The People Have Spoken

Healthy hair is the buzz word in hair care. Hairstyles have taken a back seat to hair care. Hairstyles are somewhat played out. Artificial hair, human hair extensions, braided hairstyles, protective hairstyles and wash & wear hair are the latest trend in the hair salons. Why sit and pay to have your hair styled, when you can buy it already complete? The paradigm shift in beauty business began with the internet go to

Throwback

 browser guru, "Ask Jeeves." This was back in the day of good old fashioned, "dial-up" Internet. When Yahoo and AOL would send you a CD in the mail for you to install to go online! During that era, people were pretty much using the internet to download music files from Napster. Then they began going online to ask questions. So while people were being quiet about what they wanted to know others were being loud about what they knew. They then shared that knowledge (fact or fiction) online. 

After music; school stuff, recipes and images seemed to be what was shared and searched over the internet. Quickly and simulataneously, researchers started to notice how the internet surfers were surfing for more than superficial information. They were surfing for pertinent things such as medical information, history, religion, shopping, travel and of course; hair care. Hair care ranked high in search engines searches, proving to be on the minds of millions worldwide.

While customers were secretly online getting the grapes on the behind the scenes of the beauty industry, hairstylists were standing behind their chairs bragging about being the last of the careers where humans touching humans still existed. With the increased use of automated everything from phone calls to self-checkout lanes, from gas pumps to auto teller machines; cosmetologists sincerely and arrogantly believed the human touch would save them from technology.  They felt their "old-fashioned" human touch would secure their place in the workforce. They believed the human touch would keep their pockets fat and the freebies coming. They believed the human touch would hide their lack of knowledge of how soap, hair color, heat, medicine and the not so popular "creamy crack" relaxer work on hair. They believed the human touch could hide all the flaws of being an out of touch licensed cosmetologist. 

Then along came, the "pat yo weave." Yep, that statement was the turning point in hair care and hair styles for the beauty industry. Beyonce's "Put a Ring on It," was the video sensation of the decade and it drove women to the internet like crazy. They were not only searching for the video. They wanted to know the behind the scenes secrets to the video maven's sensational weave. Shortly afterwards, the comedian, Chris Rock caused more ripples in the waves. His whistle-blowing documentary, "Good Hair" had more women surfing the internet for answers to hair care. The documentary was inspired by the phrase, "good hair."  "Good hair" is an African American term used within certain cultures of African Americans that define it as hair that is softer, shiner, more manageable and longer. It was "good hair" that his young daughter was longing for. In an attempt to get to the just of "good hair," Chris Rock made the comedic documentary. The documentary captured African American women's obsession to have "good hair." It revealed how African Americans were willing to pay any price to have "good hair." Be it fake or chemically altered. The documentary also revealed the behind the scenes foolishness of what was taking place within the industry as it related to hair salons and product manufacturing. From the high end to the mom and pop shops, from the homemade to the manufactured; he exposed plenty. So to the point that the chemical relaxer hair straightening ingredient; sodium hydroxide, was getting lambasted by people in the documentary. 

Interestingly funny!

"Put a Ring on It" and "Good Hair" sent salon customers by the millions to the internet. In the meantime, hairstylists were probably among the last of the professionals to cross over and accept the changes technology by way of the internet was bringing to every career. Rather you touch humans or not, the internet had arrived and was making its mark. The beauty industry had not choice but to change its course just like the republicans did in politics here in America.

Hair stylists like the republican party were caught off guard by the changing course. The overwhelming demand from consumers who wanted a hairstylist who felt their struggle was what hair care and hair styling was all abut. Many did not have the answer, but the internet did. The years of questioning why their hair was thinning. The yearning to know the difference between black hair and white hair. The longing for more hair. Longer hair, thicker hair fuller hair. The constant up-selling of retail and hair treatments that never really worked.The plea for why their hair color was fading and their hairline going bald was on the minds of millions worldwide. Hair stylists; like Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, John Kasich and the likes could not deliver. However, the internet and its ever evolving social  media could. 

The internet became to salon customers what Donald Trump became to the republican party. An outlier. Salon customers are constantly asking, "What about us? What can you hairstylists do for people like us?"

With emphasis, on the African American salon customers, the internet removed the African American hairstylist from the equation of hair care. Don't smirk, because hairstylists of other ethnicities are too being replaced with the empathetic, 24 hour, zany brainy internet and all of its social media avenues. Not that salon customers were looking for a hair care and hair styling hero; however, they were looking for solutions that could help in the spirit of "a means to the ends." Sure a hair stylist can be used to style hair, but then so can one's cousin at home in the kitchen! Just like the status quo in politics had to go in the republican party, so did the status quo salon experience. When you add the belief in "human touch" rhetoric within in the beauty industry, customers from every ethnicity with every hair type, stopped buying it.

So the hair salon industry began to suffer. At first, it was hair salons. Then it was booth renters, followed by independent contractors. Now it's Salon Lofts. Many salon owners are jumping on the "Loft" concept. Things that make you go hmmm. The hair salons along with their self-anointed self-employed hair stylists could not figure out why none of their marketing for the "best" salon services was no longer working. So like the republicans; salon owners, hair stylists and their customers split. 

Just as rural, working class and the electoral college of America voted for the reality TV star, Donald Trump for their president, salon customers voted for the Internet and social media as their hair care and hair styling go to avenue. Customers were fed up. They grew tired of paying hairstylists who used relaxers and other chemicals for years without question. They grew antsy with the industry following trends created by consumers instead of trends created by hair stylists. A la, "The Natural Hair Movement." When the maker of "Wen" products, Chaz Dean failed to deliver on the claims of his sulfate-free line of hair care products; the people were done with the dumb "human touch" theory. They stopped looking up to hair stylists and began looking down into their smart phones.

Amusingly, hair stylists had the unmitigated gall to be shocked that the "recession proof" career was feeling the pull from the "click." The click of the mouse on the computer. Just as America was stunned with votes of the electoral college to elect Donald Trump on November 9th as their president, 

Funny, the same thing is happening is salons across America. The customers have dumped the hair stylist and the hair salon. They want a better candidate. Who cares if it's a human or not? They like the YouTuber with that up close shot of products with their hand in the background. They love the Instagram self-ascribed hairstylist who gives better tips from their not so clean bathrooms than the hair stylist in the fancy salon spa or the ones that specialize in natural hair. They simply adore the Facebook page of the person who boldly posts they are doing hair without a license; even if the words are spelled wrong and the grammar is incorrect. The paying consumer has voted. They want a hair stylist who "feels" them.

Well, I feel them too! I built my entire career off the paradigm shift of salon customers who wanted a hair stylist who felt them. A hair stylist who taught the truth about hair care. You know, an "HW-N-A" (hair stylist with NO attitude). A hair stylist who is honest. A hair stylist who cares. Do you notice, there is no mention of a hairstyle in that scenario? In addition, I quickly noticed how salon customers hated hair stylists and hair salons who were status quo. Just like those republican voters and the electoral college hated the status quo republican politician and their liberal politics. I was not from the beauty industry. Therefore, I was not jaded. However, as an outsider with the mind of an outlier, I entered the industry with excellent deductive reasoning skills. I could clearly see the fall of the hair salon, hair stylists, and overrated hair care products at the behest of the internet. 

I observed many  salons, cosmetologists and hair care manufacturers who had the notorious "know it all" and the, "I have a license and you don't" demeanor. That demeanor became status quo. The demeanor spoke volumes that demeaned costumers. The demeaning was done via long waits, price fluctuations, racism, whites only do whites and the blacks on do blacks.  Really? The lack of proficiency in the use of chemicals. The attire, abuse of drugs, alcohol and cigarette breaks. Those status quo behaviors had to go. The high end salons against the mom and pop salons. The celebrity stylist against the regular stylist and so on. Why the split? After all, aren't we the last of the professionals who have the competitive advantage of the "human touch??

The media is saying Hilary Clinton and the democratic party were not on the pulse of the people. I disagree. Hillary and the Democratic party is on the pulse of the democratic voters. But the democrats and the democratic voters could not influence the republicans who ruled the house. Something about those shooting was too challenging for White America to stop, politics, laws and all. In reality, the status quo republican party was not on the pulse of the republican voters and the electoral college. So they voted for someone who was not a status quo republican. 

The salon industry is not about hair styles. Just as politics are not about voting. The salon industry is all about caring for hair and styling hair with safe practices that promote public safety via their laws around public safety and sanitation. Just as politics is all about what is best for the community and the country at large. 

Again, politics are not about popular votes contrary to popular belief. And being a licensed cosmetologist is not about the ability to do hair, skin or nail service. Neither is holding a public office. Donald Trump did not have to have any experience to run for president. Neither does a regular person wanting become a professional cosmetologist. While the average consumer believes a certain level of proficiency is guaranteed of all licensed hairstylist; there is none. Unfortunately, hair stylists do not have to demonstrate any level of "knowing" as it relates to how to curl, apply a weave, formulate hair color and so on. We do what's called, OTJT (on the job training). So it is fair to conclude that a licensed cosmetologist within the salon industry is about as authentic as an experienced  republican politician who can run the country. 

Consumers in the salon industry have always wanted more than a hair style. There was an unspoken agreement that at some point the questions of the who, what, when, where, why and how would eventually be answered and explained by cosmetologists. That has not happened. Cosmetologists who hide behind the, "I have a license and more clock hour than a paramedic" statement are losing their customers to the internet (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and the likes) just like the political hopefuls did to the electoral college.

Voters have primary concerns they want politicians to address, not just give rhetoric to. The same can be said for consumers in the salon industry. 

Beauty professionals, like the status quo republican politicians, fool themselves when they believe people elect them for the obvious (IE, whatever it is they get paid to do...lol!"  Many licensed professionals believe customers are coming to the salons for a hair, nail or/and facial service. They are not. The performance on the internet via social media is proving that customers are turning to the internet for hair care and hair styling solutions. A large number of hair stylists and other licensed beauty professionals have dropped the ball in teaching and reaching the masses who sit in their chair. They overlook the obvious. They believe Walmart, Target, drugstores, African hair braiders, Dominican blowout salons and Salon Lofts are their competition. There is no real competition within the beauty industry among licensed professionals. The hair manufacturers have seen to that. There is truly nothing distinct between a salon shampoo and an over the counter one; give or take an ingredient here or there.  So now what?

Wait, what just happened?

The beauty industry needs to get AHEAD of the program. When the answers and solutions can become unified from the many licensed professions representing the industry, we will then be able to have a voice with clear directions and solutions to offer to the masses within the beauty industry to meet their needs at home as well as in the salon. Licensed beauty professionals need to represent. They need to keep themselves educated and constantly retrained to meed the every changing needs and growing demands of the customers or potential customers who sit in their chair or visit their salon. If not, they will loose to an outlier called, "artificial intelligence." Don't laugh, your phone can do things a human can not do quicker and cheaper. The internet has a www (worldwide web) at the dispose of anyone who want to enter it with just one click regardless of race, sex, political affiliation, education, money and the likes. Hair salons, licensed beauty professionals; you have been warned. 

Until then, the paradigm shift is shifting as you read this blog. Like those in republicans in rural, working class, and the electoral college of America have spoke; so are the consumers in the beauty industry.

Do you hear anything?