Os cabelos mágicos: identidade e consumo de mulheres afrodescendentes no Instituto Beleza Natural

Abstract

In this text we present research about Beleza Natural Beauty Shop, a network composed of 12 Brazilian salons, whose main service is the treatment of curly hair is not the straightening them, but to make them curly. This company is already considered one of the biggest of low class in the Brazilian economy and had received in 2012 up from R$ 100 million. The objective of the research is to understand the reasons for such success of the beauty shop, and that his audience is mainly composed of african-Brazilian women, belonging to low class. The information for the study were obtained through the use of qualitative methodology consisting of interviews with employees and customers affiliate Natural Beauty Institute located in Largo do Tanque in Salvador, participant observation and discourse analysis of the testimonies and material disclosure available on the company's own website. The text reflects about curly hair and their representation in Brazilian society, as well as the relationship between the hair, consumption and identity. Contrary to most studies on the topic turned to analyzing therole of curly hair in building of the black identity, especially in areas of ethnic studies, we intend to understand the success of this project and the transformation of curly hair curly hair for the conquest of the afro brazilien womens self-esteem.