Hair in Unrelated Ads

(http://theculture.forharriet.com/2014/09/nubian-skin-is-here-to-change.html)

I’ve taken this picture from the website, “The Culture,Lifestyle for Black Women”. If you read it with their title “Nubian Skin is Here to Change the Complexion of Lingerie” you would think it’s great that they’re promoting nude color clothing for everyone. You would also assume they are talking about black women when they say “Nubian”.

What I got from glancing at the photo wasn’t some great relief that nude clothing is finally being made. I looked at the picture. The two girls on the right are clearing the “blacks”. They are laughing and stylish (The one with pressed “bad hair” is making her hair attractive by covering it with a colorful scarf/headband and the other with “good hair” has dyed her hair blonde/and is the “wild and crazy one”).

While the other two on the left don’t look like they want to be there. In fact, they don’t look “black”. Being the blacks that care so much about whether or not their clothing matches their skin tone. They look they they were put in the shot because the photographers needed dark-skinned girls with straight hair. Honestly, the one on the far right looks South Asian, and the other mixed/South American. There is no reason they shouldn’t be in the picture. Even though the title says “Nubian” (because all black Americans use this term to make them feel like they know their African heritage) they don’t say explicitly “black” girls and use the term “dark-skinned”. That’s another thing blacks in America do: they assume that all dark-skinned people share their plight, whatever it may be at the moment.

So, the point of this post is to show how hair on dark-skinned/tan skinned women is portrayed in media. This ad wants people to believe that the common black woman has straight hair. That black “comes in all shapes and sizes”. When they know dog gone well that those girls on the right could care less about the bras. Either that or they’re shy. It is also to express my opinion on why “nude like me” is not a phenomenon. It’s a distraction. Who really cares if your bra matches your chest or not?

First Twist-out

Okay, so wish me luck:I just did my first twist-out with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil conditioner and cocoanut oil. I’m trying to follow Naptural85’s method. Her hair looks great!

The morning after: deep conditioned and trimmed.

Clearing off the Shelf: Most Popular Curly Products sold in Stores

From what I’ve noticed from the shelves of Target and CVS there are some products that are more popular than others. Let’s be clear, these products are not necessarily better than others. They are usually bought based on familiarity and price.

Shea Moisture is among the newest and most popular brands. Here’s why:

1. They have the lowest prices. Items running from the average $8-$10.99.

2. They also make products for the other parts of the body (There Avocado Body wash is always off the shelves.

3. They are 100% Natural (no hidden sulphates in the ingredients)

4. They cater to different textures of curls (they have 3 complete lines)

Giovanni‘s a popular line because:

1. It’s 100% natural

2. Catering to All hair types (therefore it’s in organic section of Target and also sold at Whole Foods)

3. Sells for $8

4. You only need to use little bit because it spreads very easily.

 

Curls is a natural brand catered towards multiethnic women. They’re making bank by:

1. Mainly selling their styling products in stores

2. Having bright, attractive packaging

3. Leading the customer in steps (1-cleanse, 2-condition, 3- moisturize, 4-style) to help new naturals in caring for their hair.

4. Including a kids line

Kinky-Curly

Now, the main thing Kinky-Curly profits from is

1. Their amazing Curly Custard Styling product. (However, it run $17 for 8 oz or $35 for 16 oz.)

This is where Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner come into play:

1. It comes in big bottles for $42

2. You don’t need a styler!

 Look out for the trends on these curly products and more in your local stores. If you want to catch some of these products, it’s advisable to shop at less shopped stores, such as beauty supply stores and organic food stores.

 

 

Curls and the workplace

 

 

So, this morning my “natural” mother said: “You, know you might have to straighten your hair for work.”

I don’t have a full-time job. I’m still a fairly recent college graduate. I am working on developing my skills in copywriting and design. That being said there is a high probability that I will be working in a more casual environment than the picture above. Therefore, I shouldn’t have to worry about how my hair looks. This especially upset me because I’ve been talking about why it’s important to wear my curly hair. Straightening my hair is a task for me and then I have to maintain it by running away from water. I’m low maintenance, I barely even wear makeup.

I guess this post is really addressing how the older black generation doesn’t “get” why you should not straighten your hair. It’s exhausting and clearly a waste of time to educate them.

So, I’m just going to wear my hair curly and not worry about getting corporate jobs that I don’t want anyway.

Curly hair is still a Business

Now, that the Natural hair movement has erupted in the 21st Century so has organic products. But that’s old news. So is my next sentiment. I know people, myself included, are all in agape at the new natural products out there and turn into the product junkie (Yes, addicted to products/squeezing plastic bottles of “lemongrass” and “potassium what’s- it-called” on to our hair).

My realization is that it’s just different companies competing with the same ingredients! And better yet, they’re the same ingredients that have been around forever (well, let’s rephrase that to “as long as we know” ?) . That is why I’ve decided to make homemade products. It’s just the effort part that has to catch up with my bold statement.

Curly hair products are probably even a bigger business than the billion dollar chemical relaxer business of the 20th century. I’m the 19th century they used “homemade” products: things found around the kitchen/near women.

Either way I’ll be paying someone for something. However, I rather not have to agonize over what product to buy based on which one is advertised best.

Thank You.

Is it really a curly hairstyle?

Hi, so I’ve been gone for awhile (why am I writing this like a letter?) but you, all 30 followers already knew that. Instead of saying I was busy or some other excuse I’ll say I was lacking in ideas for hot content similar to what’s around. Personally, I’m not that much into beauty/fashion more healthy hair/skin. It narrows my topics.

However, other people are interested in the aforementioned. I sometimes view Naptural85’s videos on YouTube and get very inspired. Her hair was very short and in a few years it’s longer than mine 😒.
She makes lots of her own products. Such as some flaxseed gel, which I sloppily made myself (she made it look so clean and easy! Lol)

She cute and great and all (and has millions of views) but I’ve noticed one thing: she stretches her hair to make the hair styles. So basically instead of using heat/flatiron she just roller set, braids/pins hair to stretch it to make a hairstyle. And so these hairstyles are still for STRAIGHT HAIR. I searched a bit for some more videos and the only thing I found for unaltered curly hair was the pompadour( (? )i.e. big bun lingering over your forehead)

Even after all this naturalista revolution it still seems that people are taking reference from straight hair. The hair styles out there I use like the twisted high bun are for when my curls are several days old and looking old. But I find very few hairstyles for curly hair that is not being apologetic: “Well, we could pin a few strands back here and presto a style! Otherwise, you’ll have to use curl formers. And by the way girl, if I had your hair I would do just that.”

Again, just my observations as a low maintenance mane.

You know you have big, curly, hair when:

1.) The back of your head is flat after driving.

2.) Your hair gets caught in all kinds of doors (and zippers and earrings)

3.) Before buying a coat you make sure the hood can fit over your hair and might have to buy a bigger size to do so.

4.) There is most likely lint somewhere in there.

5.) “just pulling your hair into a ponytail/bun” is a serious decision.

6.) You break hair ties on the regular.

7.) “a quarter-sized” (does anyone measure?) amount of product NEVER was enough!

8.) You’ve started to think you’re a model whenever you go into Target (or JCPENNY or SEARS).

9.) “windswept hair” looks like it.

10.) You’ve developed a strategic way to picking your seat in class.

11.) You would be an exception to the draft.

12.) You might be an candidate to be a rock star.

13.) Part of your hair has been cut out pictures.

14.) On a long train ride you don’t need a pillow.

15.) You can freely block out reality at any moment if need be.

Heat Damage Updos

So since my hair was looking a hot mess I needed to learn how to do updos/protective styling quickly. Sunkiss alba,again, had a video on that since she had extreme heat damage and didn’t want to straighten her hair again.

She made a “braided bun” that consisted of a ponytail braided into three braid,wrapped around and secured with bobby pins. My first go was sloppy,lumpy and curl disaster. I had also tried to do it in three minutes,which didn’t help. My second time turned out well.

(Btw the light brown in my hair is natural highlight. I heard if I use lemon juice and lay/run around in the sun it’ll “bring them out”.)

And since I’m almost always in a rush I decided to just unbraid the braids (OMG that’s where the term “braid-out came from!…I know I’m slow) and call it a style.

My hair’s sooo small! 😝 I’m so that used that. This style is cute. It reminds me of doing braid outs when I was younger in like 5th grade.

Man, right now I’m ready to deep condition my hair an go to bed. Yes!

The Long Aftermath

Yes, what you see there is terrible HEAT DAMAGE! And it seems to be from my “re-straightening” with the flatiron after the hairdresser. It’s been a week and half after I washed my straight hair out and the straight long ends aren’t getting curlier. So I finally cut them off (FYI: big chop gals I feel ya!).

The damage could’ve been worse. I watched Sunkissalba on YouTube. She used to have a ton a heat damage and now her hair is big bouncing curls. I’m going to try her protein/coconut mix to help my hair.

I’m also thinking of trying some products from Lush. There seems to be plenty of great reviews for curly hair.

I don’t think I ever want to straighten my hair again.

Oh no, she didn’t!

So once upon a time my grandmother got me a gift card to the hair salon. Yup! I flatiron end my hair.

Okay okay…it’s not that bad…I haven’t straightened it in 2.5 years! I needed a trim. I’ve been trying to trim my hair myself but it really just been me clipping away at random ends. That equals= LAZY!

Here what my hair looks like:I know it’s terrible!

Now, I tend to get so frustrated with people to wear their hair straight…but if they don’t feel obligated to do so I’m not worried about it. My main thing is I need to co-wash, buy more product/make product, trim every 3 months and wear protective hair styles. I keep thinking my hair is long…umm I just watched Naptural85 on YouTube and her hair has been natural for 5 years and is long. It went from very short to down her back. And look at me…barely any growth. So that’s my year goal-growth!