By: NEWNATURALISTA

Thierry Baptiste

A true artist can be inspired by everything from a Vogue cover, to the way leaves fall from a tree. That’s certainly the case for Indianapolis loc master Thierry Baptiste. His inspirations come from the beauty of his environment and it shows in his work.

“I haven’t watched tv in 10 years, and that gives me the liberty to individualize my definition of happiness and success,” says Baptiste. “My unawareness of what’s on tv and having an outlook on life strictly based on education and experience gives me a refreshing edge.”

I discovered Baptiste after seeing his re creation of Halle Berry’s look from the September cover of Vogue. He used Berry’s pixie cut as inspiration – creating a edgy and regal loc cut. That’s the lure of Baptiste, he’s able to turn locs into extravagant works of art as well as styles that work for everyday life…(and did I mention he is a beast when it comes to color?)

Mr. Baptiste talks with NewNaturalista about his career and the evolution of locs…

NewNaturalista: Several years ago you began exclusively creating styles for loc’ed hair. What prompted the change?

Thierry Baptiste: An evolution of self was the foundation. In the beginning I was a multicultural hairstylist which required my skills to be very broad.  One day I told myself that being a jack of all trades will ultimately take a toll on me. I needed to stay focused on what I had the most passion for and devote all of my energy to that arena.

Since I wear locs, the decision wasn’t hard. Ironically, I used the skills I learned while doing other textures on locs, which easily gives a signature style to my artistry.

NewNaturalista: What do you love most about locs?

Baptiste: The individuality. Everyone’s DNA is different, no two people in the world have the same loc idenity. This makes you UNIQUE.

NewNaturalista: You make a distinction between dreadlocks and locs. Please share that distinction with us.

Baptiste: I can only speak confidently on the service I provide which is cultivating locs. From my experience, people with locs have a religious regiment of getting their locs cultivated. Loc wearers can and will get styles, trend cuts, and color just like their European counterparts.

Dreadlocks are more organic.

NewNaturalista: There’s still a bit of mystery and often misconceptions about

Courtesy:Thierry Baptiste

locs. Some still believe they are not clean or are unprofessional. How are you changing those misconceptions with what you do?

Baptiste: 10 years ago I would have tackled that question with a library of facts that would prove those self hate outlooks wrong.  But today in 2010, locs are everywhere, and with my assistance the world will see the infinite possibilities of style options.

I can’t help anyone see what’s real if they are content with their Willie Lynch mindset. Negative people get a high off of you trying to show them the light and they reject it. I spend my time nurturing the souls of my people who want the love of locs and have made peace with those who deny it. Locs are not for everybody.

NewNaturalista: You evoke so much personality! Talk for a moment about being your true authentic self – and how being true to yourself has helped your business.

Baptiste: I love being BLACK! I unapologetically brag on the rich legacy and heritage of our people prior to American slavery. I laugh everyday because I enjoy life and accept the fact that I’m not perfect. I’m a mere mortal and because of that I make mistakes. I don’t beat myself up when things go wrong.

NewNaturalista: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Baptiste: Career: Published books on locs, franchising my brand, and possibly a natural hair product line.

Personal: HAPPY. Peaceful. Healthy. (simple pleasures that only require me to be into me)

NewNaturalista: What advice would you give women and men out there who are starting or thinking about growing locs?

Baptiste: You have to have patience. Locs do not cultivate overnight. Be realistic about what your locs will look like. If your hair is not thick, you will not have thick locs. Don’t fear that your European counterparts will not accept it. They love it. We are the only culture that hates the texture of hair The Creator blessed us with.

For more on Baptiste and his work visit his website: http://www.thierrybaptiste.com/ (I hear he’s WORTH traveling for.)

Credits: Assistant stylist: Jenny “The Cats Meow”, Makeup: Lequetta Fletcher, Ambur James. Jewelry Designers: Ayjahtal Pro (Paris), Luxor Couture, My Funky Twisted Soul, Bohemian Soul. Models: Trent, Jenny, Candice, Tiffany, Zenobia

By: NewNaturalista

Black women, stop bashing your hair!

Celebrity stylist and natural hair guru Felicia Leatherwood says, when you bash your hair – you’re bashing yourself, your very being. Simmer on that for a moment!

The lovely Felicia sat down with NewNaturalista to talk about the virtues of our hair, why products are often a waste of money and her latest venture, “Loving My Natural Hair” workshops – coming to a town near you!

By: NewNaturalista

My mother remembers it fondly. “My brother Larry took me to get my first fro, it had to be the late 60′s,” she reminisces as she goes on about how she kept it up. “We would braid it every night and in the morning we’d spray it with oil sheen, man we loved that oil sheen!” she laughes. When asked why she decided to get a relaxer 5 years later, the tone gets dismissive. “You know, it just wasn’t the style anymore.” This made me think about my twa (teenie weenie afro) and my love for it. Right now as I write this, I don’t ever see myself “going back” – to a relaxer. I’m so in love with my coils, the way they fall and how I look. But as time goes on, will my feelings change?

70's Afro Sheen Ad

I’m gonna say right now, no. There are some key similarities as to why our sisters and brothers back then went natural - although that term for back then is a misnomer, most of them were always “natural” they’d just decided not to press and curl anymore.  Going natural is a show of self acceptance and back then it was about being free in every sense of the world, I think the slogan “I’m Black and I’m Proud” says it all! It was, in so many ways political. Today it’s also about being our true authentic selves – but there’s a new component – health.

I went natural back in September because I was just tired. Tired of the chemicals, the long waits at the hair salon, the serious and painful health implications of relaxing my hair every few weeks. It was also about rediscovering what was never shown to me. Unlike our mothers and fathers, most black women my age were “shielded” from our natural hair texture, pressing or relaxing like clockwork in an effort to make our coils manageable.

Natural Hair Gap Ad

Unlike black women back in the day, we also have  so many products to choose from…healthy mineral free products, that actually nourish our hair, not change it. In my opinion this resurgence of natural hair is not a fad, but rather black women coming into their own, embracing our true selves without apology or fear of what others may think.

That’s just MY opinion, I thought I’d open up the floor by starting off the conversation with one of my hair idols KCurly, of the great blog newlynatural.com

KCurly: “I do think we are seeing a slight shift towards natural hair. I say slight because I am speaking for my area. I live in the deep South and here you will not find that many natural ladies as compared to the North. I do find that more and more relaxed women are able to see the beauty of natural hair, something that would’ve been unheard of even 10 years ago. I think it’s a trend for some people. Let’s face it: There are those of us who change our hairstyles like we change our underwear. Also, some ladies just don’t view being natural as something that is deep and meaningful. Therefore, going natural is not a lifelong decision for them. I do believe that more and more people are going to go natural in the future, but relaxers will be continue to be king for the majority.”

KCurly newlynatural.com

What do you think?

In just a few short years, Karen Tappin Saunderson has gone from Wall Street research analyst to the creator of the highly successful beauty line “Karen’s Body Beautiful.” Her products are natural, sweet smelling and luxurious. Karen says the journey to get here wasn’t easy, but it was certainly worthwhile.

“Teaching and working in finance were all part of the path I needed to take to fulfill my dream,” says Saunderson. “I realized that I wanted to be an entrepreneur when I was 15, interning at one of the top corporate law firms in Manhattan. After shadowing one of the partners, I realized that if I was going to work that hard I was going to work for myself. The most rewarding part of owning KBB? Karen says, being in control of her income, time and workplace – other words, her destiny.

NewNaturalista: How long did it take you to find the right combination of natural ingredients?

Karen: It took me a few months to perfect the recipes that I use to create my products and it only makes sense to use natural ingredients. Just as you eat your fruits and veggies to maintain good health, the same concept is true of taking care of your external beauty. Your hair and skin benefit tremendously from the inherent nutrients nature has to offer.

NewNaturalista: Have you incorporated the natural lifestyle in other parts of your life?

Karen: Researching and studying the ingredients used to make skin care products has made me scrutinize anything that has a label on it. I probably spend as much time reading labels in the supermarket as I do shopping for the food. I never just throw anything in my shopping cart.

NewNaturalista: I learned about your store and product line through the web. Describe how effective new media has been in getting exposure for your line? (ex. YouTube reviews, Tweets, Blogs)

Karen: Social media, blogs and message boards have been invaluable to the success of Karen’s Body Beautiful, as it makes word of mouth exponentially effective. Allowing users to broadcast their experience with my products is the most impressive way of convincing others to take the plunge. I have a few customers who are avid YouTubers that have shopped in my store, and while they’re here other customers recognize them.

Karen is offering newnaturalista readers 10% off purchases of $25 or more. Click on karensbodybeautiful.com and use the code below before checking out!

Coupon Code: Naturalista

Expiration Date: March 10th, 2010

KBB Storefront in Brooklyn, NY

By: NewNaturalista

By all accounts, The North American Hemp Company sounds pretty good.  The products are paraben & DEA free, vegan, cruelty free and made with certified organic hemp seed oil. However, when I mentioned hemp to several of my co-workers — the jokes started pouring in. “Will I get high? or “No  thanks, I don’t want to mess up my sobriety.” Wow. The reactions show just how little some of us here in the USA know about hemp.

The North American Hemp Company as you might expect is based out of Canada. For a while now, they’ve been using hemp to make clothing, paper and beauty products. (There is a joke about Canadians in there somewhere…I happen to love the idea of using alternative materials Anywho, those who swear by it believe:

• It’s great for the environment (a switch to hemp plant paper could cut down on deforestation.)
• Rich in vitamins and minerals, and also the only edible seeds with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is an essential fatty acid.
• Hemp offers a way to live in harmony with the environment and ecosystems we depend on.
• Hemp is the world’s oldest and most versatile crop. In fact there are more than 25,000 known uses for it.

Box of Goodies!

The kind folks from North American Hemp Company sent me a huge box filled with all they had to offer. There was no way I would be able to try out all of the goodies and give a review in a timely fashion…so I passed them along to a group I was assured would be willing to try anything. Newsroom workers. I wasn’t let down, here’s what they had to say:

Foaming Bath & Callus Eraser

Karen – “I tried the Omega Soak Foaming bath ($9.99) and the Extreme Exfoliating Callus Eraser ($9.99)… foaming bath is very nice, makes the bath soft and is delicately scented – not overwhelming.”

Berry Lip Balm

Carl - “The Berry Sublime Lip Balm ($6.99) immediately smooths the lips and doesn’t leave a waxy film on the lips like other balms. A fruit-free scent would be “berry” nice.”

Massaging Foot Oil

Kimberly - “As someone who regularly gets pedicures and takes meticulous care of my feet, I am very pleased with the Hemp Foot Oil. ($9.99) It has a nice, minty smell and absorbs nicely. With continued use, I think it would help prevent calluses and keep feet soft. The fact that it is made with all natural ingredients is an even bigger plus! I generally try to buy organic body products and it is nice to find companies that do not test on animals.

My only (small) complaint is that the product claims it is a “heating” body oil. I did not find that it heated up when I used it. Instead it seemed to almost have a cooling effect. It was not unpleasant, just didn’t seem to jive with the advertising on the packaging.  Overall I am pleased with the product and would buy it again!”

"Soak It Up" Moisturising Shampoo

Eric - “I cannot transport through time. Nor am I now able to predict lottery winners or levitate furniture (even a little bit). My expectations for the effects of North American Hemp Co.’s “Soak it up – Moisturising Conditioner Revitalisant Hydratant – Hydra Pur” ($9.99) heretofore know as SIUMCRHHP, may have been misplaced.

Here’s the disclaimer. I’m a man. If I use conditioner at all, I expect big things. Basically I expect women to kick in my door and attack me. That’s what recent commercials tell me I should expect. (This also did not happen).

What did happen after using SIUMCRHHP… my hair was manageable. My hair smelled not bad at all. The aroma wasn’t overpowering. It even smelled pleasant – vaguely Green Tea-esque. These are all good things.

Green Tea is one of the products 30+ ingredients. Yeah. 30+. There are +’s. SIUMCRHHP is billed at All Natural, which in this case may mean the entire natural world with 30+ ingredients. But that’s a selling point. It’s also free of things I didn’t know I should avoid – like Paraben and DEA. That’s also good,… I think.

I’ll continue to use SIUMCRHHP, continue to hope for supernatural abilities or finally attracting women, but be contented with manageable hair that smells of a clear ecological conscience. xxxx”

Jennifer -

“The Exotic Escape Bath Bomb ($9.99) was pretty much as expected. It did not have any odor (which can be a plus). It left quite an oily residue on my skin (kinda’ like taking a bath with baby oil), but was fine after getting out and toweling off. I don’t believe it left much of a residue in the tub, which is especially nice for Keith (he doesn’t like ice skating in the shower in the morning – go figure).

The lip balm ($6.99) is very very oily. You only need apply a tiny tiny bit (barely touch it with a finger) and your lips are slick and oily. It doesn’t seem to have enough of whatever is needed to make it balmey (I know it’s not a word). It acts more like a very greasy lip gloss.”

FINAL VERDICT

Overall it seems everyone who tried it had positive comments. Now comes the issue of buying it. For those on the east coast Duane Reade sells it. Canadian readers can buy it at Rexall and PharmaPlus. For the rest of us, it’s available online at: northamericanhempco.com

By: NewNaturalista

Shea butter dyed or cut with palm oil. Wright says the natural color of shea butter is not yellow

Shea butter is so IN right now.  It’s thick, rich and moisturizing…great for our hair, skin and even cooking!  You can find it almost anywhere, but do you know where it actually comes from?

It’s derived from the shea nut tree which is naturally found in Western Africa.  Right now however, the majority of shea butter distributed in international markets is coming from commercial plants in Europe and Asia and not hands of African shea butter producers.  Rahama Wright is out to change that.

Rahama Wright (center)

“Although the demand for shea butter has grown, there has been little growth in the income of rural shea butter producers,” explains Syracuse, NY native Rahama Wright. After spending some time working in Africa while serving in the Peace Corps, Wright was moved to start a nonprofit to aid some of the poorer regions of rural West Africa.  ”My mother’s side of the family is from Ghana, and I’ve always been interested in poverty issues in Africa,” she explains. “I became inspired by these women who have these tremendous challenges in terms of the poverty, but they have so much beauty and joy and inner strength.”

Mematu Tahidu is about 40 years old and cares for 3 kids on a monthly salary of $90. Her goal is to make enough money to educate her children and keep them healthy.

In 2003 at just 23 years old, Wright founded “Shea Yeleen International.”  The nonprofit works with women in the villages of Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali, helping them generate enough income through small business development to provide for their families. Once these women are taught how to produce high quality natural shea butter, SYI makes the it available to us. Fifty percent of the profits go back to these African communities. To date, there are 1,000 female shea butter producers through the sale of this exclusive body care line.  The goal within the next 3 years is to help 5,000 women.

NewNaturalista: Shea butter has recently become a very popular product. Has this resurgence of interest impacted your mission?

Rahama Wright: We have received great response to our products. Since our feature in Oprah Magazine we get more inquiries on weekly basis and people who have tried our products love it.  Our products have the highest content of pure natural shea butter directly from women in West Africa, and since we maintain the natural properties of shea its more beneficial to the skin. Many people who suffer from dry skin eczema love our natural 100% raw shea butter. People who enjoy thick luxurious products really enjoy the body butter. Its like whipped frosting for your skin!

NewNaturalista: Describe the changes in the villages since you started this program.

Wright: We work with Eugenia Akuete, a shea producer in Ghana. Our partnership with her affects about 300 women. Each shea purchase we make supports an increase in wages, health insurance, and daycare services for the shea butter producers. We pay 10 times more than the average market rate.  We are starting a new coop in northern Ghana outside of Tamale and this new coop will assist 100 women. Currently, we are trying to fundraise $12,000 to develop a production facility for the women. Ultimately, the women we work with will see income levels going from $30/month to at least $200/month.

Rahama with the women of Dio, Mali

This month, when you purchase any of the SYL body butters or balms, you are also helping Shea Yeleen meet a challenge they are working on with The Global Giving Foundation (http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/sheayeleen/):

Shea Yeleen products are available at sheayeleen.org