The Crown Act - Why it is still needed!

by Herbs & Oils Haircare Essentials January 27, 2026

The Crown Act: Why the Way Our Hair Grows Is Still Being Policed

Let’s be clear: hair is not a trend.
Hair is not a distraction.
And the way Black hair grows out of our heads should never determine our professionalism, our worth, or our ability to earn a living.

Yet here we are...

The CROWN Act—short for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair—was created to end discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective styles like locs, braids, twists, and afros. On paper, it’s about fairness. In real life, it’s about survival, dignity, and opportunity.

And despite how basic that sounds, the fight is far from over.

Not Every State Has Signed On—and That Matters

While the CROWN Act has been adopted in several states, many states still have not passed it at all. Even more frustrating? In some places, the protection only exists at a city or county level, meaning your rights can change depending on which side of town you work on.

Let that sink in.

Your ability to wear your hair naturally—and not be penalized for it—can depend on your ZIP code.

That means in large parts of the country, employers can still legally label natural hair as “unprofessional,” “unkempt,” or “not a culture fit.” And those labels don’t just hurt feelings—they stall careers, cost promotions, and quietly push people out of rooms they’ve worked hard to enter.

This Isn’t Theory. This Is Lived Experience.

For our founder, this isn’t a headline or a policy debate—it’s personal.

While working in Corporate America, she was told—mostly indirectly—that the way her hair naturally grew out of her head was a problem. Wearing it natural was seen as unpolished. Risky. Something that could be “held against her” when it came time for reviews, raises, or advancement.  As a manager in leadership positions, she was forced to  participate in conversations where this exact comment was made about others.  So she did what so many Black women are taught to do early on:  Change yourself to survive the system.

Be quiet.  Straighten it. Tame it. Control it. Make it smaller.
All so it wouldn’t cost her opportunities.

And still...many of the meetings that I led, started with a question about someone of colors' hair, at times the questions were directed at me.

That constant calculation—Will my hair hurt my career?—is exactly why the CROWN Act exists.

Hair Discrimination Is a Gatekeeping Tool

Let’s call it what it is.

When natural hair is labeled unprofessional, it’s not about standards—it’s about control. It’s about forcing assimilation. It’s about deciding who looks like leadership and who doesn’t before a word is ever spoken.

And when those standards are baked into workplace policies, school rules, and corporate culture, they quietly reinforce a system that says:

“You can be here—but only if you don’t look too much like yourself.”

That’s not inclusion. That’s conditional access.

Why This Matters to Us—and Why We Won’t Be Quiet

Herbs & Oils Haircare Essentials was built on the belief that healthy hair is not something to apologize for. Natural hair is not a liability—it’s a legacy.

We stand behind the CROWN Act because no one should have to choose between authenticity and a paycheck. No child should be disciplined for their texture. No adult should have to straighten, hide, or alter themselves just to be seen as capable.

Until every state recognizes that truth, the work isn’t done.

And we’ll keep talking about it. Loudly. Honestly. Unapologetically.

Because the crown you were born with was never the problem.
The system that tried to take it from you was.

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