For several months now, products of the ¡Qué negra! cosmetic line have been circulating in the city of Matanzas. The brand conceived and developed by Erlys Pennycook Ramos, native of Ciego de Avila, aims to provide new ways to treat the hair of men and women of African descent, who prefer to wear their hair naturally.
The idea for this venture did not come about by chance. Its creator began making creams and gels after suffering the consequences of chemicals and discrimination. On learning about formulas to maintain hair with derivatives of Italian flora, she decided to return to Cuba and conduct a study with the plants native to the island.
That was how the offers of ¡Qué negra! came about: a moisturizing cream with a repairing function, which defines curls, adds shine and is considered the star product; the energizing serum to fight alopecia, stimulate growth and seal hydration. In addition to the hibiscus and blue mahoe gels that fix hairstyles and offer capillary resistance to the high Cuban temperatures.
For Lisbety Fernández Vilson, representative of the brand in Matanzas, this is a new proposal to proudly show off Afro-textured hair, not only physically but also emotionally important.
“It’s not just any old product. ¡Qué negra! changes the way you think or feel, even the way you perceive yourself. Starting with the name, because the word ‘Black’ contains a series of social codes that have been used to marginalize us. Now we proudly show off our hair, our roots and our decision to present ourselves naturally and without the use of chemicals.”
In addition to marketing the products themselves, those who benefit from the creams and gels have the opportunity to participate in workshops and conferences where tips on how to get the most out of them are shared.
“Our audience is varied, but we are heavily committed to girls, boys and adolescents, so that they demand that in beauty salons they are treated with the love and respect they deserve, that it does not become just the application of a keratin or a de-curling formula. If someone decides to undergo a treatment to change their hair, it should be by choice and not due to a lack of other options,” Pennycook Ramos notes.
Both agree that the process of integration into the world of entrepreneurship was relatively easy because of the novelty of their products, and they remain willing to collaborate with others, although they prefer to grow gradually.
Members of the ¡Qué negra! community and updates on the brand’s growth can be found on Facebook and Telegram under the same name.
