This is going to be a short review since it’s been awhile since I read this book. I hope to do more in the future and have already ordered several natural hair related books, including a work of fiction. If you have a book you would like me to review, please email me at kcurly@newlynatural.com.
I made the mistake of reading this book when I first considered going natural. I was so excited when I found it at my local library because I had never read a book on black hair before.
If you like celebrities, then you might enjoy some of this book. She drops names left and right.Yeah, yeah, I love Lenny Kravtiz too, but that doesn’t make a good book. So, she talks a lot about the stars and there are plenty of photos of celebs or other beautiful people, some of which are texturized. A little TMZ to spice up your hair care.
I do not like the stance she takes on relaxers. She goes on and on about how you should love your hair in one chapter and then she has a whole chapter on texturizing. What the…?
I do not have the book in front of me, but here is an excerpt from the book that was posted on iVillage.
I am constantly asked the question “Do chemicals damage your hair?” And I always answer with “What is damage?” Chemicals only alter the structure of the hair. Damage is caused by failing to take proper care of the hair. The chemical process commonly known as relaxing will alter or change your natural texture, breaking down the natural structure of the hair. This process inherently strips the hair of protein, the building block of hair structure.
Um, so protein is the building block of hair. Relaxers take away the protein or “strip” it. But this is not damage? I can answer the question: What is damage? Damage, my dear, is a relaxer.
A texturizer will release your natural curl pattern, adding softness and sheen to your hair. Texturizing a zigzag curl pattern should result in a soft afro blow-out. However, if the chemical is left on too long, your hair will become straight. In the same way a texturizer can turn a curly pattern into wavy curls, a coily pattern can become spiral curls.’
See, now this just reeks for a kid being lured into a van with a puppy and a piece of candy. The “sheen” is the puppy and the “softness” is the candy. Or heck, maybe the “waves” is the puppy and the “spiral curls” is the candy.
Take your pick.
I mean, with all this talk of sheen and softness, she sounds like she’s talking about a conditioner or moisturizer, not calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide aka a relaxer!
The “styling” that she talks about does not even begin to touch upon all of the wonderful styles one can do with natural hair. She does have a couple of interesting ones, though, I have to admit. She recommends a lot of professional care and the products she recommends are on the expensive side. All of this can be rather intimidating to a new natural.
In short, this book would be ok to pick up and thumb through, but you would be better off going online to the hair boards to get info. And take any information you get from it with a big ole grain of salt.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the review! I was thinking about buying this book, now I probably will think twice.
THE BOOK I WOULD RECOMMEND IS GOOD HAIR BY LONNIE BRITTENUM, I BROUGHT THIS BOOK BACK IN 97-98, THE 1ST TIME I TRIED TO GO NATURAL, IT WAS VERY HELP, I HAD TO DIG IT OUT AGAIN. I’M JUST HAPPY THERE ARE SITES NOW TO ENCOURAGE US TO START AND STAY NATURAL, AND DON’T HAVE OTHERS DISCOURAGE US. I HAVE TO KEEP PRAISING YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL INSIGHT.
KIM
Your right about her book being something that a new natural should just thumb through… I felt like she wrote the chapter on relaxers so that she could have a wider audience without offending anyone, but it is a bit disheartening to read.
I have skimmed through this book. I actually didn’t understand her hair typing system. I’m not sure if she combined curl pattern with hair texture because there was no consistency in her descriptions as she referred to celebs and models pictured in the book. I didn’t read her relaxer chapter, but relaxers don’t necessarily equal damage. However, I agree with you that she is misleading about what texturizers actually are and the potential damage they can cause.
Yes, u r most correct Kcurly on your original review on the book “Textured Tresses”, when I decided to go natural it was one of the first information resourses that I consulted and I was so DISAPPOINTED, nearly to the point of reversing my decision, it was not really all that supportive of “naturals” only celebrity naturals and her affiliation with them.