Yesterday while I was trolling the web, I came across the afro perm. The afro perm is hugely popular amongst the Asian community- specifically in Japan and Korea (Not so much in China). Being that New York City is a cultural melting pot, I've often seen several Asian men and women with curly or coarse hair- even dreads (many may not know but there is also a HUGE Asian presence in the Caribbean). So, it isn't new to me- just amazing! I had no idea how the look was achieved but I see now that they actually use relaxers. The perm reverses the effect that it would normally give (coily=straight, but in this case straight=coily).
My previous job was at a Chinese owned company where most of the women had curly perms; giving them a loose, wavy texture. Whenever I wore my curls they were literally in awe- I would often get compliments and asked questions ("how did you do that?", "does it take a long time?"). I would have to explain to them that this is my natural hair pattern and that I actually have to put in work to get it straight. Many of them didn't know that.
So you see, most people want what they don't naturally have and that's FINE. So many individuals try to attack it as a political or racial issue but that isn't necessarily the case. To me it's all about being creative, VERSATILE, unique---> YOU.What do you think? Do you choose to wear your hair straight because of some outside influence or because thats how you felt that day?
32 comments:
I recently did a post on Loc Rocker about other cultures embracing locs and it really doesn't bother me. Hairstyles should match our personalities and lifestyles so I ain't hatin' on anyone's do. Rock on, peeps!
WOW!
WOW!!! very different. if i straighten my hair its because i want to. its true people want what they don't have naturally... cause i will rock a blonde fro!
LOVE that you shed light on the fact that there are many Asians in the Caribbean. I swear I have a hard time explaining that to people all the time. But I love dreads, period! So when I see people are various background rocking them it makes me feel like WOW, people are really doing their thing!
This is awesome. I actually think it looks good.
just when i thought natural hair couldn't get any more "trendy"...
WOW! I had never heard about this before. It really makes you think. Thank you for sharing!
I am actually going to post this on facebook b/c I think it is so interesting.
There are number of asian students at my dance studio that rock this style. One girls hair looked so good that I honestly thought that it was her natural pattern until i overheard her tell someone that she was due for a touchup.
I embrace it specifically because I find that other cultures appreciate my hair texture more than my own race which I find interesting...
Bravo! I couldn't agree more.
I live in Toronto and I've seen a number of Asians (men in particular) rocking this style. Me tinks it's groovy:-)
I actually like it. It's cool and no different from high texture people relaxing/pressing their hair to make it straight. Reverse
that is so interesting. It's funny, just yesterday I was watching gwen stafanie's video for "hollaback girl" and one of the asian girls that she had in her crew had very thick curly hair and I was just baffled at how coarsed it looked and how she got it like that, it all makes sense now. I think it's like the saying goes, people always think the grass is greener on the other side, everyone has their own signature beauty that other's also want, I take it as a compliment.
truthfully , I am not a fan. I like that most people can't have hair like me. I mean anyone can be straight but naturally nappy- I am not going to hate on Asian for it cause I know they can rock it just as good as the next girl but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
I have asian friends that would rather me wear my hair straight and for some reason don't understand that it isn't my natural hair. I wear my hair based on how I feel or where I am going.
I haven't seen the fro on women, but I have seen it on men and dreads are nothing new. I have met Caribbean Asians and it is so funny to hear them talk with a accent, blows my mind.
Great post!
the difference is that most black women have permed hair out of their mothers womb while most asians have their naturally straight hair for most of their life...this is the big difference between style/ ignorance
I just saw an Asian woman on Friday at Bryant Park with her hair in a fro. She looked at my hair and smiled. I did the same. I hadn't heard about this chemical process and just assumed she was mixed. Very interesting......
This is a WONDERFUL post, I am half asian (chinese) and this is the first time I have ever seen anything like this. Growin up my mom would always try to make her hair wavy, have no choice but to keep mine braided, and my brother's cut low. Now we all have long curly hair...my brothers moreso than me! Haha I gotta show my mom this post!
Ironically, I did a post about this exact same thing with the same pics on naturallycurly.com about a year ago, but it was kind of looked over. I think the topic is very interesting and the style looks cool on the many people I've come across. It really fit their personalities and like you, they were in awe of my natural hair. It's just great that we as people can have options today. We can dress and style our hair however we please!
One more thing. I've never seen alot of the tight afros on Asians in person (except once on a young guy), I've only seen the loose bouncy ones (like the girl on the Gwen Stephanie Holla back girl video) and the dreads. I used to always think that it was their natural hair (or that they were mixed as someone else mentioned) until I found out about the chemical process years ago. My Grandmother tried to get her hair reversed with something called Biosthetics back in the late 60s or 70s, but I think it damaged her hair or something back then.
It is just easier!! Those pictures are just too much. Check out our page maybe we can do a blog roll exchange.
http://urbanfrugalchic.com
It's really eye-catching. I saw this gorgeous Asian girl w/ hair just like mine. I had to compliment her! I just wish more black women would see how beautiful/striking our textured hair is (and not equate it with Buckwheat etc.)
"So many individuals try to attack it as a political or racial issue but that isn't necessarily the case."So true! I have kinky/curly-haired friends to whom straightening is a betrayal of your race. I understand the sensitivity; centuries of pejorative associations (bad hair, nappy, knotty, ugly) have left their mark, but it really is time to de-politicize the whole kinky-curly-straight issue.
I know a Caribbean sister who lives and teaches in Japan and she said dreadlocks are HUGE there. I think it's wonderful, the many ways we can all experiment and be creative with hair to achieve any look we please.
that's great. I see a lot of asians with the afro look in the village.
I'm all for being au naturale, but I still think it's gorgeous :) I'm all for more people having natural looking hair if it means it'll erase that "unprofessional/ unkempt" stereotype. I like locs on people of any ethnic background. We're all ever evolving and it's okay to change things up. In the end, your own self image is all that matters. As long as you're happy..I'm happy.
I still say with black people it stems deeper with some of us. Not with every one who chooses to change their texture but we have a link specific to being taught to hate our hair and that can indeed be the motivation to do just that.
But there are still issues apart from wanting what we don't have with some. Check out Tyra's latest good hair video or even when it gets into skin color as a race there is still some areas to overcome.
I do however know more black women who perm by choice but will say see my locs and contemplate cutting off their perm for locs or some other natural style. And when I had a perm, I never did so to look like any race of women but to rock the plethora of hair do's I saw other black women wearing that is still uniquely our own.
So it goes both ways and based on the individual but there are still issues. I know some folks who could not wear their hair natural due to shame issues so yeah.
i totally agree with Curlychronicles. But, it's a compliment to/for me :)
I think it looks fantastic and obviously for the look to work it has to suit the individual. Check out the other "BombHead" styles with imagesearch, I think the women look gorgeous and the guys look groovy! My girlfriend just had a perm done using the very smallest rollers available (about 100) set randomly in various directions, her curls are miniature corkscrew mainly, with random curls, above shoulder length, white girl afro, she looks extremely sexy! and I know she's happy she took the plunge and went for that style.
Diversity is the spice of life.
cool topic : )
Please email me at jdflorette@hotmail.com if you know where i can find this hair-treatment. I'm a swede who is sick and tired of my fine straight hair...
is that possible
My hair's very curly and I rarely, if ever, straighten it.
wow i love this!!. I'm African, i perm my hair, and i love asians!! It would be sweet to have an asian hubby that had a perm the same day i did lol (and it looks cute) :D
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