Where are you from?
M: I live in a city called Norwich, in the East of England. My parents came here in the 1970s. My mum is from Barbados and my dad is Nigerian. I was born here and have lived here ever since, but I do go back to the Caribbean from time to time.
What’s interesting about the UK?
M: I think Britain is very quirky when it comes to art and expression. Some great music and ideas have come out of this tiny island!
What is the natural hair scene like?
M: It’s definitely something that’s growing (no pun intended!) particularly in London and larger cities. In Norwich, where I live, there isn’t a huge black community, and most of the girls here tend to wear weaves. It is refreshing to see an afro but it’s not something that you come across often enough. Most people here are pretty accepting. I haven’t really experienced any objections!
When did you go natural?
M: I went natural in 2002. I’d made a decision to opt out of the rat-race and to live a life that was totally true to myself. I loc-ed up on 6th December 2002, the day after I gave up my office job! I’ve done a hell of a lot of growing since then!
What’s your regimen?
M: I don’t like to spend too long on my hair so I tend to co-wash once or twice a week using Faith In Nature conditioner as it doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients. I deep-condition once a week using extra-virgin olive oil and shea butter. Then I do 2-strand twists on my hair while it’s still wet (all the less tedious when I can watch Doctor Who at the same time!) I use a homemade mixture of unrefined shea butter, aloe vera gel, and coconut oil as a moisturizer. I’ve yet to find anything that works better on my hair. I take the twists out the next morning, fluff it up, and I’m good to go.
Where do you buy your products?
M: Norwich is pretty good for natural shampoos and conditioners, but shea butter has yet to find itself here, so I buy that online.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
M: For sure!
http://www.myspace.com/girlinathunderbolt
http://www.girlinathunderbolt.com
http://www.rocketsandtv.blogspot.com
12 Responses
In London, there is a mix of everything. However, I must say London is not representative of the rest of the UK. I actually think that we do have a lot of products available to us over here, and when they are not available in the shops, they are generally available to buy online. In terms of finding fellow naturals, it partially depends on your circle of peeps and where you go. Hit a neo-soul night called Amplified and you will see natural hair in all its glory. We are increasing in numbers!
@ Titiana,
Washing her hair only when she goes to the salon … eww
I don’t live in the UK so I can’t comment on how the natural scene is there, but I was recently in Bamako, Mali and it sounds pretty much the same. When they saw I had locs they wondered whether I was too lazy to go get my hair done properly. Also someone asked me if my hair was breaking (because I wore a bandana)… Nonetheless, the people who often criticize are the ones with the worse hair possible (reclining hair lines, matted weaves etc).
So yeah, I think you make an important point; we need to learn how to properly care for our hair (no more combs with tiny teeth) so that it can flourish.
@Nappykitchen
Next time you come you will see the weaves galore and everyone is wearing them accept the grandmas and little children. I know the particular hair you describe (dancehall/bashment fans stand up!). It’s a niche. I however see everyone wearing the straight weave that’s usually matted, looks uncombed, too shiny, too jet black (what’s wrong with 1B?) or to a lesser extent – the curly weaves (about 3b) which are also too shiny. Not forgetting the teens with the 1 inch fantails or new growth and silky yaki add on ponytail. I also see people without edges wearing the weaves or without edges wearing a relaxer. In the UK we don’t really have a natural web community – most hair interested UK people are on US hair boards. We also lack blogs. I can only see natural catching on if type 4 celebrities in the US begin to embrace their natural textures and Beyonce without a relaxer or weave will not be happening anytime soon.
When I am out and about in London, I see women’s eyes rise to my twists and then they may pat their own hair or have no real reaction. I definitely think the problem in the UK is lack of products and hair type understanding rather than a distaste for natural hair. I think most have written natural type 4 off as unmanageable not realising that if they learned the correct handling, it would be much easier. In some sense relaxed hair and weaved hair allows women to be lazy. I remember asking a relaxed colleague if she washed her own hair. She looked at me like I was crazy and said ‘I don’t have time for that!” She basically admitted that she only has her hair washed etc when she goes to the salon.
@ Nappykitchen
Haha! I agree with your gel comment!
😉
@Titiana
I was afraid to give specifics because I got some heated responses when I talked about the hair styles of young black women in the UK. From what I have seen, its really many of the Carib girls who do their hair like that. Those incoherent styles of pony tails, slick backs, shags, glitter, corn rows all on one head, AT THE SAME TIME. I however didnt see too many weaves though. The abuse of gel in the UK should be a crime.
Not to be rude but in the UK, the majority of the black community has always followed/will always follow the US for hair trends and styling. When blond weave and contacts became popular among Mary J etc in the 90s, many women here followed it and adopted that look. Now that lace fronts and weaves are big in the US, women here are doing it too although I agree that the quality is low. The African women here are also big on lace fronts and weaves. I can tell when someone gets their hair done in the US because their lace front/weave is almost believable (would be if it wasn’t so thick and parted right down the middle 24/7). The problem is that people view weave as a quick solution to hair they have no clue on how to manage. They throw it on, don’t appear to care for their real hair well and take shockingly bad care of the weave. i’ve seen plenty of matted, tangled, pure plastic looking weaves. I think many people self relax and don’t know how to do that properly because you see so many young girls with 1inch of ponytail on a dusty brown dry head of mangled relaxed hair and ponytails that just straight stick up into the air from grease. London has more naturals than anywhere else in the UK and yes there are too few.
I think black people need the movement not any particular country. The movement that says straight and long hair is not the be all and end all of beauty.
I like her style and that pic of her parents is pretty sweet.
I do my hair during Doctor Who too! That show gets love across the pond as well.
True. Not too many naturals in the UK. I think black women in the UK need the movement the most because the quality of hair on a lot of black women especially younger black women is just plain awful. I dont mean to be mean but it just seemed like a lot of the younger black women was using shellac on their hair. One of my really good friends was a natural. When I went to an Erykah Badu concert in London I saw some awesome natural hair styles so when they do do natural, they do it beautifully.
Re: opting out of the rat race
I used the same expression when I cut my long relaxed hair off. I said I was opting out of the long hair race, let the other women compete with each other, I’ll do my own thing.
great pictures (especially the one of your parents). It’ awesome reading about the natural scene in different countries, I’m glad that people are accepting where you live.
Good to know that natural is everywhere. I liked a lot of makeup… Congratulations. *-*