Too relaxed about the risks: the crisis in Black women’s hair care

Source: “Hazardous relaxers and toxic beauty ideals: the crisis in Black women’s hair care,” The Guardian, 18 March 2025

For generations, Black women have been put at risk by a hair care industry that evades regulation. But is change on the way? Plus: the history of Black US postal workers.

Hello and welcome to The Long Wave. This week I look into the emerging health hazards associated with styling Black hair, and how for generations Black women have been let down by legislation, social pressure and the forever shifting demands of the beauty industry.

The hidden cost of hair manipulation

Hair products marketed to Black women span a wide range, everything from wash to styling day involves a product that promises to make one’s hair smooth, shiny, and above all manageable. Whether hair is worn straightened, natural, or even tucked away in braids, there is an oil, cream or gel to improve the style. Your straightened hair can be glossier; the curls in your natural hair can be more defined and last longer. And goodness, yes, your hair is braided but your edges are unruly and need to be laid. On social media, I even saw a powder that can be sprinkled on straightened hair to give it more volume. So it seems hair products now run the gamut of solid and liquid states.

But evidence is mounting that the Black hair care and styling industry is wildly unregulated and poses risks to Black women’s health. Last month, analysis found that 80% of about 4,000 beauty products marketed at Black women “contain at least one moderately hazardous ingredient – and most contain multiple”, which is quite disturbing. Among those products were chemical products in hair-straightening formulas linked to health risks such as cancer and damage to the respiratory system, and toxic compounds added to hair conditioners. Such chemicals are linked to health risks that include cancer and damage to the respiratory system.

The list of hazardous products is staggering (pdf), as much for its length as for its range. Among the list are several hair products that I either was familiar with or have used myself, and others that are targeted at children.