When it comes to hair, all black women can relate to the beauty, effortlessness yet time-consuming and power struggles that come along with it. Black hair, whether natural or processed, both have its pitfalls and is just something we’ve all had to either overcome or still battle with today. However, what about healthy black hair?
Is healthy hair now taking the backseat to popular styles and processes? We sit with Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris of Alodia Hair Care to dive deeper:
BlackDoctor.org (BDO): Hair is such a precious topic when it comes to black women, why do you think that is?
Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris (ICH): I think it is such a sensitive topic because of the history of our textured hair and how it has been viewed in society for hundreds of years. As a woman of color, I can speak from experience that learning and loving our hair as it naturally grows from our scalps isn’t an idea that is universally embraced or accepted. As a result, we tend to not understand what our hair needs which leads to breakage and damage, resulting in little to no growth. This has led to the false perception that textured hair doesn’t grow and that course kinky hair types are “bad” hair.
Alodia is helping to change this narrative by educating women how to properly take care of their hair and scalps. Our main mission is to empower women around the world to “Learn, Love, and Grow” their hair.
BDO: What would you say is the top concern for black women and their hair?
ICH: The top concern for black women ishow can they take care of their hair so that it is healthy and retains length.
BDO: Did you ever go through certain struggles with your own hair?
ICH: Absolutely! Alodia was born out of my struggles with my own hair. For years, I battled hair breakage and scalp damage from chemical straighteners. I was so desperate for a solution, that I utilized my science and chemistry background as a Ph.D. level Scientist to develop my 1st product, the Nourish and Grow Healthy Hair and Scalp Oil. After using it consistently for 4 months, I was so inspired by my hair transformation and my desire to help other women with their hair, that I set out to meticulously create the full Alodia line, which officially launched in 2017.
BDO: What were your initial thoughts on creating Alodia Hair Care?
ICH: For me, as a woman of color, it was extremely important for the Alodia brand to signify 3 things:
1. A place where women can come to learn about the science of their hair strands and scalp and how and why Alodia’s products work.
2. An environment that exudes positivity, empowerment, and love for the unique beauty that we as women all possess.
3. Results driven brand, creating high-quality products made with natural ingredients that infuse hair with moisture and strength allowing hair to thrive and grow.
These 3 principles are at the core of Alodia’s main mission and tagline toempower women around the world to “Learn, Love and Grow” their hair.
As a mother, it is extremely important to me to create a brand that is full of integrity, that’s honest and that’s committed to creating high-quality products with natural ingredients that people can trust for themselves and their families.
As a young girl of color, growing up in Brooklyn NY, I didn’t know that I could become a Ph.D. level Scientist or own my own beauty brand because I wasn’t exposed to Ph.D. Scientist or beauty Brand CEOs that looked like me and were from my similar background. Coming from that experience and knowing that within the STEM fields there is a severe lack of diversity, I want Alodia to signify a brand that has an active social mission of empowering and inspiring young people that are interested in STEM fields through mentorship and partnerships with non-profit organizations.
BDO: With all the colors, latest styles, and straighteners out there, it may be hard to actually know what “healthy” is and looks like. What is healthy hair to you?
ICH: Healthy hair is hair that is not dry and breaking, that’s doesn’t have signs of traction alopecia or thinning, that doesn’t have split ends, that has a natural healthy sheen and that has a clean balanced scalp that is not itchy, flaking or irritated.
BDO: If you could single out one ingredient or process, what is the absolute worst thing to use on black hair types?
ICH: For the process, I would say women that use high tension styles (such as sew-ins, tight braids, tight faux locs etc.) for extended periods of time. This is causing an epidemic of traction and scarring alopecia with black women.
For ingredients, there are so many, if I had to group them I would say any ingredient that causes cancer and skin irritation. I’ve written a blog post on this: https://alodiahaircare.com/blogs/news/top-7-harmful-and-toxic-hair-care-ingredients
BDO: How would one embark on a new journey toward healthy hair? What are some key first steps?
ICH: 1st step would be to make sure that you are eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, lean meats and fruits and drinking enough water.
2nd step would be to make sure that your ends are healthy (cut off any split ends) and make sure that you are visiting a board-certified dermatologist if you are experiencing any form of thinning.
3rd step would be to use one of Alodia’s hair system kits. Each kit is based on a style that you want to achieve and comes with 3-4 full sized products as well as an easy step by step guide that walks the customer through the process of washing, deep conditioning, moisturizing and styling their hair.
The ingredients in every single product are infused with peppermint oil, lavender, aloe Vera juice, honey, marula oil, avocado oil and other quality all-natural ingredients, that have been proven to moisturize and strengthen your hair strands and nourish your scalp to allow for healthy hair growth. The kits highly recommend that you use once a week and with consistent use, the customer will see a significant positive effect on the hair and scalp.
BDO: Now that we have the first steps down, what does it take keep healthy hair that may seem to always get overlooked?
ICH: A major step that I think gets overlooked is consistency! You cannot expect to get great results by using, for example, Alodia’s kits 1x per month. Getting healthy hair is just like working out to become healthy. It takes time and consistency in your routine to see positive results. I usually say it takes 4-6 weeks of consistently eating well, drinking lots of water and using quality products to start to see results.
Another step that’s overlooked is the fact that there is no one product that is going to help you achieve healthy hair. It’s a combination of eating well and drinking water, managing your stress levels andusing high-quality products like Alodia that will allow you to get the results you are looking for. As a Medical scientist, Dr. Isfahan is the first to create conversations around this idea of Holistic Hair Care.
BDO: You have a hair care line full of top products, what is your recommended regimen of products to use in a healthy hair routine?
ICH: What I love about Alodia is that we are totally focused on educating women and providing easy to use hair kits that take the guesswork out of having healthy hair. All the customer has to do is to choose the kit that is for the style that they are wanting to achieve, and the kit has everything you need to start a healthy hair routine.
BDO: If you could leave some lasting advice for women who can’t quite see their own hair ever becoming healthy again, what would you say to them?
ICH: I would say that it is definitely possible to have a head full of healthy hair. If they eat a healthy diet, manage stress, and use one of Alodia’s kits to establish a healthy hair routine, with consistency you will see positive results.
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.