Over the past decade natural hair has grown in popularity among the under-30 black female crowd. Many of us have decided to step away from relaxers and bone-straight hair in favor of quenched and defined curls. Although, it’s “just hair”, it can’t be ignored that we’re taking part of a pivotal moment in history. But how do these changes affect our professional lives? We are still occasionally stopped in our tracks and faced with other people’s ignorance and cruelty, which is why it’s an unspoken rule in many black homes not to show up to job interviews or work with big hair, braids and even locs in some cases.

In May 2012 I worked as a dental assistant for two Russian dentists. I arrived to work a bit early on this particular day and instead of the compact bun that I usually wore, I donned an afro ponytail because I hadn’t gotten the chance to put my hair up and my first patient wasn’t set to arrive for another 30 minutes. Almost immediately after I removed my second arm from my jacket I was met with laughter, followed by “You look like one of those…what do you call them? The dolls with the hair…a troll doll baby!”. Not 10 minutes after that occurred, I was pulled aside by the less willing to joke and more stern dentist who told me “you have to wear your hair organized”. This took place in front of other employees and was quite embarrassing. That would not be the first time I had contemplated making it my last day. Instead, humiliated, I twisted my puff and put my hair in the bun as I had intended to before I was tag teamed by the Black hair police.( Continued here  http://blackgirllonghair.com/2013/05/my-boss-criticized-my-natural-hair-in-public/#LpbctUAZq35soMGC.99 )

SO what do you all think? Chime in! Has something like this every happened to you?

African-American hair stylists are asking the Oregon legislature to scale back the rules surrounding traditional braiding techniques. The Oregon House is set to vote Monday on a measure that would ease the training requirements for hair treatments that don’t involve chemicals.

Amber Starks wants to open a braiding shop in Portland. She also wanted to volunteer her skills for African-American children in foster care. But Oregon regulations say she can’t do either without a cosmetology license. And that requires more than 1,400 hours of training. So Starks approached lawmakers to ask them to relax the rules for hair-styling that doesn’t require chemical and heat treatments.

She says she’s pleased with the resulting bill, which would create a separate license for stylists like her, who specialize in so-called “natural hair care.”

“It would give us legitimacy, it would give us economic opportunity,” Starks says. “It would keep us from going over to Washington where it’s currently legal and where I have my business now, because I can’t do it in Portland.”

The measure also has support from the Libertarian think-tank Cascade Policy Institute. That group argued that the license requirements for braiding were an example of overreaching government regulation.

On the Web:

HB 3409: Natural hair care - Oregon Legislature

Today, Natural Hair Community LLC, announced that Natural Hair Box, a subscription service that delivers hair products and beauty accessories directly to your door, is now available at: www.NaturalHairBox.com . Every customer who signs up for the Natural Hair Box subscription service will receive products that have natural, gentle ingredients and are produced by companies who foster the belief of putting wholesome, healthy ingredients onto your hair strands.

“There are other beauty boxes to choose from when it comes to subscription services, although Natural Hair Box differentiates itself by asking subscribers what they wanted and giving it to them,” said Akira “Jael” Byrd, Founder of Natural Hair Box.

The products selected for Natural Hair Box are also vetted by the Natural Hair Box staff. Mrs. Byrd stated that each product must pass 5 point inspection.  If the product doesn’t successfully pass the 5 point inspection and isn’t specifically requested by the subscribers, don’t expect to see the product included within Natural Hair Box.

“We understand that each person’s hair is different. What works for one person, may not work for another,” Mrs. Byrd said. “This is why we don’t have a panel of experts and gurus, because we want to empower the Natural Hair Box subscribers to be gurus of their own hair. We send out boxes containing products that subscribers have requested, so our subscribers can try them and decide how they like the product.”

Hair care products that are included in the boxes range in size from 3 oz. samples to 16 oz. full-sized products. A typical Natural Hair Box contains products valued at $50 or more based on the retail prices of the items.

“Natural Hair Box generally includes very few true sample sizes – 1 oz. sample packets. Most of our products are premium-sized to full-sized products. We recognize that many product samples are only useful to test on a small section of hair, which can be useless for women who have longer lengths of hair. Our goal is to provide you with a size that is applicable to one full application or more, so that you can experience the product,” Mrs. Byrd said. In addition to the hair care boxes, Mrs. Byrd runs a blogwww.NaturalHairCommunity.com which discusses natural hair care and the problems associated with it.

Jael and Kenneth (husband) have always made recommendations about what has worked well based on their personal experiences, but they always encourage women to become the guru of their natural hair. Also, they read extensively about what other naturals say has worked for them and share the knowledge with others. “I give my readers information based on what I have learned, the good and the bad,” she explains.

For more information, visit www.NaturalHairBox.com

1 year+ Naturals:

• How long have you been natural and when did you BC?
• What are your staple products and hairstyles?
• What is your regimen?
• What are your natural hair goals?
• How do you keep your hair intact overnight?
• How do you maintain length?
• Name 1 reason you went natural and why you love being natural.

Transitioners:

• When did you start transitioning?
• What inspired you to transition?
• What are your staple products?
• What’s your regimen?
• What’s the hardest thing about transitioning?
• Have you received any negative towards your decision to transition?
• Do you plan on big chopping or cutting the hair off gradually?
• What are your staple styles for transitioning?
• What do you hope to achieve with you natural hair that you cannot achieve with your hair in its current state?

TWA & Newly Natural:

• When did you do the Big Chop?
• Have you ever had hair this short if you have  a TWA? If not, how does it affect you mentally?
• What are your staple products?
• Whats your regimen?
• Whats your favorite hairstyle?
• What are your hair goals?
• Have you received any negative comments about your hair?
• What do you love most about your TWA or just being newly natural?

Locs

• What is your name and what do you do?
• How long have you been growing out your locs?
• Why did you loc up?
• Who is your loctician?
• What is your regimen for your locs?
• Have your locs ever hindered you professionally?
• How do you feel about the natural hair movement taking place amongst
• African American women?
• Any advice to someone just starting out on their journey

Then and Now
THEN AND NOW! Send pics of your hair when you were relaxed and pics of you now

REMEMBER, attach 4- 7 pictures of your hair
and email it to me at hairstories@strawberricurls.com with the
subject line of the appropriate interview”!

GIVEAWAY TIME! Enter for your chance to win the 5 Piece Snack Pack  By Oyin Handmade  AND A “Bad Hair” Shirt!

“The 5-piece “Snack Pack” hair care sampler contains generously sized 2 ounce containers of Honey Hemp Conditioner, Greg Juice leave-in spray, Shine & Define coaxing serum, and Hair Dew creamy leave-in, as well as the 1-oz Mini Burnt Sugar pomade.” 

Honey-Hemp Conditioner is a penetrating, detangling, seriously softening multipurpose conditioner, enriched with aloe vera gel, hemp oil, honey, and just a touch of hydrolyzed silk protein. (this is not your high protein rebuilding conditioner; we use just enough to make it silky ;o) HH has got great detangling slip and serious moisturizing power. It rinses cleanly and also makes a nice pre-shampoo deep conditioning treatment. (add oil or extra honey for superior DC power!) It can even be used as a creamy, nourishing leave-in!

Honey Hemp Conditioner contains: purified water, organic aloe vera gel, behentremonium methosulfate (emulsifier derived from colza oil), honey, virgin hemp oil, coconut oil, vegetable glycerine, hydrolized silk, citrus essences, fragrance, optiphen (preservative)… and LOVE! ;o)

Greg Juice is our nourishing herbal leave-in tonics have been our most popular products since we first introduced “Greg Juice,” the original citrus-herbal version, in 2004. Now available in three unique scents, this oil-free mixture of vegetable moisturizers and herbal essences remains hugely popular among people with many different hair types and needs!

ingredients: Aqueous infusion of shavegrass leaf, lavender buds, nettle leaf, chamomile flower, and red rose petals; organic flax seeds; organic aloe leaf juice; vegetable glycerin; lavender oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit seed extract; citric acid, and love

Shine & Define is designed to be nourishing, light & non-greasy, this soft creamy serum contains herbal infusions, pure Aloe Vera, flax seed extract, nutritive sea vegetables, shea butter, and more. It’s like a smoothie for your hair!

Hair Dew is a creamy, conditioning leave-in is light enough for every day. it’s great on ‘naked’ hair immediately after a cleanse, or as a way to reinvigorate tired hair all the way through your hair care cycle.

ingredients: purified water, castor oil, olive oil, organic aloe vera gel, behentrimonium methosulfate (emulsifier), coconut oil, olive squalane, optiphen (preservative), cetyl alcohol, fragrance, and love!

Burnt Sugar Pomade -Does your hair love oils? Our “Sugar” Pomades are nourishing all-vegetable pomade and styling products named after the uniquely sweet, translucent, and fragrant quality of warm, homemade caramel.

burnt sugar contains: castor oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, organic virgin coconut oil, mango seed oil, olive oil, unrefined hempseed oil, candelilla wax, cocoa butter, broccoli seed oil, fragrance… and love!

RULES & REQUIREMENTS FOR GIVEAWAY

COMMENT on this POST!!
POST AND SHARE THIS BLOG POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
“LIKE @Oyin Handmade and Tag Strawberricurls and tell them Strawberricurls Sent you!
Follow me on Instagram: Strawberricurls
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That’s It! The Giveaway ends Feb 14th at 12am! Good Luck!

#KINKSnKISSES twitter party on February 16, 5-9pm CST on TWITTER

Ticket

Kinks N Kisses Ticket $2.75 USD

Enter Twitter Name Here

GIVEAWAY TIME! I haven’t done a giveaway in AWHILE! Enter for your chance to win the popular “Dip Hair and Body Moisturizer”,”A Sister’s Keeper Sunburst Shampoo Bar”, and “A Naturally Thick Like My Hair” Tee! All by Sister’s Keeper!

Dip Hair and Body Moisturizer:

Our Dip Hair & Body Moisturizer naturally enhances hydration while calming and soothing dry skin. Dip is enhanced with essential herbs that help moisturize and penetrate the hair and skin. It is suitable for all hair and skin types. Dip can also be used as a leave in conditioner.

Ingredients: distilled water infused with burdock root & nettle leaf, btms, slippery elm, panthenol, hemp seed butter, eco-mulse, honeyquat, coconut oil, hazelnut oil, optiphen and fragrance as an option.

“Sister’s Keepter Sunburst Shampoo Bar” 

Sister’s Keeper created this 5 oz shampoo bar using honey, shea butter, coconut oil, mustard seed oil and neem oil. Honey is known for many benefits when it comes to hair. Honey works as a conditioning agent, adds shine and luster, retains moisture and also has incredible healing properties which makes it great for your skin, scalp and hair. Shea butter is naturally high in Vitamins A, E, and F, which helps to rejuvenate the skin and soften dry or damaged hair. Mustard seed oil helps stimulate the scalp to promote hair growth, and is a good source of vitamins and nutrients, which help nourish your scalp. Neem oil promotes hair growth by conditioning, nourishing and treating your hair and scalp. It prevents premature graying, excess shedding and hair loss and has antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic and antibacterial properties. The fragrance is a luscious blend of juicy mandarin, white peach and tropical mango.
Our Sunburst Shampoo bars will be a great staple to add to your regimen to keep your hair and skin healthy and glowing!!

Shampoo bars can be used on the body as well.

Ingredients – coconut oil, palm oil, safflower oil, vegetable glycerin, purified water, honey, shea butter, mustard seed oil, sorbitol (moisturizer), sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), neem oil, soy bean protein (conditioner) and fragrance

Rules:
COMMENT on this POST!!
“LIKE” @Sister’s Keeper Page and Tell them Strawberricurls Sent you!
Follow me on Instagram: Strawberricurls
Subscribe to my Youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/thestrawberricurls
“LIKE” Strawberricurls facebook page!

That’s It! The Giveaway ends Feb 4th at 12pm! Good Luck!

The words are written all the way up the back of the woman’s leg. “Matronly” appears at her calf, “proper” at the knee, and “whore” at the very top — words meant to reflect how women are often perceived based on the length of their skirt.

The provocative photo, called “Judgment,” was posted by Rosea Lake, a first-year university student at Capilano University in Vancouver, B.C on her Tumblr site in early January. In a matter of a few days, the photo went viral, with more than 280,000 people liking and re-blogging it on Tumblr.

She took the photo as part of a high school art project last year as a way to reassess her assumptions and preconceptions about how women dress.

“If you see a girl wearing something you see as distasteful, then you automatically discount them as a person and you don’t give them the opportunity to really be somebody in your eyes,” said Lake, 18. “And that’s really shameful.”

She says the image is also meant to be a response to rape culture. Right under the words “slut” and “whore” on model Ali Mackenzie’s leg, are the words “asking for it.”

Lake says that living in a “rough neighbourhood,” she has often wondered if her outfit will result in her being “sexually harassed or verbally abused.”

“These are the things I think about, and I don’t think women in particular should have to worry about am I going to be raped because of what I am wearing today?”

When she did the art project, she wrote on her blog that she “used to assume that all women who wore hijabs were being oppressed . . . and look(ed) down on and judge any woman who didn’t express her sexuality in a way that I found appropriate.

“I’d like to think I’m more open now.”

Thanks to the Internet, the image has been seen all around the world. And it’s a message that has resonated with everyone who has seen it.

She has received emails from women in Turkey and Bosnia who have loved the photo. Rape survivors from around the world have emailed her to thank her for her candidness. And professors have asked her permission to use it in their classes as a teaching tool.

“I think it hit at the right moment. I think it hit people who had these feelings and thoughts in mind, and wanted to discuss these issues, but didn’t know how to express them,” she said.

But there have been some people online who have taken it the wrong way and don’t understand that it’s satire. “There have been some comments where people say, this must have been made by a man, by a chauvinist pig . . . which upsets me, but you can’t control the Internet.

“I think most people know that it’s a photo meant to call out society on its ridiculous views.”

In the meantime, she is making prints of the photo in response to popular demand — and as a way to make some money as a “poor art student.” But she knows the exposure the photo has received is priceless.

“I’m just happy that it has sparked so much dialogue and conversation. The message is much more important than I am, so I want people to use it.” http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/a…n-skirt-length

My thoughts: I think this picture speaks VOLUMES! I personally believe that women should dress a certain way because of the way that society and men in general view them. I know everyone may not share my sentiments but hey, its what i believe.

Discuss…….