by Tricia Simon
There is an old adage which states, a woman’s hair is her beauty! This begs the question: Why are we as black women embracing synthetic hair and not our natural hair?
Maya Angelou, a staunch advocate for self-improvement and self-love, stated, “A woman’s hair is her glory.” Was she onto something with her sage advice? African slavery left black women with the mindset that we lack “good hair” and so it needs to be covered up by a hairwrap, relaxed, synthetic braids or weave.
The film “Good Hair” examined the connection between black women and our hair and the need to embrace our natural hair. Post slavery, the vogue style was to “relax” our hair using dangerous and skin-burning chemicals, where scalp burning was common. Today, we as black women embrace all things synthetic, from braids to weave, as the optimal beauty standard for our hair. Recently, the Ivory Coast banned contestants from wearing wigs and other synthetic hair during the Miss Ivory Coast pageant. What standards would be set at Spice Mas in Grenada, Crop Over in Barbados and Caribana in Toronto for the 2025 mas?
A recent article in the BBC, Are my braids doing more harm than good? examines the relationship between synthetic braids and their health effects. The study conducted by the US-based Consumer Reports, which reviews consumer products for safety and reliability, set off a maelstrom of media reports. The article titled “Dangerous Chemicals Were Detected in 100% of the Braiding Hair We Tested” and the words “Carcinogens were detected in all of them” resulted in a telephone call to my hairdresser. I asked, “What do I do with my hair now?” As if, sumting so wrong wid meh natural hair dat ah have to wear braids. The shocker is that “Lead was detected in 9 of 10 products.” But wait, lead? I cannot believe those are still included in products used for human contact when the World Health Organisation (WHO) clearly lists the dangers of lead contact. What are we consuming, and who is responsible for safety standards in our marketplace? Ultimately, the onus falls on us as consumers to research products and their dangers to our health with a focus on our health and wellness.
Consumer Reports further stated that in 2023, black women in the US spent “$2.79 billion and is expected to reach a value of $6.34 billion by 2029” on hair wigs and extensions. The BBC, citing a 2021 study by Treasure Tress, stated that women in the UK spent £168m a year on hair products. Further, the cosmetic giant L’Oreal discovered that black women in the UK spent 6 times more on hair care compared to white women. I am left to wonder what would happen if, rather than spending that astronomical amount of money on hair, which we typically discard in one month, we invest the same sum in educational lessons for our children.
Ok, enough of the studies. Let us, as women, embrace our natural hair and wear it with pride. If the men can embrace their natural hair, then so can we! Now for the natural solutions: from Ghana braids, updo, twists, cornrows, locks, undercut, afro to Bantu Knots, the list is endless. Your health and wellness begin with you making prudent choices.
Caring for natural hair can be one of our biggest challenges, but there is hope. Today, agroprocessors offer carefully researched products with a focus on health and wellness. Natural ingredients, such as coconut, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme oil, are used for promoting healthy hair and achieving natural styling. Even sulfur from Grenada’s rich volcanic soils and natural treasures such as Rainbow Falls can be used to treat dandruff and other skin conditions. Cold-pressed coconut oil can also be used to treat dandruff.
Turmeric is a natural powerhouse used to treat alopecia commonly known as hair loss. The little green super plant, rosemary, found in many kitchen gardens, can also be used for hair growth. Grenada, the Isle of Spice produces Fine Flavoured Cocoa which is also known for its hair moisturising qualities to aid hair growth. Stinging nettle or “zootie” as it is commonly known in the Caribbean, boasts anti-inflammatory properties with the ability to heal a host of ailments, including hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Both the hibiscus leaf and flowers can be used for hair growth. Directions to create a hibiscus tea for hair growth can be found on the link.
In the words of the great Bob Marley, “emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” Thus, let us all embrace our natural hair and break free from the shackles that our hair is “not good.”
All the experts are singing from the same playbook; thus, as individuals, we need to act to protect our health and the natural environment. Speak to your medical provider about your healthcare.
Tricia Simon, owner and manager of Cocoa Pod Botanicals, a natural health and wellness skin care line. She also operates Mt Parnassus Plantation, a nature-based tour facility focusing on health and wellness.
The only way you will get black females to wear and embrace their own hair is if scientist declare that their hair is a cure for cancer or some major ailment.
Kudos to Tricia on writing such an insightful, timely, and urgently needed article. One of the reputedly great spiritual leaders is attributed to having admonished that “As a man/woman thinketh, so is he/her.” The same leader also said, “Those who are well have no need of the physician, but those who are sick.” The American sociologist, Dr. Joy Degruy’s book “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” provides reliable support for Tricia’s observation that that the AFRICAN (BLACK) People are are still suffering from a serious mental illness which causes them to engage in the kind of self-denigrating conduct of thinking that wearing wigs (artificial or otherwise) makes them look good. Images of singers like James Brown and Michael Jackson remind us that women are not the only ones who suffer from this malady. But there are more reasons why BLACK People should not shun their natural WIRY hair for synthetic products. One of the worse-kept scientific secrets is that hair is crystaline in nature. Most technological gadgets like television sets, smartphones, etc. can do their “magic” because their components include a variety of crystals which vibrate at different frequencies. The fact that synthetic diamond is forged from hair should also be another reason why BLACK People should cherish our natural hair. The fact that some of the world’s greatest thinkers are often portrayed with long braids also suggests that Rastafarians must be unto something good by wearing locks.
So not really interested in safety but an advertisement.