BEAUTY INSIDE OUT: New Research on Chemical Hair Straighteners & Skin Lighteners Use/Attitudes Among Women of Color in Northern Manhattan & the South Bronx
This comprehensive survey of 297 adult women and non-binary/femme-identifying people of color in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx explored their use of chemical hair straighteners (relaxers) and skin lighteners (whiteners) in terms of perceptions of, attitudes towards, and product use. It is part of our Beauty Inside Out campaign, which aims to raise awareness of and advance policies that address the use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics and other personal care products, which are linked to multiple health problems. One of the distinguishing aspects of this community-based participatory research is that, unlike previous studies, it took into consideration social-structural factors, which influence beauty perceptions and personal decisions around product use.
Key findings include:
Skin lighteners and chemical straighteners are heavily prevalent in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx.
Product use varied by race/ethnicity, nativity, and messaging from family and peers.
Black respondents were more likely to use chemical straighteners than non-Black respondents, as were respondents who heard that family members express a preference for straight hair compared with respondents whose family members expressed mixed preferences about hairstyles.
Compared with non-Asian respondents and respondents born in the United States, Asian respondents and respondents born in other countries, respectively, had threefold higher odds of ever using skin lighteners.
Respondents' perceptions that others believe straight hair or lighter skin confer benefits such as beauty, professionalism, or youth were associated with greater use of chemical straighteners and skin lighteners.
These findings highlight the pervasiveness of racialized beauty norms and point to the need to reduce the demand for and sale of these products through community education, market-based strategies, and public policy.
The failure of manufacturers to disclose the harmful chemicals in their beauty products, along with the targeted marketing of these products to women of color, raises environmental justice concerns. Stricter regulations on what chemicals can be used in these products are needed, along with better labelling and disclosure of ingredients.
In addition to stricter regulations to hold manufacturers accountable for the toxics in their products, we need to educate present and future generations on these issues – including an understanding of the impact of socio-cultural influences and the prioritization of Euro-centric beauty standards – in a manner that upholds diverse cultural perspectives to ensure beauty justice.
The results of the survey were compiled by Lariah Edwards, Environmental Health Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. And in addition to Edwards, the authors of the paper included Lubna Ahmed, former Director of Environmental Health at WE ACT and current Environmental Justice Policy Advisor at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Leslie Martinez, Beauty Inside Out Project Manager at WE ACT (her blog post on clean beauty is worth a read); Sophia Huda, Toxics Specialist at WE ACT; Bhavna Shamasunder, Associate Professor and Chair, Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College; Jasmine McDonald, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; Robert Dubrow, Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences) at Yale School of Public Health; Beaumont Morton, Director of Environmental Health & Education at WE ACT; and Ami Zota, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. We thank them and all of our staff, members, and volunteers who helped make this happen.
TAKE OUR YOUTH SURVEY ON COSMETICS While the results of our adult survey are making a splash, our youth survey is still underway. If you are a girl or femme-identifying person of color between 13-17 years of age who lives in Northern Manhattan (West Harlem, Central Harlem, East Harlem, Inwood, and Washington Heights), we urge you to take this survey to help us better understand how you use and feel about some types of cosmetic products.
The survey takes 15-20 minutes, and respondents that complete the survey will also receive a $6 Subway Restaurant gift card. If you are between the ages of 13-17, parental permission is required. If you are interested in participating, please complete this Google form. Once the form is completed, a parent/legal guardian will be contacted, and then you will be informed of the next steps.
Learn More with Our Beauty Inside Out Colorism Panel!
Join us on Friday, January 27 from 12:30-2:00 PM for an online panel discussion with makeup artists, academics, and activists on colorism in the beauty industry and the results of our Beauty Inside Out adult survey, which examined the use of chemical straighteners and skin lighteners among adults of color. RSVP today!
