Everyone is talking about Chris Brown's spectacle at the BET Awards, but that didn't stop a few people on one black celebrity blog from commenting on Janelle Monae's natural coif.
One person commenting said that Janelle's hair resembled a "brillo pad."
REALLY? I've read some pretty ignorant things, and that's got to be one of them. It is 2010 not 1910 or 1810 for that matter. Why would black women refer to another black woman's hair as a brillo pad? As if relaxed or pressed hair is always smooth and always healthy. If anything, I've seen more fried, dyed and laid to the side hair that's chemically treated (including my own when it was relaxed on several occasions) than I have seen with natural hair.
I don't care if her hair is the 4B-est of all 4B hairtypes. I don't care if it makes combs shiver in fear... It's her natural hair, not a brillo pad and I think it's disgusting that it's seen as such.
I guess no matter how much we step forward in the right direction, there will always be some people who are deadset on not embracing the hair God gave us. Case in point, the buffoon in the post on putting microbraids on kids as young as three years old.
6/30/10
Janelle Monae's "Brillo Pad" Hair
6/27/10
My Two Strand Twists! Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding and Curly Buttercreme Review
So last weekend I was consumed with the need to watch YouTube videos of natural hair, so I got some ideas. I FINALLY bought myself a diffuser to go with my new order of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding and Curly Buttercreme. So I decided after seeing several posts on YouTube and Black Girl Long Hair, to try two strand twists, but on blow dried hair and with smaller twists.
I first conditioned with my new baby, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, then used my Suave Clarifying Shampoo (Naturals line). I changed my hair washing routine, and it's been much more pleasurable. I absolutely needed to be conditioned before washing. After rinsing the shampoo out, I would condition again, leaving it in my hair while I showered, and then rinsing out. I would then add the Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme in while wet and diffuse (which worked wonderfully) or like I did on Saturday, put into sections, blow dry each to stretch and do small twists. This is one year and six months worth of growth. I slept on the back so my back part is kind of curling upwards as opposed to downwards, but I my back section goes a little past my shoulders, towards my clavicle. Not bad. It's getting there.
It is EVIDENT I need to get my tips trimmed. I was reluctant because I actually liked the effect of the red in my hair, but yeah... It's time to cut them off.
I have loved BOTH the Curly Pudding and Curly Buttercreme. The Buttercreme is my favorite because it makes my scalp feel refreshed. Curly Pudding smells divine. I just want to put it all over my body as a lotion. The ingredients are not natural. For that, I recommend Kinky Curly (which I will try again with the diffuser, as air drying was NOT the business). With that said, the Curly Pudding and Curly Buttercreme were great for my twists, and were super moisturizing for me. I found that my hair had a nice sheen to it as the day progressed. I would definitely keep buying them both. My twists looks nice and shiny, as I would rub some Buttercreme on the section of hair I was about to twist. If I take them out this week, I can't wait to see with that twistout is going to look like.
Hello Hydration, in my opinion, earns its reputation as a great conditioner. I loved Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner, but I really love this Hello Hydration. I mean, it's just divine and smells DELISH.
Now, I have heard that it can start off good, and then end in a blaze, so we will see if it continues to give me results. I only use it twice a weak, so....
Also, here's a great video I used for reference on how to diffuse my hair. LOVE IT!
Diffuse Natural Hair Sphere: Related Content
4/6/10
Welcome To Being Happy Nappy, Chrisette!
“I was tired of black sista’s feeling subject to having their hair pressed and straightened, and damaged, with relaxers, and heat. So I wanted to make short and nappy hair fashionable, and let the industry know that there is nothing wrong with the texture that we have been born with. So I plan to grow it out to the big beautiful nappy hair that I have.”Get it! May your journey be a fun and exciting one. I just fel in love with my fro for the umpteenth time this weekend after I put it under a fedora with some Buddy Holly glasses and designed it to look assymetrical.
#ILOVEMYNATURALHAIR
Read more: Necole Bitchie.com: Livin' the Bitchie Life…. Sphere: Related Content
2/22/10
Reason #5007 Why You Should Stay Away From Creamy Crack (Relaxers)
*SMDH*
I have so many QUESTIONS and CONCERNS about this story. One of them being, WHY in the HELL did she use Sheenique? Were they out of Cream of Nature or Revlon Realistic? Did they run out of Dark and Lovely? Not to say that those are any better.
While many sisters are starting to appreciate the hair they were blessed with, some of us are still rushing to get that relaxer come hell or high water.
I know the feeling. As a young Private First Class in the Army, I did not always have the money to get a relaxer done at a salon (and they damned sure weren't doing them at the AAFES on post). I used to relax my hair on the weekends, and most parts of my hair were cool. There were other parts that were cooked to all hell. But I worked with it, because I just HAD to have that straight hair.
When I finally saw someone at a professional salon, they told me I was seriously damaging my hair, and cut the bad parts off. Ah, lessons in life!
The worst that can happen using natural products on natural hair is a bad hair day. My hair may be dry to all hell, face the usual split ends, etc. I stay away from color (for the time being; I like the halo effect I get with my color growing out), so I don't have to worry about that. My hair falling out? Well, I'd only have to worry about that (in my experience) dealing with a relaxer.
My advice to this sister is this: Rock a low boy, grow out your hair and stay natural. Problem solved.
10/12/09
Why Are People Upset About "Good Hair?"
Thus far, I've been trawling some of the other natural hair blogs, and while I've seen some critiques, the general consensus is the movie is a good one, and is funny.
I've also come across some scathing reviews, like this one from EW's Alynda Wheat, and they all seem to have at least one thing in common: the authors have relaxers.
In the post by Alynda at EW, she seemed mighty offended that anyone would lampoon women with relaxed hair, and resorts to the age old
There isn’t a black woman I know who sits down in a stylist’s chair to get a relaxer because she, as Rock posits, wants to look white. Not one. I have a relaxer. I have one for the same reason that I don’t wear makeup, don’t have a gym membership, and can usually be found in jeans and a Gap tee—I’m lazy. I like getting out of the house in a reasonable amount of time, and don’t cope well with a lot of hassle over what I consider superficial things. So why bother fighting my naturally nappy hair on a daily basis when every 8-10 weeks I can pay someone else to do it?
7. The whole idea of “good hair” is pretty moot these days.
If “good hair” is that which is silky and manageable, what’s the difference if you’re born with it or your hair dresser gets you there? In its natural state, my hair is kinky and difficult to comb. With a relaxer it’s long and holds curls pretty nicely. So do I have “good hair,” or not? Here’s the fabulous, freeing, culturally uncomplicated answer: I don’t care.
*blank stare*
You know what? I'm going to need for black women with relaxers to stop pretending like they are "so over" the racism behind relaxers, and stop fronting with me. When a sister says that she has her hair relaxed because it's more "manageable" that way, and that she doesn't have a relaxer to look white, she's inadvertently admitting to harboring sick notions that "nappy hair" is unacceptable., because it does not do what straight, "white" hair does. The root of that thought is steeped in racism and self-hatred.
If I'm wrong, I want someone to prove it. I'm not worried about being proven wrong, because I won't be.
While the sister is not openly talking about wanting to look white, or wanting to have good hair, she doesn't have to. It's implied in the statement when she says that her hair is "unmanageable" in it's natural state, and therefore a hassle.
I will never understand how one's own freaking hair could be deemed unmanageable. What the f*ck? My hair was harder to maintain relaxed. Ugh...
This is why I am not interested in reading reviews, and will see it this weekend. I have a feeling that I will not be offended because with the exception of a caveat here or there, he's not talking to me. It's kind of like those who jay-walk and those who stay in the crosswalk. If you're in the crosswalk, move along. You're doing what you're supposed to be doing. If your ass is jay-walking, then you JUST MIGHT get called out.
I have a serious problem with black people who bitch and moan about portrayals that are on the money, or are pretty damned close. I also hate to hear the whole "white folks are doing it" or "what will white people think" arguments because I don't give a damn what they are doing. I care about what we are doing.
What if white women are getting weaves? They weren't told for centuries that their hair is gross, disgusting, ugly, and too "nappy."
So what if white women go out and dye their hair? And? There was no movement so damaging to white women as the relaxer was to black women, and all the attitudes that come with it. This includes the constant pressing of hair.
I am not going to question whether or not a sister hates herself if she has relaxed hair. Chances are it's pretty evident when a sister has self-hate issues, and uses chemicals to aid in that hatred. But don't tell me that the belief that nappy hair is "unmanageable" is anything but asinine and steeped in the very same ignorance that spawned it.
Girl, bye.
If one is offended at the movie, I strongly urge them to really examine their reasons. If you feel as though he's talking to you or about you, then you may want to examine your reasons for relaxing your hair.
A relaxer is not and should not ever be one's ONLY styling option. If a sister wears a relaxer for several months, and then transitions to natural, and so on and so forth, then it's a styling choice.
Replacing the "creamy crack" every month with NO end in sight, is a problem.
9/10/09
Tyra Banks' "Real" Hair... I Guess...
I will do a quick post on this because there's really not much to talk about.
Tyra made a big deal about "debuting" her "real" hair for the new season of her daytime, Emmy-winning talk show "The Tyra Banks Show" this summer. I guess she didn't disappoint those who were waiting to see it.
I was curious myself as to what extent she would go, but I wasn't holding my breath as to how far. Farthest being that she would be rocking a bad ass natural. She didn't disappoint me.
For those who expected to see a bunch of natural hair, I say "slow down" a bit. This is a woman who obviously loves weaves and the like, and I guess I question her motives and reasoning behind that.
It will take Tyra a long time before she gets to a point to rock natural hair, and judging from her pics, I'm not sure if that time will come next season or even the season after.
I didn't watch the whole thing, but judging from what I saw, she touched on hair and black women poorly, and didn't even begin to scratch the surface.
I would have loved to have her get into why she feels the need to wear the weaves all the damned time as opposed to wearing her "real" hair, relaxed or natural, often.
All we can do is hope that Tyra gets the memo, and musters up enough courage to go au naturale...one day.
9/5/09
Finale to Natural Hair Week: My Top 10 Natural Hair Styles EVER
1)I love the wash and go. It's easy, always cute in my opinion and hardly ever fails you.
2)The Afro puff is QUINTESSENTIAL! It's the natural sister's ponytail, except it's spunkier and has way more attitude. It does not hang limp, it's out and forms a halo around that gorgeous head. I LOVE my puffs. Main reason why I have not done my lowboy again (though I really want to). I also notice I look way younger with an Afro puff (something I don't always like lol).
3)Vintage upsweeps are kind of new to the stage, but they're so vintage and awesome. I also like that it's another way to prove that natural hair is indeed versatile, even more so than relaxed hair.
4)The frohawk has gotten even more popular, and I can see why. I LOVE the frohawk. It's punk and it's natural. My next twist move...
5) Locs are classic and timeless. Here's Chanel from Junkprints! She's rocking them live and in living color. Check out Junkprints for some bad ass swag and Matilda! She's the natural girl's Hello Kitty!
6) The tapered Afro is also new this year, but it's actually been around for some time. The indomitable Grace Jones killed it back in the 80s. Glad to see sisters are bringing it back.
7) The twistout is a fave. Want to play with a different texture? Try the twistout.
8) The Afro Blowout for ME is the holy grail of afrodom. My goal this go round is to grow the BADDEST Afro in my entire life. I just want a big old head of Afro.
9) Twists! Twists are my favorite because they are cute and they are like two hairstyles in one. When you twist them out, you've got another hairstyle.
10) Last but CERTAINLY not least, is the lowboy or teenie weenie Afro (TWA). I don't care what your hair texture is, I LOVE the lowboy. When a sister rocks that baby, I'm captivated. I like Solange's take on it with the part. That will be my next move as it is so Josephine Baker/1920s glam-ish.
This is my top ten list! I've had fun doing Natural Hair Week. Remember that it's every day, of every year, but it's good to celebrate, right?
If you have a site that features natural hair that I've overlooked, please add it in comments so I can add you to the blog roll too!
What are your favorite natural hair styles?
Some photos courtesy of http://crunktastical.net and http://lecoil.tumblr.com
9/3/09
My Top Ten Reasons Why Relaxers Sucked!
1) It Burned Like Hell: I don't know about you, but my scalp was a mess when my hair was relaxed. Back in October of 2006, I had the misfortune of being tended to by crappy hair dresser at JC Penney (their salon is actually good up here) and she burned the hell out of my hair. My ears were burned, and so were my edges. I really don't miss that.
2) The Wait: We covered this in my last post, but seriously, I do not miss having to spend all of my days off in a salon waiting on some creamy crack with loud women, ill bred children and shifty-eyed guys.
3) The Shedding: My hair would shed like crazy. It was probably due to the terrible breakage I suffered from all those chemicals on my hair. Hair would be all over me and my bedding. I always felt I had spider webs on me, because my hair would be on my shoulders.
4) The Unhealthy Scalp: I don't know if anyone had this problem, but I had terrible dandruff with a relaxer. I would wash constantly (from working out often) but it didn't matter.
5) The Icky Products: The Blue Magic, the Luster's Pink Oil, the grease and the gels, all got on my case. It seemed like nothing was good enough for my thirsty, unhealthy hair. I also hated touching my hair because it was greasy. I certainly didn't want Mr. Slim touching my hair because it was full of buildup.
6) The Lack of Length: No matter how much I tried, my hair took forever to grow when I wore a relaxer, and quite frankly it didn't grow because it was dying a slow and painful death every month.
7) The Money Wasted: $65 to $130 minimum every two weeks to a month is what I spent to "tame" my glorious kinks and "naps." What the HELL was I thinking, though?
8) My Hair Couldn't Be Touched: I don't have to worry about anyone touching my hair for fear of them feeling the gunk anymore. Back then? HA!
9) The Lack of Self-Confidence: I have to tell you, it really felt like I wasn't happy with myself every time I got my hair relaxed. I felt guilty and I felt like something would be wrong with me if I did not.
10) Validating That "They" Were Right: Like I've said before, relaxers are not the standard or the norm. They are the exception. Denying the reasons why we have been buying relaxers in the first place is being in a state of obscene denial. Check out this photo below on one of my first blog posts from 2007, A History of Fearing Our Nappy Hair. We were conditioned to believe that our natural hair texture was unruly, and ugly. Well, my hair is unruly, and I love it. I love that my hair bucks standards and norms because that's what I like to do. If my untamed, unruly kinks and curls offend people, that's too bad.
Check out my post Relaxed vs. Everything Else.
9/2/09
What's The Thing You Miss The Least About Having Relaxed Hair?
I'm going to the salon this Saturday to get some twists done, and I am excited that I don't have to be in there all day. She does her twists and I'm out.
I have to reflect on the old days, when I would be in the salon for hours on end, sometimes 8 hours getting my hair relaxed, or waiting.
How DARE I think about leaving, when I had a "kitchen" on the top of my head. I would've waited days if it meant taming my hair. If I was going out that weekend, I damned sure had to have my hair relaxed. Who would think I was on fire if my hair looked a mess?
Now, I just wash and go, do a retro style, or do a cute and efficient afro puff. But there are still plenty of sisters who wait for hours and pay exorbitant amounts of money to get their hair straightened. I've heard some sisters have gone in as late as 11 pm to get their relaxer in.
I remember when I had a cold, and I waited for hours in a very cramped salon so Miss Kim could do my hair.
So I certainly don't miss those long waits in the salon just to add a caustic chemical to my head.
What do you miss least about having a relaxer?
9/1/09
Is Going Blonde While Natural, The Same As Going Blonde While Relaxed or With Wigs?
(Photo courtesy of Charcoal Ink)
Have you ever seen a sister walking down the street or on the internet with the craziest blonde dye job or relaxer, and think to yourself, "Self hate is a motha...?"
Have you ever felt the same way about about a sister wearing blonde or red hair color while she's natural?
It's been said that hair color while natural, doesn't mean the same thing as someone who is wearing relaxed and blonde hair.
I spotted this at Afrobella yesterday:And big respect to Patricia Gaines of Nappturality, for being quoted in the piece on hair color — a topic recently explored right here on Afrobella:
“Oddly, Patricia Gaines, the founder of Nappturality.com, a pro-natural Web site, points out that dyeing one’s Afro puffs or double-strand twists blond isn’t viewed as conforming to a Euro-centric look. “It’s never been about color with black women,” she said, referring to the tint of one’s hair. “If it’s blond hair
and it’s nappy, it’s still nappy.” (A term she uses proudly, though some use it as a slur.)”
Is it simply too much to be relaxed and blonde? What's the difference? Do you see any?
8/31/09
Natural Hair Week: Why Did You Go Natural? Why Won't You Go Natural?
I've decided that we need to have Natural Hair Week here at Happy Nappy Head, and that's exactly what we're going to do.
To start, it's time for an introduction. Why did you go natural? Or, if you are not currently natural, why won't you go natural?
Every week, should be natural hair week, true. However, I've yet to dedicate a whole week to nappies and curlies everywhere, so I'm thinking it's a good look.
Hope to read your thoughts soon!
8/27/09
Top Responses To Ignorant Comments About Your Natural Hair
I received a heartbreaking note from a beautiful young lady in my Facebook fam. I've got to tell you, my heart went out to her because nobody should have to hear these things. I won't get into too much (because that's between me and her) but long story short, the negative comments from her family about her natural hair have taken their toll on her several times, and she's relaxed her hair several times as a result. She is currently sporting relaxed hair and wants to go natural, but is not wanting to deal with the negative (and unfounded) criticism--which includes saying she looks like a "slave", "dirty" and like "Frederick Douglass."
Why do we HATE our hair so damned much? What has it ever done to us? My hair is growing and healthy, and my curls/kinks/naps are one of my greatest joys. How black folks (men included) could hate their hair so much, is beyond me. I just can't understand hating something about ourselves that is so good and wonderful.
The only way this will change is if we start to let people know that their negative opinions will be met with some swift education
Here are some of the more "common" critiques, and here are some of my responses.
"Your hair would look so nice straightened!"
Response: "Really? You know, I was really thinking that maybe I should tr the damaged, broken hair look, with the receding edges. So fab..."
"You look dirty with your hair like that!"
Response: "I look dirty sporting the hair God gave me? Well, damn. Guess what, though! If I look dirty for being natural, you look like an idiot for being ignorant. Fair?"
"You look like a (insert black caricature or black historical figure hair/slave)!"
Response: "While you may find it insulting to look like one of our forefathers and foremothers, I'll take that as a compliment."
"There's this great texturizer that I can recommend to you."
Response: "Is it virgin coconut or jojoba oil? Yeah, no."
"Your hair would like better with curls instead of kinks."
Response: "Says who? You? My hair is fabulous jut as kinky as it is. Sorry you don't feel the same way. Actually, I'm not really sorry..."
"I mean, what can you do with your hair like that?"
Response: "Anything you can do, but my hair is healthier."
"Men aren't going to want to date you with your hair like that!"
Response: "Correction. I don't want to date men who don't like my hair like this."
"You look bald-headed [lowboy]!"
Response: "Oh, my God! My big, horse/yak hybrid wig must have fallen off! Seriously, though. Your powers of observation are AWESOME! Do you work for Scotland Yard too? No, really. The world needs your acute ability to observe and state the obvious. And guess what? I don't give a f*ck."
These are just my examples!
What's the DUMBEST/MOST NEGATIVE comment you've ever heard regarding natural hair in general, or your own natural hair? What was your response? How would you respond?
and snark Sphere: Related Content
8/13/09
Natural Ladies Front and Center
Yes! The natural ladies were doing it big this week.
Solange rocked the hell out of that lowboy (I see you with the part, girl!) in Japan while repping Samantha Thavasa with her sister Beyonce.
I saw another pic of her at the Thavasa event standing next to Beyonce. Beyonce was unremarkable compared to Solange. Get it, girl!
America's Next Top Model released photos of this season's girls, one of them being Bianca, the diva wearing the lowboy.
May I confess something? I want her to win. Hell yes, I am biased. To my credit, I rooted for Eva the Diva and Toccara so... :P
With that said, I wanted to get some opinions from you guys. Is the media and are advertisers trying to tell us something? Rap videos still have a lot of the same chicks fitting the formula. However, I keep seeing commercials and print ads with black models sporting natural hair...at least in my state. Natural-haired beauties (I've noticed a trend with the men too) are on billboards, on the side of buses, in ads in magazines. Has anyone seen this? Or is it just me?
I'm wondering if we are the only ones perpetuating the idea that natural hair is "unprofessional" or "intimidating."
Paul Mooney said, "If you're hair is relaxed, white people are relaxed. If you're hair's nappy, they're not happy." I laughed at that, but I haven't seen anything--at least in my own experience--that corroborates that. Matter of fact, the people I work with want me to have a lowboy again. Even so, they compliment my hair and all my natural styles. Seattle has a lot of natural sisters, so I'm not alone, but the response has been more "subdued" from African-Americans here.
To add to that, I just read a comment Afrobella posted from someone who would like to see black women embracing their hair more.
I'm just thinking that the idea that natural hair would be frowned upon in a natural setting just might be an urban legend. Share your thoughts if you have them!
8/7/09
This Makes Me Love My Afro Even More!
Oh, Celebrity Seaborn! It just keeps getting better doesn't it? No.
I can't understand why her need for that hair was so compelling, that she felt she couldn't live without this mess...
**UPDATE: I noticed that he praised her hair and then said she looked like she was mixed with Arabic and Russian (WTF?). He also made another reference to her being mixed because of how bone straight the hair is.
Basically, I've come to the conclusion that there are far more of us with self-hate issues, with hair being a catalyst, thant there aren't.
There is something wrong with that. If you aren't this way, then this is not directed at you and you should not take offense. But there is something fundamentally wrong when he can get away with saying something like that, on camera, and she considers that a compliment.**
About Me
- Seattle Slim
- I'm a writer of all trades. I write about every and anything that bothers or amazes my mind. You can catch my writing at Singersroom.com, Seaspot.com, Urbevents.com, HappyNappyHead.blogspot.com and MahoganyButterfly.com.
