Putting Black hair into mainstream vocabulary with SheaMoisture
Language shapes culture. Yet many of the words used to describe afro and textured hair remain misunderstood, misrepresented or absent from mainstream conversation altogether.
For Black History Month, SheaMoisture wanted to celebrate the language, culture and identity surrounding afro and textured hair while strengthening its connection with Black and mixed-heritage communities.
Research we commissioned revealed that 93% of Black people in the UK had experienced racial discrimination related to their hair — highlighting how language and understanding still lagged behind lived experience.
Partnering with beauty expert and broadcaster Ateh Jewel, we launched the Human Glossary — a free digital resource celebrating the terminology of afro and textured hair, from Bantu knots and bonnets to durags and coils. Amplified through ten Black and mixed-heritage creators, it brought these words, stories and experiences into mainstream culture.
Campaign
