I hopped onto Twitter to discover talk of boycotting SheaMoisture and wondered what in the world was going on.
Well…
Here it is…
This would be an advertisement SheaMoisture put up on social media today:
And oh boy.
^^Yup. Looks like the jig is up!
First of all, I’d like to say that EYE am not boycotting SheaMoisture. I JUST bought some bottles of my favorite products from them and yeah. That’s that.
HOWEVER, I can understand how this is a slap in the face for black women. Like one person above said, it seemed as if this was a line made by the hands of blacks, specifically for blacks (it is a black owned company).
Buuuuut like another pointed out, there IS a line for skincare and baby.
I get the initial reaction. I really do. When I saw it I was like,”Oh wow.” Buuuut that’s about it. It’s not…”offensive.”
In case you aren’t aware of the story behind SheaMoisture, here it is (I’ll add more info about their mission, etc at the end of the post):
SheaMoisture was grown from the ground up on the legacy of our Grandmother, Sofi Tucker. The daughter of healers in Sierra Leone and a widowed mother at 19, Grandma Sofi made handmade shea butter, African black soap, and other natural remedies, selling them in local villages to support her family. Her salves and soaps were soon sought after across the countryside – and four generations later, in the hands of her grandson Richelieu Dennis, her recipes and wisdom form the heart of SheaMoisture. Today, every one of our formulas harness the healing power of Shea Butter and the best of Mother Nature to nourish every member of your family, body and soul.
SheaMoisture’s inspiring story and amazing products continue to flourish – natural is the new norm, and we’re proud to be eco-friendly and organic since 1912. The media has noticed, too: We’ve won accolades and awards from Allure, Natural Health, Prevention, Parents, Esquire, Life & Style, Essence, All You, Ebony, Healing Lifestyles & Spas, RealBeauty.com and Shecky’s.
Now. I just saw this…
Hm.
To be honest, I’m seeing less of this..
And more of this..
It looks like black women are shocked, but not really willing to give up on SheaMoisture.
What do you think? Will you be boycotting?
More on SheaMoisture:
WHAT WE’VE GROWN TO STAND FOR
At SheaMoisture, our mission is multi-cultivated: To make better-for-you beauty, hair and skin care products with certified organic and natural ingredients, always be eco-friendly, cruelty-free, fair-trade. We give back the goodness by supporting charitable organizations and women in under-served communities globally, across the United States and in our local community.
BETTER BEGINS WITHIN
We know what’s NOT in our products is just as important, too. Our collections do not contain synthetic ingredients commonly found in other products that may be considered harmful or carcinogenic, including: No Sulfates, No Parabens, No Paraffin, No Propylene Glycol, No Petrolatum, No DEA, No Phthalates, No UREA, No Mineral Oil.
ECO-FRIENDLY, CRUELTY-FREE
& FAIR TRADE SET THE STAGE
In an era of outsourcing, we’re proud to create in our own communities. We make our products at a local factory in Amityville, NY. Our iconic Shea Butter is ethically sourced from women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana – empowering women just like Sofi. Our bottles and jars are made from recycled materials; our packing and shipping materials are, too, whenever possible. And our products are tested only on willing family and friends – never on animals.
GIVING BACK GLOBALLY
& SHOWING LOVE LOCALLY
SheaMoisture created The Sofi Tucker Foundation to support the empowerment of women – donating to and sourcing ingredients from global women-run co-ops – as well as charitable organizations around the world, including The Liberian Education Fund for the Todee Mission, which provides education and room and board for impoverished children in Africa. We also support Homecoming Farm and Sofia Garden, which grows certified organic food for shelters and soup kitchens in our Long Island community.
CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE & ORGANIC INDIGENOUS INGREDIENTS
Certified Fair Trade and Organic Indigenous Ingredients SheaMoisture Organic products are made from all-natural and organic herbs, oils, butters, and fruits, purchased through Fair Trade practices and manufactured utilizing sustainable methods. These key cultural ingredients and rituals are steeped in history and originate from North America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.
Updated: February 24, 2015, 9:00am
SheaMoisture has responded to the harsh criticism:
The entire statement reads:
“We came across an image of a little girl with a puzzled expression that we imagine our has when they run out of product, so we shared it with you. No ad. No agenda. As a certified minority-owned business, we are so proud of our heritage, our community and how far we’ve come — from a village market in Sierra Leone, to the streets of Harlem, to retailers throughout the U.S. With your support, we’ve been able to bring change, diversity and variety to retail. We hope you continue to join us in celebrating how the versatility of our products can help people everywhere.”
Looks like they deleted the original tweet as well.
UPDATED: February 23, 2015, 7:05 pm
More from SheaButter:
WORD.
