Do you think that white girls have it easier?

[Menina Preta]

I definitely disagree. I am natural and my regimen is very simple. I cowash every morning and wear a wash and go. I don't even bother using any styling products. I detangle once a week out of habit. I have no issues with excessive tangles and knots...

I should have qualified my statement with 'some' b/c I def. don't mean 'all.'

I don't know, I just find it peculiar that out of all the races of women, we're the ones who are:

a) Obsessed with knowing if it is going to rain or be humid, b/c it'll "mess up" our hair styles (this goes for naturals and relaxed who style their hair in non-bunned styles).
b) Try to plan our workout days around our wash days, b/c we may not have time in btw. to style our hair how we like after our workouts.
c) Spend more money than any other group of women on haircare products.

I don't think education, techniques, special sauce, etc. will ever make my 4a/4b hair (natural or otherwise) that easy to maintain as some of the White and Asian girls I know. Nor do I know why it seems like it's an LHCF principle to maintain that "Nah, we all have our problems and everyone's hair is just as hard" as if to justify our obsession with haircare maintenance and PJism. LOL.

 

[Neith]

Pretty much, yes.

I have a white friend, however, who is using tips I give her from these boards.

I've got her doing Cantu Shea butter and using sulfate-free shampoos. (she has a sulfate allergy and regular shampoos have been breaking her hair off for years. I sent her to the store with SistaSlick's list. Yes she is using black haircare products )

But all she has to do is wash and go (with Bronner's castile soap) and now her hair is growing.

I think they have it easier because most of them are accepted in public, at work and just anywhere with their natural texture. If they choose to add to that regimen, then so be it.

When I tried to grow out my twa, negresses in this country li'l town were acting personally offended!

Also, they don't have hairdressers working against them, with scissors or the misuse of chemicals.

They don't have to come together and create an LHCF revolution, go through trial and error and share information among themselves to have the healthiest hair of their lives.

I'm gonna have to disagree there. White stylists and black stylists go to the same schools. They make the SAME types of idiotic mistakes and like to be scissor happy too! I've seen a few white women close to tears about what some stupid stylist did to their hair. The SAME complaints, not getting what you asked for, cutting way too much hair off, damaging your hair... that's one common experience that women share.

Have you ever seen http://www.longhaircommunity.com/ ?

There are hair fanatics of every race There are probably A LOT MORE people (of different races) who don't frequent hair boards and are really into long/healthy hair.
​

 

[jamaraa]

Alot of White women will simply cut off their damaged hair more readily than Blacks will because they're assured that their hair will grow back. This is why you rarely see the chewed up pony tails sticking straight in the air, they cut it off! They too have hairdressers working against them, it's just on issues of chemical color and not relaxers. You don't see it because they cut it.

I think I oculd take care of 1a or whatever hair if I had it on my head because I've handled everything from bone straight Asian hair to virgin African hair...relaxed, colored, curly perm, etc...just helping out friends of mine. I'm not hair dresser, but I can tell you that every hair type has "issues" and frankly African hair is no harder or easier to deal w/ if you have the right tools/products.

Black women simply need to stop worrying about "other races", IMHO and learn about how to optimally take care of their own hair. Looking at them and their practices/tools have gotten us into so much trouble as is, so let's focus on what works FOR US. Texture makes all the difference in the environment we live...you'll have to make choices and work a little harder finding/using the right products, but you can get the best hair YOU can have like anyone else.

 

[jamaraa]

I'm gonna have to disagree there. White stylists and black stylists go to the same schools. They make the SAME types of idiotic mistakes and like to be scissor happy too! I've seen a few white women close to tears about what some stupid stylist did to their hair. The SAME complaints, not getting what you asked for, cutting way too much hair off, damaging your hair... that's one common experience that women share.

Have you ever seen http://www.longhaircommunity.com/ ?

There are hair fanatics of every race There are probably A LOT MORE people (of different races) who don't frequent hair boards and are really into long/healthy hair.
​

Amen. Way before this board started even as a Yahoo groups...TLCH..both site and forum, Hair Talk, Lousie Marie Long Hairs products, Naturallycurly.com, and many "long hairs" groups existed. If anything, White and Asian women who are hair enthusiasts have been active online far longer than most Black boards. They were some of the 1st guinea pigs for products too...LOL, Viviscal anyone? In fact, this site, Napputrality, NatuallyNappy, etc....started from Black members at those White boards who wanted something more specific. LOL....I was one of them!

White women and "other races" have just as many problems and pressures as Black women do, only of a different nature. That's why I said both "yes and no" initially.

 

[MissMarie]

hehe this thread kind of got a little bit off topic, but i do like the things that have come out of it.

I suppose my original question was, given what we learn from here, do you think that you'd be equipped to handle 1b hair (washing, combing, perhaps blowdrying or flatironing) for the average everyday styling? I can see a white person not understanding how to do the same to "our" hair, but i feel like i'd at least be able to create a presentable result if the tables were temporarily turned.

hehe
oops

I would have to say no. I've never had any experience dealing with type 1 and 2 hair and quite frankly touching it it feels weird to me. I'm used to my hair and types similar to it, whether relaxed or natural. I have failed at helping friends put in one (much less a cornrows disaster) braid and even a ponytail.
If I had type 1 hair for a day it would honestly look jacked up. Quite honestly think my scalp and ends would look questionable. If I had it for a month I think I'd get a better handle on it cuz I sho'nuff would ask for help from friends and check out the Long Hair Community
I mean type 1 seems to even tangle differently than type 4. I'd end up with a sore scalp and split ends trying to figure out what to do. And figuring out products... whew!!

 

[jamaraa]

^^1a.. Let's call it as it is, East Asian (Japanese, Korean, etc..) bone straight hair attracts static electricity more readily than African hair. That causes all kinds of havoc...add to it that the hair is typically dry and quite heavy, it tangles badly. Since Asians other than Indo-Paks rarely use oil in their hair routine, there's no "slip". IOW, Asian women suffer from the stripping products common on the shelves in the States/Canada/UK and have split ends. Western color also does a job on their hair. Add to it many get curly perms and you see plenty of lack luster dull dry Asian hair.

Then there's Western stylists who have no idea of how to cut Asian hair properly. They work against the texture (thick and coarse, tho straight) and have no idea of how to flatter the features. Look at some old pics of Margret Cho.

 

[TexturedTresses]

I think some, if they adopted "white methods" and swapped shampooing to cowashing everyday. Just shampooing once a month or so, then the need for dcing and stuff would be almost eliminated. Besides, white women with damaged hair do have to dc. I've seen many women on this board claim that since cowashing, they don't need to dc as often. Also, when you include the fact that the methods that black women use are the methods that white women use and our hair is VERY diffrent, that says it all. Just my humble opinion.

 

[jamaraa]

Another trick White women use to cover up damage is to dye their hair dark. Have you ever noticed that a White women who's known for blonde or red hair suddenly decides to be a brunette? Part of that it to cover up the damage bleach/curly perms did. In terms of celebrities, Nicki Hilton has done it, so has Lindsay Lohan. The best example of this color toing-and froing IMHO is Vanessa Paradis, she's done this for 20 years and mostly retained her length. She did go very short for a brief period, but she's always been known for her VERY LONG hair...at least waist length and even longer. (She's known here mostly as Johnny Depp's partner and baby mama)

When all else fails, they weave it up...see Britney/Posh, etc.

 

[doll-baby]

While black hair may have more versatility, I do think that white girls have it easier with their hair. They can dye their hair any color under the sun with little negative repercussion.
Because their hair does not coil as it grows out of the scalp their hair is less prone to dryness and breakage. I have a lot of reasons to say that white girls have it easier... but I don't feel like going in to all that I'm sleepy

 

[LongiLox]

Easier to style= black
Easier to grow and retain length= white

 

[MonPetite]

I think it depends on what you do to it in reference to your natural texture and how much time you're willing to put into your hair for your preferred look.

While bone straight, I got up in the mornings, shook my hair out (having done my cap and go method) and let it air dry. The same things my Asian, Indian, an A White friends did. Save they shower in the morning, myself at night and I slept in a shower cap to keep my hair moist until "showtime".

While natural I did the same thing. So did they.

While texlaxed...I did the same thing. So did they.

When I straightened my hair I washed every two weeks, rolled my hair at night, finger styled and the morning and went about my day.

When they did "styles" they washed, blow-dried, and flat ironed, then styled when they wanted a particular "look".

More work, but that's because they washed daily. If they didn't, and washed every two weeks as I did (perhaps using a dry shampoo in the meantime to combat their higher levels of sebum secretion) our regimens would still be the same.

I never asked anything of my hair, that given its current state, it could not do. Thus, maintenance was not a problem (IE time-consuming) for me.

Currently I wash, co-wash, and detangle daily. I sleep in a shower cap, get up and shake my hair out. I don't like looking like a drowned rat anymore for class. So I sit under a hooded dryer for 5-10 minutes before heading out so I have volume around my face and dry roots at the very least.

This seemed like more work at first to me. By that I mean having to dry my hair 10 minutes in the morning. Washing, co-washing, and detangling are my relaxation rituals in the evening during my ridiculously long showers.

Now, however...upon realizing I have a hard as usual mid-western winter coming up...I'd be sitting under the dryer for 15 minutes to be sure my hair and scalp were dry to stay toasty, as I walk around a frigid campus (college student).

So really I'm just doing what I do for half the year ANYWAY.

Now it doesn't seem like work.

My hair seems easier to me then my 1a-3b friends who WASH, CONDITION, BLOW DRY, FLAT IRON, AND STYLE EVERY MORNING.

My hair seems the "same" in terms of maintenance to my 1a-3b friends who just wash and go.

Regardless of chemical state.

It's all...as usual...perspective.

Plus...this is LHCF, we'll be a bit biased about our hair, it's care, and such touchy topics in general.

That said...I think that's a bit of a good thing.

 

[jerjer29]

Peggy is GANGSTA!!!!

We really do have the better end of this stick and I am saying this b/c I think its true and not b/c I'M BLACK.

i really don't think anyone can have the better end of the stick.

and just saying in general and not about the comment i qouted, i find it kind of silly when others say 'white people envy black hair' ..nah i dont think so. I think people like their hair but they probably wish they could wear braids easier but i don't think they want coarse or kinky hair. Just like i dont think black people want or envy 1b hair but instead would like if their hair could be worn straight all the time without touch ups from relaxers.

 

[Southernbella.]

Haven't read all the posts yet, but of course they do!

If the standard of beauty is straight hair, and they have straight hair, then I'd say it's pretty easy for them to get the desired look.

If the standard of beauty was type 4 hair, then they'd be spending billions of dollars trying to get the kinky look, while we would have it effortlessly.

 

[jamaraa]

Haven't read all the posts yes, but of course they do!

If the standard of beauty is straight hair, and they have straight hair, then I'd say it's pretty easy for them to get the desired look.

If the standard of beauty was type 4 hair, then they'd be spending billions of dollars trying to get the kinky look, while we would have it effortlessly.

LOL..ya know, right? Everything is in place for their hair to look great even if it gets damaged. They have the texture of the majority in terms of sheer numbers. Sadly, we're swimming against the tide, but like the good old salmon...we'll get where we want/need to be!

 

[Southernbella.]

LOL..ya know, right? Everything is in place for their hair to look great even if it gets damaged. They have the texture of the majority in terms of sheer numbers. Sadly, we're swimming against the tide, but like the good old salmon...we'll get where we want/need to be!

Exactly. Fried, strawlike bleached blonde hair is still straight, so they've already won the major battle.It doesn't matter how nice and healthy my puff looks...the straight fried mess will still look better/normal to the majority because it's straight.

 

[lila_baby]

in terms of retention oh definitely they got it easier! My mom (who NEVER does anything to her hair) had this period where she just didn't bother herself to cut her hair once it reached SL like she usually does (she keeps it NeckLength) and after a few months it was done her back at between BSL and MBL. the only thing she does is shampoo her hair with whatever is lying around like herbal essences & never uses conditioner. One day she freaked and was like to me 'cut this NOW'! when i went to do it i observed the ends- not one split end I can only imagine what my hair would look like after a few weeks with no DC talkless of a few months!
in it's natural state (i.e no dying and daily heat styling) their hair doesn't chip off the only hair you see on their clothes are the shed ones with the bulbs.

 

[malachi74]

i think we have it easier as far as styling versatility but they have it easier at length retention...go figure.

 

[kblc06]

White girls dont need to DC cos
their hair is not as chemically damaged or in need of replenishment.
They wash regularly because their hairs tend to look greasy and get limp, and their scalps are healthier in the process.

Some blow dry and flat iron very regularly but when you think of it in the sense that their hairs are not as kinky or tightly curled as many black people, this is not too much on their hair. It is already close to straight and just need some heat strokes to take it to bone straight.
Now a black girl will often relax then Iron to get that straight look, double trauma on the hair.
Or for naturals, flat iron straight but when you check that our hairs are kinkier, this is till more trauma than if your hair is close to straight already.

A Little OT: This is why I advise anyone who heat straightens to stretch the hair out as much as possible with little or no heat FIRST (rollerset, braidout, etc)

But to answer the question No ...and JustKiya summed it up nicely

 

[caribeandiva]

they don't have it easier. The grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[envybeauty]

While i agree that a lot of black women spend more time on their weaves than their real hair, i think that a lot of the problems black women have with haircare is lack of information/knowledge about why our hair is different and what our hair needs. Simple things like thinking that putting grease on your hair actually moisturizes it, or not thinking to put heat protectant on it for example.

None of my white friends spend that much time taking care of their hair, so i cant agree with you there. I've never heard of a white (or rather, non black) friend of mine DCing, although i'm sure there are some people who do, i just havent heard about it. I've never heard any of my friends talking about moisturizing everyday or anything that really pertains to the HEALTH of their hair besides trims. In my experience most of them wash/rinse everyday and then airdry on their way to class in the morning. Some blowdry every day, some flatiron too, but none of my friends avoid washing their hair/getting it wet because they need to spend hours styling it later. (Except my bf's little sister, who has naturally curly hair, but ALWAYS wears it straight.)

Yup. College is a breeze for the millions of white girls who can go to be with wet hair only to wake up with it straight. Ask any of my former college roommates. Or the millions that wash their hair @ 7 am and it is dry, straight, and silky @ 12 without so much as fingercombing. All on just poo and rinse out conditioner.

I gotta poo, dc, use conditioner to detangle, use leave in conditioner, some kind of oil to seal in moisture, etc. just to have it look healthy.....don't even get me started on what I gotta do to make it look straight.

Straight struggles.

 

[leleepop]

I think any texture can simplify their regimen. I think it depends on the texture and that is so broad. I've seen ppl with so many different textures and it depends on what they want to do with it. So many people have curl to their hair on tv,youll never know how complicated other ppl's regimen are.

 

[Solitude]

Yesterday when I was on the train I heard 2 white women talking about their friend (who I assume is white as well) whose hair just won't grow past ear-length, so she pays a grip for extensions at the salon since she "just hates having short hair."

Every since I first read this post a couple of days ago, I have been paying more attention to "their" hair- I mean in real life, not on TV and it's unimpressive. Limp, dull, frizzy, split ends, and mostly cut SL or above, so NO I don't think that they have it easier.

I remember going camping with my white friend and I kept my hair wrapped or up in a ponytail under a hat and it was just fine. After 2 days of no washing, her hair looked terrible. I don't envy them, but it is easier for MOST of them to attain length quickly.

 

[me-T]

hm, i think maybe it's the same. we both have our issues as far as normal maintenance.
a white girl with curly hair has issues she hates just as much as one with straight hair. just like a relaxed black girl and a natural one. jmo

 

[ebonylocs]

Yeah. In some ways I think so. That's because of how frustrated I'm feeling today. My tangles are the bane of my existence. So I just think anyone with tangle free hair has virtually no hair problems. (That includes those of y'all on here who say your hair doesn't tangle.)

But on a day to day basis, they probably do more to their hair than I do, e.g. the daily washing and blowdrying to avoid greasiness.

 

[caribeandiva]

Yeah. In some ways I think so. That's because of how frustrated I'm feeling today. My tangles are the bane of my existence. So I just think anyone with tangle free hair has virtually no hair problems. (That includes those of y'all on here who say your hair doesn't tangle.)

But on a day to day basis, they probably do more to their hair than I do, e.g. the daily washing and blowdrying to avoid greasiness.

ITA with the bolded.

 

[belle_reveuse28]

I guess the answer to this question could be quite convoluted, but I would say yes and no. I think that caucasian/asian or people with type 1A hair don't have to spend much time getting their hair to thrive and grow as much as we do. It seems that moisture is the threshold to growing or not-growing air, and theirs naturally seems to be moist and oily. My friends that are white dont have much maintenance issues as I do. They can color their hair or whatever and the damage from it doesn't make their hair fall out. So yes, I do think they have it easier as far as maintenance goes. It appears their hair isn't as sensitive and fragile as ours. I dont know if you guys remember all of those pictures back in the early 1900s etc of black women with heads looking terrible as all get out. I felt sorry for them because there weren't products marketed for our hair, but if that happened to a white person, their hair wouldn't look as out of sorts. It seems that we are more dependent on the proper products etc to keep our hair healthy and growing, and most of them can just wash and go daily and use nothing special in particular. Interestingly enough though, adn I just found this out, but my hair grows faster than almost all of my white friends, but their hair is always longer because it's easier for them to retain length. I get .5 to an inch a month, most of them get a quarter to half an inch. So I guess it's all about perspective, and honestly, I wish I didn't have to do all this crap to take care of my hair and keep it moist, but at the same time, I so appreciate my textured curls, they are beautiful and my caucasian friends LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my hair!

 

[beaux cheveux]

Hell yes!
I don't see how my friend's hair could looks so effortlessly perfect all the time. I'm not talking about white girls who don't take care of there hair but white girls who do. And their hair always look perfect, and I take care of my hair and it always looks a mess.
I do not understand

 

[afiya27]

My opinion may be unpopular, but yes, I definitely do think White women have it easier when it comes to styling their hair. If they try to do styles that don't go with their texture well, i.e. spiral curls or waves in stick straight hair, then they have to put in effort like we do, but just their regular day to day styles, for most, seem a lot easier than what we do.

Depending on the desired look (which is usually a 1a to ~ 2b textured look for most 'stylish' Americans), I tend to agree with this. Basically, the typical white/Asian woman can achieve ~ a more 'Hollywood-typical" texture with essentially a wash and go! ... Ya'll KNOW that ain't the case for Afro-haired women. ... On the flip side tho, if we lived in a parallel universe where Afro-haired folk set the beauty agenda, obviously 1a to 2b textured women would be at a severe disadvantage...probably even worse than Afro-haired women in this world ... After all, how would they consistently achieve an Afro look everyday? Micro hot-curlers? LOL!

 

[MizzBrit]

whether the answer is yes or no..i still wouldn't want it.
god gave me the hair he thinks looks best on me.

 

[Oasis]

IMHO, yes, they do. I definitely don't think that makes their hair superior to ours though.

I hate when naturals roll up talking about how easy natural hair care is cuz all they do is cowash everyday, slick it in a bun or wash and go. Easy peasy. Like this is something all of us naturals can do. The only way my hair is going in a bun is if it's bone straight. Even stretched isn't going to work. The only way I can wash and go is if my hair is in braids. And before I put in the braids I have to dc, detangle (2+ hr job), wash, and then braid (4-12hrs). So no, my hair is NOT easy.