From the time Beyoncé announced Cécred up to the official launch, many people criticized the singer for never showing the world her real hair. Some people felt the singer was once again diving into a lane she knew nothing about and that she knew nothing about — what it's like to struggle with hair issues as a Black woman. It sparked a greater debate about much Black women owe the world, especially when it comes to proving our hair to the world and our community.

I personally had to teach myself not to be swayed by what others think — especially by the adults throughout my childhood 👀. It's not an easy feat when you're being taught how much your physical appearance determines how others will treat you from employers to strangers who see you in passing. Nevertheless, I was determined to genuinely fall in love with me regardless of what hairstyle I chose to wear (this determination came during the height of the self-love movement).

I've worn everything from my natural hair to long sew-ins, so I've parted ways with feeling like I need to justify my hairstyles to anyone. However, I know that's not always the case for other women — and I'm ready to dismantle this idea that black women are monolithic. And while stars like Beyconcé open themselves up to criticism by working in the public eye, leaving room for legitimate dialogue about their intentions and values and follow through, I also had a feeling that not everyone despises the fact Beyoncé started a hair care brand.

I decided there was no better way to find out than by asking, so I reached out to my community. This resulted in separate, eye-opening conversations with content creators Carolyn Gray andBrittany Waugh, as well as my good friendChelsea Hightower. We talked all things hair and Cécred, trying to understand what the real deal is with Beyoncé's newest endeavor. Here's what they had to say!

Carolyn Gray, Content Creator 

My conversation with Caroyln felt like a huge breath of fresh air. There wasn't a need to code switch (something Black women often navigate when communicating in the workplace and otherwise) as we had an open and honest discussion about her hair journey.

"When it comes to hair, I had two amazing perspectives on two ends of the spectrum in my family. I had my grandmother on my mom's side of the family — which is Caribbean — and they were all about relaxing the hair, doing the hair, having the hair salon in the back of the house that everyone would come to. That was their perspective of having refined, relaxed, and always put together hair...Having this idea that's how hair should be," she says.

On the other hand, her grandmother in the Maryland had gorgeous locs who told Carolyn as a child, "Don't ever let them tell you that they're dreadlocks. Ain't nothing dreadful about them." Ultimately Carolyn got a chance to see one group of women who felt like afro hair or natural hair wasn't 'neat' while the other side of her family believed curly hair is beautiful in a spiritual sense.

This helped prepare Carolyn for working in the corporate side of the fashion and fitness worlds. "I had a short perm there [in fitness] and was spoken to about what types of hair was acceptable on the sales floor or not. I started relaxing my hair in high school because it took my mom hours to manage my hair in its natural state and she fell into 'It's just easier for me this way without having to always go to the hair salon,' thing."

Her relaxer lasted from ages 14 until 27, but she's always played around with colors, short cuts, weaves, and even made her own wigs at one point. Though she knew there was a stigma around natural hair, she's always made it a point to have fun no matter what hairstyle she has.

So when Beyoncé announced the launch of Cécred, Carolyn didn't hesitate to send the news to her hairstylist to see how she felt. Her hairstylist's response? "I'm gonna buy the [super] fan bundle! Whatever bundle there is, I'm buying it!."

Carolyn says, "Initially I wanted to get her perspective to see if this would be something to try on my hair. Like, what did she think about the legacy of Beyoncé and her affair with hair as well as her mother's history as a hairstylist." She also reminded me that fans were able to catch a glimpse of Cécred's formulas on a table in her documentary for Renaissance. "I was like, 'what is this gold liquid thing on that table,'" she recalls excitedly.

"I didn't have any negative feeling about it because her mom has been a hairstylist. She [Beyoncé] has to wear weaves and color and I always wondered how she maintained her hair. I also thought how she cares for her hair with all the performing and the things she has to do," she says.

Concerning all of the negative thoughts about Cécred and Beyoncé's hair, Carolyn admits that she was thoroughly surprised at what some people were saying. She actually experienced said negativity in person when she was a part of a panel about Black beauty, but this didn't change her excitement about trying Cécred.

"I feel like my hair looks really healthy and I find that I've had less hair breakage since I've been using it. The reality is that I feel this hair care collection — the entire collection — is replacing the other products I used to maintain my blonde hair and the health of my hair."

She took care to mention that she believes Cécred is on par with Olaplex and K18. "I haven't had as much dandruff either because of that scrubbing shampoo [Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub]. Good Lord, what kind of scrub is that," she says with a laugh. Her only initial gripe is that she wasn't a fan of the shampoo's scent because she has a sensitive nose, but she barely notices it now.

You can watch her full review of Cécred on YouTube.

Brittany Waugh, Beauty Content Creator

Brittany's hair journey is one that's void of putting chemicals in her hair. She says, "I grew up with a mom who prioritized healthy haircare. I spent the majority of my early childhood in natural hairstyles, only getting press and curls for holidays." The reason for is this is that her mom didn't want her to have damage from coloring her hair or relying on relaxers like she did. Brittany admits, "Even to this day, I am scared to use chemicals."

However, she used to experience pressure to alter her hair growing up. "I wear wigs often, but also wear my hair in a natural pineapple updo to the gym for convenience. In my house growing up, a new hairstyle every week or every two weeks was mandatory, so I have adopted that. However, as I get older, I don't feel as pressured to do this, but more so changing my hair for my enjoyment and wearing it how I feel comfortable."

Now that Cécred is on the market, Brittany shares that she was a little wary about trying the brand's products for personal reasons. "While I was of course excited because it was coming from Beyoncé, I am a person who rarely changes my routine. When I find products that work for me, unless something spectacular comes along and changes my mind, I stick with the products I know work for me."

She's gone on to embrace the brand and says, "I can truly tell that the entire line was well-produced and developed. I am someone who mutually deals with psoriasis similar to Beyonce, so finding products that help with that flare-up is rare. Their Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub with the Deep Conditioner have helped my scalp and hair more than the products I have been accustomed to."

She shared a brief BTS clip of her admiring Cécred's packaging along with a glimpse of her natural curls on TikTok!

Chelsea Hightower, Compensation Professional & Social Media Content Creator

As long as I've known Chelsea, she's always worn her natural hair, and it never occurred to me to ask how she ever felt about it until now. "Growing up, I struggled to fully embrace my natural hair. Being a lifelong natural, I've mostly worn my hair in its natural state. However, as kids, our initial hairstyle choices often reflect our parents' or caretakers' preferences rather than our own," she reflects.

She also says, "My mom chose not to relax my hair when I was young, which greatly influenced my acceptance of my natural hair. However, for a long time, my choice was more influenced by circumstance than by preference. I found myself yearning for relaxed, straight hair, despite my mom’s efforts to encourage me to love my natural curls."

No matter how much her mom encouraged her, it was hard to not be influenced by what she was seeing. Chelsea says, "Most of the women and girls I knew had relaxers, including my mom and eventually my older sister. Despite receiving compliments and praise for my beautiful natural hair, I was still swayed by the prevailing trend of relaxed hair. It wasn't until 9th grade when my mom allowed me to relax my hair that I truly understood and appreciated my natural hair. That single experience of having my hair relaxed was enough to make me realize that I never wanted to do it again—I was mortified by how unnaturally straight and stiff it made my hair feel. I knew I’d be a natural girl for life after that!"

As much as she loves her hair, Chelsea admits that it hasn't always been easy to embrace it in a professional setting due to her own feelings about how she might be perceived. "While no one has explicitly told me to change or straighten my hair, I've felt an internal pressure. With a doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, where I've delved into research on fairness in the workplace and hiring practices, I've come across studies highlighting unconscious biases against people of color based on characteristics like hair," she shares.

Much of her studies and research revealed shocking documented evidence of the biases that POC face due to our hair, definitely playing a role in some of that pressure to conform. She's not afraid to admit that she even made the decision to wear her hair differently when interviewing for her first post-doctorate role. "This concern led me to wear a natural slick-back for some interviews, but for others, I opted for a straight-haired bob wig. Many Black women joke about the 'bait and switch' tactic of wearing a wig or weave for interviews and then revealing their natural hair once hired. That's essentially what I did. Now that I've secured my job, I feel more at ease wearing my natural hair. However, during the interview process, I felt the need to mitigate potential biases by altering my hairstyle."

When I asked her to share her unfiltered thoughts about using Cécred on her curls, Chelsea eagerly shared how her routine has changed since using the brand's products. "I was really impressed with the Cécred line when I first tried it out. I wanted to minimize bias as much as possible, so I made a conscious effort not to let my admiration for Beyoncé as an entertainer influence my perception of her hair products," she says.

This led her to compare Cécred with another hair care line she frequently uses. "I conducted a side-by-side comparison of Cécred and the other brand to judge Cécred’s performance fairly and without bias...the results spoke for themselves. The curls on the side of my hair treated with Cécred appeared shinier and had better definition on Day 2 compared to the side treated with the other brand. I shared my full wash day comparison on social media, and others agreed with my conclusion that Cécred outperformed the other brand." You can watch her comparison video on Instagram!

Ironically, Chelsea immediately loved the scent of Cécred's products, differing from Carolyn's experience. "Being a scent enthusiast, I appreciate the subtly perfumed fragrance of the products. My favorite product from day one has been the Reconstructing Treatment Mask. Everything about it, from its consistency and scent to the softness it imparts to my hair, is *chefs kiss*! This product recently won the 2024 Women's Health Beauty Award for Best Hair Mask, confirming its quality. It's definitely a product worth trying!"

The only issue she has right now is that she wishes the brand offered more styling products, but we'll see what happens as the year unfolds! Knowing Beyoncé and her team, there's a lot more surprises in store.

Recreate Phoebe Dynevor's Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Look

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Charlotte's Magic Cream

Start off your makeup routine by ensuring your skin is glowy on its own! This magic cream features hyaluronic acid (without any of the sulfates you might be worried about) for a hydrating effect you'll love.

No matter whether you have normal or dry skin, this magic cream works to reduce fine lines and give you a lit-from-within glow.

Magic Serum Crystal Elixir

Your skin will absolutely drink up this serum because not only does it feature Vitamin C, but it's also got the super-hydrating Polyglutamic Acid.

The Charlotte Tilbury Crystal Elixir will increase your skin's hydration by 172 percent in 60 minutes, and will make your skin firmer and more elastic!

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream

Beautiful Skin Medium Coverage Liquid Foundation with Hyaluronic Acid

The secret to incredible makeup might just be using products infused with skincare ingredients. This foundation uses the benefits of hyaluronic acid to give you a natural glow.

The medium finish lasts for 16 hours AND it hydrates, smoothes, blurs, and brightens. Talk about a multi functioning product.

Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand

Pillow Talk Multi-Glow

Get the glow of your dreams with this highlighter that has finely milled pearls, mica, and oil for the smoothest application ever.

Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Refillable Hair-Like Eyebrow Pencil

This micro-precision tool lets you fill in your brows with hair-like strokes that won't make them blocky or unnatural. There are plenty of shades to match a variety of hair colors, and you don't have to worry about ashy undertones.

The long-wearing formula also means your brows won't fade over time. But the best part is that since this Charlotte Tilbury product can be refilled, it's more sustainable!

Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Easy Eyeshadow Palette

Nothing says understated glam like a nude eyeshadow look, and there are so many shades in this palette that you can create an endless amount of eye looks! My favorite combo is the brown, champagne, and gold, but the warmer tones are the perfect transition to summertime.

Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Hydrating Lipstick

Hydrating lipstick that's also matte sounds too good to be true, but this pick proves it can be done! It's long wearing for all your date nights, GNO's, and movie marathons, and it's vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.

I recently spent a weekend at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, CA with meditation master Sarah Vie, author of I Wish I'd Known, and about 35 other women to uncover emotions that might be holding us back. A beachside hotel called the Dream Inn couldn’t have been a more perfect location to ponder life’s biggest questions – without kids, dogs, partners, work, and a house to pull us out of our “me” zone.

I started the weekend off a little bit of a mess: stressed from traffic, organizing a dog sitter, and making sure I could log off from work for the weekend. Any talk of meditation and manifesting my dreams was not on my radar when there was a house to clean! Bills to pay! Kid to care for! I realize now how close I was to burnout.

My weekend with Sarah manifesting my dreams at the Dream Inn pulled me back, set me straight, and transformed my mood and energy in ways I never expected.

Here’s what I learned about manifesting your dreams right now.

1.Write down your dreams: And don’t just write them down – be specific about what they look like and how they feel when you’ve finally reached them. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in that moment. Where are you? What does it feel, smell, sound like? What are you doing when you reach them? Use visualization tools like a vision board placed front and center; start a daily meditation routine that keeps you focused on your purpose; and try saying your goals aloud to yourself (if that’s not too weird). These practices can help keep you driven and focused.

2. Write down the “show-me’s”: According to Sarah, this is the how. Write down the small steps for achieving bigger goals. Be consistent. It’s a lot easier to give up on your dreams, when the steps for getting there are not already part of your routine. “We can't just do something one time and expect to change a habit,” said Sarah. Reframe how you think about reaching your goals – a mindset of will do vs. maybe will – and create a routine around the steps. 

3. Practice gratitude. Practice gratitude for what you already have – this has a lot to do with shifting your energy and what you attract because what we feel inside attracts the same energy outside. Start a gratitude journal or try these gratitude prompts.

4. Set a daily intention. Sarah suggests using LSD: listen to yourself, stop negative thinking, and declare your goals. Every morning find a quiet space to listen to yourself and your needs – this may be actual meditation, or sitting with a cup of tea, or taking a walk or hike. Set an intention for the day that will help you reach your goals.

5. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. We talked a lot about energies and magnets – what we put out there, we attract so if you're feeling stressed and chaotic guess what's coming right back at you? Underneath that stress though is usually fear – fear of not seeming perfect or saying no or not doing what your true inner self wants to do. Replace those negative beliefs with positive ones; treat yourself with kindness and understanding; and allow yourself to heal slowly to reach a healthier way of living. "Replace those old stories you tell yourself and redefine them into something positive, so your conscious mind starts to believe you can," says Sarah.

6. Focus on what brings you joy. Spend more time doing the things that bring you joy and your energy will shift to a more positive mindset. A positive mindset is key to achieving your goals, attracting positive experiences, and living the life that you want.

7. Stay accountable. Whether it's a friend or partner or a journal that you check in with on a daily or weekly basis, find ways to hold yourself accountable for your goals and check off those small steps you decide are the best way to get there. You got this!