Note #6

Hello,

The reason I started Coils, Cash, and Culture was to explore the intricate interplay of creativity and entrepreneurship within the Black and textured hair economy. Beyond new guests coming on the podcast and sharing what’s happening in culture, it feels right to give you some specific business breakdowns. Let’s start with Beyoncé’s upcoming hair care line.

Beyonce’s Hair Care Line

What

On May 16th Beyoncé shared the Instagram post below letting the world know she will be releasing a hair-related product soon. The key word there is something. Beyond the photo below she shares a note that upon reflection gives very little away in terms of what product people can expect. Instead the focus is on the value and impact hair has on women and the opportunity she had to see this first hand when sweeping her Mum’s salon.

The only indication of what it could be lives in this post. The obvious spot is the bottles of product that look unbranded. Is this intentional? Is this a giveaway? I reckon so. There are many hair types and lots of notable people entering the hair and beauty industry with their own versions of our most loved items. The only item in use in the photo is in fact a hair tool.

Why

Why hair tools?

Inclusivity: Hair tools are inclusive and can be used by people of all hair types. By hair tools, I mean hairdryers, styling tools, etc.

Personal: The world’s most loved products are accompanied by a great story to tell. Beyoncé's mother owned a hair salon, so hair tools are a personal connection for her. Focusing on hair tools to start over hair products allows for everyone to feel this could work for them. In addition to a compelling origin story, we know the most successful hair and beauty lines have all had their founders showcasing the products in use like Rihanna’ Fenty or Tracee Ellis Ross’ Pattern. Whatever is in the pipeline needs to be something Beyoncé will promote. Getting great curls with the same hair curler as Beyoncé feels real. Getting the same curls with the same leave-in products might be a bit harder to sell because of hair textures (at least to start).

Product: Beyoncé doesn’t do anything less than excellent. Hair tools can be designed, developed, and tested in a more controlled way than hair products, which can vary depending on hair type. Taking into consideration the opportunity to be inclusive and appeal to a larger customer base, great hair tools can be achieved with great technology - that’s within one's control. Further down the road, there’s scope for variations in price, technology, and design on hair tools.

Thinking more broadly, the hair line is another revenue stream that should work without Beyoncé. There are so many ways to be playful and promote a piece of hardware in varying many settings whereas products that need to be absorbed by hair rely on the finished hair to show value to customers. Play is the best type of marketing and we’re seeing this in the current trend of beauty products teaming up with brands in unrelated verticals e.g. Hailey Bieber’s Rhode and Krispy Kreme’s. The more tangible a product, the less dependent it is on being promoted with one individual having to show how it works for them. Playful tangible experiential moments are scalable and seem more likely than hair tutorials from Beyoncé on TikTok.

Either way, there’s potential for a whole ecosystem on the horizon.

What do you think?

• Allure: Allure Best of Beauty Awards 2023: Hair-Care Products

• Forbes: Tracee Ellis Ross Is Not Here To Give Advice

• Girls United, Essence: The Evolution Of Black Hair Styling On The Runway

• Travel Noire: Black Barber Opens Harlem's First Mobile Barbershop 

• Gifts & Decorations Accessories: New Collection From Purpose Toys Celebrates Black Hair and Barber Culture

Protect your mind.

Tyesha