Every now and then, Beyoncé reminds fans that she sees and hears all the conversation about her on social media. When the star launched her hair care line Cécred in February, social media users had mixed feelings about whether or not they would trust the megastar’s products, since she is largely known for wearing wigs.
“She never shows her real hair; unless that long blonde hair is hers, I wouldn’t purchase it,” one user commented on theGrio’s Instagram post about the Cécred launch.
“Honest and fair question…How do you sponsor [hair] products, but largely never wear your own natural hair? I don’t get it,” another commenter added.
Well, this week, Beyoncé shut down all the speculations about her natural hair in a new video promoting Cécred. Giving fans a glimpse into her wash day routine, the “Cowboy Carter” singer flaunted her waist-long natural tresses from root to tip.
“Now that Cécred is known for the quality and what it does for your hair, I think it’s about time I show y’all what it does for my hair,” said Beyoncé in the video’s voiceover.
“It has been such a special experience seeing all of your #cecredwashday rituals all over my timeline… I just had to join in with something I had in the archives,” she added in the post’s caption. “Being disruptive and challenging everything people feel should be the process has always been exciting to me. My hair and music seemed to do that a lot over the years.”
Showing each step of the process, the Cécred founder detailed some of the things she loves about the brand’s products and how the products have contributed to her hair’s health. However, what delighted fans most was Beyoncé directly calling out her naysayers in the video.
“The stigma and misconception is that people who wear wigs don’t have long and healthy hair,” she said. “That’s some bulls—t, ’cause it ain’t nobody’s business. I’ll get back to my hurr…”
Like most Black women, Beyoncé has been seen rocking a number of styles during her decades in the public eye, from box braids to long dramatic extensions, to a chin-grazing bob and even a mullet. Whether these styles are intended to be protective or “disruptive,” the artist makes clear that her choices speak to her creativity, not the health of her hair.
“I’ve chosen color over perms and relaxers,” she said, revealing that she’s been maintaining her trademark blonde tresses for 25 years. “And I’ve managed to keep my curls even with my hair so blonde.”
Explaining how hard it can be to keep color-treated hair healthy and strong, Beyoncé’s experience of having to choose between color or relaxer treatments is something many Black women can relate to. As more information emerges about the chemicals within certain hair products, Black women have been forced to weigh the risks of certain beauty practices.
“We can wear our hair natural, straight, braids, weaves and wigs. There’s power in self-expression and in feeling free to show up as we choose, in whatever hair we choose,” Beyoncé told Essence. “For me, joy comes from making myself a priority and making my hair a priority. It is really important for me to make time for the sacred rituals of self-care.”