Written By: April Prince
The saying goes, “Magnificence is barely pores and skin deep.” Properly, on this investigative docuseries by Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick, we, the viewer, are taken on an eye-opening journey via the wonder trade. From hair care to skincare and even the nail trade.
Narrated by the gifted and charismatic Keke Palmer, the four-episode sequence takes a vital lens on the multibillion-dollar machine that brings us all of the merchandise that enable us to appear and feel our greatest. Even when typically it prices us our well being and well-being. Let’s speak in regards to the revelations revealed in HBO Max’s new docuseries, Not So Fairly.
The primary episode focuses on hair care. Extra particularly the curly and pure hair actions. On this 33 minute episode, we journey via the Deva Curl controversy that shook the web a couple of years in the past. We comply with two influencers as they go toe to toe with the corporate that, at one level, was the go-to model for curly women.
It additionally delves into how the corporate tried to comb the scary claims of hair loss, scalp burns, and long-term well being results underneath the rug. On this episode, we’re proven the techniques that firms take to cover dangerous chemical substances from shoppers together with phthalates and BPAs. Keep in mind these two phrases as a result of we’ll be seeing them later within the sequence.
The second episode takes goal proper on the nail trade. Not solely how nail care went from a luxurious afforded to the wealthy and well-known to an reasonably priced deal with that most individuals can present themselves with out breaking the financial institution.
On this exposé, we’re launched to a daughter. Her mom’s final want was for solutions on why there wasn’t extra analysis on how long-term publicity to chemical substances and carcinogens affected nail care employees. It additionally offers us, the shoppers, methods we can also make the nail care trade protected and worthwhile. We don’t need to spoil an excessive amount of however there’s a very disturbing scene involving an government and a bottle of nail polish that actually highlights to lengths firms will go to only to guard their backside line.
Episode three is in regards to the results that phthalates and BPAs have on hormones and reproductive well being. To not point out the well being of kids who’re born with these dangerous chemical substances already wreaking havoc of their our bodies.
The throughline of the episode is a few husband and spouse. They found by likelihood that because of the chemical that maintains perfume in merchandise like physique wash and deodorants, conceiving shall be rather more troublesome than they initially anticipated. So subsequent time you get the urge to make a joke about individuals who use pure deodorant on Twitter, possibly take a second to weigh the professionals and cons of smelling like an ocean breeze whilst you’re hormones are thrown into turmoil.
The ultimate of this four-part exposé appears to be like on the use and risks of talc in merchandise. Significantly using talc in issues like child powder and make-up palettes. The businesses on the chopping block are Claires and Johnson & Johnson. Particularly, their tendency of ignoring critical and harmful conditions with shoppers to keep up their picture and shield their pockets.
This episode brings an entire new stage of scary to the desk in the truth that not solely is J&J actively dodging accountability but in addition, in response to paperwork obtained by attorneys, after they may now not goal their promoting to middle-class suburban households, they shifted their focus to lower-income girls of shade. They knew they might not be capable to battle again the best way their extra financially well-to-do counterparts. That is simply one other occasion of blatant racial targetting that turns the abdomen.
Don’t be mistaken. The sequence is just not all doom and gloom. Not solely does Not So Fairly seeks to drag the curtain again on the wonder trade’s dangerous practices however it additionally arms shoppers with the information and instruments to make knowledgeable choices about their very own our bodies. There’s little to no judgment in the direction of shoppers on this sequence, even acknowledging that the majority shoppers of those merchandise are looking for self-care and confidence on the finish of the day.
The nice half is that, on the finish of every episode, Not So Fairly offers the watcher calls to motion to take doable steps for the common individual. It additionally even offers suggestions of apps to obtain that may help in realizing what merchandise to keep away from and what’s in them particularly. These apps are Skin Deep, Detox Me, and Clearya.
Not So Fairly seeks not solely to be an informative watch however an empowering one. Give it a watch when it releases on HBO Max on April 14th.
