Beyond the Bounce: Embracing the Curly Hair Journey with Trust and Transformation

Curly hair is not for everyone⁠— it’s a blessing and a curse. Those who have curly hair know it is extremely time-consuming to manage, treat, and wear. Many women who have curly hair do not know that they have it because of the societal norms that have been instilled. They either learn to appreciate it from an early age, discover it later on in their life, or continue to not appreciate it. 

On my TikTok account, I create content for those who are learning about their curly hair.  About 95% of my followers are women and the core age range is 18-24. So, I adapt to my audience in the best way I can. At some point in my life, I was in their shoes trying to figure out what worked best for my hair and how I could transform it into the healthy curly hair I have now. Most of my videos are hairstyle tutorials, product recommendations, and sit-down talks where I engage with comments to share advice. 

At the beginning of one's curly hair journey, there is so much to unpack. I understand because I have been there⁠— standing frozen still in the hair care aisle at a loss for words. Different types of shampoos and conditioners, gels, creams, mousse, oils, serums, and the list goes on. Meanwhile, you don't even know what type of hair porosity you have. Having to buy all these products and then later figure out they are not the right ones for your hair can be exhausting. The customer's attitude when purchasing curly hair products is either good or bad and no in between⁠— so a rookie or a veteran is shopping. Rookie curly-haired girls are searching for products that will work for them off the bat. This is one of the main reasons why brands need to keep their products precise, clear, and straight to the point. I like to do my research before heading into the store to buy any products so that I can feel confident about what I am purchasing.

One's attitude will influence their behavior and when shopping, a good attitude is always needed so that the customer can end up purchasing what they are looking for. The customer needs to be able to trust the brand and know that the products will enhance their hair in some type of way. If the attitude is bad then the behavior is bad (no purchases being made).

The visuals of a brand or product can also influence the consumer’s attitude and/or behavior. They may find something they like about the packaging, color scheme, or overall brand image. How can marketers make the consumers feel like they NEED the product?

The motivators behind this would be the following question the customer would ask themselves: “How is this going to help me?” We want the customer's attitude to remain in uplifting spirits, which leads them to go ahead and continue buying said brands' products, which is the good behavior marketers want to see. Trust and loyalty are two main factors that play into a Business-to-Consumer relationship.

Curly hair is all about trial and error until you find out what works for you. In the end, the customers will feel better about themselves and can appreciate, love, and embrace their curly hair for what it is.