their sales than in the quality of their products. And now that African Americans have lost their grip on the distribution side of the business, most consumers head to their neighborhood beauty supply store, where they can buy all kinds of junk. In some respect, the beauty supply store has turned into a chemical waste dump.
Remember 15 years ago when manufacturers would travel from city to city giving mini-tutorials on their wares. They would break down the chemistry of their products and teach stylists how and when to apply them. Companies wanted to make sure their products were not just sold, but administered properly.
But today, most beauty school graduates don't know how to professionally process a relaxer, press-and-curl, or use permanent color. And most state boards don't even require students to demonstrate these services to become licensed.
So Where Are We?
We are at a defining moment. Those of us who have given our lives to the beautification of black women can no longer afford to be simply stylers of hair and hustlers of products. We must be full-service cosmetologists, incorporating the principles of health and wellness into our practices. We must be, in some respect, image consultants, therapists and hair revolutionaries.
This book serves as a guide for consumers and professionals alike. It contains step-by-step instructions on how to care for every type of African American hair. There are self-diagnosing charts, cures for hair ills, holistic ideas, chemical explanations and natural methodology. The book includes essays and advice from an array of vantage points - dermatologists, psychologists, journalists, chemists and hairdressers. I know that my clients and associates want answers. So this is the beginning.
We have come a long way in hair care since the days of slavery, when butter was used as a conditioner and axle grease was used to dye away gray. When African slaves were brought to America, they were not allowed to groom themselves, and many came to view their matted, unruly, natural styles as hair in need of altering.
In most cases, the longer societal ramifications of hair have left us ambivalent. We keep suffering through an African heritage searching for a cure. Those sisters who are frequently flying from Africa to Europe on their very own hairplane should read on and find out how to qualify for a round-trip.
Today, the mosaic of black hairstyles is represented in public life, from Oprah's silky-straight relaxed hair, to Lauryn Hill's locks, to Susan Taylor's glorious braids. Our hair is as rich as the culture from which it emanates. Let's celebrate and protect it.
Foreword
A'Lelia Bundles, Madame CJ Walker's Great-great-granddaughter, Alexandria, VA
In the ultra-glamorous, highly competitive international arena of hair fashion, Barry Fletcher is an undisputed champion. With flare and grace, he has waved his combs, brushes and curling irons like magic wands across the tresses of thousands of beautiful women, winning scores of trophies and the affection of his clients along the way.
If Barry Fletcher chose to do so, he could rest on his laurels. He has already reached the mountaintop of the hair care industry, displaying his artistry from the runways of the International Hair Olympics to the cover of Essence magazine. His master classes and training seminars are standing-room-only affairs in Paris, London, Canada, the Caribbean and throughout the United States. He has opened a salon in St. Croix, with more to come. He has created styles for movie stars, Congresswomen, fashion models and corporate executives.
All the accolades could go to a guy's head. Instead, they have moved Barry to a higher level of hair care consciousness. The result: He wants to go back to basics, to help black women recapture the power and vitality of their crowning glory.
During his 20 years as a hairstylist, Barry has treated the spectrum of emergency beauty ailments, chronic hair abuse, habitual scalp battering, chemically dependent perm disorders and tortured stress syndrome.
The cure, he has discovered, is Grooming! Grooming! Grooming! The medicine that he always prescribes is Conditioning, Conditioning, Conditioning. But the real miracle ingredient, he will tell you, no matter how you wear your hair is a generous dose of self-acceptance and self-love.
I first read about Barry several years ago when he dared to challenge the status quo of the prestigious International Hair Olympics. Instead of being oh-so-grateful for the invitation to compete in London, he made a revolutionary decision. His model, much to the U.S. team leader's consternation, would be a black woman, someone whom they declared would not do. Didn't black hair lack "certain versatility," they whispered amongst themselves? In the end, Barry prevailed, and he has not looked back.
My interest in Barry's work has continued ever since, because, like my great-great grandmother, the hair care industry pioneer, Madame C. J. Walker, he cares deeply about black women and their hair. Just as she discovered almost a century ago, he has learned that promoting hair care among his clients is more important than serving up the latest hair fashion.
In the late 1800's and early 1900's, thousands of black women were going bald, not only because of stress and poor diet, but because their hair had been neglected and mistreated. Too many of us believed an old wives' tale that it was bad luck to wash our hair more than once a month. In rural areas where there was a lack of indoor plumbing and electricity, many women left their hair unwashed all winter for fear they would catch a cold. The scalp disease that resulted is almost too horrible to imagine.
At a time when few were celebrating the beauty of black women, Madame Walker and Poro Company founder Annie Malone were among those who exposed us to a new way of viewing our hair. Today, Madame Walker is often identified with hot combs and hair straightening, even though she did not invent either. In reality, she was more concerned with hygiene and hair restoration. Calling herself a "Scalp Specialist," she once told a reporter, "Let me correct the erroneous impression held by some that I always held myself out as a hair culturist. I grow hair-I want the great masses of my people to take greater pride in their appearance and to give their hair proper attention."
"Giving our hair proper attention" is also Barry Fletcher's goal.
As you turn these pages, you will be treated to his vision of hair care empowerment. In the process, I hope you will discover ways to nourish your inner and outer selves.
Preface
The reason you have never read an educational guide as complete and informative as this book is because one person can’t write it. It requires contributions from medical doctors, dermatologists, trichologists, nutritionists, and people who have experienced trauma and success with their hair – just like you. Without the politics or concerns of companies and individuals who profit financially from retailing products to consumers and beauty industry professionals, this vehicle of empowerment in your hand will take you on an educational, inspirational and emotional roller coaster ride. It will help you obtain a more comprehensive appreciation of hair and its care. Please do not be discouraged if you are losing your hair. This book will have some answers for you. It is information that will be discussed in hair salons, at social gatherings and in black families the world over for years to come.
I hope you find pleasure in the changing personalities of each chapter. Remember, health plus wellness equals beauty.
Thank you for your support.
Chapter 1
Living
