Recently, I was moved by a piece that a former student of mine wrote about the right to wear your hair other than naturally, without being questioned about it by others. Of course, this is a free country and I agree with her on that 100%. But, I can't stop the need to press the issue with a leaning toward natural hair and validating naturalistas because it comes out of love for me to express this. What am I referring to? I am referring to my own personal belief and what I believe to be fact and that is the notion that Natural IS Cool Enough. There is the historical aspect to all of this in that Black people, mainly women, were told by their oppressors, during slavery and beyond that their hair, as it grew out of their scalp was ugly, inferior, wool etc. and that in order to be beautiful it was felt that the hair should be straightened. Hence, the straightening comb, created by the French, was then utilized. Then of course, next was the "relaxer." Within the name itself is the notion that our hair needs to calm down. I am a very energetic person and the last thing I want to hear from folks is to tell me to relax. So telling me to relax my hair is no different. I don't want it to relax. Let it be free and unfettered. Why not?
Nevertheless, what I really want to talk about here are the health effects associated with the notion of changing the chemical texture of our hair. In fact, It's not just our hair but make-up and beyond. Make-up goes back to our African ancestors. It goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians, and yes they were Black, as Egypt is located on the continent of Africa, during antiquity (BCE) and then, make-up was all natural. Different people paint their bodies in different ways but often as a symbol of beauty or ritual. Tattoos also go back thousands of years, in Africa and beyond. As my mom used to say "there is nothing new under the sun."
The reality is that Black women are disproportionately marketed to, in terms of cosmetics and other chemicals, during our present times. This piece, which explains this notion, is very brief, although quite enlightening about the Toxic Products that are disproportionately marketed to Black women: http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/SafeCosmetics_BlackWomen_brochure.pdf
So, I have taken the liberty of finding some natural and organic products that may be worthy of consideration to decrease the toxicity factor associated with make-up. Here are some examples:
http://www.organicbeautytalk.com/best-natural-foundation-makeup-for-black-women-darker-skin/
http://www.100percentpure.com/Weekly-Special-Mints-and-Blues-p/1wsvmab.htm
There are many more options, but the above links provide information that are good places to start. Prices vary and unfortunately, just like when buying healthy and organic food, the price points are higher but the more we participate in the market of what is good for us and non-toxic, the better chance there will be to push the manufacturers and providers of what we need to bring the prices down.
As for hair and the negative effects of relaxers, there are some very interesting studies emerging. The first is the notion that there is a relationship between the use of relaxers and Uterine fibroids. This research is worth reading even if it is at the early stages. As you read the article, it is mentioned that burns and lesions, from the relaxing process, is what may be enabling the toxic chemicals from the relaxers to get into the body. Before, even getting to the chemicals entering the body, why use anything that even has the remote possibility of causing burns or lesions to one's scalp? This becomes even more problematic when one considers that children, through the use of kiddie perms, are subjected to potential or actual burning of their scalps. If a child is permitted to be burned in any other way, that is child abuse! Why is it not child abuse if a child is subjected to the potential of or actual burning for a perm. So here is the article about Uterine Fibroids with a link within this piece to the actual study, conducted by the Mayo Clinic: http://www.essence.com/2012/02/24/hair-beat-can-hair-relaxers-cause-uterine-fibroids/
Lastly, there is a piece that I want to share with you that gets very technical but it is about the possible link between relaxers and Uterine Leiomyomata, which are tumors, and hair relaxers may increase the risk of getting them. Here is the article related to this research: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/759283. This information is getting rather technical, but nevertheless, it is critically important.
Basically, everyone has the right to choose how to style one's hair and what make-up to choose and hopefully, every other aspect of your body and life choices are your own. That is the beauty of a free society. The question is, borrowing and modifying a quote from Maya Angelou: "When we know better, will we do better?" Natural Is Cool Enough says yes because as we love who we are, naturally, we embrace who we really are.
Nevertheless, what I really want to talk about here are the health effects associated with the notion of changing the chemical texture of our hair. In fact, It's not just our hair but make-up and beyond. Make-up goes back to our African ancestors. It goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians, and yes they were Black, as Egypt is located on the continent of Africa, during antiquity (BCE) and then, make-up was all natural. Different people paint their bodies in different ways but often as a symbol of beauty or ritual. Tattoos also go back thousands of years, in Africa and beyond. As my mom used to say "there is nothing new under the sun."
The reality is that Black women are disproportionately marketed to, in terms of cosmetics and other chemicals, during our present times. This piece, which explains this notion, is very brief, although quite enlightening about the Toxic Products that are disproportionately marketed to Black women: http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/SafeCosmetics_BlackWomen_brochure.pdf
So, I have taken the liberty of finding some natural and organic products that may be worthy of consideration to decrease the toxicity factor associated with make-up. Here are some examples:
http://www.organicbeautytalk.com/best-natural-foundation-makeup-for-black-women-darker-skin/
http://www.100percentpure.com/Weekly-Special-Mints-and-Blues-p/1wsvmab.htm
There are many more options, but the above links provide information that are good places to start. Prices vary and unfortunately, just like when buying healthy and organic food, the price points are higher but the more we participate in the market of what is good for us and non-toxic, the better chance there will be to push the manufacturers and providers of what we need to bring the prices down.
As for hair and the negative effects of relaxers, there are some very interesting studies emerging. The first is the notion that there is a relationship between the use of relaxers and Uterine fibroids. This research is worth reading even if it is at the early stages. As you read the article, it is mentioned that burns and lesions, from the relaxing process, is what may be enabling the toxic chemicals from the relaxers to get into the body. Before, even getting to the chemicals entering the body, why use anything that even has the remote possibility of causing burns or lesions to one's scalp? This becomes even more problematic when one considers that children, through the use of kiddie perms, are subjected to potential or actual burning of their scalps. If a child is permitted to be burned in any other way, that is child abuse! Why is it not child abuse if a child is subjected to the potential of or actual burning for a perm. So here is the article about Uterine Fibroids with a link within this piece to the actual study, conducted by the Mayo Clinic: http://www.essence.com/2012/02/24/hair-beat-can-hair-relaxers-cause-uterine-fibroids/
Lastly, there is a piece that I want to share with you that gets very technical but it is about the possible link between relaxers and Uterine Leiomyomata, which are tumors, and hair relaxers may increase the risk of getting them. Here is the article related to this research: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/759283. This information is getting rather technical, but nevertheless, it is critically important.
Basically, everyone has the right to choose how to style one's hair and what make-up to choose and hopefully, every other aspect of your body and life choices are your own. That is the beauty of a free society. The question is, borrowing and modifying a quote from Maya Angelou: "When we know better, will we do better?" Natural Is Cool Enough says yes because as we love who we are, naturally, we embrace who we really are.
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