The price of beauty - and its maintenance - has never come cheap. But in Good Hair, comedian Chris Rock delves into the roots of the problem and reveals that good hair is a much bigger business than many imagine.Rock is not only funny, he's an affable and intelligent host in a documentary that is accessible, breezy and highly informative. When his adorable 5-year-old daughter asked why she didn't have "good hair," Rock was moved to explore what makes hair appealing.
He talks to hairdressers and their customers and learns about the exorbitant price (at least $1,000), time commitment (about six hours) and pain (hair loss, scalp burns) involved in acquiring a weave. He also finds out about harsh chemicals used in hair relaxing and meets an entrepreneur whose wealth derives from the manufacture and sale of creams that relax waves, curls and frizz. In a very funny and troubling bit, a chemist conducts a simple experiment that reveals just how caustic the hair-relaxing potions can be.
One of the film's most intriguing segments centers on the donors of a majority of the lustrous hair used for weaves and wigs. Rock travels to India and finds that much of the coveted "good hair" sold in the USA comes from the heads of devout Hindu women. They shave their heads in a religious ceremony and an opportunistic businessman scoops it up and exports it for sale at high prices. It's an unsettling discovery: unscrupulous businesspeople profiting from the religious fervor of the poor.
Rock goes to Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York and India, talking to everyone from the Rev. Al Sharpton to poet Maya Angelou to actress Raven-Symoné. Singers Salt N' Pepa recount how a hair-relaxing accident led to a signature hairstyle. Actress Tracie Thoms describes her natural hairstyle as being almost transgressive. Sharpton notes how the companies serving an African-American population should be black-owned, but few are.
A segment featuring an elaborate hairdressing competition is not as eye-opening as the rest of the film and goes on too long.
Good Hair seamlessly follows Rock as he travels from manufacturing plants to salons and barbershops to an Indian temple. He approaches the subject with earnest interest and easy humor. It's no wonder it won Sundance Film Festival's special Jury Prize. Good Hair is cause for hope that Rock continues to make documentaries. His style is lively, smooth and up-to-date, like the most coveted 'do.
THE CONTEST:
Inspired by the movie Fashionwithfifi.com decided to host a “Good Hair” ticket giveaway and start a conversation about Women’s hair. So, What’s Your Definition of “Good Hair”? Is it straight hair? Is it Long Hair? Can Fake hair be considered Good Hair? Do you consider Kinky Hair to be Good Hair? Fashionwithfifi.com wants to know so we'e giving away two movie tickets to see Chris Rock’s new movie Good Hair to one lucky subscriber or member “Fashion Circle”. It’s easy and free to enter. Source: USA TodayOfficial Rules:
1) Contest is open to everyone. First you must be a member of the free to join "Fashion Circle" and be subscribed to Fashionwithfifi.com. Click Here: If you aren't already a free subscriber. Email subscription must be confirmed. There will only be one winner selected at random. It's not a competition to see who cans submit the best story.
2) Next you'll need to leave a comment on this post telling us about Your Definition of “Good Hair”
3) Winner will be awarded a Redeemable Fandango Bucks Gift Card, to see Good Hair.
4) Contest runs from now, Friday, October 23, 2009 until Thursday, October 29, 2009. Winner will be announced on Friday, October 30, 2009 at Fashionwithfifi.com.
5) You must be 18 years or older to enter. Contestants under 18 will need a parent's consent in order to participate.
6) Winner will be awarded their tickets as a redeemable Fandago Bucks Gift Card. Log on to Fandango.com and enter in your Zip Code if you're not sure whether or not your local movie theatre accepts Fandago. (Most Theatres do)
7) No returns will be accepted.
"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"
Contests Contest Willie D
Good hair to me means: healthy, strong, well managed hair. I have been on a "Good hair" journey since 2007 and it is working. Everyone says how nice my hair looks even when its just pull in a ponytail. Oh! yeah! I am a natural...but I believe that relaxed hair can be taken care of just as well. We all live with chemicals...some choose to put them in their body..some choose to put them in their hair. To each their own!!!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I have good hair, it's strong & thick and styles easily, but if you ask me what "good hair" is, I think of hair like my grandmother, who is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana (I swear there's something in the water down there). "Good hair" is still cute when it gets wet, it can be worn curly or straight, it's silky to the touch, it flows OH SO easily & smoothly. Perms are a dime a dozen. Even when it's nappy, it's cute and soft, "Good Hair" means that SOMEWHERE close, yet down the line, "you got some indian, or some white in your family". I hear girls say this ALL THE TIME, it's getting old to me though.
ReplyDeleteThere is no definition that define what is good hair or bad hair. I believe that all textures of hair is considered good hair as long as it is healthy.When it comes to bad hair it will take the form of unhealthy, damaged hair. All hair types, can be managed and groomed properly to be considered as having good hair. My hair is natural and at first I wanted it to curl up like others, but I came to the relization that as long as my hair is healthy,then it is all good.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is healthy hair to me. It's hair that has healthy texture. Good hair doesn't have to do with the color, length and type. It just simply healthy hair.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is healthy hair. It doesn't matter the length, the color, or the texture. If it's healthy and maintained, it's good to me.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is healthy and manageable hair. Meaning that you can comb through it without breaking a comb, minimal split ends and has a great luster to it.
ReplyDeletegood hair to me is what ever makes you feel good,wether its relaxed, braided, natural or weave.I have personally worn all four and at the time I was wearing them it was good hair.
ReplyDeleteGood hair to me is whatever the person who has to endure the hair thinks, because there are people such as cancer victims who can not grow their own hair who wear wigs and weaves that consider it their own just to deal with the obvious.
ReplyDeleteI think that good hair is your hair performing up to the best of its ability. Whether its naturally straight, curly, or kinky as long as you take care of it, keep it healthy, and have it looking fresh, you have good hair! :]
ReplyDeleteI think that good hair is your hair performing up to the best of its ability. Whether its naturally straight, curly, or kinky as long as you take care of it, keep it healthy, and have it looking fresh, you have good hair! :]
ReplyDeleteI believe that good hair is healthy hair. It does not matter if it is relaxed or natural. As long as the hair is growing healthy and strong-it is considered "good hair".
ReplyDeletei believe that good hair is hair that you are comfortable with and hair that works for you
ReplyDeletegood hair is the hair that grows form your hair that is beautiful, healthy and made just for you; as long as ur hair is healty and you're happy with it, then its all good...hair.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is what you were born with, whether it be kinky, wavy, curly, straight, or coily. It is your own and that's what makes it good. It is original, no one but you has that type of hair.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is hair you are comfortable in and proud to have =)
ReplyDeleteGood hair to me is when your hair is in its natural state i.e. the way you were created with no chemicals that burns the scalp and kills your natural kinky curly texture. Basically nappy hair is good hair no offense to those that have straight hair.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is healthy hair. I have had relaxers for about 7 years now, and I have always had healthy hair so I consider that as "good hair". Now I am going natural and keeping my hair healthy so that is going to be be "good hair" as well. But of course this topic lies in the eyes of the beholder. Before I was educated about this issue, I thought "good hair" was what mixed black people had. Anything that was long or loosly curly...was good in my opinion. Now I know better. :)
ReplyDeleteMy definition of good hair is an opinion which seems to be shared by a lot of women who have already posted. Good hair to me is strong, well taken care of, healthy managed hair. I have been natural since June of this year, and I have seen people get into discussions about natural hair being better for the hair than relaxed. Whether it be in it's natural state or relaxed, I still believe that if it's healthy and well taken care of...it's good. Everything doesn't work for everybody.
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased to see the comments on good hair. For so long, the phrase "good hair" carried so much negativity. When I was coming up, it referred to the texture of one's hair and the wavier/straighter it was, the better it was. My mother strongly opposed that notion and always told me that good hair was whatever God placed on your head. Glad to say, mama was right on that one! I think good hair is whatever you have been blessed with and I think the best hair is what you get when it is healthy, well maitained and cared for.
ReplyDeleteGood hair is any hair. It doesn't have to be a certain type of hair, texture, color or pattern. As long as it is hair that you are comfortable with it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your hair.
ReplyDeleteRock it!
:)
Good Hair is Health Hair cuz not everybody like the same hair texture (curly, straight, or overly curly) an I like overly curly hair thats why I cut all my relaxed ends an keep my virgin hair an love it more than straight so its not the hair texture it's the health of the hair every body do want health hair am I right?
ReplyDeleteI feel that good hair is healthy hair. I also feel that good hair is whatever a person makes of it. Whatever style a person feels good wearing is good hair in my opinion. If certain hairstyles makes an outfit look good or if the style fits your face, then u have good hair. If its good enough to turn heads then baby its good hair!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGood Hair is healthy hair. It doesn't matter if your hair is relax or natural, its not good until its healthy. Good hair is sexy hair, it compliment the person. Good Hair give you that extra confidence. Healthy hair is a life style that takes work and patience but it worth it.
ReplyDeleteAll healthy hair is good hair in my oplinion!
ReplyDeleteTo me, good hair is hair that is not only healthy(never been processed of chemicals, no split ends, and no breakage...etc), but that is versatile. You know, hair that can achieve any texture(curly, straight, or wavy) and any style without the use of relaxers or perms. Good hair is also, to me, is what i call "get up and go hair" hair that does not has to be done when you wake up from bed! Good hair is hair that is complimented by saying, "OOOOWWW your hair looks good!" All of these to me makes up good hair!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up "Good Hair" was always used to describe hair that was wavy, long, and easy to manage! Through social learning, I began to identify hair that was unlike mine as "good." I am African American and I have kinky tightly coiled hair so essentially my hair growing up in my eyes was the opposite of "good." It was not until the age of 24, that I decided to define "good hair" for myself and wear my hair just the way God made it!! As women of any race we must learn to define our beauty for ourselves!! So no matter your hair texture, color, or length it is ALL "GOOD" TO ME!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion "Good Hair" is hair that is well takin care of and properly cared for! Good Hair does not depend on the race..but the individual and how well they embrace and love their hair!
ReplyDeleteGood hair to me is natural unprocessed hair..properly cared for..and loved by the owner :)
ReplyDelete