Sick from relaxers ...but at least it's Africa's Best!

[aiyoka]

Source: Sistah Vegan Community Blog
March 3, 2008

http://web.mac.com/sistahvegan98/iWe...6059A8A4A.html


Wow, I am on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database right now. I was wondering how "toxic" relaxers are. Guess which product made the list of being the most toxic?

I cannot believe that a product with "Africa" in it is being sold for kids and is the "winner" of the most toxic. http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

0-2 scores are low toxicity. 8-10 scores are HIGHLY toxic.

Look at how number 4, Africa's Beat Organics has "organic" in the label. This is sick and false advertising.

I am not against straightening of the hair, so please don't get me wrong. I'm just concerned that if folk are straightening their hair, what products are they using and how will it hurt our bodies (and our children's)? Look at the ingredients: there are chemicals in their that cause reproductive illnesses and cancers. Is this one of many reasons that black females suffer from fibroids, 3-6x more than the average?

As vegans and vegetarians, most of us are concerned about what we put in our mouths... but what about on our hair? And I'm sure these products are not animal byproduct free, or animal testing free...

So, "Africa's Best" is to make our bodies sick for straightened hair? And as these chemicals go down the drain, does this mean our environment is being polluted? Probably...

Argh....

#1 Africa's Best Kids Organics No-Lye Organic Conditioning Relaxer System with ScalpGuard, Kids Regular (hair relaxer) Score : 10/10

#2 Africa's Best No-Lye Dual Conditioning Relaxer System (hair relaxer) Score 9/10

#3 Africa's Best No-Lye Dual Conditioning Relaxer System (Super) (hair relaxer) Score: 9/10

#4 Africa's Best Organics Touch-Up plus Organic Conditioning Relaxer System for New Growth (hair relaxer) Score 9/10

#5 Dark & Lovely No-Mistake No-Lye Children's Relaxer System (hair relaxer) Score: 9/10

#6 Luster's PCJ Pretty-n-Silky No-Lye Conditioning Cream Relaxer Childrens Coarse (hair relaxer) Score: 9/10

#7 TCB Naturals No-Lye Relaxer Regular (hair relaxer) Score: 9/10

#8 TCB No-Lye Hair Relaxer, Naturals (hair relaxer) Score 9/10

#9 TCB One Application Relaxer Regular (hair relaxer) Score 9/10

#10 Africa's Best No-Lye Dual Conditioning Relaxer System Super (hair relaxer) Score 9/10

[Jalili]

Our woman need to stop putting that posion in their hair PERIOD

The idea of self-love is completely missed when a woman through a chemical in her hair in order to change her hair texture to fit in with the Euro idea's of beauty.

Once we get pass trying to fit in with those that hate us then we can get to the road to FREEDOM.

[Nefertiti]

I love me some natural me And aint making no excuses talking about manageability,... Black Proud and locked up

[Raha]

We DO know that "natural" does not necessarily "nappy", right? There are plenty Sisters out there that have "naturally" straight hair.

Which makes me wonder...if a Sister had "naturally" straight hair, but then decides that she wants it to be "nappy" to get an Afro or Locks or some other "natural" hairstyle, then that wouldn't be "natural", would it?

Do I think that Sisters shouldn't put that junk in their hair? Yes. Do I think that automatically some Sisters do it to fit with the "European" standard of beauty. No, because like I said, there are Sisters who "naturally" have straight hair.

Don't judge a book by its cover; wait for the book to open, read the words, then make your opinion.

P.E.A.C.E.

[Nefertiti]

[Fenix]

It's one thing to have naturally straight hair. It's another to chemically alter the texture.

[Raha]

It's one thing to have naturally straight hair. It's another to chemically alter the texture.

I'm not disagreeing with that sentiment (as I previously stated, I don't want a Sister putting that stuff in their hair as well).

All I am saying is that I think that some people think that "straight hair" = "Euro-standard of beauty" or "not being conscious", etc. when they do not even know the person well enough to know if they are even using relaxers to straighten their hair.

That's all I'm saying.

P.E.A.C.E.

[tyydae]

All I am saying is that I think that some people think that "straight hair" = "Euro-standard of beauty" or "not being conscious", etc.

It may not be any of the fine women on this board but they mos, def, exist. I think Angela Davis touched on this topic in her autobiography. If it was not her it may have Assata's book. Don't quote me!

You know "those" woman who automatically assume things about Ms. Ursula (one of PHILLY' S Finest) Rucker because in many ways she could fit in with america fucked up standard of beauty.

What would people say about her if she blow dry her hair straight but it remained free from a relaxer? Would she be trying to fit into Euro-standard of beauty?

[aiyoka]

I found these excerts in an article by Kwabena Ashanti. The full version can be found at : http://www.kwabenaashanti.com/

"One of the most psychological damaging blows to little black girls self-concepts are to be told directly or non-verbally, by their own mother, that their pretty African natural hair is hard to manage and ugly. The psychological germ dictates that mothers transform their daughters (without orders from whites) into imitation looking white girls. They are told to be on guard to avoid the horror of being caught out in the rain, because it makes the hair go back to Africa. Most black females have never shown their males the real thing beauty in African form. African American females, with this new understanding, should therefore not be surprised, angry, upset or feel rejected when their males seek the real thing, white women, instead of imitation white black women. Now, you know that we black people dislike anything fake we prefer the real thing. African American women, without roots in their natural African culture, are like beautiful cut flowers in a vase. These flowers are pretty and sweet smelling for only a few day, then they become weak and ugly, die and stink. They have become the imitation and don"t even know it. It is like being remade into a Negro from an African. Flowers that are attached to their own bushes and roots lives long and returns every year!"

"An African cultural root is essential and necessary for black people for good relationships, happiness, and success. Black men who insist on having imitation white black women are unknowingly guilty of practicing white supremacy on their own women. They are closet psychological racist toward African women, and don't know it. This is the power of brainwashing. Within each nation of people, that has power and wealth, the women practice their own racial or ethnic culture, as well as, standards of beauty. Their men are very protective of and providers for these women. Those that are weak, dependent, and defined by other races, do not. Get with the program black women and your men will surly follow. They will run over each other trying to get to you and not Miss Daisy. True African men always prefer real African women. Relearn what a true beautiful African women looks like; look at Erika Badu and Assata Shakur. It is very difficult to find an African looking female in black oriented magazines, movies, and television shows. Show your man the real prize, he will come to prefer the real thing Ban African woman. Sankofa"

[BlackShinez]

Just by the way, colgate toothpaste is rated 6/10 for hazards on that same website... technically everything is dangerous so maybe you're making too big a deal of this like its a real death threat... jus sayin...

[Pragmatic]

Just by the way, colgate toothpaste is rated 6/10 for hazards on that same website... technically everything is dangerous so maybe you're making too big a deal of this like its a real death threat... jus sayin...

By Michael Downey Special to the Toronto Star April 25 , 1999

Two years ago, parents in the United States began noticing the word poison on

their toothpaste tubes. The reason: U.S. drug regulators were beginning to doubt
the safety of fluoride, particularly to children, and demanded warnings on the
labels.

Decades of research have been conducted on the dangers of fluoride to human health. The ingredient in toothpaste is pharmaceutical grade sodium fluoride. Even toothpaste tube labels have a warning to call the Poison Control Center if ingested. Fluoride is the poison.

Hydrofluorosilicic acid is what is added to drinking water. It is untreated toxic waste from the phosphate fertilizer industry added to city tap water, and has trace amounts of other toxins in the waste including arsenic and heavy metals. Fluoride is classified as a neurotoxin, just as harmful as lead and aluminum to the human developing brain

There is no point swallowing fluoridated water. The only benefit should come from direct contact with the teeth.

The GW Bush Gang: IG Farben 2001

"Flouride"

By Robert Lederman

1-25-01

Secretary of the Treasury, Paul H. O'Neill is the chairman of "Alcoa Aluminum", "one of the world's worst polluters" and a leading corporate supporter of Nazi Germany and eugenics.

O'Neill owns 1.6 million shares of Alcoa, worth more than $50 million.

During WWII "Alcoa" negotiated a deal with the Nazis and IG Farben to supply Germany's war machine rather than the US military with aluminum. (*also see Bush Gang and "tetraethyl")

"If America loses this war," said then Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes on June 26, 1941, "it can thank the Aluminum Corporation of America [ALCOA]."

Alcoa produces hundreds of millions of tons of fluoride. (see Lockheed Martin and U.S Airforce test Percholate/rocket fuel additive on civilians and nations water supply)

Floride, is a highly toxic waste byproduct of aluminum has been linked in thousands of medical studies to cancer and other degenerative diseases.

In the 1950's Alcoa arranged to have it added to our nation's drinking water rather than disposed of as toxic waste. During WWII in IG Farben's slave labor camps Nazis scientists "discovered" that by adding fluoride to the drinking water they could make prisoners more submissive to authority. O'Neill is a fellow at the RAND Corporation and American Enterprise Institute, two more extreme right-wing think tanks.

Peace be upon you

full article

J-Dilla "Stress" Instrumental
[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-x9-Xeuc4&feature=related[/nomedia]

Fluoride: Highly toxic waste byproduct of "aluminum"
http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/br...-aluminum.html

[aiyoka]

Just by the way, colgate toothpaste is rated 6/10 for hazards on that same website... technically everything is dangerous so maybe you're making too big a deal of this like its a real death threat... jus sayin...

I'm hoping from your post that you don't use Colgate anyway. It is very toxic and you should not use it just as you should not use chemical relaxers. There are many natural toothpastes on the market. And one of the most natural ways for you to clean your teeth would be by using a chew stick.

I think you may have missed the point in my post. It is not only the chemical toxicity, but more importantly the mental toxicity that is caused by the process of using chemical relaxers. This information was not shared to compare the toxic level of other products.