Spinoff: Cathy Howse...Messenger or Monster?

[KhandiB]

I havent read this whole thread.. But her book was the first book I bought when I began my hair journey a couple of years ago...

I couldnt follow her because I didnt like the way her hair looked and her shoving the dew down your throat...

JMPO though

 

[KiniKakes]

She's a member of LHCF? I didn't know that! Where are you Cathy? What's your screename?

 

[cocoberry10]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Princess Pie]

I agree with what many of you have said. Cathy Howse is a messenger, because she challenged the status quo. She was there promoting sensible hair care, when no one else really was. She deserves credit for that.

However, she does come across as a monster. The tone of her website is unnecessarily rude and arrogant. Her inability to comment on hair products other than her own bothers me.

Also, I read her book years and obtained some growth. Then, I plateaued. My hair stayed at APL for three years. I think all of the heat was the problem. This could be why some people think her ends look bad. Although I don't think her ends look that bad. JMHO.

 

[LadyJay114]

I agree with what many of you have said. Cathy Howse is a messenger, because she challenged the status quo. She was there promoting sensible hair care, when no one else really was. She deserves credit for that.

However, she does come across as a monster. The tone of her website is unnecessarily rude and arrogant. Her inability to comment on hair products other than her own bothers me.

Also, I read her book years and obtained some growth. Then, I plateaued. My hair stayed at APL for three years. I think all of the heat was the problem. This could be why some people think her ends look bad. Although I don't think her ends look that bad. JMHO.

Co-sign.

Also I think her motives have totally changed. At first, she really wanted to change the way we care for our hair and considering the products that we use. Now its all about buying her products.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I remember reading a 20 page thread where it was a gang of 'new members' joined LHCF and only posted in a thread where somebody criticized Cathy's methods. I mean they were on the war path, and it was plenty of 'well if you woulda read the book right, then you woulda known that the product should be used xyz way.' I checked out her site, found that the tone was the same and never went back. I didn't know if one of these folks was CH, but I was really turned off by that whole situation. Hell, it was like Beyonce thread up in here.

I rescind my '20 page thread' comment. Here are two of the threads I was talking about.

I like these quotes in particular:

if you use the conditioner and do all the BAD things that most uninformed black folk do to thier hair, it's not gonna benefit, but make things worse and what's the first thing black folk gonna do?? Exactly, say the conditioner took your hair out.

I agree with you, she probably didn't read the book. I was wondering if she was referring to the Dew or her own hair when she used the word "Junk".

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=2485&highlight=dew+bad

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=2042&highlight=dew+bad

ETA:These are 2 different links even though they look the same.

 

[Isis]

I agree with what many of you have said. Cathy Howse is a messenger, because she challenged the status quo. She was there promoting sensible hair care, when no one else really was. She deserves credit for that.

However, she does come across as a monster. The tone of her website is unnecessarily rude and arrogant. Her inability to comment on hair products other than her own bothers me.

Also, I read her book years and obtained some growth. Then, I plateaued. My hair stayed at APL for three years. I think all of the heat was the problem. This could be why some people think her ends look bad. Although I don't think her ends look that bad. JMHO.

I'm still using her technique since I started with LHCF but I decided before reading her book that I would not use heat. We can pick and choose only methods from someone's regimen (even experts) that work for us and leave the rest behind.

 

[MysTori]

Messenger. I think everyone is a messenger of something. Her thing happens to be hair. Now...how she delivers her message is another thread. She is abrasive at times, but I just sift the attitude for nuggets of wisdom and let everything else roll off my back. Why deprive myself of good info. that could change things for the better b/c she didn't say all the right words the right way? I don't know about the FAQ, but as for the tip section, she can't provide all the answers, otherwise, what would be the point of writing the book? If your questions go as deep as "My hair is breaking off from all the glue I've used or because I press it everyday", my aswer would be "Buy the book" too. As far as I'm concerned, she shared alot more than I would have.

But, moving on...

I thought her hair looked nice, but still, what she said made sense, and giving her methods a try would help my hair, if only a little bit. I don't buy her products b/c I know other substitutes and can make my own products, but her ideas and methods helped changed my thinking and that is the most important thing. That's why I'm here now. When I started my journey of seeking better ways to care for my hair, I came across her site first. That's what lead me here. She has some good info. but b/c she doesn't update her site at all, it's become almost nonexistent to me. Anyway, I'm still using the tips I gleaned from her book and am thankful that her book lead me to bigger and better things like LHCF.

 

[cocoberry10]

Coco, please do tell which product did you find to be similiar to the Dew...I wouldn't mind using both to save money....

I forgot to state, i do think that her attitude is a little on the rude side. And also, i agree with the ladies who say that everything in her book is on this website, PLUS MORE. this is certainly true, but sadly it was easier to find her site/book, than to find LHCF....

It was Better Braids BRX braid spray. It smells really good.