Exclusive Interview: Bria Murphy Talks About Natural Hair

January 22nd, 2011 - By Demetria Irwin

Madame Noire caught up with 21-year-old beauty Bria Murphy in New York where she was presented as the new face of Dark & Lovely hair products. Bria’s dad Eddie Murphy, her mom Nicole Mitchell and her little sister Shayne were all on hand at the red carpet event. Nia Long, Tyson Beckford and a host of other black Hollywood insiders were also in attendance.

Congratulations Bria!

What’s your definition of natural hair?

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  • sunshyne84

    I miss when Bria wore her natural hair. She was gorgeous with a fro as a young girl. Still goregeous now of course.

  • anony

    OAN: people need to STOP using “natural” as an excuse not to comb their hair. smh. i notice that alot with women who quit the “creamy crack”.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=26707277 Nigeria Riggins

      did you know combs are damaging to your hair? all things in moderation:)

  • Niki Franc

    It seems like everyone is jumping on each other. I honestly believe that natural hair is hair without chemicals and no weaves. There is nothing wrong if you choose to have either or both it's your money. As far as products go you can choose to use natural oils to condition your hair like castor oil or coconut oil. They cost a lot less than those name brand products, and they work. whatever you choose to do with your hair just keep it healthy. That's the most important thing.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1438551270 Jessica Lucinda Williams

      Amen Niki!! Healthy hair is the important thing. I see folks jumping on the relaxer companies, but they are only trying to make money just like the natural hair care people. I am natural and some of those companies put there (i won’t say their names) are disgustingly ridiculous with their prices. $35 to $55 for hair puddings, gel puddings and what not. PLEASE!!! I used Argan oil ($9.95 for a huge bottle) and sometimes coconut oil ($4.00 on eBay and all natural).

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=26707277 Nigeria Riggins

        do you use pure argan oil? if so, where do you purchase it? i’m looking for some! thanks!

        • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1438551270 Jessica Lucinda Williams

          i purchased mine from a health store called Herbal Planet. when i can’t get pure argon oil, i use the Moroccan oil treatment, at Sally’s. it’s about $20.00 for a big bottle.

  • Darkesthourglass

    Sounds like a lot defensive, frustrated women in this thread. Those naturals must stay on y’all asses everyday. Didn’t know it was that serious. I’m relaxer-free and plan to stay that way, considering locks. Whether you’re relaxed or natural, it’s how good the hair looks. I thought that Dark and Lovely was one of the harshest relaxers and takes people’s hair out. I wouldn’t use that mess even if I still was getting relaxers. Talk about chemical crack.

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  • mimi

    *(if not the same chemical level).*…..sorry I meant chemical properties.

  • mimi

    Why so defensive. Any way i just wonder what is natural about a chemical that could literally eat through a tin can and have the same Ph (if not the same chemical level) as Dranno.

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  • http://streamsfrommyconsciousness.tumblr.com Afia

    My hair is relaxed and quite long. As much as I appreciate women being relaxer free I'm getting sick of this conversation. We tear each other down over decisions about hair as if we are the only group of people with hair. I know the history of it all but we need to get to a place where our hair style doesn't define us. My relaxed hair doesn't mean I hate my "blackness". And let's all remember that race thus "blackness" is a social construct.

    Why tell another woman how she can and cannot style her hair? There isn't one style for black women. We can do anything and everything.

    There is beauty in EVERYTHING.

    ALL women battle with issues around beauty. Each group has its own issues. Here comes the women who will talk about being underrepresented in the media blah blah blah. I GET IT!!! But we are not the only ones. The standards of beauty in our society leave little room for anything else but the standard with the occasional crumbs for those pigeon holed into the contentious "exotic" category.

    But I digress. However you choose to wear your hair, wear it well. Not having a relaxer does not automatically equal health. Using a relaxer doesn't mean my hair is ready to break off. And who hasn't seen a dreadful weave or wig on another sista?

    Sometimes I think we should all just shave our heads. Then we'd really be starting a revolution. Be bald and defy the notion that a woman is defined by her hair. But since I don't see that happening any time soon and I'm surely not giving up my long tresses, let's stop the bashing, and the side eyes, and the guzzling of the haterade.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1438551270 Jessica Lucinda Williams

      i know how you feel! i get tired of hearing the “she needs a relaxer” remarks when they think you are out of earshot. people need to respect differences as just that…what someone else likes.

  • Mecca

    She is beautiful and if she says her hair is natural…who are we to judge!! Black women have to learn to let others express themselves as they see the world and themselves in it!!! I have locs and would never PUT DOwn my sistas because they wear their hair in a way that makes them feel good and ever so BEAUTIFUL!!! Can we please stop this holier than thou ATITUDE…now that is so unnaturally, fake and just so NEGATIVE!!!!

  • Ereiol N

    I think she meant "natural" as in the own hair without extensions. She did say that many women fall into the weave trend and she even did it, but she wanted to encourage girls that their hair is beautiful as well….I doubt she meant natural as in "chemical-free" when she is obviously on the box of a relaxer….Either way she's a beautifu young girl and good luck to her!

    • ChellBellz

      Yeah, I think people fail to realize that.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=26707277 Nigeria Riggins

      yes! I love her and she’s beautiful but natural means no perm. point blank. here’s the definition:
      nat·u·ral
      /ˈnaCHərəl/

      Adjective
      Existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind.

      I personally define it as not permanently changing the texture of one’s hair.

  • newmoneyeducation

    People who wear natural hair sometimes take on a "cult-ish" tone. OK we get it! you have enlightend yourself and decided to leave the chemicals alone but not everyone is there yet. I wear my hair natural and do not feel the need to yell from the mountaintops the danger of the dreadful relaxer nor do I give a play by play of why my hair is healthier because I no longer relax it. Black women are progressively learning to love their "natural" unpermed hair and as time goes on more will also embrace their unprocessed locks especially now that more hair care products are on the market. So let people learn at their own pace and stop all this "People need to boycott the relaxer" call-outs

    • Jamie

      Lmao @ "cult-ish" tone. Haha! I think there is a level of reverence that "naturals" develop for their hair and education is powerful which is why many are trying to educate. But yes, there is a fine line between sharing the knowledge and straight bragging…lol. It isn't necessary to make "relaxed-s" feel guilty or shame them for relaxing their hair. That's just wrong! In other words… I agree. It's time to boy-cott ;)

      • tkny45

        First of all so what one decides to go Natural!!! Most of us choose Relaxers for styling purposes. I have a head full of hair and would be truly limited to styling choices if I chose to go NaturAL nor do I want the headache. Trust we would never be ashamed of relaxing our hair are you kidding??? Are you more BLack??? Get real….my hair is relaxed and the possibilities are endless. Maintaining and using proper products on your hair is key whether relaxed or unrelaxed or texlaxed….and I use the same natural homemade products you naturALs use to take care of my fine tresses.

    • BlackMamba202

      You took the words out of my mouth…….theres def. somthin' in the tone…and def "OK, we GET IT!"
      LOL….

  • shinefromw1th1n

    ^^^^^Thats true too, if it's straightened with heat and not chemicals. But, if you have a relaxer then it's not natural, even if you don't have a weave.

    • Annie

      Natural is no sodium hydroxide……its really that simple. I am natural and we still have the option of having bone straight hair……guess what when you wet it……its not straight anymore.

  • Nikki

    I totally disagree!! If the hair grows from your scalp then it natural!! Just because its straight doesn’t mean that it isn’t natural!!

    • Jamie

      Actually, by definition, if you relax your hair then it is not natural. Natural means in accordance with nature or functioning in a normal way. If you are processing your hair albeit relaxers, coloring, or heat, you are indeed interfering with the natural existence of your hair and the way it functions normally.

      • Eugenia

        If you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner then by your definition, it's not natural. Because in accordance with nature no chemical should touch it. Yea I'm calling bs on the natural movement, good hair is healthy hair, I was natural and my hair was severely damaged and dry b/c I went natural. Not like I wouldn't try it again, but it ain't all it's cracked up to be. And I'm tired of other bw acting like they are superior to me b/c I relax my hair. This a beauty company trying to make money and a set of women who go natural and have a superiority complex.

        • old school

          Be real. If you’re natural you are not supposed to be clean? What a specious argument. Natural has a literal definition. Plus, if your hair was damaged, it wasn’t because you stopped went natural, it was because you didn’t take care of it properly. I myself don’t have the time or patience to spend hours de-tangleing, twisting, untwisting etc. So I under process my hair and air dry. I keep my ethnic texture but can keep it moving – fast!

  • WTF

    Where’s my comment? How do you not post my comment but when people tweet these articles, it gets posted as a comment? Get. It. Together.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/pier.grace Pier Grace

    As a natural hair wearer, I think Bria should have done a lot more thinking before making that statement shown on this clip. Being the spokeswoman for a Chemical relaxing product line, its redundant to state that she wants to encourage young girls to wear their "natural hair". Nothing is more "un-natural" than a relaxer. Wearing your natural hair means wearing your hair without the aid of harsh chemicals. Wearing one's "own hair" refers to wearing styles without weaves or wigs. Someone should definitely tell this girl the difference…

    • ChellBellz

      Well in this day and age, natural could mean not putting a weave in it. Everybody has their opinion of what they think natural hair is. When we are caught up throwing a weave in our hair to me just weaving your hair is all be natural and wearing the hair on your head.

      • Callie

        uh calling b.s. The natural hair movement started as not putting chemical relaxers in the hair. The definition of natural was hair without relaxers. Now that more women are deciding to take the plunge and become natural, relaxer companies which stand to lose millions (because black women spend the most money on hair products in this country) are trying to muddy the waters by saying "natural hair" is black hair without weave.

        Total B.S. I know there are ladies with healthy relaxed hair, but this is not the majority of black women who experience breakage, scalp conditions (like seborrheic dermatitis) from the very chemicals they put in their hair. Women wouldn't need a weave if it wasn't for these chemicals in the first place. Now that black women are catching on and becoming natural in higher numbers, they want to fool the ignorant and reclaim their market share. Sorry, but not buying it.

        • ChellBellz

          , Don't think for a second that the "hair care market" isn't capitalizing off on Natural Hair they where doing it before and the will keep doing it !!! They have a ton of products, and everything for women who have natural hair because I was buying it all up trying to figure out what would work for this untouchable hair.

          Weaves and Braids ended up working best for me because I got tired of spending my money only to have my hair look like a brillo pad as soon as i sweat. Even with that I still don't get this stuff relaxed. You have to give us a break, if we don't perm, then we wrong for weaving and people think we are trying to be white. Truth is we as black women have the most versatile hair, and there is nothing wrong with experimenting it's just hair, and I refuse to think other wise, I can cut my hair tomorrow and be fine, i can grow it out long, curl it, perm it, color, whatever. Why because it's just hair, and more so i'm a person that likes to express myself through my different hair styles.

          • Annie

            ChellBellz….I think that great that you are comfortable with your hair. It is your choice of course. The natural hair movement is about accepting the texture that is God given…….its really not about shaming. I am natural and been at this for about 4 years. I don’t mind that other women wear perms or weaves.
            I am really loving the beautiful journey of self-acceptance. I now love my natural texture and don’t feel the need to straighten it…..my natural texture is much more interesting.

        • http://www.serioulsynatural.org Sabrina

          I couldn't have said it better myself!!! This is just a marketing ploy to get the millions of black women who are walking away from relaxers back!! http://www.seriouslynatural.org

    • Jamie

      I don't think the point is to know the difference. I think she was probably told to use that word. Beauty products are always aiming for you to look "natural" whether it be hair color, hair texture, or make up. Being a "natural" beauty is a way to market the product. I'd like to think Eddie Murphy's daughter isn't that foolish… ;) Either way, congratulations to Bria with getting her own career started!

    • Dania

      I totally agree! She states she wants to encourage girls or women to steer away from the "weave wearing" but contradicts herself by saying she even still wears weave. My advice to women and most importantly, women of color would be to do what makes you happy. You do not need a 21 year old or any other woman for that matter to tell you what you need to do with your hair.

  • Ruby

    She's gorgeous! Congrats Bria! Remember beauty fades, education is forever.