monday style icon: she2.petite

"The U.S. really pushes light skin, and straight hair BUT I am seeing the U.S. incorporate more ethnic beauty in the media. It's so refreshing!!!" ~she2.petite

BGLH: Where do you live? Where you reppin'?
S2P: I live in Atlanta. My family is 100% Jamaican so I would say I identify with that most. I grew up in the states. I usually spend summers/vacations with my paternal grandmother in Westmoreland, but my mother is from Kingston. Every Jamaican American family is different. My family is older and more traditional but very Jamaican nonetheless. Goat-head soup for life.

BGLH: Your hair was very healthy and beautiful when it was relaxed. A lot of women wouldn't leave that behind. So why did you decide to cut it all off and go natural?
S2P: I took pretty good care of my hair when i had relaxed hair. I decided to go natural because I was tired of being a slave to my hair dresser. Driving three hours skimping on buying groceries to afford getting my hair done. Wanting color and being afraid my hair would fall out. I thought about how much I loved playing with my new growth, it always felt really good. I wished my whole head felt like that. I get restless and I'm cheap. I like change.

BGLH: When and how did you transition into natural hair?
S2P: I transitioned in May '07 until December '07 then I big chopped.

BGLH: You have amazing styles! Where do you get style inspiration from?
S2P: I get my inspiration from being bored on the weekends and experimenting with my hair. I'll wear the style a few times until it's exactly how I want it.

BGLH: Could you describe your products and regimen?
S2P: I prefer natural products but I do use gel sometimes.

BGLH: I saw in one of your albums that you said that you wanted to resist society's standard of beauty. Were you referring to Jamaica or America, and what, in your opinion, is the standard of beauty in those cultures?
S2P: I was referring to American standards because that's where I live. I've noticed that America is way more strict on what is considered attractive. There are so many perspectives in both cultures. Jamaica is more accepting of traditionally African features mainly because the dominant culture is of African decent. Though they have a tendency to make note of skin tone with terms such as brownin' etc which is no worse than red bone/yellow bone in the U.S. The U.S. really pushes light skin, and straight hair BUT I am seeing the U.S. incorporate more ethnic beauty in the media. It's so refreshing!!!

BGLH: And what's the best thing about being natural?
S2P: How unique it can be. The versatility.








Thanks for the insights! You can see more of she2.petite at http://public.fotki.com/romasuki/.

sunday retrospective/natural girl's reading list: natural hair gets no love in the dominican republic?

This is an article from the Miami Herald that was originally published in June 2007:

Black Denial
By Frances Robles
frobles@miamiherald.com

SANTO DOMINGO -- Yara Matos sat still while long, shiny locks from China were fastened, bit by bit, to her coarse hair.

Not that Matos has anything against her natural curls, even though Dominicans call that pelo malo -- bad hair.

But a professional Dominican woman just should not have bad hair, she said. "If you're working in a bank, you don't want some barrio-looking hair. Straight hair looks elegant," the bank teller said. "It's not that as a person of color I want to look white. I want to look pretty."

And to many in the Dominican Republic, to look pretty is to look less black.

Dominican hairdressers are internationally known for the best hair-straightening techniques. Store shelves are lined with rows of skin whiteners, hair relaxers and extensions.

Racial identification here is thorny and complex, defined not so much by skin color but by the texture of your hair, the width of your nose and even the depth of your pocket. The richer, the "whiter." And, experts say, it is fueled by a rejection of anything black.

"I always associated black with ugly. I was too dark and didn't have nice hair," said Catherine de la Rosa, a dark-skinned Dominican-American college student spending a semester here. "With time passing, I see I'm not black. I'm Latina.

"At home in New York everyone speaks of color of skin. Here, it's not about skin color. It's culture."

The only country in the Americas to be freed from black colonial rule -- neighboring Haiti -- the Dominican Republic still shows signs of racial wounds more than 200 years later. Presidents historically encouraged Dominicans to embrace Spanish Catholic roots rather than African ancestry.

Here, as in much of Latin America -- the "one drop rule'' works in reverse: One drop of white blood allows even very dark-skinned people to be considered white.

LACK OF INTEREST

As black intellectuals here try to muster a movement to embrace the nation's African roots, they acknowledge that it has been a mostly fruitless cause. Black pride organizations such as Black Woman's Identity fizzled for lack of widespread interest. There was outcry in the media when the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit -- a community with roots in Africa -- was declared an oral patrimony of humanity by UNESCO. "There are many times that I think of just leaving this country because it's too hard," said Juan Rodríguez Acosta, curator of the Museum of the Dominican Man. Acosta, who is black, has pushed for the museum to include controversial exhibits that reflect many Dominicans' African background. "But then I think: Well if I don't stay here to change things, how will things ever change?"

A walk down city streets shows a country where blacks and dark-skinned people vastly outnumber whites, and most estimates say that 90 percent of Dominicans are black or of mixed race. Yet census figures say only 11 percent of the country's nine million people are black.

To many Dominicans, to be black is to be Haitian. So dark-skinned Dominicans tend to describe themselves as any of the dozen or so racial categories that date back hundreds of years -- Indian, burned Indian, dirty Indian, washed Indian, dark Indian, cinnamon, moreno or mulatto, but rarely negro.

The Dominican Republic is not the only nation with so many words to describe skin color. Asked in a 1976 census survey to describe their own complexions, Brazilians came up with 136 different terms, including café au lait, sunburned, morena, Malaysian woman, singed and "toasted."

"The Cuban black was told he was black. The Dominican black was told he was Indian," said Dominican historian Celsa Albert, who is black. "I am not Indian. That color does not exist. People used to tell me, ‘You are not black.' If I am not black, then I guess there are no blacks anywhere, because I have curly hair and dark skin."

THE HISTORY

Using the word Indian to describe dark-skinned people is an attempt to distance Dominicans from any African roots, Albert and other experts said. She noted that it's not even historically accurate: The country's Taino Indians were virtually annihilated in the 1500s, shortly after Spanish colonizers arrived.

Researchers say the de-emphasizing of race in the Dominican Republic dates to the 1700s, when the sugar plantation economy collapsed and many slaves were freed and rose up in society.

Later came the rocky history with Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Haiti's slaves revolted against the French and in 1804 established their own nation. In 1822, Haitians took over the entire island, ruling the predominantly Hispanic Dominican Republic for 22 years.

To this day, the Dominican Republic celebrates its independence not from centuries-long colonizer Spain, but from Haiti.

"The problem is Haitians developed a policy of black-centrism and . . . Dominicans don't respond to that," said scholar Manuel Núñez, who is black. "Dominican is not a color of skin, like the Haitian."

Dictator Rafael Trujillo, who ruled from 1930 to 1961, strongly promoted anti-Haitian sentiments, and is blamed for creating the many racial categories that avoided the use of the word "black."

The practice continued under President Joaquín Balaguer, who often complained that Haitians were "darkening'' the country. In the 1990s, he was blamed for thwarting the presidential aspirations of leading black candidate José Francisco Peña Gómez by spreading rumors that he was actually Haitian.

"Under Trujillo, being black was the worst thing you could be," said Afro-Dominican poet Blas Jiménez. "Now we are Dominican, because we are not Haitian. We are something, because we are not that."

Jiménez remembers when he got his first passport, the clerk labeled him "Indian." He protested to the director of the agency.

"I remember the man saying, ‘If he wants to be black, let him be black!' '' Jiménez said.

Resentment toward anything Haitian continues, as an estimated one million Haitians live in the Dominican Republic, most working in the sugar and construction industries. Mass deportations often mistakenly include black Dominicans, and Haitians have been periodically lynched in mob violence. The government has been trying to deny citizenship and public education to the Dominican-born children of illegal Haitian migrants.

When migrant-rights activist Sonia Pierre won the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 2006, the government responded by trying to revoke her citizenship, saying she is actually Haitian.

"There's tremendous resistance to blackness -- black is something bad," said black feminist Sergia Galván. ‘‘Black is associated with dark, illegal, ugly, clandestine things. There is a prototype of beauty here and a lot of social pressure. There are schools where braids and natural hair are prohibited."

Galván and a loosely knit group of women have protested European canons of beauty, once going so far as to rally outside a beauty pageant. She and other experts say it is now more common to see darker-skinned women in the contests -- but they never win.

CULTURE PULL

Several women said the cultural rejection of African looking hair is so strong that people often shout insults at women with natural curls.

"I cannot take the bus because people pull my hair and stick combs in it," said wavy haired performance artist Xiomara Fortuna. "They ask me if I just got out of prison. People just don't want that image to be seen."


The hours spent on hair extensions and painful chemical straightening treatments are actually an expression of nationalism, said Ginetta Candelario, who studies the complexities of Dominican race and beauty at Smith College in Massachusetts. And to some of the women who relax their hair, it's simply a way to have soft manageable hair in the Dominican Republic's stifling humidity.

"It's not self-hate," Candelario said. "Going through that is to love yourself a lot. That's someone saying, ‘I am going to take care of me.' It's nationalist, it's affirmative and celebrating self."

Money, education, class -- and of course straight hair -- can make dark-skinned Dominicans be perceived as more "white," she said. Many black Dominicans here say they never knew they were black -- until they visited the United States.

"During the Trujillo regime, people who were dark skinned were rejected, so they created their own mechanism to fight it," said Ramona Hernández, Director of the Dominican Studies Institute at City College in New York. "When you ask, ‘What are you?' they don't give you the answer you want . . . saying we don't want to deal with our blackness is simply what you want to hear."

Hernández, who has olive-toned skin and a long mane of hair she blows out straight, acknowledges she would "never, never, never'' go to a university meeting with her natural curls.

"That's a woman trying to look cute; I'm a sociologist," she said.

Asked if a black Dominican woman can be considered beautiful in her country, Hernández leapt to her feet.

"You should see how they come in here with their big asses!'' she said, shuffling across her office with her arms extended behind her back, simulating an enormous rear-end. "They come in here thinking they are all that, and I think, 'doesn't she know she's not really pretty?' "

Maria Elena Polanca is a black woman with the striking good looks. She said most Dominicans look at her with curiosity, as if a black woman being beautiful were something strange.

She spends her days promoting a hair straightener at La Sirena, a Santo Domingo department store that features an astonishing array of hair straightening products.

"Look, we have bad hair, bad. Nobody says 'curly.' It's bad," she said. "You can't go out like that. People will say, 'Look at that nest! Someone light a match!' ''

'IT WAS HURTFUL'

Purdue University professor Dawn Stinchcomb, who is African American, said that when she came here in 1999 to study African influences in literature, people insulted her in the street.

Waiters refused to serve her. People wouldn't help Stinchcomb with her research, saying if she wanted to study Africans, she'd have to go to Haiti.

"I had people on the streets . . . yell at me to get out of the sun because I was already black enough," she said. "It was hurtful. . . . I was raised in the South and thought I could handle any racial comment. I never before experienced anything like I did in the Dominican Republic.

"I don't have a problem when people who don't look like me say hurtful things. But when it's people who look just like me?"

~Miami Herald

preview of monday style icon she.2petite

I usually don't post on Saturdays, but our Monday Style Icon she.2petite has a ton of pictures to share, so I'm going to start posting them now.
Stay tuned for her full interview Monday.

BGLH has a graphic designer! You can meet her (and me) at the first ever BGLH meetup!

Yes, BGLH now has an on-site graphic designer. Shari — who debuted with the Saturday retrospective during guest blogger week — will be re-designing the site and also do some writing. The new BGLH website will debut in early Fall.

She works for an advertising firm in Chicago and has done design work for top blogs like Afrobella and the Fashion Bomb. And she is currently transitioning from relaxed to natural (go Shari!)




The coolest part is that she lives in Chicago, so we're right by each other. (I've actually been living a few miles outside Chicago, but I'll be moving back to the city in September.)

So Shari and I recently met up to discuss the blog and how we could make it nicer and prettier (at LePeep in the West Loop for all you Chi-towners. Funnily enough I ran into another BGLH reader there... Shout out to Sandra A!) And out of subsequent discussions we decided a meetup might be cool.

So on August 15 we are hosting our first BGLH meetup for folks in the Chicagoland area! We are still deciding a location, so stay tuned for details. Unfortunately J won't be there cuz she lives in New York... awwww :(

Shari wrote this by way of introduction...

I was born and raised in Chicago. (Born in 1984. I'm 25.) My folks are from Belize. I was an artsy/creative child. I loved playing with Legos, drawing, friendship bracelets, etc., all that jazz. If it was hands on, I was all about it.

Back in the day, my hair was a lot different than it is now. I had fine, almost straight hair. My mom used to put Shirley Temple curls in my hair by putting water on a comb and then twirling it around sections of my hair. I used to always get complimented on my hair and told how silky and long it was. Around age 8, that changed. My hair changed texture. Due to puberty or my eczema...I'm not sure. It was around that time my mom discovered the hot comb. And over the years, my elbow length hair gradually got shorter and shorter. When my mom noticed the breakage that happened over the years, we decided around 7th or 8th grade that I should get a relaxer. That worked well for a while (if you ignore the scalp burns). My hair always remained pretty healthy, but I never regained all of my length back.

I went away to college at the University of Missouri-Columbia and majored in Journalism. In high school, I did a summer program for fine art. I did a lot of drawing: naked people, printmaking & painting. And I hated it! Then I figured I'd be a psychologist, but I wasn't too fond of having to go to school for extra years. I always liked to write, so I decided I would just be journalist since it was more of a stable career path than creative writing. Me and my indecisive self ended up deciding I didn't want to write anymore once there, so I changed my emphasis from writing to advertising. But throughout college, I never got rid of the art/design bug. I designed fliers for campus groups & the black culture center on campus. I was also a student design assistant for the dining halls and I also took fashion design and textile classes. I interned at Draft in NYC as an art director intern the summer of my junior year, and after I graduated, I also interned as an art director intern at JWT Chicago.

I currently work in pharmaceutical advertising by day as an interactive developer doing mostly Flash development, and in my spare time, I do a lot of freelance work (Art direction, graphic & web design, t-shirt design, wordpress development).

As far as my hair...I decided to grow out my relaxer about 7 months ago. I had recently started paying more attention to the things I was eating and the vitamins I wasn't getting. After that, going natural only seemed...natural.

Welcome to BGLH Shari!

BGLH nominated for three black weblog awards! And J has her own email address...

So, BGLH was nominated for three Black Weblog Awards. We're up for Best Culture Blog, Best Style and Fashion Blog and Best Writing in a Blog.

Right now, the competition is in the first round of voting. The blogs who get the most votes will be placed into a second round of voting.

If you want to vote for BGLH click the logo below. You can also click the one on the left sidebar.




Also, there's some great content from J, our resident hair expert, coming up next week! She now has her own email address for questions. If you have a haircare question email J at jenteelbglh@gmail.com Please don't send haircare questions to contro_versial@hotmail.com anymore.

climbing deeper into this natural ish: the end of blogger week & a new accessory

So guest blogger week is over and we had some great entries! Thanks to all those who wrote guest posts!

I used my blog-cation to relax and do some light behind the scenes BGLH work. I have a few exciting announcements about BGLH coming soon... so stay tuned! Also during my time off, I bought a new accessory! It's actually my first natural hair accessory aside from bobby pins and pony tail holders.



I found it at Urban Outfitters. It's a headband (or bandoo as we call it in Jamaica) with a bunch of feathers attached. I like it because it looks vintage. I decided to take some photos of me wearing. I was tired and doing battle with a blemish on my forehead, so these aren't super great, but you get the idea.




In the coming days, I'll think of ways to incorporate it into various hairstyles. As always I'll keep you posted.

During blogger week I was also keeping track of the comments we got.

Here's a sampling of my favorites:

First an extremely cute comment from Audrey Jazz. It was on Jc's post about the structure of hair:

"That was incredibly helpful, if not a bit "complex" for my tiny little brain. Lol.
It's nice to be able to read BGLH again. I haven't been able to because I gave birth last week!! I have one picture of my little prince up on my blog if you're interested."

Awww! So cute! And I'm glad BGLH is a priority even in childbirth, lol. Congratulations Audrey Jazz and welcome back!

This next comment was from LuvDeluxe on Shari's post about natural hair in entertainment:

"Okay, Halle's hair doesn't look good. It's not because it is natural, it is because she could have done better. Six months ago before I started reading this blog I would have thought it was tolorable but after seeing all the styles feature on this site alone...I guess I would say that I hold her to a higher standard now. If that makes any sense."

It makes PERFECT sense LuvDeluxe! And it is one of the highest compliments you could have paid to BGLH! One of the objectives of this blog is to show women the endless styling possibilities of a texture that is constantly referred to as "bad". The fact that you're realizing the possibilities makes me incredibly happy and excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Finally, a very thought-provoking comment from nonfictions again on the 'natural hair in entertainment' post.

"I think it's easier to compliment another race b/c they're not your "competition."
Plus, I also think that some women with relaxed hair automatically assume that all of us naturals think that they're "being white" and maybe that's why they're less likely to talk about hair with us."

Wow. Very, very, interesting. Do the non-black women who embrace our hair do so because we're not in the same category? This got me thinking.

I would love to hear your thoughts on everything and thanks for a great guest blogger week! I'm happy to be back!

Hair care starts at the cuticle [guest blogger week]

~by Jc

I’m very honoured to take up a guest spot on BGLH as it is the fab blog that I spent weeks and months looking at before deciding to jump in and start my own (http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com). I am a scientist and I talk about the science of hair!

Hair care has many facets but I am increasingly aware as I make my journey through the science, that hair in great condition is hair with an intact cuticle.

What is the cuticle I hear you ask? Well the cuticle is sort of like the roof that protects the hair shaft (or cortex).



So why does the cuticle deserve so much attention? If your pursuit is great hair, you need the cuticle. Its function is protection, protection, protection, shine, protection and protection. How does the cuticle work?

1. It protects the hair shaft from damage due to swelling, preventing uptake of too much water (J Invest Dermatol 105: 96-99, 1995).
2. It protects the cortex from damage from frictional forces for example combing (Wear, pg 1012-1021, 2005)
3. It is the first line of defence against chemical damage, with hair even preserving its strength after the cuticle is damaged (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, pg 59-67,1991)

Are you convinced yet? If not then let me tell you how damaging the cuticle affects the hair. There are many sites that talk about pH. Let me make this relevant

Apple cider vinegar is acidic (low pH 2-3),

Hair has a slight acidic pH (5-6)

Water to rinse your hair is neutral (pH 7)

Relaxers are alkaline (high pH 9-10)

Generally low pH up to pH 7 does not really change the cuticle but raising it to 8 and above causes the cuticle to lift up (see the diagram below) and this is when real damage can occur since the cortex is exposed to the elements. Some studies have even observed visible disintegration of hair at high pH (J Invest Dermatol 105: 96-99, 1995).



So what can you do to protect your hair cuticle from damage?

1. To protect it from swelling and damage, try some coconut oil, scientifically proven to reduce cuticle damage during washing (see the science on my blog).
2. Use conditioner when combing your hair, less frictional force to your hair! (Chemical and Physical Behaviour of Hair,Robbins)
3. Avoid using bleach.

What can you do if you have already damaged your cuticle? Well after you give yourself a slap on the wrist, you can try and patch it up using hydrolysed protein like the diagram below (read the science here).



Jc is a natural scientist who lives and work in the United Kingdom. She blogs about the science of natural hair at http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com.

style snap; french braid with bang [guest blogger week]

~Simnicity







I've profiled Simnicity before - she's amazing with styling! Check her fotki here: http://public.fotki.com/simnicity/

monday style and thoughts from lagos nigeria [guest blogger week]

~by Oghomwen E.



My story is simple. I went natural in January 2001 while I was living in Lethbridge, Canada. And after a very brief encounter with a texturizer, I have been natural ever since. My hair has grown the longest since I became natural. However, I am scissors happy. My whole family seems to be that way. My two sisters and I are all natural but we seem to cut our hair randomly. Maybe it’s DNA (my mom has a teeny weeny afro). But since I started visiting this blog, I have made up my mind to leave the scissors alone and grow my hair as long as possible while incorporating good hair practices into my regime. (Those scissors seem sooo appealing some times so God is gonna have to help me on this one ☺)

I learnt to take care of my hair while living in Canada. There were few black salons there and my sister did hair so I picked up skills here and there from her and from nappturality.com. Having natural hair in Lagos is neither here nor there. I don’t really notice that my hair is different anymore because I have been natural for about 8 or 9 years so it’s just part of my life.

I admit I do get some funny comments like my aunt asked me once why I don’t ‘do’ my hair. I told her it was because I was ‘too cool’. The last ‘encounter’ I had turned out to be really hilarious. I was at a community development group and I had my weeks old twists pined with a clip on the left side. Then a lady said to me: “your hair is very rough” and I replied: “It’s meant to look this way”. This resulted in two relaxed haired ladies who overheard the exchange educating the other one on how my hair was supposed to look like that because it was natural and blah, blah, blah. I thought it was too funny cause I was quiet all the while and they helped me to educate my friend. Priceless.

I work in a creative environment (filmmaking and writing) so nobody really bothers me much. In fact my boss once asked me why I took out my twists since they were nice. So in a way I guess I fit the ‘stereotype’ of the artsy girl with the natural hair. What else can I say? Nothing much really. It’s my hair and I like it and I don’t have to apologize for it.



Oghomwen is a Nigerian filmmaker, poet, writer and entrepreneur. She completed a B.A. at Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS and a diploma in Film Production at the Toronto Film School. In June 2009, she hosted one of the first natural hair gatherings ever in Lagos, Nigeria. Oghomwen blogs at www.generationmakeithappen. blogspot.com, http://writingexamples.blogspot.com/ and www.secretsthemovie.blogspot.com.

saturday retrospective: natural hair in the entertainment industry [guest blogger week]

~by Shari N.

I'm sure quite a few of you have at some point encountered resistance to your natural hair or have been on the receiving end of snarky comments (My mom asks me every week when I'm going to get a relaxer. Love you mom, but it's not happening!). But ladies in the spotlight who go natural have much more to deal with on a daily basis than you or I. They are constantly under a microscope and face massive amounts of public scrutiny.

What immediately comes to mind is when Halle Berry was sporting big, curly hair a few months back, possibly for a movie role.



Folks were vicious! I found a few comments left on a post on her hairstyle on bellasugar.com (http://www.bellasugar.com/2427257). Here's a sampling of two that made my blood boil:

"Just when I thought it might be in to wear my hair natural...never mind. Bring on the relaxer."

"Whoa Halle... my daughter and I have hair that curly but we don't wear it curly, we relax the curls with a curling iron or flat iron or pull it back in a ponytail. It's kinda funny though. That's just too much volume I think. Love ya Halle but *snickers* no sweetie."

What's really good?!?! I thought Halle looked beautiful. But according to those comments, I might be in the minority. *sad face*

SOME HISTORY

Back in the late 1960s into the 70s, the Harlem Renaissance of hair, was perfectly summed up in James Brown's 1968 self-love anthem "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud". Afros were all the rage. We were finally accepting ourselves and and our hair and nobody could tell us NOTHIN'. Our biggest entertainers, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Cicely Tyson, etc., all wore their hair out or braided and proud.

Michael Jackson, James Brown and Diana Ross sporting afros




But it wouldn't last long. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were assassinated in '68 & '65, respectively. We were left with no leadership, our black pride and unity was on the wane. And James Brown got his perm back.

The 80s became a time of assimilation for us. Martin Luther King's posthumous dream of a world where whites and blacks could live side by side in harmony began to look possible. Michael Jackson, sans fro, now with a Jheri curl took MTV by storm, we were getting more exposure than ever, while losing a part of ourselves. We wanted to be accepted, by any means necessary. In the early days of hip hop, we reached another stage of racial consciousness and pride. Public Enemy & KRS-1, once again told us black was beautiful. But along the way, we left something behind - our hair. For many, relaxers and hot irons became not just options but necessities. Into the 90s and 2000s, once again natural hair seems to be making it's way back into the mainstream. Or is it really?

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Often the celebrity women whose naturals seem to be accepted in the mainstream these days seem to have very defined curls, while nappier, kinkier, less defined textures are left behind.

Why is this embraced...



But this is not?



Is it a matter of the media not accepting our hair? Are most women in the biz simply not wanting to wear their hair natural?

There also is the notion that going natural at all in the entertainment industry is some sort of kiss of death for your career. I came upon this quote while perusing topix.com:

"...I can't knock Beyonce for being fake knowing how shallow the industry is, if she did go natural, she probably wouldn't be as successful as she is. Blacks themselves will be saying her hair is nappy and all this negative stuff so I can't be mad at her for trying to live up to the standards of beauty in this society which are not usually natural for african americans that are not mixed with white, spanish or whatever"

There are a number of reasons I don't agree with the above comment (so I won't get into that)...but it does bring up a few valid points. It made me wonder if...Is it that the more famous and known you are, the harder it is to go natural...since you are expected to have a certain type of hair? And also, is it the ridicule of the black community that makes it harder for black women to go natural?




Shari is a graphic designer who lives and works in Chicago.

going natural: a hair story [guest blogger week]

~by Sunshine A.

That was me with the last weave and relaxed "do" that I ever got. It was the summer of 2008 and you couldn't tell me nothing! I was happy with my weave. Not too thrilled with the price tag though. That one cost me a whopping $400 for the hair (had to be Remy) and the application (full sew in with a little out at the top to achieve that natural look). I can say that I was truly addicted to weaves.

I was smack dab in the middle of my Beyonce phase where I truly thought we were friends. I was in love with her. Her hair, her wardrobe, EVERYTHING! B was my pimp, my pastor, my dealer... whatever she was selling I was buying, right down to her "freakum dresses"!



Underneath the weave was some pretty damaged hair. I had gone from the full thick upper middle back length hair of my youth, hair which my mother was against perming (but not pressing) to hair that was above my chin and was honestly an after thought. I never really thought too much about my hair, only that I didn't really like it.

Let me take that back, I liked my hair, dare say I loved it at one point. I wanted to be natural at an early age, but family and friends shamed me to the point where I started looking at my hair for what it wasn't instead of what it was. I remember at one point (once it became clear in my mind that only straight hair would do) I actually hated my hair. I would wish that it could just grow out of my scalp straighter so I could blend it into my weaves better and then no one would know the weave wasn't real. I wanted so badly to make others believe and believe myself that I had "good" long hair like all the women I saw on magazine covers. I wanted to achieve the same "looks" they were pulling off.

I bought the crap hook line and sinker. I believed that my hair needed to be long and straight in order for me to look good. I believed I needed to dress a certain way to be glamorous. I believed that my natural texture of hair should always be kept in hiding either under a half wig (like in the shot in the leopard dress) or under a weave or with the help of chemicals and flat irons.

I was living in Atlanta when I started to reevaluate things. Never before in my life had I seen so many black women wearing lace front wigs, false eye lashes and MAC makeup as I did in Atlanta. I started to feel like I was in an army of fake barbie dolls and started to feel that there was nothing unique about me. I felt like based on my appearance I was just one of those girls in Atlanta trying to star in a video. It seemed like we were all fronting, trying very hard to be something that we weren't. I started to detest the whole idea that someone (other than myself) created this image of beauty and was selling it by the case load to women like me.

It was then that I decided I wanted a change in my life. I wanted to decide what was beautiful for me. I wanted to stop relying on this "Bourgeois" mentality I had so readily soaked up and find out who I really was beneath it all. So first I took out the weave. But there was still relaxer on my hair, and I wanted to shed it all! So about a week after I took out the weave, I woke up early on that Saturday and I drove around until I found an open barbershop. I walked in and asked the barber to cut it all off like a man's hair cut.

Tears streamed down my face as I heard the buzz of the clippers approaching my head. I was crying because I was letting go of an identity I had relied on for so long. I was afraid. What if I didn't like what was underneath it all. What if I didn't like "ME"?

Right before the clippers actually touched my head she asked "Are you sure?" and at that moment, I thought, "What if there is something on the other side of this that is wonderful? What if I am one hair cut away from something truly magnificent and I'm scared to get there? "What if this turns out to be the best decision ever?

And that is when I answered firmly "YES! Cut it!"

It truly was a wonderful experience. I looked at the mirror after she was finished and I can't say that it was love at first sight, but I felt like I was seeing "MYSELF" for the first time.



It was like "This is me! Take it or leave it!"



With the haircut came an attitude that I could do anything! I mean, if I could face the world with no hair, there was nothing I couldn't do. I started to feel more like myself. With each day I started to like the haircut more and more and I started to like me more and more. It felt good to wake up in the morning and not go through the long process of "dealing" with my hair. It felt good to walk down the street and know that when people saw me, they were seeing ME.





Unlike a lot of of other stories about going natural I have read, I didn't really think about going natural in the sense of my hair alone, but more so going natural in the sense of becoming more myself than I ever could be with fake hair and a purchased persona.

According to the dictionary Natural means (among other definitions):

2 a: being in accordance with or determined by nature
b: marked by easy simplicity and freedom from artificiality, affectation, or constraint

So when I think of natural hair and natural anything I think of these things and this is what I strive for. To be myself and to be free.
So that's it! My story. What's yours? Is your natural journey strictly hair is it something more? What does being natural mean to you?

Peace and Love,
Sunshine

Sunshine blogs at http://sheabutterlove.blogspot.com/.

tamika on natural hair and sustainability [guest blogger week]

Tamika working in rural Jamaica
While I may be preaching to the choir here, I thought it necessary to articulate the connection between sustainability and the natural hair community. In particular this article speaks to the unprocessed hair of women of African decent. Sustainability according to UNESCO “means consuming goods and services without harming the environment or society. 

Living a sustainable lifestyle is essential to overcoming poverty and conserving and protecting the natural resource base for all forms of life.”

For the most part style and sustainability are arc nemesis. The pursuit of all things stylish , conventionally promotes waste, consumerism and usually harms the environment.

The folks over at Hair.lovetoknow.com writes, “As society grows more conscious of the effect chemicals have on the environment, trends like natural hair care become more popular. While it may not seem like a few bottles of shampoo or other products affect the environment, each time those products are washed down the drain they have the potential to contaminate water supplies and harm the surrounding ecosystem.”

Here are my top 5 reasons why your natural hair, in addition to its fashion forwardness and fierceness, promotes a healthy environment and why our kids will thank us . This list is no way scientific and based on my own observation, research and conversation with peers.

1. Reduced use of Aerosols. Many aerosols such as hair spray, spritz contain CFC that are proven ozone depletory.

2. Reduced Toxic Runoff- Reduce use toxic chemicals passing into drains– relaxers etc

3. Potential to Save Energy - Due to reduced heat styling, fewer hood, drying, hot curling etc

4. Greater demand and use of natural and organic products. Most of us have tried honey, shea butter and other home concoctions thus reducing consumption. (Raise your hand if you have made your own treatment)

5. Promotes greater conscious for social justice. It starts with our hair, our search for natural products, pursuit of community building (I am blogging on the page of a otherwise stranger) and eventually greater conscious of issues related to products, consumerism, health and the environment.

What are your thoughts? Are you even aware that your hairstyle choice can have an impact on wildlife and potentially climate change? Okay….indirectly!! But as the Jamaica adage goes “One, one coco full basket!” (Translation: Every small gesture makes a difference)

Be good. Do better. Look your best.

Tammyanka


Tamika has been wearing her hair natural for the last four years. She recently transitioned from locks. A native of Jamaica, currently residing and pursuing a Masters of Arts in Sustainable Development in Massachusetts. She struggles with balancing her passion for style, sustainable development and conservation. Tammyanka blogs at http://sustainabilityandstyle.blogspot.com/.

climbing deeper into this natural ish: banishment of the boring bun

Hey guys!

A last word before we head into guest blogger week tomorrow. I recently gave a brief update on my hair, and spoke of my entrapment in the seductively easy (and lazy) bun. Okay, I'm not knocking those who choose to bun! It's a great style. But I was exploiting it... rocking it 24/7 for a good 10 months (starting when I took a new job in a very conservative county.)

Anyway, I went to the beauty salon Friday, determined to step out of my comfort zone. I started out small - just a basic twist-hawk - and it turned out pretty nice.
I wore it out that weekend but planned to bun it for work, to get a cool 'designs on the side of my head' look.

So I bunned it Monday, but on Tuesday I was like f*ck it, and wore the full twist-hawk to work (I did a little bump in the front), and noone said anything. I got a couple compliments, a few second glances. That was it. I took these pictures in my bathroom before work. (The scarf is cuz my office building is cold as hell!)

Side shot (why does my head look so big?)

Back shot

Happy shot


This series is called "climbing deeper into this natural ish", and I feel it's becoming truer and truer in my life. I really am starting to embrace this natural thing wholeheartedly. My natural hair is not divorced from my professional self, but I think my bun, in many ways, was an attempt to separate out those selves, to 'tone it down'. It was kind of a half-assed way to be natural.

Well, the bun will always be in my arsenal of styles, and I don't think a twist-hawk will be appropriate in every work situation. But with this newfound confidence best believe I will be exploring tons of other styles in the coming weeks and months. As always, I will keep you updated.

~Peace

***update 7/1/2009***
Msjaim asked a really great question. Check it out, along with my response:

Blogger msjaim said...
very nice, where'd u get it done & were they gentle?

Blogger Black girl with long hair said...
@ msjaim... LOL! good question!

i got my hair done at "hair mechanics" on chicago and homan on the West Side. the lady who did my hair is the same who did my big chop. it's a "hood" salon in the austin/east garfield park neighborhood (one of the worst in chicago in terms of crime and economics), but my hairdresser is really open-minded. she's never questioned my choices about my hair, and even allows me to wash it myself beforehand so i don't have to use her harsh shampoos and conditioners.

i haven't worked up the nerve, though, to ask her not to use gel to twist my hair. one day i'll walk up in there with my elasta qp and make demands.

and yes, she was very gentle with my hair. a light blowdry before the twisting, and the cornrows weren't too tight.

it's funny, my hairdresser's specialty is cornrows/twists/box braids (even though she's relaxed) so she always seems relieved when i come in, to get a break from doing relaxers and press and curls. whenever i ask her to put in a cornrow design she gets really creative.

i actually have pictures of an old style she did where the cornrow design was very, very intricate. it was 'rows going up the crown of my head, with a fake kinky ponytail attached to the top. (that was back in the early teeny weeny afro days.)

i should find those pictures and post them one day.

also, i have tried to some of the more high-end natural hair salons in chicago and i'm sorry, but it's not worth the money. i really can't afford to pay an extra $40, $50 for random, superfluous bougieness. there are other times in my life when i indulge in random, superfluous bougieness, but this is not one of them.

i know a lot of black hairdressers get a bad rap (and rightfully so!), but there are definitely some gems out there.

keep in mind that many can cornrow, flat twist and braid to kill! (i think they learn some of this in beauty school) but they just opt to advocate the relaxer.

I will say that this does not excuse the fact that I don't know how to cornrow! I'm still trying to learn and I've been practicing.

Afrobella on BGLH

So a few weeks back BGLH was mentioned on Afrobella, a leading beauty blog for women of color. I was honored to be mentioned and asked Afrobella, aka Patrice Yursik, for an interview. I wanted to know about her fabulous hair, but seeing that Afrobella is a leader on the blog scene, I also wanted to get her thoughts on the importance of new media to black women.

Afrobella started in August 2006 as a documentation of Patrice's journey of learning to care for her natural hair. Since then the blog has branched into makeup and beauty reviews and reflections on culture, music and style.

Afrobella appeared in an April 2009 issue of Glamour magazine, and won Black Weblog awards in 2007 and 2008. Originally from Trinidad, Patrice recently moved from Miami to Chicago. Before moving into full-time blogging, she worked as a writer and newspaper editor.


With other bloggers in NYC



BGLH: First let me say, your hair is beautiful. What do you do to keep it looking good?
AFROBELLA: Thank you! It took me a long time to get to a place where I understood what my hair needed and learned how best to care for it. My hair is constantly crying out for moisture, so I use very moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. I've learned to avoid the ingredients that deplete my hair's moisture - for example alcohol and mineral oil. I condition it often, don't shampoo often, and do lots of oil treatments.

BGLH: From your blog entries, I take it that you have a pretty laid back attitude about your hair. Is that true?
AFROBELLA: Ever since I was little, I hated taking care of my hair. Hated rollers and hot irons and sitting under the dryer. Hated it! So maybe going natural for me was a rebellion against all of that. Now I love taking care of my hair because I do it on my own terms!

BGLH: What are your top product picks for your hair?
AFROBELLA: I love Ojon products, the restorative treatment makes my hair so happy. I am a Miss Jessie's fan, specifically the buttercreme. Moroccan Oil is great, and so is Curls Gel'le'sc. For shampoo and condish, I love DevaCurl no poo and one conditioner. And Trader Joe's conditioner is the bomb. All organic and its so cheap!

BGLH: And since we have your expertise at our disposal — what are some beauty must-haves for black women?
AFROBELLA: My skin tends to become easily hyperpigmented, so a good concealer or foundation is essential for me. I adore Make Up For Ever's HD cover, and Prescriptives mineral powder. I know lots of black women have oily skin like I do, so I live by MAC's prep and prime and I always have Boscia blotting linens. I could go on and on...

BGLH: How does your hair reflect your personality?
AFROBELLA: I let my hair be what it wants to be - free, loose, healthy. My hair is a reflection of my spirit. When its unhealthy and dull and restrained, that's proof I am not feeling my best or living as healthy as I like to.

BGLH: Your blog, as evidenced by its popularity, has really hit a positive nerve with black women. What do you think is the reason for its success?
AFROBELLA: Sometimes I wonder and I am always amazed by the success Afrobella has had. I am a good writer and I know my voice comes out in my writing, so that has a lot to do with it I think. Also, I think attitude goes a long way. I try to keep Afrobella positive, to be an escape from all the negativity online. And I never try to act like a preacher or a know it all. I make it clear that I am no expert, all I can offer is my opinion and I love learning from others. I always want to know what my readers are thinking.

BGLH: When you started Afrobella back in 2006, did you think it would eventually get this much attention?
AFROBELLA: No! Not at all. I started it to express myself. All I dreamed of was maybe getting to review hair products and makeup. Afrobella has grown beyond my wildest dreams.

BGLH: What is the importance of online and new media publications for Blacks, especially as contrasted with traditional Black publications?
AFROBELLA: Blogging and the internet have been so important for black writers. It's a whole new world and its so refreshing. Now an aspiring writer doesn't have to depend on traditional media to get their name out there - you can do it yourself and often better and faster than they can, with hard work and ingenuity. And the black blogosphere in particular is like a family. We support each other and keep in touch via social media like Twitter and Facebook. I have made some wonderful friends this way.

BGLH: Why did you make the choice to leave your newspaper and get into blogging full-time? (I ask this as a fellow reporter :)
AFROBELLA: The time was right. I had a cool job but I got to a point where it was holding me back from my dreams. I felt like it was a dead end and I had created something that became not just my passion, but my way out. So here I am! It's scary and not secure like that salaried job is, but I feel great about the decision I made.

BGLH: Last I heard you were road-tripping from Miami to Chicago. I'm in Chicago, are you here yet? And why Chicago :)
AFROBELLA: I just got to Chicago a month ago and I love it! My husband is from here and we are currently living with his parents until we're able to move to the city. I love the energy of this place. The possibilities are endless!

guest blogger week will start wednesday... posting afrobella interview instead

I can never get a vacation, can I? *sigh*
Guest blogger week was supposed to start today, but I ran into a few scheduling problems. But I will, instead, post an interview I did with beauty blogger Afrobella. It will be up in a few minutes :)
~Leila

saturday retrospective: michael jackson, l'oreal and ciroc

Like many of you, I was stunned and deeply, deeply saddened by the loss of Michael Jackson. And also reflecting on the difficulties he had accepting himself. I read an Associated Press article about how his skin got lighter, his hair straighter and his nose more narrow as he became more successful.






Mike had vitiligo, a disease that causes di-pigmentation of the skin. That, I think, is the reason he chose to lighten his skin. But the constant facial (and hair) reconstruction is a separate issue. (Although some have said the rhinoplasty was to improve his singing voice.)

And Lil' Kim seems to be going the way of Mike. Her skin has gotten progressively lighter and her nose narrower. And no, Lil' Kim doesn't have vitiligo.

Lil Kim then

Lil Kim now


On the same day I heard the devastating news of Michael's death, I got word that L'Oreal had been sued for racism because they didn't want colored women selling their beauty products. I guess, in their opinion, colored women don't make a great case for beauty and they signed Beyonce on as a token to attract Black women... but they made sure to lighten her skin in her ads just to be safe

This brought to mind what rapper Yung Berg said in a July 2008 interview:

“I’m kinda racist… I don’t really like dark butts too much… It’s rare that I do dark butts. Like really rare… It’s like, no darker than me. No darker than me."

And yes, Yung Berg is a relatively insignificant rapper but hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs also recently took heat for a March 2009 casting call where he requested only white, Hispanic and light-skinned Black models to promote Ciroc Vodka.
Which brings me to the issue I touched on briefly in my Friday post -- BEAUTY EQUALITY.

There are many things that people need to thrive: educational parity, economic equality, social mobility and equal access to social services.
But they also need beauty equality.
The physical features that are unique to a certain race need to be acknowledged as equal to those of other races.

Why?

Well, because many Black people lead very schizophrenic lives when it comes to beauty. We say we are proud to be Black, but we do things constantly to diminish the 'look' of that Blackness. We're obsessed with the wispy 'baby hair' at our temples, we praise those among us who have non-traditional features -- like looser textured hair, freckles, lighter eyes and lighter skin. And we ascribe value, beyond beauty, to those features; like intelligence and success. (And I say this as a woman with light eyes and freckles.)

In working on this blog, it's amazing to me how -- objectively speaking, if we could wipe away years of racism and media brain-washing -- natural hair is truly ONE OF THE MOST EXOTIC FEATURES OF THE BLACK WOMAN. And yet, somehow we have become collectively convinced that it is ugly and needs to be altered through chemicals and heat.

I have heard women lament that the worst thing in the world is to be a "regular looking" Black woman, with darker skin, dark eyes and nappy hair. HOW HAVE THOSE THINGS COME TO BE SO LOW ON THE BEAUTY TOTEM POLE? Why do we interpret them as "regular".

I will end my rant here... But my question for this Sunday retrospective is
What about dark skin (or just black skin) makes us attach negative attributes to it? Why do we do this?

***I know this is a diversion from the topic of natural hair, but we will return to that on Monday with guest blogger week***

natural girl's reading list: L'Oreal sued for racism in French high court

Wowowowowow...

L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, whose advertising campaigns proclaim “because you’re worth it,” was found guilty of racial discrimination for considering black, Arab and Asian women unworthy of selling its shampoo.

France’s highest court was told that the group had sought an all-white team of sales staff to promote Fructis Style, a haircare product made by Garnier, L’Oréal’s beauty division.

The word went out that Garnier’s hostesses should be BBR — “bleu, blanc, rouge” — the colours of the French flag. The expression is widely recognised in the French recruitment world as a code for white French people born to white French parents, a court was told, in effect excluding the four million or so members of ethnic minorities in France.

La Cour de Cassation, the equivalent of the US Supreme Court, said that the policy was illegal under French employment law, upholding a ruling given by the Paris Appeal Court in 2007.

The judgment was a significant blow to the image of the world’s biggest cosmetics group, which has spent millions of dollars in global advertising campaigns featuring stars such as Andie MacDowell, Eva Longoria, Penélope Cruz and Claudia Schiffer.

(L'Oreal's) image already suffered a battering when L’Oréal executives were forced to deny claims that they had lightened the singer Beyoncé Knowles’s skin for a campaign last year.


The ruling also hinted at widespread prejudice among French shoppers since L’Oréal believed that they were more likely to buy shampoo from white sales staff, the court was told.

The ruling will fuel anger among black and Arab French people, who complain that they face widespread discrimination when seeking employment.
source: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/consumer_goods/article6572173.ece

When will women of color — and especially black women — achieve "beauty equality"? Why are we considered less attractive and, in the "beauty" industry, less marketable than other women? This shit really really BOTHERS me!
What do you guys think of all this?

Michael Jackson dead at 50

I know this is not hair-related but Michael Jackson is a big part of global Black culture.

TMZ is reporting that Michael Jackson is dead at 50. I hope to God that this isn't true. I'm watching major news networks now, and they're talking as though he's dead.

***update... the Wall Street Journal, CBS News and the LA Times are now saying that he's dead. CNN is saying he's in a coma.***
***update... CNN hasn't confirmed officially, but is saying that Michael Jackson is dead.***

I cannot believe this. Michael Jackson impacted me deeply — he was a beautiful person and a genius, but unable to accept and embrace the fact that he was black. But now is not the time for analysis. Now is the time to mourn. Rest in peace Michael Jackson.

naturals from around the world: aulelia from the UK (via tanzania)

Being natural is ... a great buffer from sorting out the troll boys from the keepers. Why waste your time with a man who is too invested in your hair and wants you to have a Naomi Campbell weave so he can run his fingers through? **rolls eyes** DECLINED!



Tower of London. It has been around since the 13th century

Traitors' Gate at the Tower of London where Anne Boleyn passed on her way to her execution in the 16th century.


BGLH: Where are you from?
AULELIA: I always say that I am a Tanzanian. Because of my parents jobs, my family has lived all over the world from Russia, Switzerland to Sweden and then my parents sent me to boarding school in the UK. I came here [UK] when I was around 11, and have had my secondary education here. I am on a journalism masters course at the moment in London. So I would say that I live in London, but I am from Tanzania, East Africa woop!

BGLH: What's interesting about the place where you live?
AULELIA: I think the most interesting thing about London is what surrounds you. I live in east London, and there are so many quirky things all around. One day, you can be walking down the street in Walthamstow and see a derelict cinema that the local community is trying to save, and then you can come across bustling markets with people vying for your hard earned money. London is a crazy juxtaposition of old and new, fashionable and crumbling, toughness and grit, yet the gloss of the aristocracy is also still visible. It's a great city to live in if you are interested in history, because the history of the city is literally cracking off the cobbled streets everywhere.

BGLH: What is the natural hair scene like?
AULELIA: LOL, this is a sensitive topic. I bang on and on about natural hair. I know this will sound controversial, but I think natural hair in London is just coming to the mainstream. I have been natural since '04 and I can say that only since this year have I seen representations in the press on natural hair. It has always seemed to be an afterthought in black magazines here, and whilst there is some change in the media, I don't think the natural hair revolution as such has happened in London. Yes, there has been growth and there are natural-headed women, but not to the extent as seen in the United States of America. I'd also like to add that I have noticed a lot more natural headed men who wear big afros etc more so than women in London. This is just from my personal experience, so I don't know about other women who live in London.

There are a few natural hair salons - there is one in Hackney called eftal or something but they cater more towards people who like locs which is great. I also think it has to be said that, it also depends on where you live in London. I don't want to make it a postcode issue, but I do live in east London and I must say, I have never seen so many beauty shops that sell relaxers in one area. I do think where you live makes a huge difference as to whether you see relaxers or not. In the more creative, fashionable areas like Shoreditch, Hoxton, I think it would be more likely to see girls with natural hair.

I would not say natural hair is normal though! LOL! That would be going too far. It is still something seen as 'different'. I was in Sainsburys supermarket the other day in north London and the cashier told me he liked my hair (he was a black man) and he just said how much he liked it. I was flattered as it is always nice to receive compliments. What is odd is that I receive compliments on my hair a lot from white people, and some black people, but definitely more from white people. That is one reaction to natural hair that is surprising, just because on the surface, you'd think black people would give compliments as well.

BGLH: When did you go natural? Did you transition or big chop?
AULELIA: I transitioned and to be honest, I wish I hadn't. I do think it slowed down the growth process a great deal for me, because I became so impatient. I remember specifically starting my journey in autumn of 2004. Watching the relaxed strands grow out was bizarre - my hair was half kinky and half straight so I started experimenting with styles a lot, doing 'Geisha' style uploads, doing 60s style hairstyles as well. As my hair reverted to its natural state, I started to do Afro styles more and twists. But yes, I wish I had done the big chop and watched it grow organically.

BGLH: Where do you buy your hair products?
AULELIA: I must be one of the only birds who is not big on products LOL! I don't use them a lot, but when I do go and buy some, I normally go to one of the beauty shops down the road from where I live. It is crammed with relaxers, but they do have an oil section where I buy West Indian Castor Oil. My hair is really liking it at the moment, and bizarrely, even when it rains and after it rains, it still leaves my hair feeling supple and moist which is wicked. It's also cheap, less than £2 so it makes sense for me economically.

I used to use a lot of beeswax but that was before I knew what nonsense was inside there! Eek! I also love the IC Hair Polisher.

BGLH: Do you have natural hair 'meetups' in your country? Do you think they are necessary for your country?
AULELIA: I think Cherry Lola does meetups and I must confess, I really want to go to one. L says~Cherry Lola's site: http://www.cherrylola.com/ I just have never set aside time to do it yet but it is something I should do because it would be great to be around other black women who are naturals and not have to explain myself around the relaxed army all the time! Anything that is a support group for a cause is fantastic so I love the idea of a meetup.

BGLH: What do you like about being natural in your country?
AULELIA: This is an interesting question. I think what I love the most about being natural in London is that since I have become natural, hair has not become an obsession for me here. I remember when I was relaxed, I would obsess about my hair - I would think about how long it was getting. When I became natural, I would go jogging not worrying about my hair too much - as long as it looked neat and tidy, I was happy.

Being natural is [for me] also a great buffer from sorting out the troll boys from the keepers. Why waste your time with a man who is too invested in your hair and wants you to have a Naomi Campbell weave so he can run his fingers through? **rolls eyes** DECLINED! Natural hair has helped me sort the men I want to talk to, and the ones who are a waste of time. On the whole, the men who seem like they are interested in personality seem down with my Afro. L says~Amen to this!

BGLH: What would you like to see in your country in terms of natural hair care?
AULELIA: I'm obsessed with media , so I would like to see UK magazines like Pride and Black Beauty & Hair cover natural hair more. It does get trite reading European magazines, and seeing the hair section where Beyonce is in the 'Afro' section -- Hello, Bey's weave is not natural and this is coming from one of the biggest stans! So I would like to see more coverage in the press, because images do have a huge effect on how young girls view their self esteem. Although The Noisettes have blown up, so Shingai Shoniwa is presenting a stunning image of natural hair.

I would also like to see more black-owned natural hair shops. Most beauty shops are owned by Asian people. Nothing wrong with that, but I would like to see more black people owning beauty shops. It is important we grasp what is targeted to us and try and understand it better from a business perspective. L says~Amen again!

BGLH: Anything else you want to add?
AULELIA: I'm beyond chuffed that you asked me to do this! So thanks Leila - BGLH is a supreme blog to be honest. You should be really proud of yourself. It's like a congregating space for natural girls, which is wicked. L says~Awww, thanks! :) Final points I'd like to add are for me, I realised that when I started to eat better like eating those dreaded vegetables, my hair has been smiling more. I am on a diet to lose some weight and I am feeling the effects on my hair a lot more, it feels stronger and not as dry and the back of my head, which grows the least fast, is also growth.

As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes going back to basics is what is needed. I think if you try and take care of your insides and body, your hair will follow suit. Products help of course, but diet has been the key for me.

And just quickly, Wakeema Hollis is my natural hair queen. L says~A Wakeema Hollis post is also coming today! Come to think of it Aulelia and Wakeema kind of favor each other. I think her hair is supreme and I love that she is a haute couture model and wears an Afro. She's wicked. I've posted about her on my blog numerous times.

L says~Thanks for the interview Aulelia! You can find more of Aulelia at her blog: http://charcoalink.wordpress.com/

Lagos natural hair gathering and Tyra Banks show clips

I've been asked to announce an upcoming natural hair gathering in Lagos, Nigeria.
Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: 4 Adeyera Adeyemo Street. Ogudu G.R.A
Host: Oghomwen Ehigie

For more information, check out the event's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115109607626, or email oghomwen@gmail.com

Also, as promised I found YouTube links to Tyra Banks' May show on good hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeXUm8OOUA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0DgVijM7Z8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g13u0w2oP4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxQGXmEVw-4&feature=related

Enjoy.

Thrift store shopping tips from style icon Felicia!

When I picked out photos for Felicia's profile I loved how cute and unique her outfits were... so I was surprised to find that most of her clothes are from thrift stores! She is definitely an ace thrifter and I had to ask her some strategy questions. I hope this helps all the thrifters and wannabe thrifters (like myself) out there!






Click here for more photos of Felicia's thrifted outfits from part 1 of her feature

BGLH: You are an AMAZING thrift store shopper. What percentage of your wardrobe is thrifted?
Felicia: Thank you! I love thrift store shopping. I would say that right now at least 95% of my wardrobe is thrifted. Probably more than that. The only items I never buy at the thrift store are my underwear and bras. Everything else, right down to the shoes, is fair game.

BGLH: We want tips! How do you get so many amazing thrift outfits?
Felicia: Sooo many tips to share, so little blog space… I will list my most beneficial tips:
Give yourself time and exercise patience when thrifting
Go in with a few ideas on either a look or certain items you would like to buy. Once I am inspired by a certain look I tend to make a mental note so that the next time I go shopping I’ll stay on the look out. Your “look” can be as simple as a certain color. I often color shop myself.
Use the grab-try-sort method. That means grab all the items you like, find interesting and may be in your size. Then try them all on and sort through the ones that work and don’t work.
Which leads to the tip to ALWAYS try on your items. If you followed the first tip then this shouldn’t be an issue.
Do a final look over. You are looking for holes, rips, tears and stains. My rule of thumb is not to buy any stained clothing. In my experience I almost never washes out and is likely the reason someone donated it in the first place.
Finally, donate stuff yourself! There have been a number of times when I’ve rolled into a thrift store with a garbage bag full of (washed, gently used) clothing and walked out with a new (to me) items. It’s a cycle for me. I will, in fact, donate back previously thrifted items if they are still in good to new condition.

BGLH: What are the best places to go?
Felicia: Generally speaking, thrift stores in the more affluent parts of town have the better quality items. And if you are specifically looking for name brand gear, those are the ones you want to check out first. My favorite thrift store is Goodwill. I like Goodwill because they always have a wide variety, and they tend to have the greatest amount of brand new gear in their stores. What I’ve also noticed over the years is they have tons of brand new Target store items. Goodwill is were I buy most of my shoes. Another thrift store I enjoy is called Arc Village. I like shopping there because they usually have better quality than other smaller thrift stores and carry more of the current styles. They are higher priced than Goodwill. But I drift toward these stores since they are non-profit. Believe it or not there are FOR PROFIT thrift stores out there. A large chain is the Value Village (also called Unique) thrift stores. I don’t normally shop at these stores because I feel like they for the most part are a rip off with the pricing. I’ve been thrifting enough to know if I’m getting a good deal. And just because it says COACH does not make it worth $50 for me because it’s still second hand. I am shocked and appalled by thrift stores that charge that much for a purse. May as well buy a purse at retail with prices like that. Hmpf!
*hops off soapbox*

Monday style icon: Felicia

I can say I’ve always loved and appreciated my natural hair. Even when others didn’t. In my gut I knew that it was ok to let my hair do what it does.









Felicia is a style icon in a unique sense -- Yes, her hair fits her aesthetic amazingly well... but she is also a master thrift store shopper. I was amazed when she told me that 95% of her wardrobe (including the outfits you see here) is thrifted!! I was totally being opportunistic, and threw in some thrifter questions along with the regular hair ones. Part two of Felicia's interview tomorrow will be her tips for successful thrift store shopping!

BGLH: Where do you live?
Felicia: I live in Minneapolis, MN and am originally from Arkansas. I love the country, but enjoy living in the city.

BGLH: How old are you?
Felicia: I am 29 years young

BGLH: What field do you work in?
Felicia: I've worked in the finance industry for more than 10 years. I'm currently a training specialist for a local credit union. I have also worked as a loan servicing rep and business loan officer at this same credit union.

BGLH: Why did you make the decision to go natural?
Felicia: I have rocked my natural hair for so long I can hardly remember why I did in the first place. Lol. It's just ME. I prefer the volume and look of natural hair on myself. I feel that it represents me best of all hairstyles I've worn in my life. I am a natural sort of person. I prefer simplicity as well as authenticity. I feel that natural hair embodies that for me. Also I know that it’s the healthiest state my hair can be in.

BGLH: What's your hair story?
Felicia: Hmmm, where do I start? I think my first relaxer was when I was somewhere around 6 or 7 years old. I can hardly remember. I know that it was done in my first step-father’s mother’s kitchen. My sisters and I had gone to stay with her for a month or so and she decided that our thick natural hair was too difficult to manage. So she took down the braids my mother sent us in, and burned our scalps with chemical relaxers. My mother was highly pissed because she did not believe that children should have their hair relaxed so young. My mother preferred pressing our hair for special occasions but primarily kept our hair in cornrows with colorful beads.

After that first relaxer I suppose my mother felt she needed to maintain them. From there I remember she eventually gave in to the 80’s craze and put jheri curls in my older sis and my hair. At the time I thought it was great and just let my soul glow! Lol. Well after going back to the step-father’s mother’s house for another summer, she decided that the curls still were not presentable and put a relaxer on top of our curls. And that’s when our hair broke off horribly.

Throughout my childhood my mother went between letting our hair grow natural in order to correct chemical damage, to putting chemicals right back into our hair. I hated all the hair fuss. I was such a tomboy and my mother hated that I’d always sweat my hair out. Or got sand in my hair which apparently didn’t mix well with jheri curl juice.

The next pivotal moment in my hair story was when I was in 6th grade. At the time I lived with my step father’s aunt and she decided to allow her granddaughter, who was 16 at the time, to relax my hair. I remember after she “finished” I kept telling her that my scalp still burned and itched. But she basically told me to shut my trap and deal with it because she was finished with my hair. I was insistent that something was wrong and kept telling her and my great aunt that my scalp itched really bad. So I started to scratch it. Then I saw blood in my fingernails and a glob of hair connected to it. I showed it to my great aunt and she asked me what had I done, as if I caused it to happen. The fact of the matter is, she never fully washed the relaxer out of my hair. As a result I received 2nd degree chemical burns to the front of my scalp from my hairline to about 3 inches in. My scalp blistered, pussed up and scabbed up horribly. Needless to say my hair fell out in that area. Their solution to my Freddy Krueger scalp was to buy me a bunch of headbands to hide the burns. Did I mention they never sought out medical attention for me?

Well by the time I was back with my mother she was in tears at what they had done to my hair and scalp. She treated my scalp with aloe and took me to a hair stylist to figure out what to do. Fortunately my scalp healed and my hair started to grow back. Once I had enough hair to cover the scars my mother discussed with me the option of cutting all my hair off or relaxing it again so that it matched the rest of my hair. I told her to cut it all off. That was my first big chop. I returned to school the next day with a “boy’s haircut”. I fought back tears for the last few weeks of 6th grade because children were horrible. But one things that kept me going was my mother and family telling me everyday how beautiful I was. I knew they were just saying that to make me feel better, but it helped. Another motivator was my hair grew like weeds. I was amazed at how fast my buzz cut turned into a fluffy fro.

By the time I started 7th grade at a new school I woke up every morning and told myself “you are a queen, hold your head high”. And I repeated that mantra everyday of 7th grade before going to school where kids (primarily the black kids) taunted me and called me “BLACK AFRICAN BOOTY SCRATCHER” and “BALDHEADED BOY” and whatever other derogatory name you can call a dark-skinned girl with short natural hair. I usually wore my hair in a puff. Every once in a while I would press my hair out. Yes, by that time I had discovered my natural ability to “do some hair”. So I frequently was the hairdresser for my family, including my mother.

Well the summer of 7th grade was coming to an end and I asked my mother for a relaxer. I just didn’t want to face the negativity in 8th grade. My self esteem was virtually nonexistent and I felt like I lied to myself in the mirror each day when I told myself I was beautiful. Because I didn’t feel that way. My mother obliged and applied a relaxer a week before 8th grade. I returned to school with slick, jet black hair pulled into a ponytail that swung when I moved my head. In spite of my silky straight hair the kids continued to tease me. I was devastated.

For 9th grade I attended a school in the city that was predominantly black. I was afraid they would hate me as the few black kids did at the predominantly white suburban school had. But it was the opposite. I felt accepted by people who had dark skin like me and my self esteem improved. By 10th grade I stopped having my hair relaxed and unbeknownst to me I transitioned from relaxed to natural by styling my hair in Bantu knot outs and pressing every few weeks. Again my hair grew like weeds. Another thing I noticed was that the natural hair worked well with my busy sports schedule, as it allowed me to wash my hair frequently to remove the sweat and combat itchy scalp. By 11th grade I was completely natural and well known for my afros and puffs. I relaxed my hair when I began college, but by the winter of my sophomore year I chopped it all off because I wanted to be more in touch with my true self and profess with my crown that I love being black/African.

My hair remained natural until some time in 2002 when I relaxed my hair for about 3 months with the intention of chopping it all off again. Once I chopped I never looked back. Since then I’ve rocked various lengths of loose natural hair and even had locs for two and a half years. I can say I’ve always loved and appreciated my natural hair. Even when others didn’t. In my gut I knew that it was ok to let my hair do what it does.

BGLH: You sell scarves (click here to view)... tell us more about them. They're dope!
Felicia: Wow! Thank you so much. I love creating things with my hands. So, a few years ago I taught myself to crochet. Partly out of a desire to make my son extra hats for the winter since he has a bad habit of losing them. But also because I had admired the skill in a good friend of mine (bluknots). So with her online help and other online resources I started learning to do it. My very first creation was a scarf made of horribly scratchy yarn. And from there I started making neckwarmers, hats and other things. Scarves and neckwarmers have always been my favorites. My most requested items are usually hats, neckwarmers and arm warmers. BreathofLight was birthed a few years ago after getting many emails and requests for items. I finally decided to open an online shop (which is right now very neglected) as a more professional way to sell my creations. My focus is usually to make something both functional and fly.

BGLH: Where do you get style inspiration from?
Felicia: Mostly from blogs and people I see from day to day. Sometimes a picture or song will inspire a style. My personal style, while simple, is very deliberate for me. Not in the sense that I need to keep up with the latest trends. But it’s deliberate in the way that I feel it is a reflection of my personality, thoughts, moods and overall self expression. So even on the days I just throw on some leggings and tunic, the color choice and details of my shoes are thought of in some way as to reflect who I believe myself to be at that moment or on that day.

BGLH: Could you describe your products and regimen?
Felicia: My product staples are shea butter, water, Suave Tropical Coconut conditioner, Nizoral shampoo, apple cider vinegar (ACV), and Ginger Juice and Berries by La'Vida Given by Nature. I have never been a product junkie. I personally can’t bring myself to waste money on the latest and greatest. I have found things that always work for me and I will stick to them until they fail me or someone gives me a free sample of something that works better. Lol.

I keep my products to a minimum to also keep tabs on my scalp issues. Specifically itchy scalp and dandruff. I learned back when I had relaxed hair that my scalp does not like product. So I usually try to avoid getting any product on my scalp. Water is integral in maintaining moisture in my hair. And I like thicker products such as shea butter to help seal in moisture and keep my hair soft.

BGLH: What's the best thing about being natural?
Felicia: Versatility. Not just with styles. But when I have natural hair, I don’t dread a last minute trip to the pool. I know that even if I mess up my twistout, I can just wash my hair and rock a puff the next day. That’s like the default natural style, right? Lol. I feel so much more confident with my natural hair... When I wear my hair this way I feel like I am showing gratitude to God for making me as I am.

BGLH: Anything else you want to add?
Felicia: I am truly honored to be featured here. I’d like to add that I love this blog and what it offers. Your profiles on real people with their real hair are great. And anyone reading this who is considering wearing their natural hair, or needs encouragement to continue to wear it, just know that you are not alone. There are millions of women around the world that have been there and done that. All you have to do is look. It really is time to love and appreciate our natural hair as a blessing. Just as we appreciate everything else about ourselves.

Check Felicia out on fotki: http://public.fotki.com/feepee/

sunday retrospective: love, race and natural hair

In last Sunday's retrospective the topic of natural hair and relationships came up. Many women said that non-black men and non-black friends were more supportive of their natural hair than black men and black friends.

One of the more interesting quotes was from reader Serenissima:

"I was also on another forum that read that most Black hipster/indie/trendy guys in NYC are into White chicks, and vice versa...most Black chicks with naturals that I see walking around Soho are with White or Asian men. So there's something else to chew on in this whole debate."

That didn't really surprise me. What surprised me was how few women came forward to vouch for black boyfriends/husbands who loved their hair.

So my question to you is: What are black men's reactions to your hair? What are non-black men's reactions to your hair? And how have these reactions shaped your hopes and expectations of your love life?

I have noticed a lot of natural women in interracial relationships. But to put that in perspective I've noticed that a lot of naturals in general are in relationships. I'd even venture to say that I've seen more 'internet naturals' married than black women in the general population. Has anyone else noticed this? And if so, why do you think this is?

As we discuss this, I found a few interesting statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau:

Forty-five percent of black women in America have never been married compared with 23 percent of white women

3.7% of married Black American women and 8.4% of married Black American men have a non-Black spouse. 6.6% of married Black men and 2.8% of married Black women have a White spouse.

Married couples in the United States in 2006:

• White Husband/White Wife: 50,224,000
• White Husband/Black Wife: 117,000
• White Husband/Asian Wife: 530,000
• White Husband/Other Wife: 489,00

• Black Husband/White Wife: 286,000
• Black Husband/Black Wife: 3,965,000
• Black Husband/Asian Wife: 34,000
• Black Husband/Other Wife: 45,000


• Asian Husband/White Wife: 174,000
• Asian Husband/Black Wife: 6,000
• Asian Husband/Asian Wife: 2,493,000
• Asian Husband/Other Wife: 13,000

As far as my own experiences with natural hair and romance; I did a big chop about two and a half years ago, and rocked a bald head for a while. My hair has recently become medium length (see update post below), before that I rocked short looks...


baldie

teeny weeny afro

teeny twists

In college, my black girlfriends and I called ourselves "alternative black people" or ABPs because we had interests, likes and dislikes that weren't typical of traditional/media representations of black women. So, even before I went natural - When my hair looked like this -


I was surrounded by people - black or otherwise - who affirmed who I was. So the black dudes I kicked it with were supportive when I went natural. I've always embraced my uniqueness (I gave up being normal a while back, lol) and I guess I've always found men, black or otherwise, who support that.

I went on dates with my short, nappy hair and never felt that it inhibited my love life. And I'm currently in a relationship with a black dude.

So, now it's your turn. What's your view on natural hair, race and relationships? My specific questions are high up in this post, so I'll state them again...

1. What are black men's reactions to your hair? What are non-black men's reactions to your hair? And how have these reactions shaped your hopes and expectations of your love life?
2. I've seen more 'internet naturals' married than black women in the general population. Has anyone else noticed this? And if so, why do you think this is?

***update!***

I just wanted to clarify that the black dudes I kicked it with in college and afterwards -- the "alternative black dudes" -- weren't what you'd call "conscious" or "afrocentric". They were just, I dunno, cool black dudes who loved skate boarding and snow boarding, who listened to rock as well as rap, who studied physics and computer science, etc. They were black dudes who lived life on their own terms. And my current boyfriend is that way.

When I chopped off all my hair, they thought it was awesome. They liked the aesthetic. As my hair has grown in, I don't think they see it as me being "conscious" or "embracing my blackness." They just like the way natural hair looks on me better than straight hair.

Also, here's a link to the U.S. Census Bureau information I found: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2006.html

climbing deeper into this natural ish... a small update of what's going on with me

Hey guys
Hey guys...
It's me, Leila... So, J and Jc (of the fabulous natural hair science blog, The Natural Haven) tell me I should give more udpates on my hair. So here goes. Brief hair history: I did my big chop about two and a half years ago, rocked a bald head for a while and am now growing my hair out.
There's not a whole lot to show... yet... but here's a quick update on what's going on with me.

1. MSM Sulfur... It's awesome! It's a supplement that aids with hair growth. From my understanding, it also helps with general body health. But J can expound on that... she's the expert. In any case, here's a pic...



************************************************************************************
ok lei, i am so hijacking this post right now. you know if you need info on supplements, i'm your girl! i've used msm for several years. yes, it is awesome! our bodies naturally produce sulfur and it is needed for healthy hair, skin and nails. if you guys want more info on msm, i did a post on msm on my blog. i use several supplements for my health and have a pretty good diet (self-proclaimed health nut), but i am pretty certain that it's the msm that keeps my nails strong. my nails grow fast and i have to cut them quite frequently. i don't polish them or "get them did" and yes i do dishes - lol. one of my male co-workers always makes fun of my "claws". here is a pic of my nails:
carry on love :)
~j~
**************************************************************************************
2. I'm what's hot in the nail shop... I am the best thing to happen to Pro Nails. The sulfur supplements also strengthen my nails, so whenever I go in to get them done they're strong and well-shaped. When I came in the other day, the lady at the front thought I had a fill-in. That's how dope my situation is right now.



3. It stinks... My hair, that is. I wrote a few weeks back that I can't use spritzes cause the moisture gets on my face and causes break outs. Well the alternative — just using Elasta QP mango butter and castor oil — is causing my hair to smell terrible. I guess the moisture in spritzes serves as a cleansing agent at some level. Right now I feel like I'm piling gobs of product on my hair...

4. ...Which means I no longer moisturize daily. There is such a thing as too much moisture/product and I've passed that threshold. I now moisturize every 2 or 3 days depending on how my hair feels. If I choose not to apply a moisturizer I massage my scalp so the oils spread.

5. My hair brushes my shoulders even when it's not stretched... Not all of it, just most of the back. Here's a bathroom shot I took while re-twisting my hair to make it last a bit longer. And peep my dope yellow towel.


the left side isn't really done yet, so it's shorter than the right side

Nice little milestone there. As my hair gets longer it gets thicker. As it gets thicker, I do my twists smaller. It allows for longer times between retwisting and more flexibility in styling. Case in point: I tried to do a bantu knot out on short, fat twists the other day. It didn't work.

6. I still rock the boring bun most of the time...



But don't hate cuz it's working for me right now...



7. I PROMISE to do more styling... I swear to you, I will. I promised myself I would learn to cornrow and flat twist. I've been peeping YouTube videos and practicing on little pieces of my hair. My sister is at home for summer break. But best believe once she gets back to Chicago for college she will become my foam mannequin head. In the meantime, I'm going to see if someone's cousin/sister/mama/auntie could hook me up with some 'rows or flat twists.

8. I'm not going to straighten my hair this summer like I said I would... I'm too scared aka I'm waiting/praying for J to fly to Chicago and do it for me. I was planning on flat ironing for a wedding a couple weeks ago but had a total straight-hair junkie meltdown. I started remembering my silky-flat-iron college days and taking routes that would force me to drive by my old hairdresser. I went through my old storage stuff and dug out my curling iron. I tried a horridly unsuccessfully roller set. I rocked back and forth in a corner while murmuring "Dominican blow out". Okay I didn't do that last thing. But in the end my boyfriend stepped in and told me, no, I wasn't going to do it because I was freaking myself out. And he's right. I was so indecisive/obsessive about the whole thing that I just dropped it. Maybe on my 3 year nappiversary in November? We'll see...

9. Still love being natural... Yep. That hasn't changed.

And that wraps it up. Pretty much all that's going on with me right now.

Two Painted Fingers,
Leila



***update!***

Based on the discussion going on below, I'm going to turn this post into a teaching moment... Can you guys help me with the following..
1. How do you wash/co-wash/no-poo your hair when it's in twists?!
2. How do you style if you don't know how to cornrow or flat twist?
Please weigh in. I would personally appreciate it :)

***update again!***

alright, i've been convicted. i do need to style more... a LOT more. tell you what. i will practice for a few weeks, and my next 'climbing deeper into this natural ish' update will be of a new style i mastered. sound good? well wish me luck!

You must see this: slideshow of natural hair in the 60s!

source: Slate magazine

Slate magazine has a DOPE slideshow of natural hair from the 60s. See this is what I'm TALKIN' BOUT! This is the era BGLH is seeking to usher in again...

Check it out here: http://todayspictures.slate.com/20090617/

the bird cage veil

Zara, of the amazing blog 'Leave in the Kinks' achieved this look by tying her ponytail down with a scarf overnight. Amazing.

You can check out the new and improved 'Leave in the Kinks' site at www.leaveinthekinks.blogspot.com

it's somebody's birthday...i wonder who :)

i interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to make a brief announcement:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEILA!

at BGLH, we work hard in front and behind the scenes to bring you educated, informed and socially relevant content, but leila is indeed a superwoman of sorts! (i swear there are more hours in her day than i have in mine!) so, please leave some love behind in appreciation of all her efforts! this is my shout out: love you girl, it's a pleasure working with you, and i appreciate all that you do in bringing natural hair to the masses :)
~j~

***
Leila here!
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the sweet birthday wishes :)
My day was awesome. I couldn't do much with my girlfriends, cuz my b-day fell on a Tuesday (I know, right?!) But the boyfriend hooked it up in a major way.
My job gives employees the day off on their birthday, so I got a chance to chill/sleep in before I drove up to Chicago to chill with the bf.
Okay... are there any sneaker enthusiasts out there? Of the hipster variety?
The bf hooked me up with two new pairs of Nike dunks!!!! I am a dunk collector and I was TOO excited!!! They're really dope and I can't wait to wear them. I also got a practical gift — speakers for my laptop, lol.
I also got a call from Jamaica, a lady from my old church who is in charge of the "birthday ministry", lol! Guess my name's still on the list :)
I'll get a chance to celebrate more with family and friends this weekend and later in the month. But I did feel appreciated and loved on my b-day. And it feels great to be 24!

sunday retrospective... natural hair and racial environment

BGLH reader Yuki left a comment on a recent post...

Having frequented a number of natural hair sites and forums since I "big chopped" last September, I seem to be noticing that the black women who embrace their natural hair quite often live in racially diverse areas or predominantly white areas, while women who choose to mainly relax and wear weaves live in largely black areas. Is this the case? And if so, why? Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I way off the mark here. Probably I am. Any thoughts?

Interesting.
I haven't seen this in my experience, but what do you think?

friday afternoon fun: natural hair indie rocker Shingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa

I discovered her recently... check it:

Shingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa (pronounced Shing-eee) born in 1981, of English and Zimbabwean descent is the vocalist and bassist for the UK indie rock band Noisettes. Her first name, Shingai means ‘perseverance’ in the East African Shona language. The Noisettes gained recognition with their single, "Don't upset the rhythm." The band performed at the Ciochella Music Festival and Shingai has performed for Def Jam Records artists and executives.

Has anyone heard of her? I'm feelin' her hair!

naturals from around the world: vanessa in bermuda!

"I was born and bred in Bermuda. Bermuda is a small British Dependent Territory approximately 640 miles east of North Carolina. Despite Bermuda's small size (20.6 square miles), we have the 8th highest population density in the world with an average of 1200 people per square kilometer."



Warwick Long Bay Beach

Typical Bermuda Homes. The architecture in Bermuda is quite unique and tends to be very colourful.~Vanessa

A Bermuda Lighthouse


BGLH: Where are you from?
Vanessa: Island gurl checking in...I was born and bread in Bermuda. Bermuda is a small British Dependent Territory approximately 640 miles east of North Carolina.

BGLH: What's interesting about the place where you live?
Vanessa: Despite Bermuda's small size, we have the 8th highest population density in the world with an average of 1200 people per square kilometer. The people here are quite laid back and the environment is tranquil. I am forever grateful to wake up to chirping birds and ocean breeze.

BGLH: What is the climate/weather like?
Vanessa: Bermuda has a subtropical climate. Winters in Bermuda are breezy but very mild with temperatures around 20 °C. Summers are very hot and humid with temperatures around 32 °C ... People often say our climate is similar to Savannah Georgia

BGLH: What is the natural hair scene like?
Vanessa: There are a few naturals here in Bermuda, but they are not the majority. The consensus regarding natural hair varies amongst generations. Older generations still have a mentality that longs for and accepts "good hair" (loose curls) while rejecting and frowning upon "bad hair" (tightly coiled). Ya feel me? However younger generations embrace it more, and slowly I am finding more and more people wearing their hair in its natural state. Though you do still find that those with tighter coiled hair are more reluctant to go natural due to the lack of knowledge, social conforms etc.

BGLH: When did you go natural?
Vanessa: Oh gosh where to begin! It really has been a journey. I first decided to go natural back in 2003. Constant perming and roller setting over the years had left my hair very damaged and generally it seemed to be thinning, especially along my hairline. I was natural for just over a year before I put a texturiser in my hair thinking it would make things easier. Well, needless to say, I hated the after effect and really missed my hair's true texture. So I transitioned again for 5 months, and then did the BC in early 2005, cutting off all of the texturised hair and leaving behind my TWA. Since then I have remained natural.

So you think by now I'd have hair down to bra strap....no darlin...It took me a long time to learn how to care for my natural hair. During the early part of my natural journey, the only resources I had were online websites and random suggestions from friends (who weren't natural). I had to learn learn many things the heard way, in terms of what chemicals to stay away from, how important moisture is, the benefits of protective styling, which dyes can damage hair, why deep conditioning treatments are important etc. the list goes on...

I did another big chop in fall of 2006 after which I finally got the hang of it. Now some 3 years later have a rock solid regimen which is working for me, and slowly but surely I am managing to maintain the health of my hair while growing it out.

BGLH: Where do you buy your hair products?
Vanessa: I use Qhemet Biologics which I order online.
I use Castile soap or which I purchase from the local health stores.
I also have a little herb garden, which I pick from to test different things, like infused vinegar rinses. L says~cool!

BGLH: What do you like about being natural in your country?
Vanessa: I like that it's unique and sets my style even further apart from the majority.

BGLH: Do you have natural hair 'meetups' in your country?
Vanessa: No, we don't.

BGLH: What would you like to see in your country in terms of natural hair care?
Vanessa: I hope that people will one day let go of the "good hair/ bad hair" mentality and recognise that beauty comes in many forms. Especially natural beauty. I have begun to see more salons/stylists that specialise in natural hair care which is lovely. I do wish however that more "all natural" products were available here (especially butters) so that people could avoid paying for the shipping/duty for goods ordered online.

L says~Thanks Vanessa! You can find Vanessa's art at http://naturalexpression.net. Definitely check it out and give her some feedback.
I remember, growing up in the 'mainland Caribbean' that Bermuda was pretty far removed from other islands. In this map below, it's the tiny speck in the upper right corner of the map, left of the North sign.



It's crazy that, despite its relative isolation, the issue of 'good hair' and 'bad hair' has still seeped into that culture. *sigh* I guess it's the British influence. In any case, thank you for sharing your story Vanessa! I'm glad to know that Bermuda is becoming more natural-friendly.