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Brown babies with pink parents

Written By Bold Apps - April 10 2014

My partner - an indian man (though anyone would mistake him for a white man with his milky skin and green eyes) has always said that if we were to have a daughter then I would be the one to take care of her hair. I didn't protest (I secretly loved the idea) however I was on curlynikki.com and came across a blog post with the title 'Brown babies with pink parents' which made me think twice. It describes the love and and battles that white men and women are faced with when caring for their black children's hair. One story in particular made me fluffy inside (maybe because the girl is just so cute!?) So I thought i'd share it with my readers and indirectly shame my partner into wanting to take shared control of our hypothetical daughter's hair. In 2005 Professor Cliffton Green and his wife Jennifer adopted Miriam Tigist Green (pictured above at age 4) from an Ethiopian orphanage. This is her hair unbraided before her father has tended to it with his "weekly loving touch."

Initially, Cliffton and his wife Jennifer were uncertain of what to do with her hair and considered just letting be - as a sign of freedom. They wanted people to accept her regardless of her looks.

Here Cliffton has assumed his hair twisting position in the centre of the living room, strategically placed infront of the TV. I remember when my mother would braid my hair - television was so necessary if I was to be expected to sit still for hours and hours.

Half an hour into the twists daddy's little girl let's out a yawn. The Greens learnt not to try to do Miriam's hair before church because it would mean that they'd have to rush. They wanted to take their time and learnt that what was at stake was more than aesthetics - caring for Miriam's hair was a litmus test of their parenting.

Doing Miriam's hair allows Cliffton to bond with her. Cliffton said that his father made him "feel like he'd hung the moon" and that he wanted the same for his children. "It's a little gift he gives her, the little joy of feeling nice and getting good vibes from other people," Green's wife, says.

Who takes control of the children's hair in your relationship?

SPOTTED - a Natural-Haired beauty in South London

Written By Bold Apps - March 20 2014

Michelle - #hugmyhairbeautyspot H: Introduce yourself M: My name is Michelle. I am 27 years old and I recently relocated to Abuja, Nigeria. I BC'ed (Big Chopped) in May 2011, it was a very emotional transition for me as I previously always kept me hair long and usually chemically straightened. I didn't take into account how big a part my hair played as part of my identity. I also didn't consider the drastic change a transition from long and straight to short and curly would be. I quickly got used to it though and now I cant remember having different straighter hair. At the moment my hair is very 'wild' as it is at that in between stage were it is not very long but not short and I love experimenting with it. H: Describe the moment you were spotted by Hug My Hair M: I was 'spotted' by Hug My Hair on a night out for a mutual friends birthday. It was at a restaurant called Ping Pong at Southbank. My hair was in a 'messy slicked back afro puff', my 'go to' hairstyle for a work to night out situation. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Dalilah during the dinner and she complimented my hair. I complimented the amazing scarf she had on and I am still waiting for details so I can go get mine :). H: Have you always liked your curls? if not how did you come to embrace your natural hair? M: I love my hair, 'she' has a mind of 'her' own but like I said it was a journey, an emotional one too. Hair has become such an important part of our identity, the confidence you get from a well executed hairstyle isn't something to be scoffed at. With time I have learnt to appreciate it so much more. I believe it feels how hair is supposed to, healthy, alive, strong instead of limp and lifeless. I embrace all of it. H: How would you describe your hair texture? M: My hair has so many different textures and moods, 'she' is more wavy than curly now that 'she' is longer and gets quite frizzy if I don't treat her right. I notice that the shorter I go the curlier it gets. H: Tell us one 'Do' and one 'Don't' for your hair type M: One big no-no for my hair is using a towel after a wash. It immediately frizzles it up. I find that it's better when I let it drip dry, or If in a hurry I use an old tshirt and try to get it as dry as I can without frizzing. Moisture is key. I like to make sure my hair is hydrated without all the oiliness that comes with most lotions. H: What advice would you give to someone considering going natural? M: Do it! And don't get discouraged. I think it is so worth it. Plus after watching a few documentaries on hair and hair products, it can't be good to put a substance that can erode a coke can in a few hours on your head, so do it for your health too

H. How do you love to wear your hair? M: I usually have it in a fro hawk. Hair pins are my friends! I leave a trail of them everywhere I go. I think a fro hawk is versatile. It can be neat and formal or messy and stylish.

H. How often do you wash your hair and what products do you use? M: I wash my hair very often, I think it was a factor in my decision to leave London as I couldn't wash it as often in the winter. I don't use any heat on it And Wet hair in winter is just suicidal. In the summer or in a warmer country I wash my hair everyday or every other day. I love clean smelling hair and the feel of water in my scalp. I usually co wash and only use black soap as shampoo about 3 times a month. I use the treseme silicon free naturals conditioner to co wash and condition. After washing, I use a little almond oil or coconut and a whipped raw Shea butter concoction I made up. Then style and leave to air dry. H. Describe your WORST hair day M: I have a bad habit of going weeks without de tangling when I am wearing my hair out. It is because I am lazy and can't be bothered and I have really full thick hair that takes ages to detangle. After about 2 weeks of this, my hair starts looking more and more a tangled mess and I usually just put it back in a messy slicked back Afro puff to keep it out of the way without looking too bad. Usually when I have my hair in this style I am having a not so great hair day. H. Is there a blog or website where we can find you? M: I don't have a blog but I do have a tumblr page, it isn't all about hair although I occasionally blog hairstyles I will like to try or hair tips that I come across. My tumblr address is mishadventures.tumblr.com

About Me

Written By Bold Apps - March 06 2014

Dalilah Baruti

The Founder of Hug My Hair

Me in New York October 2012

I was born in Tanzania and grew up in London. I did not know I was ‘different’ untilI came to the UK aged 5. I was in awe of and completely LOVED European hair, dreamt of it even, the idea of having golden flowing locks sweeping against my back as I ran around the playground really had me on cloud 9. But I'd alwayswake up from this dream and my hair was still shorter than the other girls, it was still blacker than the other girls and it totally defied gravity. I was so excited when I got my first relaxer, I couldn't wait to look like the girl on the box. I was beaming. After about 9 years of attempting to look like the girl on the box, I saw my hair for what it was - damaged, thinning and my hairline was a lot further back than I'd have liked it to be. I decided to cut all my hair off. Mind you, I was 17 and this look was NOT cool. So I exchanged my braids for a headscarf and that's been me ever since.

After 8 years of being natural & wearing my hair in a scarf-bun with big earrings I realised that I had grown to accept that black hair - coily afrohair doesn't grow. My hair appeared to stay the same length for years after reaching my shoulders. In a moment of protest I took to the Internet and started researching hair and its properties and how to get it to grow. I learnt three things 1. Black hair grows just like everybody else’s, but because it's naturally dryand very fragile it breaks off a lot more 2. Our skin is the largest organism on our bodies and it absorbs up to 60% ofwhat we put on it 3. Applying 'Grease' to the hair is not what black hair needs, petroleum basedproducts can block the scalp from breathing and your scalp is like soil, if youdo not cultivate it, nothing is going to want to grow there! So in July 2012 I was on a mission to grow and retain the length of my natural hair -naturally. If my skin was going to swallow what I put on it, I wanted to make sure It would be something I would be happy to eat. I couldn't wait to learn how to retain moisture, rid my shelves of products that contained chemicals and cultivate my scalp so my hair would want to grow. The result was Hug My Hair and I've never looked back. I no longer dream of European hair, I still appreciate its beauty but the difference is that I can see the beauty in mynatural hair too; all I had to do was understand it.

Photo credit: Janine/What Renee Made

I have since created 6 hair butters and Vintage (pictured below) was the first. It contains Lavender and Rosemary Essential oils, Virgin Coconut, VirginAvocado, and Virgin Olive oils - all of which are superior ingredients for thepromotion of hair growth, application of moisture and reduction of dandruff. All my products use unrefined certified organic and fair-trade shea-butter as a main ingredient. The butter seals the moisture in and acts as a natural SPF and barrier, protecting the hair from further damage allowing you to retain length and minimize breakage. I want anyone who has experienced hair-envy to see the beauty in their naturalselves and hug their hair! "Her life improved dramatically when she decided to break the rules, and find beauty where she'd been told [telling herself] there was none."

Hair Crush of The Month - March 2013

Written By Bold Apps - February 27 2014

Aida [Hug My Hair] - #Hair Crush of The Month - March 2013

H: What's your name and where are you from?

A: My name is Aida and I was born and raised in London. No I'm not half Jamaican and half Irish lol, my mum is Tanzanian and my dad is half Kenyan and half South African.

H: What's your hairstory? (have you always been natural? did you do the big chop?) A: I was natural up until Year 11 (aged 16), I then relaxed and cut my year into a short Rihanna-like style. After experimenting for a few years I shaved both sides of my hair and went to the barbers for some crazy patterns. I rocked my mohawk through the summer holidays and the begining of university. My last relaxer was in October 2011, and without realising it I transitioned until the sides of my hair were long enough to cut the rest to that length. So I chopped off my relaxed ends in June 2012, I've been natural ever since! H: Tell us one 'Do' and one 'Don't' for your texture A: DO - Spray with water before combing or styling. It just makes it that much easier to handle, and it feels pretty good. DON'T - Wear your hair out too often. I love to rock my 'fro but find that I get endless amounts of single strand knots

H: How do you like to use Hug My Hair hair? A: I LOVE IT! I started using Shea Butter once I found out about it, and I also use olive oil in my hair. I'm one of those people who like to use natural products as much as possible as I just think that nature knows best. So Hug My Hair has definitely combined my love for Shea Butter and naturalness. I first used Hug My Hair's 'Vintage' as a sealant after I had washed my hair, so it was still damp. I applied it onto my scalp and then canerowed my hair. I rarely moisturise my scalp so I can say that it was jumping for joy, it loves the mixture and I have been applying it ever since, even when my hair is dry. I have also recently discovered that it can be used to slick down the sides of my 3c/4a hair, which is good for me because I've always hated those pesky white flakes that gel produces. H: How often do you wash your hair and what does 'wash day' look like? A: Erm, I don't really have a hair washing schedule. I wet my hair daily, and wash it probably once a week. I must admit that when it comes to washing my hair I don't know too much about rinse out/ leave in conditioners, co-washing and all that jazz. I am still experimenting with conditioners. But as for shampoos I usually use one that I won from Keracare (yay me) - Natural Textures Cleansing Cream, I use this weekly and once a month I use a clarifying shampoo (Motions Neutralizing Shampoo) to just get all the junk from my hair. I didn't choose this one in particular, it's only because my mum has always used it on my hair and since learning about shampoo ingredients I decided to use it only when necessary. H: How do you love to wear your hair? A: I love many different styles, but they all have to do with my hair being out. I either rock my combed out afro, do a braidout or canerow my hair for the week and take it out, or even a flat twist out with bantu knots. They all give different outcomes which I love.

H: What do you find challenging about your hair? A: I love doing braidouts or flat twistouts but my issue is that once I step outside or have a shower at night (even with a showercap) the curls start to lose definition and my hair basically becomes a fluff ball. Sometimes this can be an advantage if I want the style to change during the few days I wear it but if I want to go out with my curls for the day then it can be a bummer. H: If you could go back in time to AVOID a hair choice what would that be? A:

Well I don't regret cutting and relaxing my hair as I feel that it is growing back much better, but I would have probably actually done a big chop rather than just cutting off my relaxed ends seeing as I notice a lot of heat damage in the front from where I used to straighten it. The front of my hair is completely different to the rest to the point where I often feel as though I still have some relaxed parts even though I know I don't. H: Is there a website or blog where we can find you? Nope, I don't have anything dedicated to my hair. My youtube channel is too embarrassing to give out lol but you can have my instagram; StarryEyed_Ahh

If you're interested in being a Hug My Hair Hair Crush of The Month Click Here

A Brief Hair-story (By Audrey Annoh-Antwi)

Written By Bold Apps - February 20 2014

Chris Rock tries on a lace front weave for his documentary Good Hair (2009)

My eyes are often surprised by what they encounter on daily commutes. As I become conscious of my surroundings my eyes start to probe my temporary companionsgetting on and off the train. I admire the well groomed, the immaculate and the stylish in equal measure. However when my gaze rests upon women of a similar skin tone to my own I am drawn to something odd atop most of their heads. This common place oddity is the shiny, straight, flowing hair that is not indigenous to people of African/ Afro Caribbean descent. Weave, lace front wigs,extensions and chemically straightened hair have remained the most popular waysfor black women to style their hair. As a black woman who has worn a natural afro for more than a year I am bewildered by the prevalence and preference for artifice. Hair is a biological fact, the texture of which is pre destined by ethnic heritage. However hair is often loaded with a greater significance for women due to the emphasis on a desirable external appearance. My mother has often uttered thewords “a woman’s hair is her beauty”. One thing that has been apparent to me from a young age is that some hair is sold as being more beautiful than others. This so called beautiful hair for most part looks nothing at all like whatgrows out of my scalp. American documentaries like Chris Rock’s Sundance hit, Good Hair and the lesser well known My Nappy Roots: A journey Through BlackHair-itage by Regina Kimbell have made black woman’s complex relationship with their hair a focal point. The conflicts are highlighted as mainly being rooted in America’s history of slavery. Good hair has European characteristics and bad hair is ‘nappy, picky’ and a whole host of other negative adjectives. Listening to the various stories of black British women and their relationship with their hair there was more positive and less political connotations of natural hair and that good hair means ‘healthy and presentable looking’ regardless of texture . But I did find the overall consensus was that straight hair ‘looks nicer and is more manageable’. The so called manageability can come at quite anexpense to the pocket and hair health. The manageability of chemically straightened hair is to some extents a myth. Chemically straightened hairs’ favourite sustenance is money and time. One friend said that “it needs a conditioning treatment every six weeks costing £50 as well as retouching of coarse natural roots every two months at £60.” For alot of young women who favour chemically straightened hair, the expense is not manageable and the consequences associated with poor upkeep can be dire, “once chemicals touch the hair it is a done deal, I will have to cut off the damaged hair and start again”. Braided hair extensions and sewn on weaves do not fare much better having been linked to hair loss and receding hair lines. Unfortunately many women are willing to live with the consequences of following the fashion of long, straight textured hair. The lack of visibility of natural hair textures is an issue. I was asked ‘How many successful black women in the public eye have hair that contains no artificial additions or chemical manipulation?’ Much to my horror the singer/actress Grace Jones and a snippet of a young Diane Abbott (Labour politician) from the 90’s before she was heavily featured on television came to mind and now even she wears her hair straight. I had honestly never thought about the lack of hair like mine in popular media and what this disparity could mean. Slowly but surely change is unfolding before my eyes. As I walk through the streets of London I see black women sporting beautiful dreadlocks, shaved heads and interesting afro styles. I even saw a short news report by the BBC title‘Natural hair revival for black women’ where going natural was touted as being the new fashion. All this fuss about something that happens to grow on yourhead. I would just be pleased if the day comes when hair is just a fact. What are your thoughts?

hugmyhair

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Brown babies with pink parents

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SPOTTED - a Natural-Haired beauty in South London

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About Me

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Hair Crush of The Month - March 2013

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A Brief Hair-story (By Audrey Annoh-Antwi)

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