Are we really still stuck on this concept? I was gonna start this blog with a rant about weave wearing sistas. Not that I have a personal issue with it, I was just so frustrated this week after having yet another one of my customers come in distraught about her hair loss…a problem acerbated by wearing weave (though she blames stress and everything else); everything but the weave even though I am looking at damage right where the weave was attached. And it got me to thinking, why are so many black women still wearing it. Just what is wrong with our own hair? Sure, not everyone can grow long hair, but I remember sistas rocking some gorgeous haircuts. I know I know, I am totally off the subject of skin, but it is still about beauty--black beauty.
So, I have noted that a good 50% -60% of my customers consistently wear weave and probably 90% has worn it at some point or another. Why do they wear it? Well, I’m not shy about asking. So I did. A good portion responded that they were trying to let their hair grow or was giving their hair a rest so that it can become healthy. Well, we are all adults…reason it however you like. But every time someone I know (and I do mean every time) has worn weave to let their hair grow, it resulted in some damage and sometimes hair loss. But for some reason they tell me “Well, there was going to be some damage because of how long it’s been braided”. Isn’t that contradictory? Wasn’t the point supposed to be growing it? Healthier hair? So, is it really about hair growth and health? How many of you know women who have complained about their hair being unhealthy, damaged, thinner, etc. Do they wear weave? Do they in anyway blame the weave?
Our hair, our nose, our lips. In this industry, makeup artist learn to contour our noses to look thinner, they put weave in our hair to make it longer and shinier, they tell us that if your lips are too full, don’t wear color lipstick it draws too much attention to them or put the lip liner up higher to give the appearance of thinner lips. (Meanwhile women of Anglo descent add lip plumpers and fat to make their lips larger…hmmm.) Why is this trait not appreciated when seen on Black women? We are who we are, Black women, with unique features and beauty. How can the media embrace this if we don’t? Is the only measure of beauty Anglo? Maybe it’s because I’m in this industry that I can see beauty in all my customers. Each one has their own unique look and something attractive can be found in all of them. Granted, it’s not just a black women’s issue with tearing ourselves apart (I’m guilty too. When I look in the mirror, I can point out a thousand perceived flaws with my body.) but, for black women, I think it is doubly worse because we can never make our features smaller, narrower, our hair longer, shinier, our skin lighter and unfortunately…our beauty isn’t celebrated. When will our beauty be celebrated? When will our beauty become the standard by which all other beauty is measured? Maybe it starts with us… teaching that appreciation in our communities…in our homes…to our sons and daughters. Teaching them that what they have IS GOOD ENOUGH...it is more than good enough...IT IS DESIREABLE.
Please, pipe in with your thoughts on my blog. I won’t take offense to those who disagree with my views. I think discussion is healthy and necessary.
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