Beauty Genie vending machine provides Black hair care products at predominantly white university

By CBS Chicago Team

August 25, 2023 / 4:25 PM / CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) – Black hair care is a billion-dollar business annually.

So, when three Chicago natives said they couldn't get the products they needed they came up with a brilliant plan.

A vending machine that is not for candy, but for hair care.

It's called the "Beauty Genie" and you can find one of those machines at Michigan University of Olivet.

The machine is actually the brainchild of three Chicago natives and HBCU alumnae.

The Michigan students said attending a predominantly white university just doesn't allow them to find supplies specific for their hair.

"It's like a weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. For people that can't drive, it's like we finally have something nearby," Landen Cooley said.

"Before I had this I was, whenever I went home, I was stocking up on hair products," Rahya Kelley said.

The Beauty Genie is open to anyone with a credit or debit card 24 hours a day for those hair emergencies.

The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com.

First published on August 25, 2023 / 4:25 PM

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