The earliest hair care products
(HCP) used in the world was the brush and comb, to keep the hair tidy.
It is said that the inventor was Lydia O Newman, who created the first
hairbrush in 1865. The range of HCP has been expanding since the
invention of the brush and comb. HCP such as hair spray, products for
hair loss (=HL), and hair dye are developed to cater the needs of
styling and caring for hair, especially the hair of women, as women care
about their HCP more than anyone else. Women also use more HCP than
men. Therefore, the HCP market is totally targeted to females.
Another key figure behind the invention of hair care products is Madam
C. J. Walker, who was an inventor and entrepreneur. She was the pioneer
behind products for HL. The main cause for inventing products for HL
started when she experienced HL herself. She suffered a scalp ailment
that caused her to lose hair gradually and, naturally, she looked for
many products for HL to treat the condition. She experimented with many
HCP and products for HL, but alas there was no cure for her then. Later,
she worked as a hair grower sales agent. Later, she realized that there
was a potential to market the products for HL, especially among black
women, so she started her own line of HCP and marketed the products for
HL with the help of her husband. Among the HCP invented by Madam C. J.
Walker was the Wonderful Hair Grower. It is a hair conditioner to be
used with a hot comb.
To promote her hair care products, especially the products for HL, she
talked to people, and gave free demonstrations and samples to women, so
they could experience the magic like she did. She had a bigger vision –
to expand her HCP to a higher level, so she opened a college dedicated
to researching HCP and products for hair loss, known as Lelia College in
1908. The college also served as a platform for educating more young
people about the importance of HCP, and developing more products for HL
for the market according to the needs of the community.
When passed away she left her legacy of HCP, especially the products for
HL, to be improved by the younger generation – so there will be even
more effective HCP and products for hair loss.