Thandie Newton: Natural Hair is ‘Good Hair’

February 3rd, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

It’s been two years since Thandie Newtown decided to go natural—a decision the British actress says she made after watching Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” documentary and seeing that Lye, the active ingredient in a lot of relaxers, can melt a coke can. She recently chatted with her good friend and long-time makeup artist, Kay Montano, to discuss what the transition has been like, and Thandie says she feels much more liberated as a woman and more confident as a mother about the example she’s setting for her girls who have similar curly manes. Check out a few highlights of the interview:

On having a wilder look with big, curly hair

“I have to feel comfortable with having ‘all eyes on me‘, which I do when I work, less so in life. Ironically I don’t want to draw attention to myself because of celeb spotting, but my big hair, for a time will work as a disguise! Straight hair has been ‘on trend’ for years and years, so having big-A$$ curly hair means I’m stepping outside the mould, outside what’s accepted and applauded. It takes a little courage to do that.
Mainly, I want to wear it natural because it looks amazing!”

On the stigma surrounding natural hair

“The stigma with some black women seems to be that ‘nappy hair’ is almost as bad as loo roll trailing from your shoe. I have always let my daughter’s hair be wild and scruffy. I love the shapes and fluffy halo. But when they were ‘papped‘ in the States I had remarks about how I don’t take care of their hair. The truth is I choose to keep it that way. When I see hair that’s been pulled, stretched, brushed till bullet smooth I just think ‘ouch‘. I have my limits mind, sometimes I have to beg Nico to let me tidy it up for fear of her looking like she’s been neglected!”

How her mother handled her hair as a child

“Mum wanted me to fit in, and I don’t blame her. My hair hampered that. Poor Mum. I remember when I was 7 at my convent school, it was school photo day so all the kids came looking their best. Mum did my hair in 20 or so ‘corn rows’ with green wooden beads on each end to match my school uniform. The nuns were appalled, they wouldn’t let me have my picture taken. I felt embarrassed, disappointed, ashamed. Can you imagine how my Mum must have felt? There was a mild rukus and the next day I had my picture taken. But then I read this year a piece in The Independent about a student who appealed against not being able to wear his hair in (what the school felt was a hoodlum style) braids, and he won. That’s 30 years since the Nun’s dissed me… This sh** keeps going round and round.
Apart from the school photo incident it was 1 or 2 plaits every single day, and a bun when I was doing ballet. Never, ever, ever loose. Never.

The trouble with hairdressers today

“To be honest I do struggle with hairdressers, even now. The main problem is that hairdressers (and some at the top of their game) don’t understand how my type of hair changes dramatically depending on what climate, substance, effects it. Water in anyform is like a cheeky magic wand – even mist! But with the correct tools ad managing my kind of hair can do ANYTHING, which is brilliant! So hairdressers like the genius KerryWarn, or Maarit Niemela, are leagues better than others because they can work black hair from wet to dry in any style.
I’m surprised that more people don’t understand this (even though hair salons still seems to be culturally divided between ‘black’ hairdressing or ‘caucasian’ hairdressing), there are many black models and actresses around that they work with.
I think a problem for top hairdressers is that most black models and high end clients have weaves (Indian hair), so the technicians never work on authentic black hair. Whether black, white, blonde, brunette, I’d head to a local black hairdressers any day of the week- because if a technician can work black hair, you can work ANY hair.”

I’m totally with Thandie on the hairdresser thing, you can’t even show a beautician a certain haircut without being told “that’s weave it won’t look the same on you.” I guess that’s why she took matters into her own hands. She told Kay she had to learn how to do her own hair, and now—”I can braid, fit extensions, do my own weave, cut it, blow dry it bone straight, make hair pieces, fit wigs, style it beehive, forties, Afro, you name it.”

Can you relate to Thandie’s experience transitioning? Have you been able to find a good hairdresser or do you take care of your own mane?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/tilly.ramirez Tilly Elon Ramirez-Hughes

    I think she is amazing

  • Pingback: Style Evolution: Thandie Newton « My Long Hair Journey

  • Unfadeablebeauty

    Love this article and LOVE her more after this.

    • Katzebrown

      Everybody thats on here arguing and writing back and forth…just shut the hell up PLEASE!

  • Teh

    I love Thandie, and I agree with everything she is saying, but her hair type is the texture that alot of black people consider to be ”good hair”. Natural or not. Black people’s hair comes in all textures. The texture that she has is the type that alot of black people want. It is a misconception that black people want bone straight hair so that they can be like white women? NO, black women want MANAGEABLE HAIR, that doesn’t cause them to get a headache(literally) everytime they try and comb it. I can understand where Thandie is coming from as well, because her hair is “big” and curly , some white people and some blacks think she should ”Tame” or straighten it to “fit society’s Norm”, and that is BS! As black women we have always been made to fill like there is something wrong with EVERYTHING about us. Our hair is nappy so that’s wrong, our skin is not light enough, so that’s wrong..Can you imagine what type of self hatred that breeds? Yes you can we see it everyday. Even our own people will say these things. It’s time to grow up and accept, love,and respect yourself. Noone else will if you don’t!! I think that’s the message Thandie is putting out there!
    .

    • Cocolicious

      “NO, black women want MANAGEABLE HAIR, that doesn’t cause them to get a headache(literally) every time they try and comb it.”

      Please expound on this. What does that mean? And what type of hair would that be?

      “Our hair is nappy so that’s wrong,”

      I think it negative to imply that a person with kinky, tightly coiled/curl, or course hair texture, by default, has nappy. The hair is ONLY nappy when it’s NOT DE-TANGLED

      The NAPPY hair state applies to ANY HAIR GRADE AND/OR TEXTURE.

      A person of any hair grade can experience having nappy hair if they don’t comb/de-tangle it.

      For example, Caucasian people can achieve dreadlocks by allowing their hair to become NAPPY.

      • NicciNic

        nappy hair only applies to black people. period. nappy hair is the type of hair that no matter what you can only use a wide tooth comb. no other ethnicity has hair so thich and course they can never pull a fine tooth comb through their hair without breaking it, pulling out massive amounts of hair, and getting a migrane whenever they try it on their natural non-chemical treated hair. thats nappy. its not a bad thing but what sets our hair apart

        • Cocolicious

          Any hair grade, type or texture can become nappy. 

          We’re able to detangle our hair types like anyone else. When you imply NAPPY, you imply that people don’t take the time out to groom their hair.

          People who wear their hair natural do invest a lot of time in grooming and detangling their hair. They care.

          You either have a chemically treated hair, natural hair that isn’t kinky coily/kinky curly, or you’re not even black to begin with. You don’t, remotely, appear to know what you’re talking about.

          The implication of NAPPY is negative. Anything that becomes tangled is unkempt, neglected. If you throw a bunch of wires in a box, individually, then rumage through the box every now and then, over time the context of the box become tangled. A NAP is a tangle. But if you took the time and care to wrap and secure each cord individually before throwing it in the box things would be easier to find and you wouldn’t end up with such a mess.

          The same concept applies to kinky coily or kinky curly hair. We’re NOT born with NAPPY hair, but if it is unkempt, overtime, it will tangle and become nappy.

          • NicciNic

            That’s a lie because some people are born with nappy hair. Naps and tangles aren’t the same thing. Regardless on how much you “detangle” nappy hair you still have to use a wide tooth comb so you’re not pulling out hung clumps of hair and putting strain on your scalp. You could “detangle” your hair all day and that doesn’t change. Nappy hair is more special than other hair types because you care for it differently.

            • Cocolicious

              whatever, whip out the old unabridged dictionary to see for yourself.

              If you don’t have the hair-type, you can’t tell me about my hair; you don’t have a genuine understanding of it.

              You’re talking as ‘an outsider’ of the experience of having course, kinky-coily, afro-textured hair. So, of course, you imply the most negative and impossible connotations concerning it.

              • NicciNic

                Lmaols. Oh please. An “outsider”? Really? But I don’t know what I’m talking about? Please know exactly what you’re talking about before spouting your bull. You’ve never seen me or my hair. Just because I’m comfortable with saying my hair is nappy and not carrying negative connotations with it (unlike you) I’m an “outsider”? Loud and wrong. Terribly so

                • Cocolicious

                  If you’re comfortable with referring to your own hair in such a derogatory fashion, that’s on you.  Deal with our own internalized hate.

                  • NicciNic

                    Who is this “our”? You can have it hun cause I love every single thing about me and idgaf what noone says about it. So yeah go deal with YOUR “internalized hate”. It’s hair. Whatever grade, no matter how NAPPY your hair is, it’s hair. For what reason would you hate yourself for it or how it’s described? That’s called having major identity issues and I’ll let you keep yours

          • NicciNic

            Nappy doesn’t mean unkempt. I hate hearing that lie.

            • Cocolicious

              If your hair is tangled, it’s nappy = unkempt. It’s the truth. We’re not born with nappy hair. It’s only nappy when it’s tangled.

      • FromUR2UB

        A “napped” texture of hair or fabric, only means it’s surface is not smooth or flat.  Therefore, describing black hair in its natural state as “nappy”, is accurate.  It’s a description of texture, not quality.  Combing and detangling does not alter the natural texture.  The natural hair of black people is nappy. That’s factual; it shouldn’t be denied or considered a source for shame.  Our hair requires more care in its natural state than people of other ethnicities, because any thing of rarity and value, requires extra care.  Black people have used the word “nappy” as colloquialism for someone whose hair looks unkempt – needing to be combed or clipped – but that’s not the correct use or meaning for the word.  Dreadlocks are achieved by individual strands of hair meshing and intertwining, after a period of not separating them through combing or brushing.  This has nothing to do with hair texture, which is your point, but I don’t see why you object to the term “nappy” to describe our hair texture.

        • Cocolicious

          Yes, a nap is generally a raised surface, but in regards to hair a nap implies a knot. nappy hair = knotty hair.

          Any other hair type that is unkempt can develop a nap, or a knot.

          If you intend to purchase finely woven silk and discover that there is one nap, or several naps, on the surface how likely is it that you will pay top premium dollar per yard for this piece of fabric?

          A nap describes an imperfection, an irregularity, thus nappy does imply ‘quality’.

          • FromUR2UB

            A nap doesn’t imply a knot to anyone who understands the difference in definition.  Raw silk garments have an entirely napped surface, and the fabric is beautiful in its own way.  It doesn’t have a sheen like woven silk, and is meant to be appreciated in its natural state.

            It seems that you prefer to think of nappy hair as inferior, ”irregular” - which suggests the same thing as “colored” skin, and lesser quality.  That is your business and problem.  But, please, don’t project your issues with black hair onto other people.

    • EcoBella

      Natural hair can be just as “manageable” if you know how to take care of it. I am a 4b natural with beautiful hair and I don’t get “headaches” from combing it. Women alter their hair texture for various reasons. Some do it for versatility while others do it to fit societal norms. 

    • Respectata@hotmail.com

      Tell it you are so right. Black women want manageable hair; not straight hair like white women. Black is so beautiful !!!!

    • FromUR2UB

      Please.  Stop perpetuating the term “good hair”.  I HATE that phrase and everything it implies.  If we are to feel good about who we are and everything about us, then it should begin by striking that phrase from our thoughts and conversations.  I don’t want Thandie Newton’s hair, because I’m satisfied with my own.  Coveting is sinful BECAUSE of the dissatisfaction with self, and resentment toward others, that it breeds.

  • Cocolicious

    So, talking about her ‘natural’ biracial hair, her curly loose textured silky hair, is her camp’s response to the petition that protests her being cast as an Igbo, West African, indigenous sub-Saharan African woman?

    I guess, this justifies to the audience outside of West-Central African, Nigerian and Igbo identity that “Yes, she fits the part. Look at her hair.” The world outside of indigenous sub-Saharan Africa has long displayed a very apathetic attitude towards specific ethnic, aesthetic and cultural differences among people identified as ‘black people’. They don’t respect these differences; social race classification doesn’t respect these differences.

    It doesn’t matter if her hair is natural. It doesn’t matter that she’s HALF African either.

    What white media (as well as white/western society as a whole) continues to perpetuate counter to the existence of sub-Saharan African descendants who carry a total set of physical traits more like (or EXACLTY like) their original, pre-colonial, ancestors prevails, even in this interview.

    The basic point and purpose of the petition still stands.

    Thandie Newton wearing her hair natural and allowing her “I-am-half-nordic-european-and-procreated-lighter-and-brighter-and-away-from-NEGRO. If-my-children-and/or-their-offspring-do-the-same-my-future-posterity-will-be-able-to-pass-for-white-like-Charlotte-of-Mecklenburg-Strelitz-the-former-Queen-consort-of-the-United-Kingdom” child to run around dawning a halo is insignificant.

    By the way:
    1) A person of ANY hair grade and/or texture can have NATURAL hair
    2) NAPPY hair is, simply, TANGLED hair
    3) Thus, ANY hair type/grade/texture can become NAPPY

    Did the FIRST, original, inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa, or Igboland, have the type of hair that she has? That’s my question.

    “Oh, but black people have a wide range of features.”

    Has anyone noticed that all the social races have a very wide range of features, too? And that the white phenotype is indicative of all the race categories? Has anyone noticed that Nordic European ancestry, and admixture, exists in all the race categories both via immediate parentage as well as distant ancestry?

    I wonder if this concept of race wasn’t invented with the intention that all the peoples of world would, eventually, race towards the ‘white’ phenotype – white race. It seems easy when this ‘look’ is part of all non-white races and when the social trends suggest that a large number within these groups aspire to breed, procreate, with individuals of, or closer to, the whiter end of the spectrum (in ancestry and/or appearance).

    I mean, otherwise, I’ve always been a fan of Newton as an actress. My gripe isn’t about her as an individual, but about the overall picture – the overall implications, of which, I do understand, the blame can’t be placed on her specifically. She’s not the root of, what I deem is, the PROBLEM.

    She’s just a talented, hard-working, actress.

    And, yes, I did point out the fact that her child is less sub-Saharan African in ancestry than she is. That was to illustrate how the lunacy of race classification, and one-dropping, trivializes the true issue at hand – social trends the contribute towards the gradual (and sometimes rapid), regional, global and generational dilution of lineages, as well as phenotypes, specific to first nation indigenous sub-Saharan people.

    • NicciNic

      youre going in on her like she had a choice who her parents were. ok she’s biracial so? you say that like all bi-racial people have silky curly hair. this is about her dealing with HER hair. regardless of how it looks. she obviously had been putting some sort of chemical in her hair that she changed which is why it’s now “natural” her cultural heritage has nothing to do with how she embraces her hair

      • Cocolicious

        If your cultural heritage, immediate idenity, is Nordic White Anglo-Saxon European it does influence the way in which you embrace your physical traits if you descend from indigenous unmixed sub-Saharan African people. That’s the issue we’re facing/combating, now, in the black/African descended communities. We’ve become so integrated and assimilated to white/European culture that we ‘cover’ or alter traits not historically/traditionally embraced by Anglo-Saxon society.

        But we’ve rapidly evolved into Anglo-Saxons of sub-Saharan African descent. We’ve both whole, mostly or partially embraced Anglo-Saxon ideals even if they are to the detriment of our own physical being.

        It’s a social shift that as been well documented by Black American writers since the mid 1900s when more blacks were becoming part of an upwardly, educated, mobile working class.

        • NicciNic

          And once again you’re saying this as if people choose where they come from. Every race culture whatever they have issues embracing their features thus plastic surgery, hair extensions, hair dye, chemicals to curl your hair, chemicals to straighten your hair, etc etc. it’s no easier for any other race to embrace their features. This is not just a “black” thing. And biracial people don’t have it any easier embracing their features or who they are because they walk on both sides of the fence seeing things from both sides

          • Cocolicious

            Every race and culture did not have those issues, until they became exposed to a contrasting culture.

            A black thing? This topic is specifically about African -descendants Where did I make a comparison, in terms having it easier, between blacks and other groups?

            I never implied that biracial people had an easier time embracing their features.

            • NicciNic

              You’re still on this? Smh I was done a while ago

              • Cocolicious

                obviously, you’re still on it, too.

                • NicciNic

                  Actually I forgot all about it until you popped back u on it do no I’m not. Sorry Hun. Get your facts straight

  • Ada Ma

    wow..I LOVE HER NOW..speak sense