Today marks the launch of Beyoncé’s debut haircare line, Cécred, and fans everywhere are eager to get their hands on the product and try the formulas that the iconic singer has spent years crafting. While she’s rocked several styles throughout her career—from a chic French bob to waist-skimming tresses—Beyoncé’s hair has always been an integral part of her identity.
As the lead up to the launch revealed, hair has always played a special role in the Texas-native’s life. “How many of you knew my first job was sweeping hair in my mama’s salon? I watched her heal and be of service to so many women,” Beyoncé wrote in the initial Instagram announcement for the brand. But, as we’ve learned more about Cécred and how it came to be, we’ve also learned more about Bey herself, including the surprising news that her struggle with psoriasis pushed her towards creating her hair-care empire.
Beyoncé’s Psoriasis Journey: What the Singer Has Said About The Experience
Throughout the years, a number of celebrities have come forward about their struggles with psoriasis—the chronic condition that effects nearly 7.5 million people across the U.S.—and Beyoncé’s promotion for Cécred has prompted her to come forward about her own personal struggle with the skin condition. In an interview with Essence, Beyoncé explained that “The relationship we have with our hair is such a deeply personal journey. From spending my childhood in my mother’s salon to my father applying oil on my scalp to treat my psoriasis, these moments have been sacred to me.”
While she didn’t delve too deeply into the details of her psoriasis experience, Beyoncé’s emphasized in her conversation with Essence that these early memories and moments of hair health education she shared with her family were formative to her entrance into the world of hair care. “The conversations and debates in the salons and barbershops create a sense of community for the people who look to it as a retreat from their everyday lives,” she told Essence. “For them, it’s a place to feel beautiful and vent, laugh, share secrets and pass down wisdom. It’s the most consistent community gathering we have. It’s so important that it’s a sanctuary.”