There’s nothing quite as primitive as a woman deeply rooted in her stanhood. Whether a member of the Hive or the Navy, she will go to great lengths to defend her cherished songstress — and rightfully so. So much of an artist’s greatness comes from the the devout following that supports them. It’s easy to invest in someone who makes art you feel deeply connected to, mirrors parts of you and inspires you to live to the fullest.
Stans, beyond else, are deeply passionate. However, if two of those celebrities happen to occupy the same lane, that passion can easily erupt into war. With Rihanna launching Fenty Hair, only months following Beyonce’s Cecred line launch, many of those stans found themselves both on the offense and defense, fueling a rivalry that had never existed outside of fan rhetoric.
Fenty Hair vs Cecred
Almost immediately after the announcement of Fenty Hair, many began comparing the two brands, trying to find things wrong with the other to prove their chosen leader the winner. Twitter exploded with memes and shady hot takes, calling out any beauty influencers who praised one brand rather than the other. When Beyoncé’s former dance captain Ashley Everett filmed a Fenty Hair routine following her Cecred review, social media erupted with comparisons about which results looked better.
The truth is that both brands are cultivated from their respective hair journeys. Beyoncé being raised by a mother who owned a hair salon motivated her to maintain long, healthy hair beneath wigs and color treatment. Based on this experience, Cecred focuses on combatting damage and retaining health.
In contrast, Rihanna has journeyed through countless hairstyles and cuts that signified her artistic eras. Fenty Hair emphasizes moisture and recovering from damage. While both brands certainly have product and motive overlap, they are bred from two particular stories and minds.
The Two Can Both Exist at Once
Beyoncé and Rihanna, both absolutely brilliant, are distinctly different, and their hair care lines reflect that. There are going to be things Cecred offers that Fenty Hair does not. That’s the beauty of celebrating them coexisting. A woman with chemically treated hair may find her holy grail in Cecred’s Reconstructing Treatment Mask, while another may find Fenty Hair’s Homecurl Curl-Defining Cream to be perfect for her crown.
Don’t let performative loyalty blind you from doing what’s best for you and your hair. Dare to experiment outside of your chosen narrative, and you may be surprised at what you find. Dare to invest in sisterhood and uplift Black women rather than pit them against each other. Unify to pour into one common goal that truly matters: Beyoncé’s visuals and Rihanna’s new music.