Oh Britney, Britney, Britney what have you done now. When I saw this image of her hair extensions gone bad, I did think WTF. You all know I love Britney. She’s a grafter who titillated the world at the age of 16 and spun it into a £50 million pound fortune (good on you love). I loved her even after her delicious decent into madness with that pink wig and her weird baby talk and flashing her C- section scar at anyone who would look at her cooch. It would have been so easy to hide away, as a mad recluse rolling around naked in a vault filled with one dollar bills while singing 'Baby, hit me one more time' but oh no that was not for Ms Spears. At the age of 27, older and wiser than most she came out swinging with autobiographical songs better that her earlier teeny pop stuff with hits such as ‘Circus’, ‘Piece of Me’ and er ‘3’ about her love of threesomes. I salute you Britney.
When I look at her hair in this picture with that angry ginger bald patch, I see a dark hair road I could have gone down at 17. My hair stylist used to call me a hair slut, as I didn’t care what went in or out of my hair. Back in the day I had it all (not at the same time I hasten to add). A weave that would put Naomi Campbell to shame, bonding, glues, clip on extensions and braids, which were so tight I couldn’t sleep at night because of the silent yelps of pain and hot salty tears that would roll down my cheek all in the name of beauty.
Britney's mother prophetically ten years ago said other people worry about their kids in college and she worried that after all the bleaching and extensions Britney was having that her hair would fall out. How right she was. Britney you should have listened to your Mama and not just about K-FED.
The day I said to myself, "you know what Ateh, why not look after what God gave you" was truly a good hair day. I still chemically relax my hair but I do look after it now. I love the Kerastase Oleo Relax, www.kerastase.co.uk range of shampoo, conditioner and their serum, as it works really well on my afro hair without any greasy residue. I have regular weekly deep conditioning treatments and regular trims- I love Daniel Hersheson, www.danielhersheson.com, John Frieda, www.johnfrieda.co.uk, Gielly Green, www.giellygreen.co.uk (ask for Lala) and my lovely talented friend Paulette Blake, tel. 07723 340911, who is based in Manchester. Ironically cutting it means less split ends and more healthy hair growth.
I also wrap my hair every night. Now this is a black girl trick but those of you with thick, dry and curly hair will literally be weeping tears of joy, as I pass on this secret hair miracle. At night I put a pump or two of Neal’s Yard Remedy Organic Jojoba Oil, £15.50, www.nealsyardremedies.com, into my hair. I also love leave in conditioners like Kevin Murphy’s Leave in Luxury, £14.45, www.hqhair.com, which has mango butter and silk proteins for added softness. This is optional -afro hair is usually very dry and dehydrated, so a few pumps at night followed by a pure silk scarf wrapped around my head tied with a bow on top, leaves my hair frizz free and soft.
Now my lovely husband and I have been together since we were 19 and when he first saw me at night with my head scarf, he did ask what’s that about in reference to the red Hermes scarf wrapped around my head, bless. I used to use my mum's Hermes scarves from the 80s and I said – "Love me, love my head scarf" and that was that. Never be ashamed of your head scarf ladies.
The silk in the scarf allows the hair to breathe. Avoid cotton as it absorbs your hair's natural oils and moisture and you want to keep it in your hair to help smooth it. Now after sleeping in a silk scarf or popping it on for a couple of hours before a date or night out, your hair will look really glossy, smooth and frizz free like you've hit a blow dry bar or something. Genius. Now if you're worried about having a silk scarf on your head in the name of beauty I say take a look at Britney’s head and get with the program! Look after what you have.
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