Hair What I'm Saying

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your hair won't stay in regulation, your beret rubs out your edges, and the water on deployment is turning your hair orange? In this episode of Hair What I'm Saying , veteran Jacinda Mitchell shares what it was really like navigating Black hair in uniform while serving more than 23 years in the military. From getting her entire squad smoked because her...

Send us Fan Mail The hair aisle has a script, and it’s been playing in our heads for years: control, tame, smooth, fight frizz, define curls. When I hear those words, I don’t just think about Black hair products , I think about beliefs and the quiet way beauty marketing trains us to see textured hair as a problem that needs a solution. So I’m asking a bigger question than “who made the rules” abou...

Send us Fan Mail Ivy braids are trending, but the internet's reactions reveal a much bigger conversation about Black hair, beauty standards, and the language we use to describe textured hairstyles. In this episode of Hair What I'm Saying, I explore why a textured, boho-inspired braid style sparked debates about what is considered neat, polished, professional, and acceptable. We unpack th...

Send us Fan Mail Click Here to Watch This Episode on YouTube ! In this episode, historian and Hair Story co-author Lori L. Tharps joins Hair What I'm Saying to discuss Black hair history, cultural identity, beauty standards, and how generations of misinformation have shaped our relationship with our hair. Black hair gets called “too big” and “too wild” like that’s an objective fact, but it’s...

Send us Fan Mail Black hair has been turned into a marketplace for generations and once you notice it, you can’t unsee it. Season 6 of Hair What I’m Saying starts with a clear promise: we’re not just talking about hair, we’re talking about what hair reveals about history, identity, and the stories that shape how we see ourselves in the mirror. We get into how Black hair has been studied, marketed,...

Send us Fan Mail Vogue called Tracy Ellis Ross’s afro a “cloud bob,” and I couldn’t let that slide. Not because the photo wasn’t stunning, but because that one little rename reveals a whole system: the way Black hair gets rejected as “too much” until it’s repackaged with softer language for a wider audience. The hair didn’t change. The narrative did. And when the narrative changes, so does who get...

Send us Fan Mail Watch this episode on YouTube! Hair Loss, Homelessness, and Hope; Arianna Howell shares a powerful journey from childhood instability and homelessness to becoming a licensed natural hairstylist and founder of The Hair Care Project. What happens when you have always been known for your hair, and suddenly you are experiencing hair loss from stress and iron deficiency anemia? We talk...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Hair What I’m Saying , we unpack Black men, texturism, and identity through one deeply personal story. DK shares his journey from high-top fades to S-Curls, chasing a look that felt polished, acceptable, and confident. What started as influence from a cousin turned into years of chemical processing, wave caps, brushing routines, and the legendary “red box.” But...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on Youtube ! Hair isn’t just style; it’s code, history, and identity. In this episode on texturism and Black men , we sit down with Darius of Premium Fade League to explore how styles like Duke and S-Curl shaped Black men’s identity , masculinity, and ideas of what looks “professional” or “clean.” From the 70s through the 90s and into today, we unpack how texture became tied...

Send us Fan Mail Memory carries what our kids forget, especially when those memories live in our hands. In this Black girl hair conversation, I sit with my daughter , Majik, for a mother and daughter reflection on Black girl identity and the emotional roots behind our hair journeys. As a mother , I revisit the moment a little boy called her locs ugly, and how that moment shaped her early sense of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Hair What I’m Saying , we unpack the haircut that went viral on TikTok and why it sparked so much emotion. From the fear many Black women have around cutting their hair to the deep emotional attachment we place on our strands, we dive into the psychology behind why haircuts can feel personal. I break down the importance of consultations and clear communication w...

Send us Fan Mail Labels make hair feel simple, until they don’t. In Curl Myths Pt. 2 , we move past the alphabet soup of curl types and dig into what actually matters for real results in hair care. Let’s talk texture, not type, and shift the focus to porosity, density, elasticity, moisture–protein balance, and how your scalp and strands respond to water, products, heat, and climate. I share why th...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on YouTube The curl chart went viral, but it never learned your life. We sit down with Minnie of Shag Noir Salon ATX to unpack why letters and numbers can’t tell you what your hair needs; and what actually can. From porosity and pH to water hardness, climate, and stress, we share a simple way to decode your hair’s real behavior and build rituals that work in the real world,...

Send us Fan Mail Celebrating two years of podcasting growth from nervous beginnings to international reach and award-winning status. This anniversary episode reflects on the journey, impact, and future of Hair What I'm Saying.  Started with just a microphone, vision, and nerves two years ago.  Now in the top 5% of podcasts on Listen Notes with an international audience Won the Women Who Podca...

Send us Fan Mail Have you noticed how quickly conversations about Black baby girls turn to their hair texture and skin tone? This episode dives into the uncomfortable reality of how our community scrutinizes Black girls from the moment they're born, sometimes even before. When Cam Newton's child's mother, Jasmine Brown, spoke out about the constant questioning of her daughter's...

Send us Fan Mail Our conversation about Black hair takes an unexpected turn when a clip that almost went viral before I turned off the comments to slow down the engagement, showcasing the messy yet necessary path toward healing from texturism and lenthism in our community. • Addressing the fallout when a short TikTok clip from a longer conversation about "long hair for a black woman" spa...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on YouTube ! Nia Ford returns to unpack the deep, quiet ways texturism affects Black women's relationship with their hair, from childhood experiences to adult self-acceptance. We explore how external criticism and family dynamics shape our perception of beauty, particularly for those with kinky, coily textures. Nia shares how her childhood love for big hair shifted afte...

Send us Fan Mail Use code: DEWY at checkout to save 20% on my Dewy Curls Shampoo and Conditioner on my website at https://www.thevintagehipster.net/natural-hair-products and experience the intentional balance of silicones we discussed today. Silicones have long been demonized in the natural hair community, but is this fear based on facts or misinformation? In this enlightening deep dive, we unrave...

Send us Fan Mail This season on Hair What I’m Saying , we’re going beyond the surface to explore the hidden biases and pressures around hair texture and length — known as texturism and lengthism. We’ll dig into how these biases show up in our families, schools, workplaces, and even within ourselves. Through honest conversations, personal stories, and guest perspectives, we’ll uncover how these ide...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on YouTube ! Time is the most valuable asset in the hair braiding business, and it's something veteran stylist Vandy of VLS Hair ATX has mastered through years of perfecting her craft. In this candid conversation, we dive deep into the realities of professional braiding that clients rarely see and stylists often don't discuss. Vandy shares her journey from doing ha...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on YouTube ! When Raeshetta Thompson discovered her first sign of hair loss at age 12, she couldn't have known it would become the foundation for her life's purpose. After hiding her alopecia for nearly 30 years while building a successful career as a hairstylist, Raeshetta finally embraced her natural self and discovered a world of women who needed exactly what sh...

Send us Fan Mail Angel Henderson turns conventional wisdom about "protective" braided styles upside down in this eye-opening conversation about hair health, scalp care, and the true cost of convenience styling. The natural hair expert begins by challenging our fundamental understanding of protective styles, asking the provocative question: "What are we actually protecting?" Mos...

Send us Fan Mail Watch on Youtube Now! Postpartum hair loss is a reality for many women, yet it's rarely discussed in mainstream pregnancy and postpartum care. In this episode, Hillary Washington-Goodner shares her personal journey; from minimal shedding after her first pregnancy to significant, unexpected hair loss after her second. She opens up about the emotional toll of watching her hair...

Send us Fan Mail In this eye opening episode, we engage with Empress, a multi-licensed beauty ritualist and founder of Root Honey, who bridges the worlds of beauty and holistic wellness. Our conversation delves into the transformative power that hair has in our identity and emotional well-being, revealing how beauty rituals serve as a portal to self-care and acceptance. Empress shares her journey...

Send us Fan Mail Available on YouTube to watch now! ***USE CODE HAIRWHATIMSAYING20 TO RECEIVE 20% OFF ON NYLAH'S NATURALS HAIR PRODUCTS*** Ever wondered how a mother's love can spark a revolution in the beauty industry? Kameese Davis, the founder of Nyla's Naturals, shares her incredible journey of creating a hair care brand inspired by her daughter Nylah's challenges with sebo...