Index of Paper Presentations for the Parallel Sessions - Academy of ...

Exploring the factors that influence the use of hair extensions amongst black women in southAfricanMlenga Jere and Karren MushureABSTRACTHair extensions are widely used by black and other women. This article explores the factors that influencethe use of hair extensions by black African women in South Africa. Based on a survey of 87 black Africanaged 18 years and above, the most preferred hairstyles and the influencing factors are identified. Theresults do not support the proposition that self-hatred or de-Africanisation is a major influencer ofhairstyle choices amongst the respondents. On the other hand, based on the respondents‘ cultural valuepriorities and their reasons for using hair extensions, the results suggest that the desire to conform tomodernity is an influencer of hairstyle choices. The article concludes by highlighting managerialimplications for marketing and business practitioners.Key words: black African women, hairstyles, hair extensions, feminine beauty, value prioritiesINTRODUCTIONHair extensions are widely used by black women in South Africa to create a variety of hairstyles.The South African hairstyles market can be split into two categories, namely ‗wet‘ and ‗dry‘. The ‗wet‘hair market relates to sales of chemical products such as hair relaxers used for straightening hair,shampoos, and hair dyes. The ‗dry‘ hair market is composed largely of hair extensions which are availablein the form of wigs, weaves and hair pieces (Mpungose 2004). The use of hair extensions has becomewidely popular amongst black women, who in addition to the use of ‗wet‘ hair products also use hairextensions. Apart from the need for fashion and beauty enhancement, another reason for the use ofextensions is convenience, which assumes that natural hair is unmanageable. Hair extensions, in additionto giving hair a richer and fuller look, are also used by women to cover up hair which has been damagedby chemical treatments (Bell 2010). Hairstyling is important to women because it presents beauty choicesto distinguish them culturally and socially. Hairstyling is also perceived as a way of enacting femininityand feeling attractive (Gimlin 1996). It is argued that women‘s hair is fundamental to their social positionand that women may use their hair as a source of power which is dependent on how people respond tothem based on their hairstyle (Weitz 2001).Perceptions of feminine beautyPerceptions of feminine beauty and the significance women place on their hair are different anddependent on cultural context. Feminine beauty is a concept which does not lend itself to easy definitionas its very meaning and essence is subject to diverging contextual connotations. But Arnheim (1996: 252)contends that ―...within the standards of different races the criteria for what is called beauty are the sameas those of the western tradition‖. This is attributed to the constant messages in the media that displaybeauty in Eurocentric ways (Patton 2006). Brand (1999) suggests that a white-dominated culture isresponsible for creating a ‗racialised‘ concept of beauty by which all women, regardless of race, are