Lydia Petropoulou looks at Cardi B’s new haircare line, which she is creating with the purpose of minimising racism and nationality confusion.
The Afro-American rapper decided to invest in creating a new haircare line with the hope of educating people to recognise the differences between African, Latino-American, and Mexican nationalities. Cardi B’s heritage is half from Trinidad and Tobago and half from the Dominican Republic. After receiving offensive comments about her natural hair, which she displayed in a video on social media, she decided to explain the distinct characteristics of different races.
Through a Tweet she wrote on the 29th March, she expressed her opposition towards people’s common assumption that every Hispanic person should be Mexican or that people from Latin America should all have the same hair texture, colour, and facial features. Later the same day, she wrote: “Hair texture def don’t make you a race however I am Afro Latina.”
On Instagram, she rejected established views for specific characteristics that accompany people from Latin America, such as long hair, light skin, and slim face features. Caribbean islands are quite different in that sense, and hair texture has more to do with the DNA, rather than nationality, she added.
The haircare line, expected to be launched this year, is the same she has been working on and using at home with her daughters. It is not certain, though, if the hair mask recipe she shared online last year will be included in this line. Across various social media posts, Cardi B has insisted that she is not investing in this process to fight with people, but rather to educate them.
According to Nielsen, consumers in Latin America spent around $663m on beauty and fashion products in 2020. Juvan Jose Amaya, beauty consultant for Juve, claimed that the Latino market is currently facing a transition towards inclusivity and acceptance of natural features. According to Amaya, Latinos do not want to be or to hear that they are exotic, and they do not always have hazel or green eyes. These are just some of the stereotypes facing people of the region.
Cardi B is following other celebrities’ examples, such as Rhianna and Tracee Ellis Rosse, who launched their own hair brands. The Afro-American singer deeply believes in the value of representation and diversity and says on social media that she will try her best to educate her fans around the world.
One response to “Cardi B launches new haircare line to educate people on nationality and race”
[…] diversity and says on social media that she will try her best to educate her fans around the world.APRIL 5, 2021LYDIAP95BEAUTY, CARDI B, EDUCATION, HAIRCARE, LATIN […]