Try Something New With Your Hair

Techniques are important to hair care and hair styling. As a matter of fact, techniques are vital to hair care and hair styling. Hair care and hair styling are not innate like breathing, blinking and scratching. No, hair care and hair styling require skills and techniques.

Skills and techniques in hair care and hair styling are acquired three ways. Culturally, trial and error and watching social media or other instructional material. Cultural lends itself to technique via hands on teaching, training and learning from one family member to another. Typically, one who is experienced in hair care and hair styling will perform the task. Age is not a mandate to caring for or styling hair in many cultures. Provided the person can do it effectively, they can do the task of hair care and hair styling. Trial and error lend itself via a combination of cultural and technology. Sometimes, the best way to learn how to care for and style your hair is to actually do it. When a mistake is made, you will know not to do that again. When success is achieved, you will repeat for desired results. Technology is new to hair care and hair styling. Traditionally someone had to physically teach you. Today, that physical help can now be virtual. That is correct. The science of computer, artificial intelligence and virtual learning is here. Not only is it here now, but forever. Human love learning from computers, robots, animation and more. For as many reason as there are letters in the words of this blog is what I could site as a number of reasons humans love the use of technology in the beauty and barber industries.

Rather you are learning from your grandma, mother, cousin, neighbor or hairstylists, the culture of hair care and hair styling always trumps as the most popular way people learn the various techniques of how to care for and style their hair. The good old-fashioned trial and error is my personal favorite. I think learning comes in the doing. The only drawback are the misfortunes of probably snatching your hair out! Technology, of course I like technology when it comes to learning the proper techniques of hair care and hair styling. I like for one reason and one reason only; replay.

There you have it. The powerful simplistic, yet necessary of techniques. Make the time to take the time to care for and style your hair. Be it smooth, braided, wild, curled, coiled, teased, locked, twisted, fried, dyed and laid to the side; your hair style is an expression of your self-care. You matter to you. What does not matter is where and how you learn the techniques needed to care for and style your hair. The right products, the right tools and the right techniques will always yield the desirable outcomes. Be patient. Understand, you will not learn all there is to know about techniques on the first try with ever hair style. Have fun. Don’t be too serious. It is all going to work out. You will look good anyway. You have other assets to compliment or contrast what you like or dislike about your hair. Simply remain consistent in your efforts and routine.

Ready Made

Big Ma, my great grandmother

I have a beautiful cousin named Nickcole who lives in Memphis. She had the pleasure of being raised in a home with our great grandmother. One day, I decided to ask her what was it like. I asked her if she could share with me an important lesson our great grandmother shared with her while being raised by her. She replied in her extreme southern accent, “Ooh, there’s so many. Ok cousin, here is a good one. Big Ma said, stay ready and ain’t gotta get ready.” Upon sharing our great grand mother’s beloved wisdom, that became the mantra of my life. As I continue living, I find myself looking for advice and wisdom to carry me through, motivate me and teach me like my Big Ma’s wisdom did. Blessedly, I am able to do this through conversing with my elders, the youth and reading.

I’ve talked to many, read many books and articles. Of all the people I’ve talked to and things I’ve read, no one has quite motivated and inspired me like the wisdom of my great grandmother like the legendary, Madam C.J. Walker. I was reluctant to becoming a licensed cosmetologist because my hair styling skills were very poor. My creative mind, fingers and concepts just would not mesh together to create all the elaborate hairstyles that makes once successful. Hair styles such as: finger waves, tapered Anita Baker styles, pineapple waves, En’Vogue’s updo’s, Aretha Franklin’s beehives, Beyonce’s hair weaves; you name it, I simply could not master the skills to bring about a fabulous hairstyle. Yet, while working as an outreach worker, people loved my hair. Their love of my hair influenced my decision to actually becoming a licensed cosmetologist. It was during that time I discerned the difference between hair care and a hair style. I deduced hair care is what contributed to what they liked about my hair. I was complimented on the appearance of it, the feel, the length and my scalp. As I investigated the idea of becoming a licensed cosmetologist, who could I turn to for guidance and lessons if I don’t actually know how to create a hair style, but was good at hair care? In the spirit of staying ready, I decided to do a lot of research and then enroll into cosmetology school. During this time, I read about a prominent African American hairstylist out of Boston, Massachusetts named Olive Benson. Olive Benson turned out to be my “Oprah Winfrey” of cosmetology. She had many accomplishments in her life. She helped improve the formula of hair color to create safe permanent coloring options for people with textured hair. She promoted hair care. She created her own line of hair care products. She styled many celebrities. She won many awards and served as a proctor for the American Board of Certified Colorists. She was truly in a lane by herself because she achieved all of this under the guise of trichology. Trichology is the science of scalp and hair. Olive’s stance on all great hair styles and hair coloring was healthy scalp and hair.

Ms. Olive Lee Benson

Fate would have it, the first year of me becoming a licensed cosmetologist, I had the opportunity to actually meet Ms. Benson. It was via one her customers who needed a hairstyle while visiting Cleveland.  She was a Boston news anchor woman named, Karen Holmes. Karen received compliments on my hairstyle from viewers and her hairstylist (unbeknownst to me), Olive Benson! Olive asked Karen if she could have my number to which she obliged. The day I got the phone call was like any other. The phone rang, I said, “Hello.” She introduced herself as Karen’s hairstylist. We talked literally for almost 30 minutes. We discovered we had much in common. There I was wanting to become a great hairstylist and she wanted to become a great social worker. Then via mid-sentence, she excused herself for not telling me her name. I replied, “Oh yeah, what is your name?” She replied, “My name is Olive Benson.” I immediately started crying. There was nothing I could say or do, but cry. How could that be? I’d patterned my entire career; even my hair color pattern after her. I did everything like Olive Benson, except roller set hair. It was my ability to blow dry hair safely that prompted her to call me because she admittingly was not a fan of blow dryers. She wanted to compliment me and invite me to meet her and share with her how I blow dried hair so effectively. During the conversation, I could feel my Big Ma’s energy of “stay ready and ain’t gotta get ready,” emanate from the ethers around me and the phone call. During this conversation, I asked Ms. Benson who inspired her. She replied, Madam C.J. Walker. “Oh, the lady who invented the straightening comb?” She suggested I do more reading about Madam C.J. Walker and to come visit her after I completed my research. 

Eager to meet her and learn more about Madame C.J. Walker, I ended up getting the facts in the form of a book that was gifted to me from a customer who new I was serious about my Madam C.J. Walker research so I could meet Ms. Benson. This was before the internet. So, when I got that book, I screamed with excitement. The book was titled, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A’Lelia Bundles. Ms. Bundles is the great-great granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker. It was truly a magnificent read. The book was drop dead interesting with facts about her humble beginnings, her struggles, her accomplishments, her family, her ability to build an empire, earn millions and shockingly the fact that she did not invent the straightening comb! I recall calling Olive Benson almost one year later with my research. I had to retract my statement. I was able to visit Olive Benson. We became good friends. I got a chance to be personally trained by her on her famous roller sets. She shared with me some of her secrets and more. She was most extremely proud that I did my research on Madam C.J. Walker. She introduced me to hair coloring and required that I become a Master Colorist to inspire other African American cosmetologists to become one as well. She mentored me to her last days. I was devastated by her passing. Currently, I’ve worked in the industry for 20 years and that was the only day, I simply could not come in.

Self Made: March 20th, Netflix

Ironically in June of 2020, I will have been in business working as a salon owner and cosmetologist for 20 years. And this month on March 20^th, Netflix will be airing a mini-series titled, Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. This mini-series is inspired by the book On Her Own Ground, again, written by her great-great granddaughter. NBA star LeBron James collaborated with a few of Hollywood’s heavy hitters to produce this series with a star-studded cast. In my lifetime of meeting fascinating people and reading fascinating books, I believe Madam C.J. Walker was the readiest made for her purpose and passion. She has impacted and influenced the entire beauty industry beyond measure. From homemade to door to door sales, to education, patents, image, determination, business and the newly enacted C.R.O.W.N Act legislation of 2019; this woman prevails as the greatest of all times. Her contributions and standards are being lived out as you read this blog. Her legacy of being self-made on her grounds is the epitome of the wise words of by Big Ma as shared with me by my cousin, “Stay ready and ain’t gotta get ready.”

Hair Care is Important

Hair styling. 

Google Image

The scalp is a microbial habitat. It secretes yeast and oil. Both attracts dirt and debris which ends up being trapped onto the scalp and hair. In addition to debris, unclean and unkempt hair and scalp are also the perfect breeding ground for head lice and nits. These biological factors applies to the entire human race. The environment of the scalp and condition of hair are what differentiates hair care and separate it from hair styling. Believe it or not, there was a time when hair care meant something. America was in a frenzy to clean up and to get their people clean. That time can be seen from a historical and cultural perspective. For example during the early to mid 1800's, America was transitioning from no plumbing to plumbing and from slaves to freed slaves. This time was unique because both histories were almost happening simultaneously; impacting American culture. A portion of this unclean problem would require tenacity and creativity. The unsanitary and unclean conditions not only affected the environment and communities, they also affected scalp and hair; especially of slaves. Now that they were freed, what was to come of their hair? Who could help? This came in the form of the tenacious and creative Madam C.J. Walker. This pioneer extraordinaire used her unique business acumen to introduce her cleansing methodology of hair and scalp care by promoting the use of her handcrafted hair care products. Historically and culturally she ends up teaching the masses of women (Black) that clean hair and scalp is hair care. Promoting cleanliness was very important during America's unique history of transitions. As of now that important history has been traded in for hairstyles and the now fading natural hair movement. It is my goal in my upcoming series of blogs, posts and videos to remind people that hair care is important. I plan on doing this by showing the difference between the two.

The current focus on hairstyles and the constant barrage of misinformation from the autodidacts of YouTube and their infodemic that fueled the natural hair movement, unfortunately has resurged the same hair and scalp problems that plagued people of color from yesteryear when America had no plumbing, people did not wash up and blacks (enslaved and freed) had no access to hair care products. Hairstyles definitely have their place and a very purposeful mainstay in people's freedom of expression. However, when you take a glance at the history of hair styles, it will validate the framework of the importance of hair care as the precursor to all hair styles. 

The history of hairstyling is strange in many ways. For example, in the 1500's, the Asians were saving cooked rice water to ferment and style their long tresses. The Assyrians were heating up metal helmets to achieve curls. The Europeans were coiffuring wigs with lard and covering them up at night in cages to keep away the rats. Meanwhile on the continent of Africa, Egyptians wore unique cornrow braided hairstyles that represented their tribes. They shaved their heads of hair to ward off lice. And they created elaborate wigs that were hand crafted from the scalped heads of their captives to wear stylishly. 

As societies grew and changed, so did their abilities to live on and off the fruit of the land. Make no mistake, living on and off the fruit of the land was no small feat. As mentioned above, cleaning, hygiene and plumbing would be a few of the various hurdles many developing nations struggled with. Some nations resolved their plights faster than others. Interestingly, the United States was close to last in developing sanitation, hygiene and effective plumbing systems with standards. They faced severe challenges in getting their citizens to clean and wash; even after getting their plumbing up and running. 

The lack of cleanliness and plumbing caused unsanitary and unsafe conditions. These were big problems for this newly forming nation. History teaches these unsanitary problems created conditions that were responsible for thousands of deaths for the soldiers serving during the civil war. In 1862 when President Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation freeing all enslaved Africans, that changed the trajectory of what the United States would become. And of all the things to worry about, focus on, document, record and report during that time, hair would not be one of them. 

President Abraham Lincoln at the signing of the

Emancipation Proclamation. Google Image 

Hair was not a priority to the powers that be and the society at large. On the contrary, if you were a newly freed slave, hair was priority one. Newly freed slaves were all too aware of the role hair played in the culture of America. Hair determined if they would be rejected or accepted into certain aspects of this new "freed" paradigm. In addition, unbeknownst to many, having beautiful hair was also a rich part of their history as Africans. So, putting hair care and hairstyle at the forefront of their agenda as freed people would be inevitable. Free Indians, Mexicans, Asians, Blacks (freed slaves) who could pass as White by way of their softer textured or more straight to lighter colored hair would prove to be advantageous. They were being accepted into the new paradigm differently compared to the newly freed Negroes with tighter darker colored textured hair. The newly freed slaves knew that too. 

Hair, texture, and appearance would soon be resolved for this unique group of American citizens. The newly freed slaves had new racial categories assigned to them such as Negroes, Blacks, Mullatos, quadroons, octoroons and hexadecaroons. They were now experiencing the "Damned if you do and damned if you don't," idiom in the matters of hair care and hairstyling. This conundrum was quickly solved by the tenacious intelligent hair care pioneer, Madam C.J. Walker. This daughter of former slaves boldly entered the scene to do the damn thang for hair care and hair styling for newly freed Africans, now called negroes by demonstrating that hair care is important. She did it so well, she became America's first Black female millionaire.

Madam C.J. Walker's 

Wonderful Hair Grower.

 Google Image

Continue to read my blog as I delve into the difference between hair care and hair styling. I will write and discuss this issue on many levels. Follow me on social media, listen to my "What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon" podcast and watch me on YouTube @LadoshaWright. It is on these platforms where you will hear my take on the history of hair care starting with my reviews on the upcoming Netflix series titled, Self Made about the life of Madam C.J. Walker and her successful hair care empire! Peace, love and hair.

Dumb Hairstylists and Barbers?

Beauty and Barber education for dummies?

Image: Google

Did you know, “Egyptians are typically regarded as being the first “cosmetologists,” due to archeological discoveries of primitive make-up kits, and, of course, the Egyptian art that shows us how and where they wore make-up. They were known to neighboring cultures for “painting their eyes” using eyeliner and primitive mascara – and in a style and manner that is still replicated today whenever someone wants to emulate the Cleopatra look. Egyptians used kohl for eyeliner, as well as a galena, which was a type of lead. Red ochre was also used to redden the lips, which was crushed into a powder. Then the Romans, the Greeks and others soon followed the precedent set by the Egyptians?”

The history of beautification did not begin during the 1800’s. The history of beauty began before Christ! In addition to history, there is much skill, science, art and creativity in the disciplines of beauty and barbering. Unfortunately, a few powers that be in the state of Ohio do not care. Currently, there are three bills being introduced in the state of Ohio to lower the standards of education in cosmetology and barbering. HB 399, SB 245 and SB 235. These bills represent the belief that the science, skill and artistry are of little value; not to mention history. Lowering cosmetology and barbering standards hurts in three way. The first way is via education. The biggest impact to both industries will be felt immediately when they lower educational standards/hours. The second way are the standards to actually perform the services and the third is the ability to address the diversity of our industry. Let us explore.

The benefits of education are to learn, do, resolve complex problems and gain exposure. When educational requirement on any level are lowered, the communities from which the people reside are at risk. Licensed professionals will lower education will be limited in their abilities to learn, do, problem solve and gain more exposure. The community will be at risk to lower paying jobs. They will not have the ability to ask or fight for better pay. They will be at the mercy of their employer to be trained and taught by what the company gives. The exchange for training or apprenticeships, as we call it in the beauty industry, is grid locked. That is correct. Lowering educational standards by way of decreased hours, decreases the ability to leave Ohio and work in surrounding or other states that require more. In exchange, those people can come into Ohio, but licensed beauty and barber pros from Ohio can not enter their markets.

Education matters.

image: vivateachers.org

Believe it or not, the beauty and barber industries do have standards. The educational standards of cosmetology (hair, skin and nails) and barbering are pretty much governed by the state and NACAS (National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences. Yes, accredited beauty and barber schools must meet certain academic and institutional requirements. If one does not attend an accredited school in any discipline, their credibility is compromised and questioned. Standards translates into what we do behind the chair. When standards are lowered, the what we do becomes lowered. State and government officials who have no knowledge of the intricacies of what it takes to style, create and care for in the matters of hair, skin and nails have no business suggesting or introducing bills to lower our education.

They do not understand how standards, coupled with quality education, enables licensed beauty and barber professionals to open salons and barbershops to meet the needs of the ever-changing scope of citizenship and beauty in America. Lowering educational standards, changing the meaning of hair styles, barbering and scientific terms in the name of favoring one’s way to expand and control the industry over another is morally and economically wrong. Yes, I am eluding to the reality that these types of changes impede, hurt and will in some instances eliminate our ability to do what we do behind the chair. These changes are often supported and even initiated by billion-dollar chain salons such as Great Clips and product manufacturers, such as Paul Mitchell. In addition, they typically persuade the very association created to support both industries, such as the PBA (Professional Beauty Association) to come over to their side of the fence. So, you see doing hair, skin and nails is at risk of being a cookie cutter profession. A cookie cutter approach to hair, skin and nails will only result in customers having the options to look like each other as they purchase from a menu where everyone will have cookie cutter options. So, to all the supporters of HB 399 and SB 245 such as the franchise Ohio owner, Clara Osterhage of 70 Great Clips salon, Mr. Charles Penzone of Penzone Salons, Nicole Cumberland, owner two Paul Mitchell Schools in Ohio and HR-Stephanie Howse (D) and Sen. Sandra R. Williams creators of SB 235 to eliminate education and regulation of natural hairstylists, I say, “Really?”

Chain and corporate salons and barbershops having control over the employment pool and the employed is bad. Having control over the industry compromises booth renting options. If those any or a combination of those bills pass, chain salons and corporate salons will be competing with booth renters. And that will be a sure shot to disaster. Hair, skin and nails have physical, social, cultural, financial and physical ties to them. Creating an industry that divides people according to their skin color and hair texture is sheer madness to this sheer shot disaster. Consumers are demanding a more diverse, creative, socially conscious, spiritual and price conscious beauty and barber professional. They want access to these professionals. They want to know what they use, who they get it from, where they get it, how they got, when can they get it again and why. In addition, they must perform creatively exceptionally well behind the chair. That is the pulse of the cosmetology and barber industry. The future of the industry must grow in education, skill set, technology, science, business, taxes, diversity and wholistic wellness in order to meet the demands and survive.

Are we ready? Are the Ohio politicians creating another revolving door to cycles of poverty, structural racism, new slums, ghettos and white flighted suburbs? These are the same places inundated with chain salons, chain barbershops and diverted filled grocery stores, pharmacies and discount outlets. These places promote a distinct cookie cut climate of hair, nail and skin care options. Those options continually read the “ethnic” aisle, beauty supply stores, $10 cuts, fast cuts, hillites and JPMS. To make matters worse, the dividedness and segregation will clump all people of color with textured hair into a service setting of people who look like them; as if people of other ethnicities and nationalities do not want or can perform those services. As if all customers of associated races, ethnicities and nationalities are the same. They are not.

The public, beauty and barber professionals have the biggest voice. Show up to the Ohio State Board of Cosmetology meetings, committee and senate hearing. We have might and power in us between our fingertips and wrists; vote. The cosmetology and barbering education and profession requires more education. The beauty and barber industry is not for dummies.

Unnatural Hair Care

The L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System

As a social worker turned cosmetologist, something about the natural hair movement in the early 2000's perplexed me. My gut reaction combined with my college education in social science, gave me all kinds of signals and pangs that something about this natural hair movement was not right.

20 years ago, I could not figure it out. Today, 20 years later, I still have not figured it out. While I most certainly understand, agree, empathize and applaud the efforts of deliberately celebrating varying textures of hair on people of African ancestry, I am not quite sure I understand how natural hair became specific to people of African ancestry. It is as if people of ethnicities do not have natural hair too. The other thing I do not understand about the natural hair movement is the constant promotion of the notion that chemically altered hair is not natural. If it grows from your scalp it is natural. If you alter the hair that has grown from your scalp, it remains natural; just altered. The last I checked, if you fry chicken; it's still chicken and if you dye your t-shirt, it's still a t-shirt.

My latest book, "What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon," speaks to the powerful influence the internet and social media has on hairstylists and the beauty industry. I am writing this blog using the natural hair movement to capture my confusion and what they don't tell you at the hair salon. For starters, what they don't tell you at the hair salon, the Internet will. While much of what is on the Internet is interesting, some of it is just plane old nonsense. Let's explore hair care and hair styling. There are like millions if not billions for searches for this topic; thus giving hairstylists and hair care novices a plethora of information to gather.

Read on as I explain the top four most unnatural hair care and hair styling techniques I have come across a cosmetologist and writer on and off the Internet. These practices have seriously influenced the minds of hairstylists and the beauty industry.

They are the LOC (Leave-In Conditioner, Oil and Moisturize) Method, the L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System, the Inversion Method to Grow Hair and the Monistat 7 for Hair Growth Method.

According to Google, the LOC Method is a technique for moisturizing hair. This one here perplexes me because drinking water is the best way to moisturize hair. The second reason this perplexes me is, for the most part this technique appears to be marketed to people with curly, wavy, coily and Afro hair.  For all practical intents and purposes, these textures need to be coated more than they need to be moisturized. Moisture implies the hair will be wet, damp, clammy; you get the picture. Any smart cosmetologist, dermatologist and trichologist will tell all clients that wet hair swells the cuticles and swollen cuticles are solely responsible for tangled hair. Therefore, the operative technique would be to coat these textures. And the CC (Coated Cuticles) Method would be more befitting. Leave-In conditioners, oil and creams all coat the cuticles (outer layer of hair) layer of hair.

The LOC Method

Next, thee gawd awful L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System. For starters I loathe this one the most. Why? Well, first of all this concept has been jacked from Andre Walker (a.k.a Oprah's old hairstylist). He created the hair typing system to compliment his private label brand over some 25 years ago and now it's being high jacked by some rogue hairstylists. NaturallyCurly.com explains the, "LOIS system is broken down by letters and incorporates all hair types for black women. L = Bend, O = Curl, I = Straight, S = Wave. I take it they are referring to the hair textures taking on the shape of the letters? Any whoot, what a crock of over cooked spaghetti noodles. If you really want to take advantage of this concept go on over to https://andrewalkerhair.com/ and get it directly from the source! Number two, "incorporates all hair for all black women..." Considering, men's hair bends, curls, waves and goes straight, I think they should be included too! Both male and females hair textures are determined by their genetics and NOT their race; however, I'll give them two points for giving me the opportunity to give credit where credit is due...#AndreWalker.

Third, the interesting Inversion Method to Grow Hair. This technique instructs folks to "heat up some oil, like olive or coconut, apply it to your scalp, comb hair thoroughly, massage your scalp for four minutes, and hold your head upside down for a few moments to rush the blood to your scalp for nourishment and growth." Because I know children read my blogs, I will not curse. But, what the French toast and ham sammich are these muffler suckers talking about? I have no clue. It is true, blood flow will carry the much needed nourishments to your hair. And true massaging your scalp for four minutes is sure to increase blood flow to it. Why hang your head upside down for a few more mintues? Jeezus take the wheel!

Last, the questionable, Monistat 7 for Hair Growth Method. Woo sah readers; woo sa! For those of you who don't know, the scalp is a microbial habitat. The microbes the scalp produces are yeast microbes. The scalp is self cleansing just like the vagina. Both do so all day every day. Both orifices needs to be cared for and groomed with the right products, the right tools and the right techniques. When the scalp and the vagina are not cleansed a timely organized fashion, the results are typically an imbalance of good and bad bacteria flora. Monistat 7 was specifically formulated for the imbalanced vagina under the notion that when used as directed for 7 seven consecutive days the flora (environment of good bacteria) of the vagina will return to normal. It is imperative to use the products formulated for your vagina on your vagina; and use the products formulated to clean your scalp on your scalp.

The Monistat 7 Method for Hair Growth

Understand this is for the environment of the vagina, not the scalp. For the record, companies have formulated shampoos specifically for people who have problems with yeast on the scalp, a' la dandruff, clarifying, and medicated shampoos to be exact. I understand how some products can be multifaceted, like vinegar, olive oil and baking soda.

For the most part, I understand what they are attempting to do with this natural hair thang. Some of it I agree with and others, I do not. Whatever my position or yours, it is unnatural for curly, wavy, coily and Afro hair to be moist, it is unnatural (it may be natural, but it ain't right...#lol) to steal somebody else's idea and make it your own, it is unnatural to hang your head upside down for a certain period of time to make your hair grow, and it is unnatural to use products formulated to improve and alleviate problems with the yeast production in the vagina to improve and alleviate yeast production on the scalp.

Understand, the concept of the right products, the right tools and the right tools concept mentioned in my book are about empowering and educating the reader. In the name of shameless plug, please buy my book. It is much more accurate and user friendly to both the hair stylist and the customer. The wrong products, the wrong tools and the wrong techniques as outlined in this blog exposes how they are all about mass marketing to produce mass dollars. They know all to well the horrible narrative of hair care and hair styling for people of African Ancestry brought on by slavery. They know all too well the narrative told to slaves by slave owners that their hair was bad, nappy, kinky and should not be combed. They know all too well those words and terms were wrong. They know all too well slaves were denied the practice of cleaning and grooming their own hair. Now, 400 years later, they know all to well the result of their abuse and miseducation has become a cultural practice for many descendants of slavery. They know all to well that it has now become the narrative of the natural hair movement: don't wash it, don't comb it, it is difficult to manage and all black women have the same hair.

They were and are wrong. No two heads of hair are alike for people of the same race, ethnicity, nation or culture, I highly suggest a buyer and user beware  attitude towards these popular techniques. They are constantly being promoted over the Internet via social media, hair salons and under educated hairstylists. A cookie cutter approach to hair care and hair styling that categorizes and classifies hair to the social political construct of race is played out. Ain't nobody got time for that. Creating and stealing hair care and hair styling techniques in name of popularity to become a social media influencer or famous, get more attention, likes, followers and money will only benefit their Racially AAA (assigned asinine agenda). 

How unnatural is that?

The Clean on Dirt

I absolutely love blogging. I love the excuse to read, research and learn. I love to take the information I read about and share it with others. Blogging is pretty cool! Blogging gives writers a chance to share their love of reading and writing for the sheer delight of it. I'm gonna use my love of reading to share with you a little bit about the truth on dirty hair.

Dirty hair is a very very touchy topic. As a matter of fact, talking about dirty or unclean, anything can be difficult. However, when you work in a business that requires you to clean and be clean, guess what? You can do it! So, here goes the clean on dirt.

Now, this blog is not limited to or is focused on women of color and women with textured hair only. But-ter-umm, the practice of not washing hair for weeks to months at a time is a practice that is predominantly used by women of color and women with textured hair. Why? Well, my research leads me to the answer that slavery is the culprit. Damn it! I know.

Kemsit, Nubian Queen of Kemet Pharaoh Mentuhotep II
(2061-2019 B.C). Queen Kemsit having 
her hair beautified by her servants.

Slavery is always going to be more difficult talk about than other topics because it evokes pain on the descendants of slaves and the descendants of the colonizers (thank you Shuri of Black Panther for bringing light to the word). There is nothing good about slavery. The effects of slavery have stained America forever and there is no way of avoiding the topic whenever America is discussed in the past, present or future. Unfortunately, even when it comes to dirty hair, the topic of slavery is responsible for yet another difficult topic in the making of America.

Now, getting to the point of dirty hair. It is to my understanding as a cosmetologist, there is a school of thought that has been passed down in some cultures of African American families and families of people with textured hair (some people with textured hair do not consider themselves Africans or descendants from Africa. But that is another blog) that textured hair should not be cleaned as often as people who do not have texture. The other school of thought is...the less texture (curly, kinky, wavy or Afro) one has in their hair, the more "they" can wash their hair. As an African kid raised in America, I was raised to shampoo and condition my hair weekly or more, especially during the summer when we went swimming. And my hair looked like Chaka Khan on steroids when I was a kid! So that captures a just a few scenarios around cleaning textured hair.

Well, the practice of not washing textured hair frequently is not a good one. It is no secret that when one of the most inhumane conquistador of all times, Christopher Columbus explored the sea to find the shortest route from Europe to Asia, he obviously had no sense of direction or what he was doing because he ended up in America. History tells us that according to his own journal in his own writing that he enslaved 6 natives on the first day upon them welcoming him and his cronies on their island. He wrote, "they make good servants." And within 60 years, that crook and his cronies physically enslaved thousands of Africans and killed some 250,000 indigenous people (Tainos)  with guess what? Rape, torture, lynching, disease and you guessed it, FILTH.  And from there, the White lie that Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 to discover America began. To think some 526 years later, the American world leader proudly summons masses of people to do what? "Make America great again." Meaning?

Understand that when the slave trade began, they did not do so with slaves. No, Boo Boo Kitty, they did so with Africans who were stolen and captured. When they stole the Africans, they did what any typical thief does when they steal, they take what they need. And typical of any thief, they do not bring other things along that are of no use to them in the selling of their stolen items. Just ask any thief. When a person steals clothes, they don't steal the soap powder and the iron to care for the stolen goods. When a thief steals a car, he does not steal the gas to fuel it or the garage door opener to park it. No, he takes whatever he deems of value to sell on the black market. That was slavery. Slavery was not only about stealing Africans, it was very much about selling Africans as slaves. The slaves were not things; they were African people who were moms, dads, teachers, priests, chiefs, daughters, sons, grandmas, mathematicians, architects, scientists, doctors and more. So, when the Europeans stole these Africans from their homes to enslave them for sale for labor, trust me when I tell you, African hair care was not on the roster and neither was their soap.

Alata Samina or Ose Dudu a.k.a black soap

Soap was not on the roster because Europeans did not use it. We know that Greeks love to claim the fame of every damn thing. Let the Greeks tell it they are responsible for geometry, history, numbers and writing. That is not true. Claiming and owning or starting are three different things. When you read the history of cleaning (even on the internet), Google and the peeps who do that thing called "algorithms" would have the average scroller to believe that the Greeks invented and set the standard on civilization, including cleaning some time during the era of 300 BCE. And you know what? They're right. But guess what else those algorithms capture? If you search for it the right way? They reveal that meanwhile back in ancient Kemet (Egypt) on the Nile between the period of 9000 BCE to 300 BCE, way before the Roman Empire, Africans were hunting, gathering and growing their own food. They had dynasties, spirituality, writing and pyramids. They were sustaining on their own. It was the Greeks, Romans and Persians who entered into Egypt for help. They were in the "Dark Ages" the Medieval times. They had very little going on and needed help desperately.  Oh and soap may I unapologetically add! African and African American scholars such as John G. Jackson, Cheikh Anta Diop, Dr. Ben Yosef Johchannan, Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Anthony T. Browder, are writers on the history of ancient Kemet who all attest in their books that the birthplace of mankind and the start of civilization  began in the interior of Africa along the Nile Valley.

It is imperative for all people, regardless of age, sex, race, nationality, and texture of hair to know that cleanliness began in Africa. No such practice of not cleaning self and hair is in the history or practice of Africans and people with textured hair. Not cleaning hair as needed is a practice forced on enslaved Africans by Europeans slave masters and colonizers alike. Unfortunately, enslaved Africans were forced to drop and disown their lineage and lifestyle as Africans. They were demoted to labels and titles such as Negroes, Blacks, people of color and minorities.  As a result of that kind of mind control, rape and physical abuse that the enslaved Africans endured caused a "loss" of mind and their ability to identify with their homeland and lifestyle as Africans for hundreds of years afterwards to the present moment of me typing this blog.

Thus began the tragic practice and belief that descendants from enslaved Africans now called Blacks, people of color and minorities can not wash and comb our hair like Whites or people with less texture in their hair. In addition to creating soap, varying excavations of ancient ruins reveal that Africans even carved and made combs out of animal bones and wood. Today many believe that "Goody,"  "Diane," and "Dupont" invented combs. They did not.

The iconic ‘fist’ comb from the
1970s and a 5500 year old
comb from Abydos Egypt.
Taken at the origins of
the afro comb exhibition.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge 2013

Now we know that Europeans did not civilize the world as we know it.  Nor are they the creators and soap. We can now reveal just how the ancient Africans along the Nile created soap. Simple, they did so with the use of essential oils, plants, flowers, and vegetables! Soap in different parts of Africa is also known as Ose (black) Dudu (soap), Du Du Osun, Alata Samina, and Anago Samina. These different names for soap were the original cleansing products of choice for ages to follow. These soaps were not only for cleansing the body, they were also used for cleaning hair. Just as they were good for both during ancient times, they are also good for both now. Nothing against Dove, Caress, Lever and the likes; but Africans invented soap.

Again, the practice of washing hair and scalp every two weeks or months on out, is one that got its origins from slavery. Our ancestors from Africa knew the power of little and tiny; hence microbes. They knew bacteria was harmful and could kill, so cleaning was vital and essential. Cleaning the body along with the hair and scalp is something that is done daily, to three, or to once a week. The choice, of course, is yours. It is your body and your hair. You are free to do as you please.

Understand, that if you are touting yourself as a person who enjoys the freedom of "natural hair" and textured hair, as well as a person who enjoys the freedom of letting it (hair) be; do so in the knowing that "natural hair" is not limited to people of color or people with textured hair; it is everyone and everybody who has a scalp or and hair. This blog points to the interior of Africa along the Nile is where mankind started and where the African diaspora began. Understand that the scalp and every texture of hair need to be cleaned within 7 days. Failure to do so results in advanced hair loss, hair damage, hair breakage, balding and thinning. It also increases the financial gain of every hair care company you can imagine.

Co-washing, washing hair every two weeks, washing hair every month, dirt makes hair grow, and growing dandruff are simply more myths and lies planted in the heads of the descendants of European slave owners and colonizers. Unknowingly, the enslaved Africans passed the lies and practice to their children out of igorance and necessity. Washing hair with soap and water is the most popular way to clean hair. However, it is not the only way. You can also clean your hair and scalp with essential oils or an antiseptic using a cotton ball or white face cloth daily to control the growth of bacteria on the scalp and hair.

That is "the clean" on "the dirt" about hair.  The lies of Blacks and people with textured not having to wash their hair weekly or waiting every two weeks to clean their hair and scalp is not the way of us as a people according to history before slavery. It is nothing to brag and tout about as a practice of status, class, decorum, and hygiene for anybody regardless the race. What it is, is a preference. If that is your preference, it is your preference. The clean on dirt is not to make America great again by not washing your hair.

Love, peace and hair grease!

The Inner You

What type of a blogger would I be if I did not write a blog about the outgoing year and the incoming year? Yes, there is something about the end of those 365 days that makes people want to do 365 more! As a cosmetologist, I can not think of a better way to make wanting to live those additional 365 days again more fulfilling than looking good. 

The National Cancer Society has a program to help women feel beautiful as they recover from various forms of cancer called, "Look Good. Feel Better." I can not think of a better mantra for life in the upcoming 2018 new year. It is true. When we look good, we actually do feel better. The interesting part about looking good is sometimes we can actually look uberly attractive and physically fit outwardly; but inwardly we do not feel the same. On the contrary, mentally we can feel fantastic; yet, esthetically and physically we look a hot mess. To rectify this conundrum, women opt to change their hair. They do so because it yields great feelings and looks great. However, this  resolve yields topsy tervy results which typically goes two directions. In the one direction the result is hate. If their hair doesn't turn out right, they either hate their hair and blame the hair product. In the other direction the result is love. They love either love their hair and love the product. Either way, the objective is truly to look good to feel better or to feel better because they look good. If this type of recourse sounds familiar to you or a loved one, then this blog is for you!

One of the most interesting things I find about working in the beauty industry is how much people want to be beautiful. I kind of liking my experiences to that request to that of someone who works in the ministry or spiritual realm. People got to ministers and spiritual coaches asking for blessing and prayers when they are already full of them. God, Spirit, Universe (or whatever name you have for your higher power) has everything already made in perfection. I know this sounds cliché. But it is not cliché. It is an absolute spiritual and physical fact. Consider two things. First beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Second, everything comes from within; everything. So feeling good within automatically puts and end to the "want."

Beauty is like art. What one person thinks is junk and scribble; others see it as art. What sees as ugly, fat and jiggly; others see it as perfection. I encourage every one to operate their mental faculties from the mindset of knowing. Know that you are already beautiful. Rather your have a head full of hair or your hair is balding. Own your own type of beauty versus wanting it. 

In relation to beauty, there are many things we can do with and to our beauty. We can alter our beauty or we can leave our beauty as is and proceed. Either way, we have a divine mind called choice to do as we please.

Today beauty has turned into something with two very interesting sides. On one side of the token there is a popular notion called "natural beauty." On the other side, some call it "altered beauty." Now days we have much coming at us to persuade us to choose a side. But, one has to admit the side of the coin that alters beauty is constantly being tossed again with the hopes to not alter. The one thing in beauty that people like to alter the most is hair. People like to alter their hair with water to reshape the state of if to do things like make it curly, puffy, frizzy, curly or straight. Then there are those who like to alter their hair with tools to cut it or decorations to adorn it. Others like to enhance that by adding heat via irons, dryers and the sun. There are also others who like to enhance the beauty of their hair by altering it with chemicals to change the color or and texture. Whatever the choice of alterations, guess what? You can always have the choice to alter it again.

Thoughts are more toxic than any relaxer.

The thing I find interesting about these varying options to alter it is the negative attention given to those who opt to chemically alter their hair. If a person chooses to alter their hair with chemicals they are often warned of the dangers of chemical alterations. People are warned against internal damages to the body, hair loss, hair damage and in some cases death. Yes, I've read and listened to many school of thoughts that are utterly totally and completely against anything synthetic/manmade on hair and the body.

I am no doctor by any stretch of the imagination nor am I any sort of spiritual or wholistic guru who is affluent in the knowledge of either area. However, I am of the genetic makeup from a supreme being. So with that fact, here is the knowledge bestowed in me from my supreme maker that gives me the credibility to respond. 

Everything comes from within. Nothing comes from without. If you use any chemical on your hair and you become ill, trust me; you were ill before you even reached for the box; before  the chemical was applied. Chemicals are energy like illnesses. They all come from someone's mastermind. If the mind generates sick and ill intent thoughts; so it shall be manifested in the external. Chemical application comes with warnings just like bad thoughts. There is a contingency to both modalities. 

I can think of nothing more toxic than a person who personifies, represents and promotes that the external is responsible for the internal. Nothing in beauty could be further from the truth. When you add anything external to an internal that is compromised, predisposed or is at risk, then consideration to what you choose to use externally should be considered with scrutiny.

My mom had this to say about surface beauty, "Beauty is skin deep. But, ugly is to the bone." In other words, a toxic mentality permeates. However, one chooses to alter their hair or image is a very personal decision. What is toxic to one person may not be toxic to the other. Everything is not for everybody. As we adorn ourselves externally, get to know ourselves internally. Discover what is really on the inside that you want the world to see daily. If you wanna fry it, dye it and lay it to the side; in the infamous words of the Rapper Debonair, Shock Gee - "Do what you like."   

Just grab 'em in the biscuit!

And for those who insist that chemicals or altering one's beauty beyond their view or opinion of how it should be done, understand that it is their energy of judging, their undertone of excessive persuasion and harsh words that begins the formation of the toxic thoughts that makes women, girls, teens and men sick from within long before any man made chemical touches and enters the body externally. 

The human body is amazing. Contrary to popular belief the human body wants to be alive. The divine made us so intricately well that it has organs that are designed to rid the body of toxins and even regenerate themselves to keep us living strong healthy lives. If and when the body becomes toxic, please know that you have the power of your mind through choices to change behaviors and affirm healing thoughts that will manifest any kind of healing. You know; what some people call miracles! 

The new year is approaching. Use this magical time to truly begin something beautiful in your mind. While you do have the option to do this at any and every moment in your life, feel free to use the incoming year and date of January 1, 2018 to do so.

According to numerologist Simone Matthews, of universallifetools.com, she writes this about numerology, "Numerology is a most ancient and mystical art form for understanding our own personal cycles of growth & evolution AND becoming conscious of ourselves in the greater context of planetary & cosmic evolution." As for the meaning of the new year 2018, she goes on to write this edifying passage to translate the meaning of the master number 11, "Firstly… in a Universal 11 Year we have the FREEDOM to really SEE ourselves from a greater level of awareness or consciousness.  Just like looking at our reflection in the water, we are drawn during 2018 to take a good hard look at areas in our life where we have held ourselves back, stayed small for fear of rejection, or limited our growth for fear of failure.  What do you ‘see’ when you take a deep introspective look at your life in this  moment, what is the universe reflecting back to you in this Universal 11 Year." To get more information on this topic, please visit her website. It is awesome.

There is only one you. When the maker made you, he broke the mode. Everyone has a divine mind that allows them to only create from within.  How you want to create or alter your beauty including hair is a part of that divine mind of choice. Even if you relax it, color it, loc it, braid it, cut it off, sew it on or glue it on, it is your prerogative to do so. If and when folk go to express their opinions about it; that's ok! They have the choice to use their divine minds for whatever they like or dislike.

Tap into the inner you. Continue to ask your supreme source how you can you express your beauty. Use that information to express yourself and should you choose; your beautiful hair.

The Have Knots

Hide ya wife, hide your hair!

The history of cleaning textured hair is yet another telling story of the downright mean treatment of the Africans who were enslaved. When the story of slavery is told, it has an undertone of people of color who came from a dark continent who were void of content, character, spirit, and purpose. It reads as if the people they stole and enslaved were merely dark colored slaves. This leads into the confusion in caring for textured hair today.

The history of slavery in America tells the story of devaluing human life abusively. This abuse was hash. It was from extreme physical and mental abuse to the subtleties of denying slaves simple human hygiene; such as hair care.

When the Africans were enslaved most don't realize they brought them over with nothing. They were not allowed to practice any rituals of any sort. Many were from different regions and did not speak the same language. So the ability to communicate with one another on how to carry on any sort of ritual was out of the question. Zoe Olivia Rhodes, a student at the University of Warwick in the UK writes this in her dissertation on textured hair that brings to surface the above-mentioned fact, "historically, Afro hair was denigrated by European slave masters. Slaves hair was referred to a wool; contributing towards black slaves being treated as animals and not being human beings." Her research argues, "this behavior came as a response to racist ideology and was meant to devalue the physical attributes of black people in order to sustain white supremacy. Indeed this denigration affected how slaves perceived themselves and resulted in them disguising their hair so it appeared more European or it was covered up." This affliction still haunts many Africans and people with textured hair today. So begins the woes of the haves and the have knots.

Considering Africans were brought here forcibly with no ties to the resources to care for their hair and the belief that they were not humans worthy of soap, water, and a comb; explains the present day mass confusion. In addition, it explains the refusal to ensure that all who are licensed to do hair know how to care for and sometimes style Afro-textured hair.  To reiterate, in the Americas, the start of hair care for Afro-textured hair people started from the mindset of people who controlled them and did not look like them. Remember they believed the enslaved Africans hair was of no pertinent value. Because they believed they were not humans; they taught them all to not clean their hair, not comb their hair or to cover it up.

From there, the madness in caring for textured hair began. Africans and Black people in the Americas pretty much hold on to this belief and practice today. Just as many who practice the ritual of placing a lost tooth under a pillow in exchange for money from the Tooth Fairy. Demanding Africans and Blacks in the Americas to clean their hair more often is like asking them to not believe in the Tooth Fairy. Many still hold on to the belief that cleaning hair frequently is for Whites. Cleaning hair infrequently from 2 weeks to two months is fine for Blacks, bi-racial or people with textured hair. They believe this to be a very effective ritual and practice simply because of the color of their skin, the texture of their hair and the local of where they reside.

This blog aims to debunk both belief and practice. Hair for all humans is an appendage of skin, regardless of race, texture, region or nationality. Hair grows individually from a regenerative organ or tiny hole called a follicle. Every seven years, the body gives each tiny hole or follicle a new strand of hair. The scalp; like the mouth, ears, nose, vagina, and mouth is self-cleaning. Therefore, like those other orifices, the scalp and hair need to be cleaned regularly with appropriate cleansers per the scalp, hair texture, and type.

To clean knotty and textured hair effectively, you must know what kind of textured hair you have. Is it curly, wavy, kinky, Afro or a combination? A trichologist or dermatologist is qualified to identify hair textures and types. You can opt to do one yourself by using a magnifying glass to see the direction the hair grows from the scalp and a simple tug of one strand of hair. If the hair grows straight from the scalp, it is straight. If the hair grows in an angle, it is wavy. If the hair grows in an obvious "c" pattern, it is curly. If the hair grows close and flat to the scalp, it is considered kinky. If there is frizz accompanying any of those growth patterns, it is combined with Afro. Thus making it combination between Afro and the textured growing from the scalp. If you tug the one strand and it snaps quickly, it is fine weak hair. If you tug the one strand of hair and it takes a while to snap, it is medium or normal hair. It is not too weak or strong. If you tug the one strand of hair and it never snaps, it is coarse or very strong hair.

Because slavery was such a money-making venture, the practice of making money made its way into everything; including hair. So, here is where the masses continue to have cleaning hair wrong from White slave masters. How you ask? To clear things up, the semantics used to explain and justify cleaning hair are wrong. For starters, the word shampoo is wrong and used interchangeably. This means more confusion which means more money.

Washing hair, cleaning hair and is NOT shampooing hair. The all have different meanings. Washing hair is a method of cleaning hair with a mild to vigorous scrub with shampoo, but not the scalp. Cleaning hair is to use the proper techniques to ensure that the scalp tingles and the hair squeaks; which means both scalp and hair are properly cleansed. A shampoo is a Hindu word that translates to massage. A shampoo is also the name of the soap people used to apply to hair and scalp to clean it. Let the madness continue as they get rich off the stupidity of the masses.  Shampooing hair and scalp really does and means nothing as it relates to washing or cleansing, again because to shampoo hair and scalp literally means to massage it. So why you may not be getting either cleaned, it sure feels good to get a good massage!

Shampoos are basically soaps with fancy ingredients and names that are formulated to clean hair or/and scalp. All shampoos are not formulated to clean the scalp. Be sure to read the label and instructions before you buy. Conditioners are formulated to help with manageability and appearance of hair. So both are created by scientists who specialize in cosmetic formulations to create a cleansing and softening agents according to hair textures. Those are called shampoos and conditioners.  Both products affect the performance of hair as it relates to cleanliness, volume, shine, sleekness, manageability, color protection, chemical altered fibers, artificial fibers and so on. Again race and nationality are not included in this formulation. Marketing and advertisement are responsible for the introduction of race and nationality to help sell the shampoo and conditioner.

The technique to clean textured hair is different from the technique of cleaning hair that is straight. To clean textured hair effectively, you must part and section the hair, then apply the shampoo (soap) directly to the scalp, scrub the scalp vigorously and conclude this cleansing process with a mild to aggress massage (shampoo). To shampoo straight hair effectively, you can either section the hair into parts and apply to the scalp, then scrub vigorously and conclude with a massage (shampoo). You can also, squeeze the soap (shampoo) into your hands, apply to hair and scrub vigorously into scalp. This process can be repeated 2-3 times if hair and scalp is cleansed within 6 days. If the hair has not been cleaned in over 7 days, the steps must be repeated 4-5 times to ensure flakes, fibrin and yeast are cleansed away from the scalp and hair properly. Hair must squeak in order to be considered clean. If hair does not squeak, then the hair is not clean. If the scalp does not feel tingly, then the scalp is not clean. The scalp must tingle in order to be considered clean.

To condition all hair textured and types effectively, use conditioner according to you hair type and texture just as you do when selecting a cleanser (shampoo). I suggest the language on the bottle speaks close to the language you use to describe the goal you want to see with your hair. Do not purchase conditioners according to your race or nationality. Apply conditioners to the ends of your hair first, then work your way up. Because the ends of your hair are the oldest part of the hair, they need to be conditioned first. After working the product up towards the scalp, use a comb to comb product through hair thoroughly. This assures the product is on every strand. Rubbing conditioners onto hair at the scalp area first does nothing but mosh the product around; thus making it settle to the scalp causing more flakes and itchiness. That will also inhibit the performance of the product giving it bad reviews and making the hair look and feel coated, dull and difficult to manage.

Be sure to use the proper comb for your hair texture and type. Straight hair typically requires larger tooth combs. Textured and Afro hair requires combs with more teeth that are closer and longer to prevent tearing and ripping of textured strands of hair. Using this kind of comb also reduces cramping in the hands and ensures even distribution of products throughout the hair. Lastly, using the proper comb will not damage the scalp.

When cleaning hair be sure to use warm water. Do not use hot water. Hot water will dry hair out, thus making it more difficult to comb and look nice. When conditioning hair, use cooler water. Cooler water causes the tiny hair scales called cuticles or keratin layers to lie flat. This will certainly make hair very easy to comb and shine more. Do not use cold water. Using cold water makes rinsing away the product ineffective and leaving hair difficult to comb and manage. Therefore, be sure to use cooler temperatures.

As you can see having knotty hair requires more than the mere act of purchasing something with images and words that are similar to you and your physical traits. Knotty hair care requires scalp care as well. The methods to cleaning and caring for knotty hair and not so knotty hair has three simple steps in no given order; the right products, the right tools, and the right technique. End the racist practice in hair care, starting with yourself and your family today. Embrace your hair and the time it takes to care for it. Having textured hair makes you unique not a money bag. Understand, people are getting very wealthy off of your ignorance, refusal to change and belief in the hocus pocus magic of the Tooth Fairy. We all know how the money gets their now. It comes a point and time to tell your child there is no such thing as a tooth fairy. There also comes a point and time to tell Africans who have resided in the Americas and have a lineage to slavery that not combing your hair, using a wide tooth comb, co-washing, infrequent shampooing are wrong as well. Instead, follow these three steps. They are as easy as 1, 2, 3. To not follow those rules only results in you being amongst the haves and the have KNOTS!

Peace out!