Oh, yeah I knew this was a 'thing'. Now what the Walmart in Yakima, Wa did was just lock up ALL the beauty supplies in one area. you enter the area via gate or turn style and leave via a check out area. Lots of cameras but not bag searches (unless you get caught on camera).
Eventually Walmart build a 2nd store out in the tonier white area of the city. If you go to the one on the east side of town the customers are mostly Latino, mixed race and poor white. I went out to the newer one further to the west and it was all white folk.

Some of that stuff can kill people with certain conditions

Last time I bought eye drops (in a tiny little box in a tiny little bottle)....I had to wait 20 minutes for someone who could unlock the cabinet where it was kept. OK...I understand that cigarettes are hugely expensive, etc....but, EYE DROPS?

All high price item like pet meds, razor blades, small expensive tools, knives are locked up most places. Its not for black women. Even in the nut and bolt section, chrome items are locked.

GA Public Broadcasting reported on this today. Like you, I was surprised this was even done. Supposedly because they lockup products that are frequently shoplifted. Yeah, sure.

Yeah, it's a thing... Just like women with a baby carriage gets watched closely.

Wow