Why are people obsessed with Beyoncé’s hair length?

First, she gave us the disco version of Beyoncé. Then, she gave us the cowboy version of Beyoncé. And now Beyoncé without filters.

Last Monday (22), Beyoncé shared a rare glimpse of her hair washing routine in a production-free video to promote her new hair care line, shocking many with a detailed look at her real hair.

In February, she announced the line, Cécred, a collection of eight hair care products that use luxury ingredients and encourage a ritualistic practice to achieve healthy hair. Inspired by her childhood experience of sweeping her mother’s hair salon, Beyoncé said she wanted to bring her “mother’s teachings to life,” according to the brand’s website.

The brand’s announcement was met with enthusiasm from fans, but also skepticism from some who felt she lacked credibility: while performing and in public appearances, her hair was almost always hidden in wigs or accessorized with hair extensions.

In addition to its function as a commercial for the products, the video also appears to be the singer’s way of addressing some of the criticism and questions she has received.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The video posted to Beyoncé’s Instagram profile features a close-up of the star’s long curly hair being washed, conditioned, straightened and styled using Cécred products. In the video, which was shared about two months after the brand’s debut, she said she was finally ready to show how it helped her hair (the brand’s name is a combination of the end of her name and the word “sacred” in English ).

“It was such a special experience seeing all the #cecred washing rituals all over my timeline,” she wrote in the caption. “I simply had to participate with something I had in the archives.”

In the clip, Neal Farinah, Beyoncé’s longtime hairstylist, parts and combs her hair in different directions, showing up close that it is actually sprouting from her scalp. “The stigma and misconception is that people who wear wigs don’t have long, healthy hair,” she said in a voiceover, adding that the belief was not true.

WHY ARE PEOPLE OBSESSED WITH THE LENGTH OF BEYONCÉ’S HAIR?

Beyoncé’s hair has been scrutinized for years. Usually seen in wigs and braids, the pop star has mostly styled her hair with extensions, like many celebrities do. But her prolonged use of extensions has made it difficult for some to believe her hair is as long as it appears in the video.

These allegations have led her fans, her hairdresser and even her mother, Tina Knowles, to publicly attest that Beyoncé wears extensions out of choice, not necessity. In a video shared on Instagram in 2019 but since deleted, Knowles combs her daughter’s waist-length dark brown hair in an effort to put the rumors to rest. The video was reposted by Farinah, who captioned the video: “WHAT AN EXTENSION WHAT A WIG. YES YES ALL NATURAL.”

And in 2017, Knowles posted a photo on Instagram showing her daughter’s real blonde hair in a low ponytail. “INCHES!!!! So happy my baby’s hair grew back!! She’s going to get me,” she joked in the caption.

WAIT, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE LONG HAIR TO HAVE A CREDIBLE HAIR CARE BRAND?

While it can certainly help, it doesn’t. For example, the founder of Sundial Brands, which is the manufacturer behind popular beauty brands like SheaMoisture and Nubian Heritage, is bald.

SO WHY IS IT SO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BEYONCÉ HAS LONG HAIR?

There is a long-standing stereotype that Black women’s natural hair can only grow so long, leading some to believe that Black women wear extensions because they are pretending to have long hair or are assimilating to white beauty standards. In reality, many black women can have long, healthy hair, but the stigma persists.

Black women have long been pioneers in hair innovation, harnessing natural textures whose versatility can be used to create virtually infinite different styles. Braids and extensions are also protective styles, as afro-textured hair can take time and attention to style and maintain.

Braids and extensions can make visits to the pool or gym more manageable, for example, and having a protective style requires far fewer hair products to pack when traveling, saving space in your luggage. When installed correctly and cared for properly, these styles can result in length retention while reducing daily hair manipulation.

I UNDERSTOOD! WHAT DID TINA KNOWLES SAY ABOUT THESE LATEST EVENTS?

Knowles later reposted a video with audio of comedian Katt Williams bragging about her long natural hair without the use of a perm. The clip, which she shared on her Instagram account with a playful caption, included an image of Beyoncé and her natural hair.