The new normal is…there is no normal

If you have a bottle of shampoo labelled as being for “normal” hair, it could soon become a relic of a bygone age. Normal is a problematic word. What’s normal, and who decides what is? Because the inference, of course, that if you are not normal, you are somehow deviant. Not usually a positive thing. Last week Unilever - the owner of the Dove, Lifebuoy Vaseline and Sunsilk brands, and more, tweeted: “We’re removing the word ‘normal’ from ads, products and packaging across our entire range of beauty and personal care brands, all over the world.” The company said it will also stop digitally altering the body shapes and skin colour of its models. More than 100 Unilever brands will replace “normal” with terms such as “grey hair” for shampoos or “moisture replenish” for skin creams by 2022. This after Unilever commissioned a 10,000-person study across nine countries, including in South Africa. Take a listen to what the respondents had to say….