Hotels Are Better Serving the Needs of Black Hair—But There's Still Room for Improvement

As any Black girl who has ever frantically Googled "drugstores near me" after forgetting her curl cream knows, most hotel shampoos and conditioners famously do not hit. While travelers of every hair type or texture will tote their own products to avoid the generic offerings, as the singer Halsey noted, the options found in hotel rooms are even less viable for those with natural hair.

Black travelers seeking quality grooming options have always had to navigate an industry that has not historically centered the needs of curly or coily hair types, but things are slowly changing. While many lodgings still present watery shampoos and limp conditioners that won't work for kinks and coils, some are starting to carry dynamic and versatile product lines.

We asked seasoned Black travelers about their experiences with the toiletries offered in the hotel rooms they frequent, including what they love and what they would like to see change. While the industry has come a long way in the last few years, there is still plenty of room for improvement. 

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Danielle James, digital beauty director at Elle magazine, received her first passport at just 6 months old and is a frequent traveler to this day. As a beauty editor, she travels fully stocked with personal care items, but she knows what it's like to leave something behind. "You always miss something when you're packing," she notes.

She says she finds products that cater to her hair and skin "about 50% of the time." Those instances are when she is staying in an upscale property, but she is also generally pleased with the options at independent hotels, which can pivot their offerings swiftly and provide small batches of regional delights. "Products are more thoughtful in either boutique or luxury hotels," she says. 

James believes the key to serving customers effectively is creating opportunities for personalization by stocking different options. "When you go into a hotel, the personal care products should maybe have a variety and not just assume that everyone has the same needs," she says. She's noticed a rise in beauty minibars, which offer a variety of products that work for several hair and skin types. Guests can choose which product they want from the bar and leave the rest behind. She recalls one beauty minibar offering that really impressed her. "I stayed at The Surf Lodge [in Montauk, New York], and they literally gave me a wicker basket full of products," she says. "I love beauty minibars because then you can pick … what it is that you want and what you truly need," she adds. "I think they're just going to continue to evolve. I think we're going to see more personalized ones."

She views these à la carte options as a way "to decrease waste while still introducing customers to new things," and would like to see similar options presented in value establishments. "There's no reason why you can't do a beauty minibar at every price point," she says.

Sabrina Browne, a luxury and travel creator who posts under the handle @thetasteofs, tells us she finds better options abroad. Browne, a dedicated luxury traveler who shares her European adventures with more than 80,000 Instagram followers, considers her skincare, in particular, when making decisions about accommodations. "[As] someone who has eczema, that is something I'm always thinking through when I'm traveling ... I need to be nourished and keep this melanin hydrated," she says. Generally, she says she finds the most options at luxury and boutique hotels.

When it comes to hair care, Browne ensures her needs are met by bringing her own products "more often than not." She keeps a travel version of Carol's Daughter's Wash Day Delight set with her at all times. "I like to know that when I'm traveling, I have everything that I need, [including] my hair care," she explains. That said, "There have been some hotels where I visited and I was able to use the products," she tells us. "Fontainebleau in Miami is an example. The products were really great for my hair and skin." 

Still, some feel the travel industry has miles to go when it comes to getting it right for Black hair and skin at every market level. Danielle Pointdujour, a senior print editor at Travel + Leisure known as the "hotel whisperer" for her opulent trips, is frustrated by the lack of dedicated efforts to serve the Black consumer. "I've never seen Tracee Ellis Ross' products. I've never seen Taraji P. Henson's products. I've never seen anything for Black hair. I've never seen SheaMoisture. I've never seen Carol's Daughter," she observes. "We've spent billions and trillions of dollars on travel, [and yet] they still don't see us as people they should market to."

Iana Edwards and Kasondra McConnell, founders of the luxury Paradise and Vibe retreat, echo Pointdujour's sentiments. McConnell notes that the grooming tools available at hotels and resorts rarely come in the wide-tooth varieties needed to accommodate natural hair. "There are no brushes, and the little combs that they give you in the little packs are for straight hair," she says. While she acknowledges that "it's starting to change in certain destinations," she and her cofounder would like to see more. For her part, Edwards doesn't understand why all hotels wouldn't make it a point to include options that work for everyone. "Everybody could benefit from using lotions rich in shea butters and oils," she says.

Failing to offer personalized options does not just negatively affect people with 4C hair or eczema—it makes things a bit bleaker and less special for everyone. A bit of forethought can make guests from all backgrounds feel more cared for. Travel is supposed to be a transformative experience that engages all the senses. And, as Edwards notes, enhancing that experience for everyone is the "real luxury."