Source: Suave / Edelman
While all of us know the difficulty of finding products that work for our specific hair goals, the struggle is particularly real when it comes to natural hair, as many of us are not just learning about various products, we’re learning our own hair textures and needs. One of the major criticisms of the current natural hair offerings on the market is the lack of options for women with coarser (4b/4c) hair and the other is an issue we all can relate to: high cost. Suave is aiming to remove both of those barriers to healthy hair with a new, affordable six-item natural collection that was essentially co-created by women with textured hair and has the expertise stamp of approval from one of our favorite hair stylists, Ursula Stephen.
The Suave Professionals for Natural Hair line consists of a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, curl cream, detangling spray, and serum gel which contain two gold standard natural hair ingredients: natural shea butter and pure coconut oil.
“These two ingredients are rich in vitamin A and E, helping provide deep moisture, tame frizz, prevent breakage and repair existing damage within the hair follicle,” said brand ambassador Ursula Stephen who has been working with Suave on this line since its inception. “These benefits are almost imperative to a good hair care regime of any naturalista. One thing I particularly love about this collection is that these products were specifically developed with women with textured hair with diverse hair types and curl patterns. Suave spent time with real women, 5,000 of them to be exact, to create the right products for natural hair women.”
Those 5,000 women are a part of what Suave has labeled their Natural Hair Trust: a cohort of women who were chosen to create and test product formulas and provide the brand with honest feedback.
Source: Vincent Rives/Suave
“It has been quite a journey that has taken several years,” Piyush Jain, General Manager and Vice President of Marketing Hair Care US at Unilever, said of the line’s development. “From the very beginning, we knew that we wanted to have the input of the woman that this collection is created for. We spent time with 5,000 women with natural hair talking about what works for their natural hair, what doesn’t, what they need and what they don’t. They spoke, and we listened. We mixed, blended, tried and tested until we got it right to create products designed specifically for women with curls, coils, and waves. Additionally, we put the collection to the test with co-creators and inspirational influencers with diverse natural hair types, styles, and lifestyles who’ve tested the products in real-life conditions.”
One thing that stands out about the products besides their stellar ingredients (and the lack of parabens, dyes, and sulfates) is the value factor. Every item in the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair line is $5 — and we’re talking bottle sizes between 10 oz and 16 oz. The only item that’s smaller than that is the Define and Shine Serum Gel which is 4.75 oz.
“As a brand, we don’t believe quality products have to come with a large price tag. Knowing that women with natural hair, in particular, are constantly on the hunt for products that work, we wanted to provide her with options she can feel good about trying and adding to her routine,” Jain said.
According to Stephen, no product quality is lost when it comes to the bargain pricing of the brand’s first-ever natural hair line. “I love all of the products in this collection, but my favorite is the Nourish & Strengthen Leave-In Conditioner. I believe that great hair starts with healthy hair. This product is formulated to deeply moisturize dry, damaged hair, to provide nourishment to curls and coils while helping to protect hair from styling damage – which is very helpful if you often wear twist-out or braided looks.”
Source: Brande Victorian / Brande Victorian
When Suave invited MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful to Miami for a behind-the-scenes look at the filming for the collection’s TV commercial, which includes three popular influencers from the Natural Hair Trust, the standout product among the talent and hairstylist Brenton Kane Diallo was the serum gel.
“The Define & Shine Serum Gel is a great product! Unlike a traditional serum that may just add shine, this product helps to hold your curl shape while locking in moisture for touchable curls all day,” Stephen explained. “I also love that It doesn’t leave the hair crunchy and flaky when it dries like some other products on the market.”
Source: Brande Victorian / Brande Victorian
You can see Stephen’s words ring true looking at the definition and shine on Temitope Adesina‘s hair mid-twist-out. She and Instagram stars Charlize Glass and Miss Enocha star in the commercial for the collection.
“These ladies have all had a long-standing relationship with Suave and it was very organic to partner with a group of #SuaveBelievers that have been part of our brand journey,” Jain said.
Another aspect of this campaign that’s unique is there is a level of transparency that often isn’t seen in most advertising today. For instance, the products from the line were used on the women’s real hair in real situations. When you see Miss Enocha’s ‘fro hawk on the beach, it’s a real-life representation of how her hair held up against Miami humidity with the Suave naturals line on her strands.
Source: Brande Victorian / Brande Victorian
The commercials, brought to life by the vision of Black director Amilcar Gomes, also incorporate some of the ladies’ personal interests. For instance, 17-year-old Glass is a dancer from Los Angeles so her portion of the ad will show her performing on stage while she rocks a wash n’ go created with the Suave Naturals Line. For more backstory on the ladies in the campaign head over to HelloBeautiful.com.
Source: Vincent Rives/Suave
Source: Vincent Rives/Suave
Given the effort put in to make this first natural launch a success, its no surprise Suave’s parent brand plans to continue to support the hair needs of women of color with more collections. “Unilever is committed to creating products for women with textured hair across all our hair care brands,” Jain said. “We will continue to listen to our consumers to understand what their needs and wants are to influence ingredients we include in future products. ”
The Suave Professionals for Natural Hair line is currently on shelves at Family Dollar and Dollar General. It will be available online at Suave.com and Walmart.com next month. Check out the commercials below.
