ANDRE WALKER TALKS AFRICAN-AMERICAN HAIR - OCT 2009

[Likeyouneverseenme]

He definitely knows what he's doing when it comes to relaxed hair, I loved that he spoke on stretching relaxers at least 2 months. What he said about natural hair was surprisingly inaccurate I'm not limited in the least by my tightly coily texture as a matter of fact my hair is WAY more versatile now then it ever was relaxed, but hey, he really knows how to hook up some relaxed hair Oprah's hair is straight fire.....I mean thats just FLAWLESS. If I was relaxed I would follow his every word, but really the ladies on LHCF provide the best education for the newbies

I thought Oprah was natural...

 

[LunadeMiel]

So what he grew Oprah's hair to MBL in 24 years.
That means he doesn't really know what he's doing... LOL!
Unless she wanted to keep it short.

Oprah's hair looks nice and thick, but I don't think he has any great insight into the world of natural hair...

 

[SweetSpirit86]

The brushing part stuck out for me too. I do notice my hair behaves more, and seems to condition better when I brush it. I can't do the no-brush thing. It seems like products..uh...blend better when I brush them in. Otherwise they just kinda sit on my hair.

I wish the interviewer would have gone into his hair typing system, but thanks for sharing. ^-^

 

[shunemite]

I thought Oprah was natural...

No. She stated on her show last week that she's relaxed. When she wore the wigs her hair underneath was natural, but not anymore.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Is this really true? I can't ever recall Oprah being natural since her show has been on. Maybe stretching or wearing a wig. Does anyone have pics of her being natural?

Oprah got a bad relaxer at one point that burned her hair out. She went to a white French salon and they messed it up. After that she was afraid of getting a relaxer and wouldn't let anyone give her one. Andre kind of courted her telling her that he would love to do her hair. She finally let him do it and she liked it, so she let him keep doing it. I think he relaxed her after that.

 

[henna555]

i enjoyed reading that post i learnt a few things .

 

[kim]

When did Oprah relax? Didn't she just do that video showing us her natural hair?

 

[mscocoface]

Does he only DO Oprah's hair or does he do others hair? If he does others are their pictures of their hair.

 

[JayAnn0513]

What stuck out to me was his use of the term "Brazilian relaxer". I'm assuming he's talking about BKT. Makes me wonder what kind of "relaxer" Oprah has.

 

[locabouthair]

I remember when I first read about the different types of hair and I remember him saying type 4 doesnt growing very long. I was so discouraged but then I found this site so I know otherwise.

 

[Nova]

I wish Andre had named "what products" he uses on Oprah's hair. Regarding his advice, I take what's beneficial for my hair type and ignore what doesn't apply to my 4b texture.

 

[jamaraa]

........................................

 

[MoniintheMiddle]

oprah had long thick gorgeous hair in high school.

all 'dre did was to not *** it up

his expertise remains to be proven, as far as I'm concerned

That was high school. Did you see her hair when she first started doing the show when it was 30 minutes long and called AM Chicago? She has the short curl...had just come out of a short natural due to a bad relaxer. If she's been with him for 24 years and her hair is usually on point and her hair is healthy in both its natural and relaxed state then he's an expert for her. i wish I could say I had a trusted stylist for 24 years.

 

[Dove56]

I LOVE Andre Walker it is because of this man that I have healthy hair!!!!

I read his book back in 1997 and my hair was sooooooo jacked up with broken, ragedy ends it was thin and damaged from relaxers and color, it wouldn't grow past my shoulders it was HORRIBLE. I read how Halle Berry's hair was damaged and he convinced her to cut it so that's what I did. I did a BC and rocked a Halle Berry cut and didn't even know what my natural hair looked like. I was so shocked to see my natural 3b/c hair I had NEVER SEEN it before. I kept my hair natural and grew it to WL close to tail bone length. If it had not read Andre's book my hair would STILL be a HOT MESS.

 

[Dove56]

That was high school. Did you see her hair when she first started doing the show when it was 30 minutes long and called AM Chicago? She has the short curl...had just come out of a short natural due to a bad relaxer. If she's been with him for 24 years and her hair is usually on point and her hair is healthy in both its natural and relaxed state then he's an expert for her. i wish I could say I had a trusted stylist for 24 years.

That's the miracle part, that he hasn't messed it up, because so many stylists would've had her hair all jacked up.

 

[weaveadiva]

i'm surprised that after 24 yrs of being oprah's stylist he's just now working on his own line

 

[MoniintheMiddle]

That's the miracle part, that he hasn't messed it up, because so many stylists would've had her hair all jacked up.

You are so right about that! 24 years with one stylist and you still have hair....not to mention healthy hair, is really unheard of

 

[MoniintheMiddle]

i'm surprised that after 24 yrs of being oprah's stylist he's just now working on his own line

He had to get Oprah's permission...."mommy may I??"

 

[Lucky's Mom]

*Off to research Neil George products*

Hmmmm Neil George's Indian Gooseberry Treatment Oil

amla oil......

 

[JayAnn0513]

Hmmmm Neil George's Indian Gooseberry Treatment Oil

amla oil......

As soon as I read gooseberry, I said that aint nothing but $$$ Amla oil!

 

[jamaraa]

...........................................

 

[Imani]

oprah had long thick gorgeous hair in high school.

all 'dre did was to not *** it up

his expertise remains to be proven, as far as I'm concerned

I so agree with this. I'm not saying he is not a good hairstylist. But Oprah already had nice hair. I'd like to see him whip someones hair into shape like mine, thats kinky, dry, and fragile, and never been past shoulder all my life.

 

[Stormy]

Andre knows OPRAH'S hair! And that's all I got to say about that.

 

[Sugar]

The only issue I have w/ this is the brushing thing. I am a proud owner of a Mason Pearson, so I believe in brushing. However, brushing to circulate oil from the scalp (ie sebum) doesn't really work for African hair textures because people of African descent tend to have dry skin, scalps, and hair. IOW, leave the 100 strokes thing to the WW, add oil to your hair and lightly brush it thru or smooth it on.

Light brushing to remove dirt and the like is fine, but the techinque isn't the same as the 100 stokes/oil thing.

You know what? I read a study that said ewe actually have the oiliest scalps, but because of our tight curl patterns it does not distribute the way it should. I have the study somewhere in my computer I think. I'll try to dig it out.

Personally, I have a really oily scalp which is why I was washing my hair at least every 4 days long before I found the hair boards.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I love his book, and he truly knows his stuff. He's the one that got me to switch from no lye to lye relaxer.

 

[jamaraa]

.......................................

 

[Sugar]

Well my scalp is dry, but my hair is not. I wasn't in on the study obviously

I'm not even sure I was born when the study was done

But its true that not all things apply to every person.

I always have Black girls get mad at me and say "You don't need to wash your hair that much! You're not white!"

DUH, I think its fairly obvious that I'm not white....that doesn't mean I don't have a super oily scalp

 

[jamaraa]

..................................