Removing Facial Hair for Women of Color

Hair Removal can be a tricky thing, especially facial hair removal for black women. There are alot of hair removal products out there, but none designed for black women.... there may be a few posers who say their products are for all hair and skin types, but they're lying, lol-- you people can't fool us. Anyway, I digress....

One of my close friends gets hairs on her neck, a few on her chin, and she has semi-thick sideburns. She's absolutely gorgeous, but she really hates the extra hairs, she's always like "why me!?!" lol. She found out that she got the neck/chin hair issue from her grandmother (though her mom and aunt have absolutely no hair on their face or legs for that matter-- crazy huh, lol) and she got the sideburns from her dad who has a full very think beard even in his old age. Very unlucky stuff.

When she was younger she would just shave the hair on her neck-- bad decision because more hair ended up growing back and it was thicker. She didn't know what else to do so she kept this up. After a few years, she stopped shaving and began using the mini-scissors you find in a manicure set to cut her hairs. She's tried self-waxing, but it didn't always work sufficiently and she's tried Nair, but it burned her skin, so for the past 5-6 years she's just been using the mini-scissors with the occasional shaving (maybe once a year, though she knows it is very bad).

She's fed up with the arduous and consuming task of sitting in front of the mirror with tiny scissors clipping her hairs, she doesn't want to have to spend $20 weekly at the salon to get the hair removed, and she doesn't have the funds to get it surgically removed yet (laser hair removal)... so we've discussed some things, researched some things, and have came up with some possible solutions that she will be trying over the next few weeks-- and I'll report back with the verdict.

Just in case some of you want to follow along and try too, here's what we're going to purchase:

1. Facial Hair Removal Threading Tool

Alot of women are swearing by this little gadget, so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that works. The price is slim and it was featured in Oprah Magazine.

R.E.M Spring Facial Hair Removal Tool

other versions of the same tool:

- Bellabe Hair Removal Tool

- Epicare Hair Removal Tool

- Facial Hair Threading Tool

2. Brazilian Bikini Wax Kit

I don't know what it is, but alot of women with thick dark curly/coarse body hair recommend using brazilian wax kits for facial hair. I'm thinking these may work well because Brazilian waxing kit would be designed for the most sensitive area or your body-- which is, well, down there so it should definitely work on your face.

Gigi Brazilian Bikini Wax Microwave Kit

Surgi-Wax Brazilian Waxing Kit

3. Creme Hair Removers

There are many types of creme hair removers, but she has only used Nair. So we'll have a stab at using Surgi-Creme Hair Remover for Face. There's a lot of youtubers swearing by it, though some say it may burn a bit.

4. Epilator

Epilators are basically mega tweezers. It's a both of little tweezers in a row and mimics the look of a shaver. My friend who will be using all these products, I will probably use them to, is not a tweezer-- neither am I. And from the reviews of most epilators, they are quite painful two tweezing virgins. The key to epilating is getting one that really does work and the Braun 5270 Silk-épil X'elle Body System Epilator has gotten quite a few great reviews.

Remove dark spots from shaving/tweezing/waxing/bumps:

I'm always against any type of skin-lightening agent, dark skin is absolutely gorgeous and is literally made for the sun meaning it was made for God and in his exact image. But I know that if you have dark scars or dark bumps then you will want to remove them. Alot of women and men from different ethnicities say that Ambi's Fade Creme really does just lighten your dark spots. So removing unwanted hairs from your neck or face then try using Ambi Skincare Fade Creme to clear up the dark spots that you may have acquired overtime.

Check out all the items Here.

So we'll be ordering a few of these products today and will come back with reviews soon. Feel free to try them out as well and leave reviews.

Product Review: Organic Root Stimulator's Olive Oil Deep Penetrating Conditioner

Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) Olive Oil Deep Penetrating Conditioner.

This stuff, this stuff right here? Yeah, this stuff right here is Great, lol. It smells absolutely delectable and makes your hair feel like silk. This a very important conditioner to put in your hair after a relaxer or shampoo. And this a good conditioner to use if you just want to condition your hair only.

The ORS replenishing paks are relatively inexpensive costing between .79-1.59 depending on where you go (usually .99 cents or $1.49). If you just want to try it out or are going out of town then just get a pak, otherwise it's smarter to buy the big bottle.

Product Review: Nairobi Essential Botanical Oils

Alrighty guys, so I've been mixing my own "secret" batch of hair oil for the past few months: 1/2 extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 pure coconut oil. I would put this in my hair almost daily and add the mix to my conditioners, as well as put it on my hair before my little semi perms.

The drawback of putting my "Olive Coco" mix in my hair before going to bed or throughout the day is that little bumps would begin to show up on the tops of my forehead. That is a no-no.

So, I went to the beauty supply store to find a new oil (I hate going in these places by the way, I wish SO bad they were colored-american (black) owned).

And I saw one bottle of Nairobi Essential Botanical Oils left. So, I scooped it up! (It was between this and the Kemi Oil).

And y'all-- this stuff is great so far. Not only is it very light-weight, it has a very pleasant smell, and has the BEST ingredients of any designer oil I've used (compared to keracare, mizani, etc).

Ingredients: sunflower oil, peanut oil, canola oil, coconut oil, aloe vera oil, olive oil, almond oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil, and fragrance.

Now, that's really are a list of Essential oils.

Size: 4 fl.oz

Cost: $11.99

I loooove this stuff. And this will be my go-to oil for now until forever, lol. Why? Because it has all the natural oils in it that I was self-mixing, plus more. Yeah, I could easily make this myself and have more of it, but I don't want to be bothered buying 9 different types of oil (not right now atleast).

Be sure to give this a try and tell me what you think :-)

Intellectual Conversations: Why Chris Rock's "GOOD HAIR" is a BAD movie

Here's a continuation of the first post on this
and the views on the movie "Good Hair".

I feel as if most educated people of color don't like the foolish imagery Chris Rock leaves the viewer of this movie-- especially viewers that are not black.

But of course, in this country, where many blacks are still suffering from the effects of slavery and jim crow, there is a want to not be publicly humiliated and degraded-- especially "in front" of non-blacks... and that is understandable b/c who wants to be exploited for laughs? no one.

It's not a "what will whites think of us now" mentality it's a-- "why do our own people insist on judging us and belittling us for the things that are being done by so many other races"... its a "white women do it so why is it self-hate on every level when a black woman does it?". Trust that we know "what white people think of us", and that's why certain issues, if addressed publicly (like in a movie), should be addressed in a thorough intellectual manner.

THE FACTS:

1. This film is NOT about black women and their issues. If it was, it would mostly receive authentic praise. What I have realized is that this movie, above all else, is about the insecurity of black men. And as a black man-- I can see this.

I believe in modern day, this hair issue is actually a black man's issue. Many black women (like my mother, girlfriend, sisters, friends) have found peace with their hair, whether its going natural or wearing extensions like all of hollywood. In 2009, this is a self-hate problem that plagues black men and we (not I) indirectly and directly pass on that self-hate to our women... and Chris Rock capitalized on his own insecurities and used his daughter's "question" as a front. As one woman thoughtfully said, "Chris Rock's daughter gave him an idea, she did not inspire him-- an idea and inspiration are two different things."

... I realized this reflected self-hate when I was talking to a group of my friends this weekend. They saw a fine girl and was wondering if that was her "real hair"... it made me think about why they placed so much importance on that. When I'm with my white friends they never ponder about a woman's "real hair" even though their women always wear weaves. But even forgetting the latter (about white women) I realized that there has always been this type of dissatisfaction and resentment with black men to black women.

A perfect example is my old high school buddy Troy. He's a cool dude and everything, but exemplifies the negative stereotypical black male-- multiple children w/o marriage, unemployed, always "hustling", barely got out of high school and won't finish community college, etc etc. Even with his many shortcomings of decidedly not being able to provide for his children, jail record, and incomplete education... he still seems to somehow bring up wishing his children's mother wouldn't wear a weave in conversations, and his preference for redbones with long hair. This is fully perplexing when she's the one with the education and job who's taking care of the children--- this is the type of tom-foolery that is happening all over.


2. And yes you are correct wigs have been worn since the Bible days and all over the world. Indeed Egyptian royalty wore adornment type crowns that are similar to wigs, but were usually engrossed with gold and jewels-- that was a status of royalty and wealth. In Europe the whites wore wigs everyday-- royalty and commoners and so when the 13 colonies were formed, when America was formed, all the white that came over wore them... and that's how the idea of these wigs came into this country. And of course overtime it continued, they wore wigs in the "wild wild west" and hair extensions and wigs have been around since.... this idea of "extra hair" is not new in any form or fashion.


3. I concur on Chris Rock not really being any good. I never thought about it before-- I have always found him funny in some regard, but it feels as of late he's just been going too far and perhaps with age is dealing with his own issues and that is being translated into his comedy act. I still can't erase the joke he made about not feeling like Barack should have married Michelle... because a "black woman wants control and will stand in front of you or beside you, but Becky will get behind you." It was low. Unnecessarily low in my opinion. Is he a comedian? yes. Was it funny? not to me and many people in the crowd started to actually boo... but I get that he has to make money and has to play off these stereotypes to continue to make millions, I get that everyone isnt perfect and that moreover everyone doesnt care about the plight of black people in this country. Chris Rock does a decent job of integrating some issues into his standup, but overall he's just another airhead with no real intelligence (and that is thoroughly shown in this movie).

Mar Nita, I guess I'm just tired of black men not being black men. I'm tired of us not standing behind and supporting our black women. My girlfriend and I mentor innercity kids and to hear what these young kids are saying about each other, especially these boys about black girls is disturbing. I sometimes ask myself if I was the same way growing up. The point is, I, feel like its time that black men stood up, picked ourselves up and started building back our community and that starts with us loving, embracing, and adoring our women. Sometimes I feel as if I'm a singular entity in this fight to restore love and togetherness in our community. I know, as always, there are plenty if black women but where are the black men? My 3 college roommates are the only group of men that I know, besides me, that are empowering our women and taking steps to mentor these young guys--- these fatherless boys.

I may not be able to change the ignorant mindset of people like Chris Rock and his crew, but through my actions and words I can help change the next generation. Don't get me wrong its hard to compete with Lil Wayne, TI, and Jay-Z on certain days, but at the end of the day I'm the one who's there for these kids-- they can feel that I care. And they see the beautiful dark brown woman with curly hair that I bring along to their football games and programs... that I always call beautiful (in front of them) and that I admire and respect. And so because of these things they don't have to be fooled into thinking that in order to be successful one has to, as Chris Rock stated, "Marry a white woman or almost-white woman".


4. You're right, there are truly a plethora of serious issues in the black community, and for Chris Rock, a black man, to try and tackle a "black woman issue" is tom-foolery at its finest. This movie, "Good Hair" is truly a mockumentary as it has been dubbed by the erudite people of the world, especially the educated african-americans. I can appreciate his attempts at useful information with the facts about the damage of lye perms, indian hair market, and stingy racist asian business owners, but that is all, and I mean all this movie offers.

I can only hope that Chris Rock and his crew realizes the mockery this film exudes and will cease the distribution of it-- as it is hindering our people and deriding our women just for profit. Must we continue this incessant cycle?

Chris Rock is BULLSH*T, "Good Hair" is Trash.

The shameful Chris Rock

Okay,

So I HAVE to start my first post off with the truth about Chris Rock's degrading MOCKumentary. I was super excited about the movie initially-- thinking that it would talk about the known issue of "Good Hair"-- where the term came from, slavery, etc. Then I figured it'd touch on perms (which in did), but then also talk about the natural hair movement that has been going strong since India Arie's "I Am Not My Hair" (around 2005). But NO it did not, it was Shameful, just downright shameful. That movie deals with the self-hate black men have for themselves and their women more than anything else.... Black women are comfortable with themselves-- natural, perm, or extensions. I think most of us are just over it.... but its the black men that have the issue. Men like Chris Rock... ergo movies like "Good Hair" that in NO WAY deal with the actually issue and history behind "Good Hair". I am no longer a Chris Rock fan by any stretch of the imagination. Chris Rock, like some blacks before him, has sold out, embarrassed, an degraded his people just for some quick bucks.... if I was the queen, I'd have to "Off with his head". But forget my word... I ran into some great comments about the movie from a conversation I peeped in a website:

Here's the link to the conversation HERE. But I'll place a few major points below...

(I love Duke's opinion... why can't we have more men like this???)


DUKE:
I saw the movie with the moms and wifey and though I think you're funny Chris- the movie was biased and lacked any real historical content- where was the slavery? and the origination of "good hair"?

Where were the India Arie's, Tracee Ellis Ross's, Solanges, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hills and all those type women, the HUGE amount of black women that are natural and have been natural forever... it was sort of disrespectful towards women like my mom who have been "natural" since I can remember and all the women in my life who went natural during the whole "India Arie- I am Not my Hair" movement- as it has been dubbed. (and not to mention all the white women who have worn wigs and weaves since the beginning of time, calling out the black actresses when white actresses wear weaves and wigs more was also a point that you left out).

My man, you slacked heavily, and I gotta admit that I don't like the fact that now any white person who sees this movie is going to leave wrongfully thinking that all our black queens have perms and that if their hair is long its a weave- thats bullsh*t bruh... you could have done better. Most people in our movie theater left really disappointed. If you did somehow get good reviews its from white people- who eat up stereotypical ish like this.

I still can't get over how your really didn't go into the REAL meaning and history of "good hair"... anyway, I'll give you a C- for effort. But like everyone has been saying- you need to do a PART II ASAP.


LEA:
Most of the black women I know have naturally long hair, while my white friends wear more weaves and wigs than the black ones... especially since white women invented wigs and weaves... even the founding fathers wore wigs. Miley Cyrus, Heidi Klum, Britney Spears, Megan Fox, Paris Hilton, every playboy model, etc etc they all wear them... I was listening to my local radio station today and the white hosts were quoting these "facts" - "most black women have perms" :if a black woman has long hair its fake"... it was sickening to listen to.

You really NEED to do a part II of this silly one-sided documentary and cover the historical context of good hair and how it stems from slavery... then you should end it with the fact that many many (I would say atleast half) black women these days are "natural" and no longer use 1950s lye perms (lol at you for having that in the movie- who uses lye perms anymore???)). I know I may sound more knowledgeable than the average nonblack woman, but thats the good thing about having a diverse group of friends- you aren't as ignorant. So Chris, I suggest you widening your group of friends... so you won't be as ignorant- because your movie is doing more bad than good.

THINE:
Did you even see the movie or are you pulling stuff out the air? Where are you getting your information that supports your assertion that half of black women are natural? The movie clearly states that black women make up about 6.5 percent of the population, but they buy up to 40 percent of all hair care products. I don't think that half of this ... Read More


DUKE:
I think she's pulling it from what she sees... just like me. The majority of the women in my life are natural- and its beautiful. And to be honest when you go to the top schools in the country you see the same thing.. I went to MIT, my best friend went to Princeton he's now at HBS (harvard business school)... and about 3 years ago we both noticed how all the women on our campus were going natural.(it was sort of weird at first, but then we got used to it... i remember it like it was yesterday- every girl even the girls with the "mixed curly hair" cut off their perms) And even out in the "real world" i see just as many natural women as i see with perms/relaxers... I say all that to say that I think people of color with higher education and people of color who are more progressive thinking have many friends that are natural.

And as far as Chris's statistics... c'mon now, i know you're smarter than that- you know statistics are not always right.. sometimes people have stats and they only base them off a sampling of 40 people. So his 95% of black women etc etc... is probably just based off some random sampling of women he surveyed (most likely from hoodish type areas).

And as far as the "natural hair care products"- my wife uses the same stuff as her friends with perms use. All because your hair is natural doesn't mean you have to use some kind of "special product"- you can if you like but it's not necessary.

I do get Chris's point though- if we're buying most of the products we need to make sure that we're selling it- keep it in the community (my wife hates going into those asian owned beauty stores b/c they always have bad attitudes).

JESSICA L. THOMAS: I agree with you, brotha...

THINE: Chris indicated that he made the movie to address his daughter's perception of why she didn't have "good hair" not a question/concern of if black women wear natural hair. If we are honest we all know that in "our" communities natural hair isn't considered to be "good hair" unless it is a certain texture. So the movie would have been better if he ... Read More

DUKE: well maybe your in the wrong community... because in my community natural hair is good hair. its funny because my sister used to talk of the good hair back when we were younger, my mom gave her perms and all that.

then she went natural about 2.5 yrs ago and she actually has the "good hair" that she and so many other women have always wanted. its ironic because black women's natural hair is the "good hair".

then they use those products to make their hair even curlier... i hope im not saying this wrong, but i think she and my wife uses a product by "miss jessie"? it brings out their natural curls and make them really soft (and no its not a perm)... some people (men and women) use the texturizers which are light and only partially straighten the hair.

black women naturally have "good hair", just find the products to make it curlier i guess.


DUKE: And should Chris place blame on people? no.
But should Christ answer the real question of "good hair" and its origination? yes.

I don't like when people present half-truths... If you're going to do a "documentary" make it a real one. Make it meaningful- present the question, the problem, the background, and the solution.

It was a cowardness move on his behalf (his production, writers, etc) to not discuss the historical content that is very relevant. See African-American history.. which is just American history is not taught in school.. there's maybe one chapter in most grade school history books. Our people need to be educated... they need to know why, they need to be challenged: "why do i think this type of hair is good hair" "where did this phrase good hair come from" "how can i change my thinking so that i don continue to perpetuate something that is hindering my race".

What's that quote- you can't move forward without knowing where you've been and where you're going... I probably am saying it all wrong, but its a famous quote by some famous African-American person... my point is-- history is important. And that's what "our" community lacks- we forget our history, we let "outsiders" trick us into thinking that if we discuss it then we're placing blame, they guilt us into thinking that it is not important... but it is. We must learn from it. We must realize where certain behaviors and mindsets derived from, we must ask ourselves why we think this way... and that is what Chris Rock did not present.

That is why his "documentary" was entertaining and perhaps helpful from an economic view point, but was vacuous in really helping "our" people to understand the true nature of the "problem" and what "we" can do to fix it.

_________________

Pretty intense stuff, huh? What do you all think? I'm going to post more of Duke's conversation in the next post...

1 black parent + 1 white parent = 1 MIXED child

I've been reading some of my comments, since I just got back from a blogging hiatus, and I want to thank everyone for giving their opinions on products and what not. That said, I ran across a very disturbing comment when reading the comments from the Dominican article...

"I am the product of a white mother and a Dominican Republic father basically I am african american. Anyway Dominican Republicans do have a healthier way of taking care of african american hair in my opinion but it's all in the way you care for your hair anyway and too much heat on any hair is bad. My hair grows out very thick and long and not thin on the ends but it has also been damaged before and thin on the ends so what is that guys point. Anybody can grow their hair out hopefully after it has been damaged that doesn't mean that their hair didn't grow back out long and thick."

See anything wrong with this comment? Maybe you don't, it seems pretty harmless, but that's to a person who has accepted some racist tendencies forced upon people of color. While most of her comment was perfectly fine, the beginning of it was, well, crazy.... "I am the product of a white mother and a Dominican Republic father basically I am african american."

If you have one parent that is white and another that is Dominican... then you are MIXED. If you want to be specific then you are Dominican American (if your mother is American and/or if you are American).

It peturbs me on so many levels when people -- white, black, whatver... automatically call people who are MIXED, black... I rarely see the opposite. It's not about being ashamed of being black, its about denying ONE WHOLE part of who you are. You are MIXED and do not ever let anyone make you choose between one race or the other. If you have one mixed parent and one white parent-- if anything you're white. But somehow the "one-drop" rules created during horrible slavery racism Jim Crow times has oozed it's way into the psyche's of sooooo many people. If the one-drop rule were true then we could all just be whatever we wanted--- most "African Americans" have a white grandfather somewhere down the line... so I guess they would all be white, huh?

Basically, people, DO NOT call people who are mixed by one race. DO NOT let people put you in a category and tell you what you are.

Halle Berry is NOT the first "African-American" Oscar winner, she is the first MIXED Oscar Winner, the first 1/2 African-American Oscar winner. A "black" woman has not yet won.

President Barack Obama is NOT the first "African-American" president of the USA, he is the first MIXED president of the USA. A "black" man has not yet been president.

These type of list go on and on... and yes I love both our president and halle, but it's not fair to deny who you are... especially when in most cases like this... the mother or the mother's family (often time white) are the ones that end up raising them.

Now I know many mixed people feel more love and acceptance in the black community, often time more comfortable. That's understandable... its fairly easy to feel alot of love from black people who are still dealing with the effects of slavery when you have light mixed skin-- they may put you on pedestal. But it's a lie to say you're black or "African-American" when you have one European-American parent-- you are mixed. Don't deny yourselves, don't let someone else define you... you define you.

This post may seem random, but I just wanted to address that.

Finally Back

Finally back....

Life has been great and busy.

I have updates on products I've used, some new things I'll probably add to the site and just more opinions and facts... I have soooo much to say.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone :-)