26 Black Owned Beauty Supply Stores to Support

In light of the Grand Jury decision to not indict former police officer Darren Wilson for the murder of unarmed teen Mike Brown, there have been calls across social media and various online outlets to boycott Black Friday and redirect those funds to Black or other minority-owned businesses. The call was met with mixed reactions. Some balked at the idea and were staunchly against it. Others (like me) supported the idea, but also felt the need for a more long-term strategy that would continue to focus on building economic capital (and therefore leverage) within Black communities.

On Thanksgiving day, I had a passionate discussion with my brother in-law about the economic call to action. I shared with him that I believed the ever-growing natural hair community presents a unique opportunity as an enclave in which this economic shift can take place — because it already is. The move to support small, women, Black, and other minority-owned business is already alive and well within the natural hair community. We support brands like Obia Natural Hair, Camille Rose Naturals, TGIN, TreLuxe, Alikay Naturals, Qhemet Biologics, curLUXE Naturals, Bee Mine, Nancy’s Kitchen, CurlPrep, Coco Curls, Mielle Organics, Sister’s Keeper, The Mane Choice, and dozens others. I don’t know about you, but I support small business brands because the overall quality of product tends to be higher, they tend to be healthier for my hair, and I trust the brands more because they are the brainchildren of women with a vested interest in natural hair, and because it means everything to be able to financially support the dreams of women who look like me.

We’ve got the brands down to a science, now it’s time for phase two. Supporting the small in number, but ever growing…