- While I believe that hatred for natural hair is bad, I also believe that women have a right to control their own bodies and appearance. Sometimes we want to try a different style or color, just for fun. But I can’t help wondering, as I watch Tyra Banks with her hair cornrowed especially for this episode, what message black women who constantly relax and weave and wig send to black girls. It is disengenuous of Banks to point to her braids to show her young guest that a black supermodel and media mogul is proud of her black hair, when in reality, Tyra would never rock those rows on the red carpet. When Banks is looking “fierce,” she’s usually sporting a long, straight blondish weave or wig. Everyone “tsk tsked” at the little black girl who loves her Hannah Montana wig because she thinks it is prettier than her real hair, but doesn’t grown-up Tyra do pretty much the same thing?
How can black mothers, most of whom, like Tyra, straighten or hide their natural hair, demonstrate to their daughters that curly to kinky hair can be just as beautiful in its natural state as that of other races? I am not asking this to be confrontational. I honestly am interested in hearing from black moms who perm their hair. What are the steps you take to ensure your child does not absorb the belief that straight is better? How do you address what your child may see as a contradiction: “Honey, natural black hair is beautiful, but none of the women in our family wear their hair naturally, because…”
Check out the video from EmpressRi for her review on Qhemet Biologics. It was her review that got me motivated enough to go buy this stuff. Back in February, I did a post about my journey to obtain a few Qhemet Biologics products. We are now at the end of April, meaning that I’ve been using QB for two months now. I feel comfortable with writing a review that I won’t later regret or have second thoughts on. As mentioned in the previous post, Qhemet Biologics can be difficult to get your hands on, depending on whether the website has it or not. I bought four items and have used them ever since, so I feel comfortable sharing my experience with what I’ve been putting in my hair. Here’s the review:
Egyptian Wheatgrass Cleansing Tea- The lavender scent is the first thing you notice when you open the bottle. It is a SLS-free, clarifying, gentle shampoo. I like it, I do, but for $13 per bottle, I’m not completely sold. I can see myself trying something else after I finish it.
Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee-I can not see myself without this product. It works wonderfully at detangling, and it smells like chocolate. It makes dry combing a breeze, especially if you use a Denman brush. My hair feels baby soft after adding this product to it. I think it would be great for anyone who doesn’t want to wet their hair just to comb it without pain. It has definitely helped with combing out my daughter’s tangles.
Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm- It really does feel just like honey. I am somewhat divided on this product. It does exactly what it claims: it moisturizes. My hair is so shiny and moisturized that it looks like it’s still wet even when it isn’t. And it does all this without letting my hair look limp. My small issue with the product is that it really does look, feel and smell like some olive oil and honey whipped together. It has the consistency of honey, with the hue of olive oil. I can’t help but look at it and think, “I can make this.” A jar of it will last forever, but when it runs out, I plan to whip up my own batch. It is best to use O&HHB when your hair is still wet or damp after washing. You don’t want to put this stuff in everyday between washes else it will get tacky/gummy.
Amla & Olive Heavy Cream-This product is QB’s best seller. I bought the Heavy Cream because I didn’t want to keep conditioner in my hair in order to keep my curls weighed down. I needed something that was as thick as conditioner, but preferably without all the chemicals. My co-worker, who turned me on to Qhemet, warned me that the Amla & Olive Heavy Cream is very, very thick. It is. It is thicker than the richest conditioner you can call to mind. Not every one can handle the richness of the heavy cream, which is why the company introduced the Burdock Root Butter Cream. I don’t own that one, but have heard good things about it.
I use the products individually, depending on my hair need of the day. When I am wearing my hair curly, I use them together. I take out a portion of the Ghee, Hydrating Balm and Heavy Cream and mix it thoroughly. Then I take my little mixture into the shower with me and use it in the place of a conditioner. I leave it in (this stuff is expensive, do not wash it out!) and wrap my hair in my curl-ease towel. By the time I unwrap, I have perfect curls that stay defined and silky. Hooray!
Written by Anti-Racist Parent editor Tami Winfrey Harris
