Bald And Beautiful At The Miss Universe Beauty Pagent 2012

While I'm on the topic of women with shaved heads, I received a post on my Facebook wall from a friend in Trinidad and Tobago regarding the recent 2012 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant. He commented on the amount of beautiful women (including our very own Miss Trinidad and Tobago) who wore way too much hair for the show, and how in the end, it was a disadvantage for them. He quickly followed with another comment (which he knew I would enjoy) about two brave women who competed at the pageant with shaved heads, showcasing their natural beauty.

Miss St. Lucia Tara Edward

and Miss Tanzania Winfrida Dominic

walked proud with shaved heads. The fact that these two women felt comfortable enough to represent their country without masking their beauty behind someone else's hair was simply amazing. Not many women are secure enough to achieve that feat.

Let's think about this for a minute... So many women are afraid to be themselves without the addition of fake hair. I get it to a point, we all have our insecurities. However this "hair masking" situation is out of control. :(

Don't get me wrong. I love me some fake hair for a photo shoot...as hairstylists we are nothing without some extra hair at that point. It allows us to be creative and change someone's look drastically. And I will also do extensions if a client has a special occassion. But, I will never use fake hair if it will intentionally make someone look bad, dated or tacky. The idea is to enhance someone's beauty, not cover it up.

Ladies, I support you as individuals, because individuality is true beauty. Don't get caught up in the hair hype. Be true to yourselves and let your real beauty shine through. It's important to remember that most celebrities that go from short to long, like our beautiful Rihanna, wear wigs. So when you see her with short hair, it's because she needs to give her hair and scalp a break.

Ladies at home let's show young girls that a pack of fake hair will not make them a woman...but that individuality, charm and those natural god-given gifts can go a long way.

Amen!!

Posted by Unknown at 11:41 AM - 0 comments

Bald Women Are Beautiful Too

As a hairstylist it's normal to see hairstyles change, and they will always change, it's the nature of fashion. But there comes a time, when something that was once considered beautiful, starts taking on a more negative connotation. I'm not just talking about it becoming out of style but becoming a liability. In this case, it's about women losing their hair line due to hair extensions.

I was recently on the A train, leaving Harlem and heading to work, when someone caught my attention. I work in the beauty industry, so it takes a lot for someone to catch my attention, to the point where I'm staring. It was a woman on the train that was bald. Not only was her head shaved, she was naturally beautiful and carried herself with confidence.

I knew I only had a few minutes till the train stopped so I quickly said, "Hi! I'm a hairstylist and I think your hair looks amazing! Would you mind if I interview you for a short article to inspire other women that it's ok to do the same?"

To my surprise she said yes. :)

So here is the Q&A I had with the natural beauty I encountered on the train.

When I saw you on the train, I could not help but recognize your natural beauty. Do you hear that often?

Thank you Antonio! Yes, I do get compliments, often from both men and women, which wasn't my purpose for going shaven at all. But it always makes me feel good, especially nowadays when women are doing everything to be as unnatural as possible with their looks.


How long have you been shaving your head?

I've been shaving my head for about 16 months. I think this is the last stop in haircuts for me.

Did you have once long hair before?

I had long hair for most of my childhood and adolescence. The longest reaching the middle of my back, which in the black community is pretty long. I decided to cut my hair shoulder length just as all of the girls' in my high school's hair became unbelievably long. I made a decision when I was 17 that my hair length didn't determine how pretty how I was. And I continued to cut it shorter and shorter throughout my adulthood. I noticed that with each drop in length, I felt better about myself.

Did you ever have extensions?

I've never worn any form of extension, one because as a child I didn't need it and as an adult, I had no desire for it.

What made you decide to wear your hair this short?

I had been pondering the look for some time. I wanted something bold, but chic and something edgier than the classic pixie I was sporting before. So one day I just decided to cut it all off and I couldn't have been more happy with the results. It was a totally liberating experience.  And eventually it lead me to stop wearing make-up as well.

Do you use any products on your head, shampoo, etc...

I just use a semi-hard brush and spray with a little oil sheen when I remember.

 What message do you have for young women who are tired of being a slave to extensions (which actually breaks hair and causes long-term hair loss?)

My message would be to embrace who you are and what you were born with. There is nothing more beautiful than the real you, flaws and all.

Posted by Unknown at 8:14 AM - 0 comments