forward to reading your wonderful posts. I am full Italian, with all the hair that goes with it...that's lots of hair. (hair, hair everywhere!) Earlier this year I checked out the longhair forum you mentioned. I have been on a mission this past year or so, to grow my hair. Not just longer but gorgeous healthy, full, bouncy...wow hair! I have tried the herbal oils on the scalp (that was nice, and with nice aroma too), Nioxin treatment (good stuff, and actually what I have stuck with), and even tried the original authentic animal grooming hair care (not the watered down kind you get from the regular store-mane&tail..not that) This stuff is from the horse store, and smells like hell, actually hell probably smells better. Needless to say that only got a one time trial. I got the idea to try that one from the longhair forum website. The girls that tried that had good results. Sorry I can't/won't use it again. What I would LOVE to read about are products that help promote hair growth. Nioxin is good. But it's good to change things up a bit. And besides my hair growing endeavor is really interesting to me! Thanks and good luck!
Hi Ladies! i'm so happy to hear all the positive feedback on my addition to the website. I will not disappoint! My goal is to bring you all the best insight i can as it seems we are all fighting the same fight. Glad to meet you all! :)
Also, after going through the comments, I am seeking out the best products to address everyone's concern for hair, skin, makeup, and scar / pigmentation repair products the market has to offer. Stay tuned!
I love that you are including this here. Everyone is beautiful no matter their race, and their differences. What a wonderful part of the site.
savemesomemoney.tumblr.com
I'm not your targeted audience but thanks for the article!
great addition to the site