Queen Boss: Madam C.J. Walker

Many self-made bosses jumped for joy when they heard about Netflix coming out with a new series, centering around the life of Madam C.J. Walker. It was inspired by her great-great grand-daughter A’Lelia Bundles’ biographical book “On Her Own Ground”. As Black History Month comes to an end, let’s all learn more about the first black female millionaire in America.

Humble Beginnings

Madame C.J Walker’s real name is Sarah Breedlove. She was born on December 23, 1867, on a cotton plantation in Louisiana. Her parents were slaves. By the time they had her they were free, which made her the first in her family to be a free-born child. By age 7 she was an orphan and by age 14 she got married. One of the reasons she married so young was because she was trying to escape an abusive household. By age 20 she was a widow and had a 2-year-old daughter.

Ambitious Spirit

Sarah knew she did not want to live a life of financial distress. Plus she had a baby looking up to her. So by 22, she moved to St. Louis Missouri. There she became a part of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she met many business-minded black men and women. This inspired her. She was a washerman only making a measly $1.50 a day, but she had dreams of building an empire.

By the early 1890s, Sarah had financial troubles and a scalp disorder. Her hair was falling out and she needed a solution. She became her own hero and created hair care treatments with home remedies. She used Annie Turbo’s Malone “The Great Wonderful Hair Grower”. Annie was a successful black hair care entrepreneur. She recognized her ambitious spirit and hired her as a sales agent.

From Rags To Riches

Sarah moved to Denver Colorado in 1905. There she fell in love with Charles Joseph Walker, an advertising agent, and got married again. With that marriage she reinvented herself, learning about marketing from her husband. She changed her name to Madam C.J Walker and created her own hair care line. Her husband was a great supporter. He was the driving force behind her getting promoted all across the country. Before she knew it, she went from making $1.50 a day to gaining thousands of customers and employing 3,000 workers. Indianapolis became the state where she relocated, and from there she built a factory for her products. She created countless job opportunities for women of color. She educated, trained, and encouraged many through her various clubs/conventions. With 40,000 workers in the United States, Central America, and the Carribean, she truly transformed herself into a self-made boss. Her net worth was the equivalent of several million dollars by her late 40s.

As she got older, she developed high blood pressure, which caused the health of her kidneys to deteriorate. But that did not stop her from being a kind, giving person. In her will, she asked that one-third of her money be given to her daughter. The remaining two-thirds was to be given to charity.

To this day there are hair products bearing her name. Madame C.J Walker Beauty Culture is available at Sephora retailers. The United States Postal Service issued a stamp in the remembrance of her. She proves that if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, your past does not determine your future.

Sources:

Featured Image Credit: fromgirltogirl.com

https://www.biography.com/inventor/madam-cj-walker

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/madam-cj-walker

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker

Ten Affordable Products You Can Use On 4C Hair

Are you just entering the world of natural hair? Are you worried about wearing your curls because of the maintenance involved? Once you have a clear understanding of what 4c hair is and know what products you can buy at a low cost, navigating the world of natural hair will become easier. You will learn to love your 4c hair.

Understanding 4C Hair

In the beauty world, hair types are put into categories. The sections range from Type 2 to 4. Hair type 2 is relatively straight hair. Hair type 3 consists of wavy curl patterns.Hair type 4 curls are more profound. Their distinct curls can be compared to a Z.

Within each hair type, there are subcategories. Type 4 subcategories are 4A, 4B, and 4C. Tightly coiled type 4 curls are harder to take care of because of how fragile tight curls can be. Type 4c hair is the most challenging type of hair because it is coarse, needs constant moisture, swiftly can get dry, can shrink quickly from humidity, and does not have many definitions. In this context, the term definition means varied forms of change. When you wash other types of hair with no products added, the hair might be easier to manage. When it comes to 4c hair though, hair washes alone will not take the kinks out. This type of hair also has a shrinkage of more than 75 percent. So even if your hair has grown three inches, it may only look like 1 inch of growth unless you use a stretching technique.

Hair Products That You Can Afford For Natural Hair

It is universally known that 4C hair is the most fragile so it can easily damage or break. It can be compared to a delicate vase or fine china. When you are moving and packing glass, you make sure that the glass is covered with large amounts of newspaper or tissue so that the glass does not shatter. Likewise, those of us with 4c hair that is constantly on the go must protect our delicate strands with hydration and moisture.

1. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With The Mother 

   

   Image Credit: Amazon

   Apple Cider Vinegar is a big savior that is praised by many natural hair care bloggers. What makes it ideal is the fact that it is a safer alternative to traditional shampoos. It has no harsh chemicals and does not strip the hair of its natural curls. You have to dilute it with water before rinsing it through your hair. You can buy it from Amazon for only $8.16.

2. Indian Healing Clay 100% Natural Bentonite Clay

   

   Image Credit : Revelist

   Bentonite Clay has been raved about because it effectively removes build-up from your hair. It adds definition to your coils and can leave your hair feeling soft. It can be brought from Amazon for $10.95.

3. Africa’s Best Hair Mayonnaise

   

   Image Credit: Africa’s Best Hair

   This product sells at many beauty supply stores for about $4. It is a deep conditioner full of olive oil and egg protein. It is designed to seal in moisture and strengthen your hair.

4. Mega Moist Conditioner

   

   Image Credit : Amazon

   Priced at 4.94 at Walmart, this conditioner will protect your strands from extreme humidity. With ingredients like Australian aloe, sea kelp, and jojoba oil, detangling will be easy.

5. African Shea Butter 100% Natural

   

   Image Credit: Amazon

   Shea Butter is a great sealant for kinky hair. Some say that it is most effective when used in its raw form. If you apply it from the root to the tip while your hair is still wet it will lock in moisture. You can buy it on Amazon for $5.39.

6. Hollywood Beauty Olive Oil A hair product that can be found in many beauty supply stores, this oil is a great scalp treatment that will not clog your pores. It can be purchased on Amazon for $9.93.
7. Jamaican Black Castor Oil This is a must-have for 4c hair types. The texture is very dense which guarantees that your moisture will be locked in. Rubbing it regularly into your scalp promotes hair growth. You can find it on Amazon for $12.34.
8. Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer This product is sold at Sally Beauty for $6.69. The keratin protein stops breakage, builds body, and protects color.
9. Creamy Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion

   

   Image Credit : Amazon

   If you want to use heat styling on your hair, this lotion can protect against the high amount of heat. It also won’t leave any sticky buildup in your hair. It can be brought from Amazon.com for only $6.37.

10. Wild Growth Hair Oil

    

    Image Credit : Facebook

    A personal favorite for many, this rich plant-based formula conditions and softens hard to manage hair. It promotes strong, thick hair growth and has many great reviews. It only costs $7.82 at Walmart.

” A black woman without her kinks is like a leopard without spots.”- Island Naturals

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How To Grow Long Thick Locs

I have had my locs for four years and 9 months and man, they have grown . Many people have asked me : Are they real? Is that yarn?

Yes! These are my real locs and no, this is not yarn.

How did I achieve this growth and thickness?

Stimulate Your Scalp

Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com

Just like a plant needs water to grow, your scalp needs water to stay hydrated and healthy. You can buy a empty spray bottle from Dollar Tree and just fill it up with water. Spritz your hair several times a day or whenever you have a chance. You can massage the moisture into your locs with a brush. This helps a lot to prevent breakage and thinning.

Eat Healthy

Since my doctor suggested that I go on a diet I have been taking a break from Popeyes. Drinking a lot of water, eating your fruits and vegetables ( strawberries is better than sour-patch kids , and carrots is better than Cheetos), will create length retention and thicker hair. Your body is over 50% water, so drink lots of it!

Photo by Juanjo Menta on Pexels.com

Put A Scarf Over Your Pillow

If you are lazy like me than you know you never put a scarf on your head before you go to bed. Girl do you? Well if you don’t , a solution to your laziness is to just put a satin scarf over your pillow. Personally, I just put a regular scarf over my pillow. It keeps the lint away. There are also “Satin Du-bags”. They sell them online and they are specifically made for locs.

Lock In The Moisture With Oils

 

   

Image Credit: Amazon, Walmart, Dollar Tree

Water is not enough to keep your locs healthy. You have to lock in the moisture with oils. My personal favorites are coconut oil, olive oil, and Wild Growth Oil. Wild Growth Hair Oil is an amazing product for any type of hair. This oil is popular worldwide. Wild Growth Oil really helped my hair when I was first starting out. It helped me go from this:

To this :

Don’t Re-twist Often

What I notice some locheads will do is frequently go to the loctician to get their locs re-twisted. Over twisting can cause your hair to break at the roots. Sometimes I mindlessly twist my locs with my hands. Playing with your hair can make it easy to break off. It is recommended that you wait at least 4 weeks to get your locs re-twisted. I only re-twist a couple of times every year.

Let Your Locs Be Free

Always manipulating your hair with twist-outs and different styling can weaken your locs. You have to treat your coils like a newborn baby that constantly needs care. If you use a lot of rubber bands that can also weaken your strands. Most of the time, I just wear a headband or a scarf and let it flow freely. Make sure you don’t wrap your scarf too tight though, because that can create tension to your roots. I am living proof that with proper moisture, a healthy eating lifestyle, and minimal styling, you can grow long, thick, locs!

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com