This story is part of our Start. Build. Grow. series, a celebration of Black business.
You don’t have to be in the Beyhive to have caught the buzz around Beyoncé’s new haircare line, Cécred (pronounced “sacred”).
Celeb-backed haircare isn’t a new thing: Gabrielle Union, Lala Anthony, Tracee Ellis Ross and Taraji P. Henson all have lines. But this one feels a little different: Unboxings and trials are taking over social media. Folks are genuinely excited about Queen Bey’s foray into hair care.
“My entire life and career, I’ve worn my hair in so many different ways: natural, flat-ironed, braids, colored, weaves, wigs. I want everyone to have the freedom to express their hair in ways that make them feel good, so I began by creating the essentials for hair and scalp health,” said Beyoncé in a press release.
A venture into hair care makes sense considering Bey pretty much grew up in salons thanks to her hairstylist mother Tina Knowles, who is serving as Cecréd’s vice chairwoman and will play a pivotal role in product development.
Miss Tina is also promoting the brand on social media, where you can find her washing, styling, and snipping the ’dos of editors, influencers and celebrities who’ve been invited to try the line, including actress Holly Robinson Peete and her son Roman.
Truth is, Cecréd feels like Miss Tina’s brand. She’s got the years of hands-on experience as well as cachet with fans: Who doesn’t love Tina Knowles? Therefore, why shouldn’t she be serving as the face of Cécred instead of her legendary Grammy-record-setting daughter?
Surprisingly, the brands on which Beyoncé puts her name don’t blow up with consumers to the same degree of her fellow pop superstar-helmed brands, like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty or Kanye West’s Yeezy brand. Her most recent before Cécred – the Ivy Park clothing line collaboration with Adidas – wrapped about a year ago with a whimper.
Many Ivy Park critics suggested it failed due to lack of a strong personal connection between Bey and the clothing line. That seems to be a recurring theme with her personal brands: Beyoncé herself has such an ethereal aura about her that she suffers in the relatability department – consumers can’t envision Beyoncé wearing the gear she’s trying to sell us.
Will Cécred experience a similar fate? Will the fact that Bey is often seen wearing protective styles that conceal her own hair create a sense of uncertainty from people who would otherwise give the line a try?
This is where Miss Tina comes in: She’s proven that she still manages her superstar daughter’s hair to fabulous effect, but she also feels more grounded and down-to-earth than Beyoncé. Videos of Miss Tina styling celebrities with Cécred would kill on TikTok and Instagram and likely do more for the brand than fancy and expensive print and digital advertising.
Also, early users of Cécred have already fallen in love with the products. Since Miss Tina has put her foot in Cécred with 40 years of experience, we can rest assured that our strands are in good hands with her. Keep her face on the box!