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More of you have commented about my first Miss Jessie’s post than any other thing I’ve written. As of today, the original post has 75 comments since I first wrote it in August, and my recent review of the products has gotten 45 comments so far. Few other products have produced so much debate within the natural hair community.
There are those who swear by Miss Jessie’s, and those who swear AT Miss Jessie’s, because of the price, the product’s ingredients, or what people view as unnecessary hype. Ever since I started this site, I’ve wanted to get to the bottom of the Miss Jessie’s controversy and learn what the sister/owners themselves, Miko and Titi Branch, had to say about their wildly successful products.
I got lucky.
Following her fantastic interview with Organic Beauty Radio, I got in touch with Titi Branch. And we had a long conversation that was enlightening on many levels. I learned a LOT more about Miss Jessie’s, and more still about attitudes towards natural hair within the community itself. Titi was a real eye-opener and she willingly put herself on the line and did her best to answer the controversial questions as well as the softballs.
First things first, the price point. I was initially afraid to contact Titi, as I had no idea how she’d respond to my first criticism of Miss Jessie’s. I don’t want to generalize the natural hair community, but I’m a bella on a budget. $38 to $58 on a tub of hair product just isn’t reasonable for many afrobellas, particularly for those who have never tried Miss Jessie’s before. But Titi surprised me by agreeing with me completely. And now, Miss Jessie’s has just released some new, smaller sizes made for bellas like you and me!
“The products were 16 oz, professional size, really big tubs. And that’s where the product started, in the salon. I think a lot of people didn’t understand that. They need to know we give a LOT of product, and it was originally done that way because people with natural and curly hair use a lot of product. But these [smaller sizes] are for the people who have never tried our product and just wanna try it,” says Titi.
I predict that those 8 oz and 2 oz sizes are going to fly off the shelves. The hype around Miss Jessie’s ensures a steady flow of curious customers, wondering if they should go for the Baby Buttercream or the Curly Meringue. Titi broke it down for me.
“The Buttercream series isn’t really for definition, they’re for moisture. The Curly Pudding and Meringue are for definition, and they have a little bit of hold to them. They’re best applied to wet hair,” she explains.
Using Miss Jessie’s products calls for an interactive hairstyling experience. Users are encouraged to bend over when styling, and to scrunch or stretch the hair. The site offers step-by-step instructions on most of their in-salon methods, like fingerstyling and shingling. A typical Miss Jessie’s in-salon treatment can last two weeks if carefully maintained, and they’re expensive. But still, there’s a misconception by women like myself, who just want to purchase a product, slather it on, and like Tim Gunn from Project Runway would say, “make it work!” And that ain’t gonna necessarily happen with Miss Jessie’s.
“The product is effective for different hair types, all dependent on the technique. So what someone with curly hair would do with curly pudding might be different that someone with a kinkier texture. What you have to realize is, everyone can get a curly result. But different people have to do different things in order to get that result, all depending on their hair texture. Someone with kinky, kinky hair can get a curly result by using Curly Pudding in a twist-out. Whereas someone with a curlier texture can just wet their hair, put Curly Pudding or Meringue, air dry, and go. You’ve got to take texture into account. I think a lot of people go to our site and they see the before and after pictures. We give a lot of explanation to reveal what we had to do to get the hair to look a certain way. You have to read all of that information to get it. We’ve got a couple of methods that we do in the salon, and they’re in-salon methods. When I talk to hairstylists, they get it. But sometimes people… they want to just put the product in their hair and they have a very kinky texture and they want to look like Tracee Ross. You can achieve the curl that you want, but you may have to do something different. You may have to get a silkener if you want your curl to look that particular way. You need to consider what you want to achieve, and that will determine how you get there,” Titi explained patiently. And this brings us to an important discussion in the natural hair community.
What defines natural? Are you less natural if you choose to fingerstyle your fro into ringlets? Or elongate your curls with weighty moisturizing products? Or get highlights to emphasize the kinkiness of your lush hair? What if you wear a protective wig or braids during the cold weather months? If you’re a 3B does that make you less natural than someone who’s 4B? And who the heck am I to judge you and how you choose to wear your hair anyway?
Titi was very forthright about their processes, including the controversial silkener, results of which can be seen in the before and after photos.
“The silkener is a chemical process. We use sodium hydroxide, which is commonly known as lye, and we put it in typically natural hair in order to stretch it out. There has been a lot of controversy about silkeners and chemical processing in the natural hair community. But I think the reason it remains such a popular service is because it really helps people to get what they want, that curly hair sass,” Titi explained.
I’ll be real honest with y’all. When Titi said the word “lye,” I could practically hear a menacing “dun dun dunnnnnnnn” in my head. If there’s any chemical that is universally loathed in the natural hair community, it’s lye. Just the way it rolls off the tongue. Ick. I was surprised at her admission, but I really appreciated her honesty. And Titi’s revelation made me consider some gentle criticism that’s been leveled against me by some of my readers that I’ll take this opportunity to address.
This site is called “Afrobella” for a reason. I want to highlight that natural, afro hair is beautiful. Black beauty is beautiful. I don’t think enough of us believe that. And so, I will always strive to primarily uphold the beauty of natural women, because I still believe that there’s a disparity in how we are viewed by society, and within our own community. There are many women out there who struggle to embrace their natural beauty, and my mission is to encourage that as much as possible. But at the same time, I don’t want to be a “nappy nazi.” I don’t need to put down someone else’s beauty to celebrate my own, I see too much of that as it is. I think there’s too much divisiveness among us already, and I don’t want to be part of that kind of pointless negativity.
So I might not always have product advice for your chosen hairstyle, but if using chemicals and/or wearing a weave makes you feel beautiful and looks right on you, then more power to you. But if your hair is unhealthy and thin because of the processes you’re doing to it, or you’re relaxing for the wrong reasons and you feel conflicted, I’m here with transitioning tips for ya. Either way, it’s all love, bellas. I want this to be a site about sisterhood, solidarity, and strength without judgment.
Titi had more to say about silkeners in the natural age.
“Hair and our relationship with our hair runs really deep. There’s a variety of reasons why people go natural. Some people go natural just because they like the look of it, and they aren’t thinking of making a political or ideological statement. Some people get silkeners just because they want the look of curly hair and they don’t want to spend the time doing it. And some people with natural hair — depending on their texture — spend a lot of time trying to create a certain look. And few of us have that kind of time,” she says.
I’d never considered natural hair like that before, just a “style.” But some people really do feel that way — and I immediately started thinking of all the “Adidas rastas” I knew back home, who grew locks to be fashionable, not to make a political or religious statement. I mean, it IS just hair. But hair means so much in the black community, can we ever just say, “it’s just hair?” The recent Don Imus controversy tells me, not just yet.
So if you’re still curious about silkeners, Titi explained it all. An average silkener costs $300 and lasts for four months. “It liberates some women in a sense, because they can just wet their hair, use the product, and just air dry. Whereas before they might have needed to spend the time shingling their hair to achieve the same look. I mean, I understand what people are saying. They have a legitimate issue with it. But for many women, natural hair is very labor intensive. Most of our clients, when they come to the salon, they’re here three to four hours. It’s not just shake and go. You see with the coiling, what needs to be done to get it to look that way. That’s minimum three hours. It looks great, and it can last two weeks… but it takes time to make it look that way,” she says.
For those of you who have gazed at Titi’s mane and instantly want that for themselves, she’s got news for you. “My texture is kinky too. I have a silkener. I do. If you see pictures of me in some of the press articles, I do have a silkener. Why do I have a silkener? Because I don’t have time to do my hair, to spend the time that it would take to do it natural. It’s just a personal decision. I want to just be able to wash it, condition it, rinse it out, put product in it, and let it dry and get curly. That’s how I like to do my hair,” she said.
I had to ask Titi — have you ever gotten attitude from irate napptural activists who are anti-chemicals? “Yeah!” she said readily. “My answer to them is, it’s a personal decision. Why are you getting mad at me because of what I’ve done to my hair? I don’t understand natural nazis. I think everyone has the right to make that decision about their hair that’s on their own head themselves. On our website, we show women before and after and we tell you who’s got a silkener. We do. We don’t lie about it — straight up, here’s a silkener, here’s the hair before and after. Many women who get silkeners are very happy with them. But it’s funny though, because some of them have to be closet silkener people. Because they don’t want to be outed in the natural community. I think it’s unfair,” Titi said. “It’s funny, some of these people believe in their minds, hey, I’m still natural. My hair isn’t straight, it’s been tweaked a little bit, but so what? I only get it done four times a year. It’s just a matter of opinion, really,” she added.
That really got me thinking. Is that me? Am I that girl who makes my family, friends, or readers feel bad about not being 100% natural? That isn’t my goal. I do want to see more women embrace their natural beauty, to lay the chemicals down and embrace themselves as they are. I do want to see black women steer away from the 2 pounds of weave look that I see all over television and in magazines, and I think far too many of us want shiny, long locks at whatever cost. But If I say this site is for all shades of beautiful, I shouldn’t bash the ones who don’t fit into my definition of beauty, right? If I have done that, then I’m no better than the people who have looked me up and down and said I should “do something” with my hair.
How many of the women I’ve named Afrobella of the Week have been closet silkeners, or public curly weave-wearers? Does that make them any less admirable? Maybe these women’s decision to NOT relax your hair to dead straightness is as close to natural as they’re willing to get, and that’s OK. You tell me what you think about this, bellas. It’s a lot to unravel on a Monday morning.
Titi’s expecting the comments, she’s gotten it all. And she’s read the controversial posts on this site before, where readers come out to disparage one product or styling method over another. And she says bring it on, she’s willing to read it all, and learn from your views with grace.
“It’s not easy. When you put something out on the market, there’s gonna be criticism, good and bad. We hear it all the time. We try to address it as best as we can, and you have to understand not everyone’s gonna love you. But we remain focused on the people who love what we do, and what we’re bringing to them. And there’s a lot of them,” Titi said.
I found her approach to be positive and refreshing. Miss Jessie’s has been celebrated by many mainstream magazines and has a celebrity cult following, but Titi demurred from listing the who’s who of natural haired women who come to their salon and use their products. Instead, she wanted to tell me about the latest additions to the Miss Jessie’s line, and to talk about the salon, which has been the source of many rumors since it closed.
“We’re relocating the salon. What’s happened is, we were located in BedStuy, and we’re moving to Prospect Heights. We’re renovating and looking forward to the new place. I didn’t anticipate that it would take as long as it took — almost four months! But we hope to be open by late June, early July,” she says eagerly. “Our old place was located in a brownstone, a very private, cosy setup which was very nice. But I think we need to be a little more accessible to people. The objective was to open in a better neighborhood, and it is a storefront situation so people can come in to pick up products. We didn’t have the opportunity to do that in the old place. But we will also maintain the personal feel of the salon. It’s just a matter of how we decorate it,” says Titi.
Customers have even more to look forward to than just new sizes of already existing products, too. “We’re coming out with three new products. Well, a total of four. Curly Pudding unscented, I think it’ll be a big seller. Some people love the smell, some people just can’t get with it. We’re also coming out with Quick Curl, a great, quick styling product you can put in when your hair is wet. It isn’t as thick as Curly Pudding, it dries quicker, it’s gonna be in a tube, and it just gives you a quick curly look. The other product is the Rapid Recovery Treatment, a deep treatment that we use in the salon. It’s great. It really helps to repair dry and split ends, and to bring moisture to your curly hair. Curly hair really looks best when it’s moisturized, conditioned, plump, and happy. The last product is Stretch Silkening Cream. That’s a styling product, not to be confused with the silkener. It’s in the family of Curly Pudding, but it’s weightier. It’s for women who want the weight with less hold,” she says.
I cannot WAIT to try the new products, which will be hitting the shelves in a variety of sizes. All of the products have been personally tested by the Branch sisters, and they believe so much in the products they sell. After all, they are named after their late grandmother, who passed in 2001.
“Her spirit remains with us. I think she’s looking down, and I think she’s really proud. She knew we had the hair salon, but she passed before we came out with the product line. But it’s all her,” says Titi. I think Miss Jessie is smiling down at Titi and Miko, and she’s pleased as punch about their success. “You know, the Miss Jessie’s brand it’s heartwarming, it’s authentic, it’s solution oriented. It’s the stuff that works. And that’s how we will continue,” Titi promises. Sounds good to me.
My interview with Titi Branch was a really good one. She was very thoughtful in her responses, and I really appreciated her consideration and honesty. And that’s why I named her Afrobella of the Week. Congratulations, Titi!
Great interview Bella!
Glad to hear that you’re not a “nappy nazi.” I knew you weren’t anyway, but I’m glad that you said it. Personally, I find the Nappy Police just as bad as the folks that worship light skins and long hair.
As for the silkeners – still sounds like a texturizer to me, but to each her own!
I will still be picking up the Curly Buttercreme.
Great interview! I think the whole “more natural than thou” issue was a big elephant in the room that needed to be talked about and you and Ms. Branch addressed the issue very well. I agree with Nichelle who posted above about this being on par with other ridiculous issues as “light skin vs. Dark skin” and “bougie vs. ghetto”, etc–just another attempt to divide and catergorize people. On a side note, my best friend is an example of a person who went natural just for stylistic/hair health purposes–and her locs were started with braids and extensions (another controversial issue in the natural hair community). She decided that was the way to go because her relaxed hair had started thinning out, short hair and big chopping wasn’t her thing, and she’s not a person who enjoys ‘messing’ with her hair.
Great interview. I think Titi handled your questions with aplomb and honesty which is admirable.
Brava Madame Afrobella –
Loved this interview, shocking reveal and all. I also love how you can accept that people make different choices according to their lifestyle (you’d be surprised at how many “nappy purists” there are.
You’ve earned a new regular reader, Ms. Branch has piqued my interest in her product…and y’all have shown me that I may not have to fear going 100% natural after all…
I’m still trying to put my finger on what it means to be a “nappy Nazi.” Personally, I don’t care what people do to their hair, as long as they don’t tell me what to do with mine. However, it’s been my experience that my choice not to use chemicals to alter my (unquestionably nappy) hair is in itself seen as a challenge to some women who, IMO, are hypersensitive about the (usually processed and/or fake) hair on their heads. I have had to learn to keep my mouth shut when I’m the only nappy in the room and the conversation turns to hair, because if I say something, no matter how innocent it is, somebody usually ends up misinterpreting it. (I know I’m not the only nappy who finds herself hit with unsolicited explanations on why someone else straightens or relaxes their hair.)
I definitely agree that people should not be attacked for their hair choices. However, I also think that it’s a sin and a shame that everybody else gets to wear their natural hair texture without fear (of not getting/keeping a job, of not getting/keeping a man, etc.) except nappy-headed black women. And I think that NOT addressing the roots of that belief and the behaviors that come from it is doing future generations a disservice. Does that make me a “nappy Nazi”? To people who don’t want to challenge why they do what they do, I can see how it might. Oh well.
Afrobella, I love your site, and I’m not going to knock you for having chemicalized Afrobellas of the Week. š I’ve always said that all black women need to at least learn how to work with their natural hair [b]even if they choose not to wear it natural.[/b] I believe that natural hair, not chemicalized hair, is the proper foundation of hairstyling, and I support anybody who promotes equal treatment of ALL hair textures, including mine.
To that end, I knew from the first time I saw the Curve site that they weren’t offering anything I wanted. But hey…that’s the beauty of the free market, isn’t it?
Good article Afrobella, very informative. I am not surprised that many women use silkeners. Going natual is a big deal, I did just 3 months ago and some days I hate it, but most of the time I absoulutely love my hair.
great post…is there any truth to the rumor that titi and miko have fallen out? i keep hearing that miko has set up shop in DC…i couldn’t help noticing as i was reading this post that miko’s only mentioned once or twice…is there something going on with the sisters? afrobella, can you quash the rumors for us once and for all?
I can’t, Alwayzalady. That was the one thing I didn’t get to fully discuss with Titi. I hope that if there are differences between the sisters, that they’re resolved amicably and quickly. They’re both making their grandmother proud, and I hope the family stays strong and unified.
Also, I apologize for the layout of this page. When you click the MORE tag, half of the top part of the article disappears because my blog template doesn’t allow for superverbosity on the level that I bring. Or something. Someday I will figure out how to fix the glitch, but by then I might have a completely redesigned site!
I love your site bella. I’ve began visiting it on my lunch break for the few months. But I guess I’m a “nappy nazi” because I do not consider a silkner to be “natural” hair. Sounds like a texurizer and a gherri curl to me. Albeit, maybe a better version. To me if you are looking to change your hair texture in order to make it “easier to manage” or “more beautiful” your mindset is still like a permie, in my opinion. I’ve never told somebody what to do with her hair, but whenever someone comes up to me spouting nonsense, I’ll let’em know-I’m happy as I am exactly the way God made me.
great interview, i think each jar of product should be accompanied with a Afrobella pamphlet. you hit on all the points. my only problem with the “nappy nazi” are the ones that believe that being natural makes them more “spiritual aware”, at that point i’m done.
Loved this article. Thanks so much for the info. I’ll definitely be buying some of the smaller sized products to try in my daughter’s hair. I’m locking mine up, so I’ve got a whole ‘nother bag of issues . . . š Have a great day ‘bella!
bella, i also agree that your interview and honesty are refreshing. your site is at the very top of my daily must-read. i think there are no easy answers to the questions you pose about nappy nazis (what’s the accompanying term for people who are convinced of the superiority of long, silky locks?), but i’m very glad that you choose to err on the side of spreading love and support for ladies with natural hair. i’m a 90% natural bella (can’t wait for the transition to be over!), the oldest of 5 sisters, and the only one not currently sporting extremely long, extremely straight relaxed hair. needless to say, believing in my own beauty is a daily challenge, and i need all of the support i can get. for me, going natural is about confronting the only part of my life in which i feel i have been unwilling to challenge the western brainwashing that tells me that me and mine are inferior. for me, at least ATTEMPTING the natural hair experience is a critical step in maintaining my personal integrity as a lover and supporter of black beauty, especially in our impressionable and hurting children. like you, i respect, understand and have nothing bad to say about any black woman making whatever hair choices she needs, but i will stay grateful for the support offered by your blog.
Thank you for this article (and for your wonderful website). Even though I relax my hair I’m a frequent visitor to your site – for inspiring articles about women of color and the beauty/hair advice. I wore an afro for 20+ years, from late teens to late 30’s. The decision to cut off my hair wasn’t a political statement, per se, it was just who I was at the time. Then I decided to change my style. It really was just a style choice for me, and I just wanted to have relaxed hair for a minute. And so I did. I work hard to keep my hair as healthy as possible, even with chemicals, because not only is healthy hair a better reflection of who I am now, but it lays the groundwork for when I decide it’s time to change again… and go back to natural.
It’s all about being beautiful, proud, healthy women. Thank you for your tips and enlightening articles like this. And for allowing those of us who choose to be relaxed today to go along for the ride.
LOL…nappy nazi! Well everything in life is about balance and moderation,the organic community need to do more research in the products they use. I am referring to the “lye” factor, organic soaps contain lye and the most proclaimed natural beauty product manufacturers use it. you cannot get saponification without lye. I just wanted to get it off my chest lol
greetings from UK and Italy..afrobella per sempre!
Once again, another great and informative post Afrobella. One of the earlier commenters stated
“I do not consider a silkner to be Ć¢ā¬ÅnaturalĆ¢ā¬Ā hair. Sounds like a texurizer and a gherri curl to me. Albeit, maybe a better version. To me if you are looking to change your hair texture in order to make it Ć¢ā¬Åeasier to manageĆ¢ā¬Ā or Ć¢ā¬Åmore beautifulĆ¢ā¬Ā your mindset is still like a permie, in my opinion.”
That got me thinking–just because someone chooses to get a silkener, is that “less natural” than simply using product? Technically speaking, truly natural would mean using absolutely NO product on our hair, right? Outside of washing and conditioning, anything else on top of that would be unnatural. But why do we use creams, elixirs, and moisturizers? Because we want our hair to look and feel more manageable. People with silkeners probably have the same goal in mind. But even when we go natural, with all of the creams and things we put on our hair, are any of us TRULY natural? My point is, I don’t think those that go without silkeners or texturizers are any less natural than those without. We’re all putting SOMETHING on our heads to make our situation look better! :o)
Great interview Bella! Personally, my hair is relaxed and I’m a daily afrobella reader. I’ve never felt “not welcome” because my hair is relaxed, so I think you are achieving your goal of creating a place where women of color can feel beautiful, regardless of what’s growing on top of their heads.
I’ve never really understood the “natural/relaxed nazi” phenomenon within our community. IMO, you can’t look at a person and always tells what they’ve done to their hair. Just like Titi has a silkener in her curly fro, I have a straight perm and can still rock a head full of curls with nothing more than a wash and go. It’s just misplaced energy trying to judge or criticize someone else for their hair choices because despite all of the weight we put on it, at the end of the day, it IS just hair.
Love It Here!! I do wear my hair relaxed (but I have not had one in about 6 months) and I am rocking a curly weave right now (think old Kelis) and I am letting my hair grow out right now, my natural hair is below my shoulders and has a 3a-b texture (??). And I am going to get me some Miss Jessies so I can stop rocking the weave and do the damn thing!!!! This site has given me so much hope, and really changed my pattern of thinking and re-conditioned my attitude towards natural hair:) My boyfriend and my mom looked at me like I said I was smoking crack when I talked to them about it LOL, But thats okay cause Im gonna show them how beautiful natural can be, and IF i decide its not for me and go back to the “creamy crack” then hey, thats beautiful too!! In short Miss Bella in regards to your site. LOVES IT!!!!!!!!!!
This is a great post, Bella. I feel paragraphs and pages forming in my mind on the topics raised. This relates to the whole good hair/bad hair/regular black people hair issue I have been wanting to write about for a long time. I hope to get my thoughts and past experience collected and have something to say on this subject as well. On a side note, I too am amazed by your “superverbiosity.” š
Bella…did you talk about the ingredients that some have issue with in their product? Mineral oil and such? Stuff that the natural community has put out as bad for our hair, the reason for breakage and hair loss? I ask because its the reason I stay away from Miss Jessie. I can use product that does not have hair killers in it and get the same if not better results. I want my hair to breathe and be healthy and look good and be manageable for me. Looking at the ingredients and from what my research sez, I would not let Miss Jessie touch my locks. I also condition wash (no poo) and I imagine if I regular washed it might be able to get it out of my hair but why put anything in it anyway that I have to worry about what it will do long term to my hair.
I had a period of being that person that turned her nose up at every relaxed/dyed (unless naturay dye of course) sista I walked by. Not even so much where it was like, now I think I’m better because I’m rockin a natural, but the comments you get because you chose to rock your hair in it’s natural state it was just like wow, depressing and it made me angry to see how ignorant we are about who we are. And people turn their noses up as if the perm is normal and the natural texture abnormal. Just was a constant reminder of what we’d been fed about ourselves as black people and I was on a mission to change it all.
Today I’d moreso speak on not perming for the sake of health than going against someone desiring to straighten their hair. Althought there are some of us who do not love who we are there are others of us who are not defined by our hair either way. When I thought on it, never was there a hairstyle I rocked because I wanted to look like another race and I just feel we are blessed to have such a wide variety of things that we can do to our hair that we should embrace it all. Preferbly chemical free for me, even if one chooses to straighten it can be done minus the perm and even minus the straightening comb method. But whatever style we wear I’d hope it’s what we desire oppose to self hatred.
Excellent interview, Bella! I’ve been really curious about Miss Jessie’s after reading your first post about them in spite of the fact that I have a relaxer. Reason is I decided several years ago that I would eventually go natural (I’ve been relaxing since age 10) by the time I turn 40. I have 5 years to go and have been considering different natural looks including locks to determine what is right for me – my personality, my style and my lifestyle. Thanks for providing a wealth of information and I agree…it’s only hair!
Nice interview, It’s great Miss Jessie’s is offering smaller sizes. I have been wanting to try their buttercreme and now I have the chance. I hope it brings moisture to my 4c hair but I have to wait until all my other moisture products are gone-I’m trying not to buy anything new until everything old is used up completely. And if someone wants a silkener, I say go for it-its your hair.
Afrobella of the week “Entrepre-Bella” – I like
very good interview, but she lost me at lye. i’m nappy to the bone and plan to stay that way. thank you for getting the information out there to the sisters who can benefit from it.
love, peace and hairgrease.
Great article Afrobella. I have zero interest in policing the word “natural”, and hope that any curly, whether silkened, bohemian/naked, relaxed, shingled, raked and shaked, twisted out, coiled or whatever — who comes enters the curly community gets a rousing welcome from fellow curlies, not a stupid rejection or judgment because she is not “natural” enough.
I have tried and evolved beyond the current crop of Miss Jessie’s products, however I look forward to trying the new ones.
lol @ “silkener”.
Thanks so much for posting such an informative post, Afrobella. This answered a lot of questions for me. I had no idea the silkener contained lye. For some reason, I was under the impression it was all natural. Nine years ago, prior to going natural I had a texturizer that made my ultra kinky hair curly and I loved it, but I couldn’t stand dealing with the sores from the chemicals burning my scalp which is why I stopped perming my hair in the first place. Though I refuse to put a chemical in my hair, I do wear wigs whenever I want a straight look. I’m looking forward to trying the Rapid Recovery conditioner.
I can’t believe people are surprised that the “silkener” is a texturizer — it’s a chemical process to permanently (until the next touchup) alter one’s natural texture.
My choices are not your choices, and vice versa. That said, I don’t consider those who silken/texturize/perm their hair as a fellow natural heads, and always hope chem-free sistas who continually flatiron their hair straight will embrace their natural texture more. That doesn’t make me a “Nappy Nazi.” It means I have opinions. What is probably more prevalent than “holier than thou” attitudes is “new convert enthusiasm” — spreading the Good Word about nappy hair to all and sundry. It’s the same with new vegans, new Obama-ites, new South Beachers, new yoga practioners, etc. Just human nature to get hyped.
Hi Bella!!
First off, I NEVER got the impression that you were a “natural nazi.” From everything I’ve seen, your site embraces every kind of Bella (which is wonderful). Second, I also appreciate the honesty of Ms. Titi’s interview. And now that there are smaller sizes available, I think I’ll give Ms. Jessie’s a shot with my 4B/C hair.
I did have one question for Titi: What is your hair type before and after the silkener? Just curious…
I really love this site! Great interview and I’m so glad you addressed the ‘nappy nazi’ issue. I wear my hair natural (with the help of Miss Jessie’s or Kinky Curly products), but sometimes I press it just for a change of pace and sometimes I feel like my natural sistas consider it the ultimate act of betrayal!! I think we all take our hair a little too seriously and we need to calm down. Let people do what they feel comfortable with and what works for them.
loved the interview. i am more eager than ever to try the buttercream and also the new products. you are always so informative and positive. keep up the good work.
This was a great intervie wwith Titi Branch. It is so lovely and exciting for her that the salon is reopening and they have all the new products. However, they left a lot of their long time customers stranded with no where to get our hair done by not telling us they were closing. We all have had the worst experiences at other shops. No notice an no apology.
I had the same reaction when I read LYE!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Even relaxers boast on their packages “no lye”!!!
I remember how my two white roommates from freshman year would spend 30mins each morning with a blowdryer. (And that shit still looked the same to me!) Point being, there is nothing wrong with spending time on your hair. I suspect very few women just wash n’ go.
Many women are natural for the same reasons many women use chemicals, to fit in, in whatever category they’re trying to fit into. Why do we have to put people in there own little box. I’m natural, have been for more than 10 years, yet some of my “natural” sisters get a bit huffy when they find out that I’m not a vegetarian, as if there is only one way to be. I say to everyone, do you. If you have issues with the way I wear my hair, your issues are greater than mine.
I’ve tried both the Baby Buttercream and the Curly Pudding, I love the former, not so much the latter. I’ve tried many products that I didn’t like and never have I felt the need to hate on the company because they made something that didn’t work for my hair.
I’ve always thought that Miss Jessie’s was quite upfront about the fact that the Silkener was a chemical process. Nothing can permanently alter the structure of your hair without chemicals, but so what. Why is it such a big deal? We should be free to do whatever we want to do to our hair, without being looked down on by our sisters. The rest of the world hates on us, can’t we give ourselves a break.
I’m surprised that Titi says she used a silkener! I actually feel a little cheated ;-). But if that stuff’s got chemicals sheeee her hair must be kinKAY. Anyways, I use the Miss Jessies and I really like them. I remember when i first chopped and my hair was just horrible but the definition i got from the curly pudding is wonderful. I’ve been using it for almost two months and I;m not even through half of it so it’s worth the price. Can’t wait to try the conditioners!
I can’t beleive that we(black women)are so political about hair/choices. I have had braids for about two years now, I have wanted natural hair such as Titi’s for years and no one here in Vegas new how ,other than lettin your hair grow out first they would all say but that will literally take YEARS, so I opted for a curly weave which I loved, and will probally do again and again. I can’t see myself paying that price for a silkner/perm? And all of the ladies or most of the ladies in the before and after,there hair looks as if they have “good hair” why do they need all of the chem.and treatments? I dont care who looks at me and scolfs at my Immitation/curls, they look the same and if I would never say anything about the authenticity of my “hair” no one would ever no so what is the “real” big deal here?
Hmm. Interesting. Like another poster, I too giggled everytime the word “silkener” was used. I was like, “no, really. it’s ok. call it what it is. a texturizer. the very close relative of a relaxer.” Really, she could come right out and say it, we’re not stupid. š Alas, I also understand she’s got a product/image she is heavily vested in, so I’m not holding my breath for THAT much honesty. š
I don’t consider myself a “nappy nazi.” Far from it. I stopped relaxing my hair four years ago. About six months ago I colored it. However I’m daily wig wearer. Why? Pfft. That’s another blog post for another day, but the short answer is: I have hair issues/I’m lazy. All that to say: I very much hesitate to call someone a nappy zealot when they raise the very good point of black women trying to change their hair texture and why. Nevermind the “nappy nazis” for a second, why are people with 4b spending $58 on a product to look like Tracy Ross? I can’t help but wonder if we focus too much on trying to look like the “right” kind of nappy (which, curiously enough seems to look like silky curls) then embracing the more kinky texture (which seems to be the texture deemed most unacceptable). I’m glad that Curve Salon and the products work for some. I also appreciate that Ms. Branch has a business to run. And as long as a great deal of us are trying to look like Tracy Ross, she and every wig shop in America, will have a very lucrative business.
Thanks for sharing this info Afrobella. Great job as always. š
Thanks so much for this article. I have contemplating purchasing the products and now I have all the information that I need and it seems more options. I do appreciate the fact that they now offer a variety of sizes so that we can test them out before buying the larger sizes.
Thanks again! This was great. š
Thank you for this interview Bella. I’ve been thinking of becoming natural again but I am undeceided. Maybei will try a silkner.
I had to read all the posts before I commented. First of all I can honestly say I’m not a “natural nazi” because I don’t care what other people do to their hair. If they want to perm, silken, hot comb, or whatever, that is fine with me. But for me going natural is not just a hairstyle its freedom from the vicious cycle of using chemicals. I don’t go around preaching nappieness and advocating the ban of relaxers but I am saying that I think it defeats the purpose of going natural if you still use chemicals whatever kind it may be. But like I said people can do whatever they choose to their head and whatever they feel like is right for them.
This past weekend, I had a hair cut by Miko in an Ethiopian salon in Washington, DC. I think the hair cut was well done. My hair reached my lower shoulder blades before and now rests at my shoulders in the back and frames my face in the front.
Miko suggested the shingling for my hair with curly pudding. My biggest concerns with the products are that they include animal products (I am vegan and they had already started when I picked up the jar and started reading, moreover I doubt they had any other product options in the salon), the cost and lastly the sickening fragance of the product line.
The shingling was done by two assistants and was labor intense. It is not likely that I would do this myself. I then sat under the hooded dryer for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
I was there for over 4 hours. That was too much for me. I usually wear two strand twists either wet or dry (after blowing out my hair), roller sets or my summer favorite “free for all” which is a wash with leave in conditioner afro.
I didn’t purchase any of the products and I haven’t added anything to my hair since leaving the salon. The buttercreme that was applied before I left was a bit thick and greasy. I have noticed that my acne prone skin which was clear has broken out in the last two days in a fashion similar to previous lanolin exposure. I don’t have this same reaction with olive oil.
Similar to other posts that I have read, I was told that due the weft/thickness of my hair any service would have an additional $40 charge. I was also asked to pay for the services in full before I we started but after Miko and I had a discussion about what I wanted and what she could provide. I would have preferred to have a hair cut only however the cost would have been the same as a “wash and style” come with the “cut”.
I was intrigued by the fact that I was the ONLY person that did NOT receive a “silkener” during the time that I was in the salon. And I was told several times by Miko, “look, it’s all your natural curl without twists or anything else”. Great.
I suspect that frequently her clients are there to acheive a “curly head” look rather than a “this is the texture of my hair” look. I wasn’t particularly impressed.
I should note that I have been natural for 8 years and have loved my hair in all of it’s stages including the 2 inch length, when I cut all of the relaxed hair from my head, to the out of control afro to the blow out that stretched southward. The texture of my hair allows a gravity defying, skyward, wayward afro.
The look of the style was okay, it did not stretch out the length of my hair (as I have major shrinkage when my hair dries unless it is blown out or roller set) which is the goal of shingling as it was explained to me.
I am pleased with the hair cut although it was costly. I was not overwhelmed with the style, mainly do to the time required. (Although partial air drying may work for the style). I think the product will serve a particular type of client if you learn how to use it to your liking and don’t mind the formulation with animal products and the high cost.
FYI a product that I have recently discovered and find useful is Corrective Response Complex by IC (to my knowledge this is a vegan product). I use this on both wet and dry hair, it is not oily but adds mositure.
When I asked Miko what brought her to DC she stated simply, “litigation”. I appeciated her candor and told her so.
The over all experience was average. I can’t note anything outstanding or unpleasant.
Miko had a calm, patient and attentive manner that I appreciated. She was excited about my seeing the finished product. Miko seems comfortable and confident in her hair styling skills. I did note a bit of sadness when she shared why she was in DC.
I hope this account sheds further light for interested readers.
Afrobella-
Love it! love you! Thanks for loving us.
I’m a bit concerned about the environmental implications of producing and storing these chemicals such as sodium hydroxide or ‘lye’. I’m not hating on anyone who is not natural but can’t we move forward and try to find a product that has similar results and is environmentally safe that doesn’t burn your scalp when used improperly. As women of african descent I believe we should demand higher standard of styling products so our children won’t have to go through the angst and anxiety we now feel now towards chemical straighteners.
“Similar to other posts that I have read, I was told that due the weft/thickness of my hair any service would have an additional $40 charge.”
HUH? That is extra crazy. This is an African salon and they charging you extra to deal with the kind of hair they supposedly specialize in. I do not like that. Why cant we learn to work with our own hair? Why is it that when Id go to a salon to get my hair done someone is always trying to pressure me into a perm, because its easier for them to deal with. This is the reason why I dont get my hair done professionally.
I so agree with D’s comment about white women spending much time on their hair…I, too, had a chance to be “up close and personal” with white women, and some of them spend a LOT of time on their hair, trying to add body, etc., etc., only to have it fall in about 30 seconds…I’m just saying all that to point out that women from all races spend time on/have issues with their hair…it’s just that because of the legacy of slavery and our hair texture being so beautiful and unique that our community has to work very hard to accept it in all its glory because of negativity that has been perpetuated by the mainstream. However, I don’t think it’s right to condemn people for their choices. I wear a very short ‘fro because I like to be active and I sweat a lot and anything else is just too expensive and labor intensive. I also believe that so many of us perm for the wrong reasons…but that’s somebody else’s drama, not mine, and if it helps you get through the day, then do your thing, but at the same time don’t say I’m ugly because I am wearing what God gave me. Until we can rise above the legacy of slavery and discrimination and not turn on each other for whatEVER reason, there will always be this hair drama. Asian women dye their hair, perm their hair, white women perm their hair, dye their hair, and they don’t turn up their noses at each other. Let us truly be sisters and mean it when we say, hey, your hair thing is not my hair thing, but if it works for you and makes you feel good, then my lips are zipped! Great interview. I will get off my soapbox now…got carried away.
I LOVE MISS JESSIES. Miko and Titi are a godsend for curly-headed divas. When I first used the product, I was skeptical as well. After trying Curly Pudding, I received so many compliments. Using these sister’s products has allowed me to know what does and doesn’t work for curly girlies, like myself.
ty!
Great article – I am impressed that Miko was honest that litigation has brought her to DC – I am a Miss Jessie’s patron but the truth is Titi is not a licensed hair stylist so I am unsure how the salon will open in June or July without Miko – she was the only one who did the silkener in my years at Miss Jessie’s – I also think that they have lost tons of customers due to the sudden and uninformed closure of the store – who takes 4 months to open another store – I think Titi could have been honest and said that Miko left and she is in the process of interviewing other licensed stylist and not give the new salon talk – plus I think legally, she will not be able to open a salon if she is not a licensed hairdresser – so here we are left with a silkener issue – as I posted before I have found my silkener by accident…LOL I had Kera care conditioner in my hair and with the recent closure of Miss Jessies I applied a revlon texturizer to my hair on top of the conditioner and BAM I have MISS JESSIE’s hair – for 12.00 that is…hey –
TO all the nappy nazi’s out there I get so many compliments from naturals as to my natural hair – If I did not admit it you would never know I had a product in my hair I still have maintained a kink, curl and natural look to my hair – the only difference is after I wash my hair I can actually place a comb through it without tearing up my scalp..
I hope and pray that Titi adn Miko straighten out their differences and move on. good luck !
Why where no questions asked about the sisters breakup?
Thank you so much for this informative article. I felt Titi was very gracious in her responses and informative. She was honest and told it like it is. Variety is the spice of life and it is ONLY hair. For some it is political – for others it isn’t. Gotta love it. Thanks again for sharing such a candid article.
I wore my hair semi-natural for years, — have gone for up to a year without a relaxer. I like the wave and curl of my natural hair. I was toying with relaxing or transitioning, not sure which I would do.
Recently when I mentioned I had a texturizer, someone told me “That’s NOT natural.” It was one of those things where I had hoped that whatever I decided to do — transition, or not, that I would be supported by other women.
In the end I decided to relax again, because I realize whatever I do is my choice. I look good with curly and straight hair, and I feel as if I should be able to have the choice no matter what. If i decide to go natural, it will still be my choice.
I don’t think there needs to be a problem with if a woman perms, silkens, curls, or straights her hair. It is just style and fashion. Black hair can do all kinds of tricks. And other races of women do spend alot of time and money working on their hair (my cousin works with in a salon with these women, so its true). However, I don’t believe that a Black person has a right to criticize natural hair because at the end of the day that is what we all are in our natural state. And thats beautiful and its how God made us.
Dear Lena,
I did ask, and like I said earlier, that was the one thing I didnĆ¢ā¬ā¢t get to fully discuss with Titi. Whenever there’s a legal dispute, both parties are not supposed to discuss their issues. I hope that one day I’ll interview Miko, but by then I honestly hope that the two sisters are united as family once more. And Leeleesmommy, I think that Titi was very forthright about the salon reopening, I know she was very concerned about the processes being done by professionals in the salon, so however the salon’s going to be reopened, I’m sure the employees will all be up to Miss Jessie’s standards. Miko and Titi didn’t come this far by falling short of expectations, that’s for sure!
Don’t get me wrong I want the salon to open up again, but as a customer for the past several years one of the draws to the salon was the fact that these two sisters created a niche which they controlled – when you go to the salon to get a silkener it is in a non-discript bowl so you are unsure as to how it is made or what brands of product it is – Also if you noticed all of the things are Trademarked so I am sure the secret to the silkener is also protected and they would hate for it to be mass produced or the trademark secret to get out – especially if it is as some others suggest Affirm perm – For those of you who have had their hair done by Miko you all know she gives that I am not a hairdresser but a hairstylist and she is very serious about her craft – All I was saying about Titi is that she does not have a license to do hair, therefore, while she may use a silkener on her own hair I am not sure she will be able to pull off the Miss Jessie Angle and balance cut w/out Miko -that is just my opnion – and please if I am a new stylist hired by them to do hair with the prices that they charge I want to know what the product is so I can mix some of that bad boy at home and have a side hustle…LOL Also, I seem to remember that in order for you to open up a hair salon you have to have a license and I don’t think she will be able to do it w/out a licensed beautician who is also part owner – I am not 100% sure but I think that is the law…since you definitely don’t want accountants opening up hair salons across the city…Well in New York anyway..LOL
With regard to the litigation, I read on another board that they had a falling out some time last year and it has been one thing after the other – I wish they would clear it up and get back to making money and providing a service that is wanted by several including myself. Plus I heard some were referred to Turning Head Spa and were disappointed with their experiences…Good luck to all my curly and natural girls out there..I have faith that things will work out
Great, fantastic, dope, brilliant and all of those good words interview!
Just wanted to add how much I’ve enjoyed reading these comments. In my experience, this kind of “debate” can often spiral out of control into negativity. But it’s a tribute to us – and to the positivity behind this blog/board – that we could discuss without putting down; share our choices while being open to other viewpoints; be strong and encourage strength in others. Afrobella, thank you so much.
Amazing article, amazing.,I had in the past wanted to go the Curve = Miss Jessies but opted against it as to the price and services and ingredients in the stylers. I did not think it would be for me. I do admire their spirit as to their business and process. Whatever has happened with the “fallout” of the sisters, it needs to be corrected soon. It is family and you cannot let that override anything business come and go but family is something that has to work. I read your column daily at work and this week I am on vacation, I am reading it off and on when I log on to my laptop and I want to appreciate your candor and non objective opinion when it comes to your posts, you make this a site that I am glad that I found. I am natural about a year now and it is a decision that I am glad that I did and will not go back to using chems and I do appreciate your candor in presenting information here.
I currently use several different products and enjoy the process of trying new things that are not mineral and petro based and natural.
Thank you for your information.
Still not buying it. How are they justifying a $300 relaxer? The “it lasts four months” argument doesn’t cut it.
Also, that salon once sold a giant tub of BB Glass styling cream for $20. Then they came out with a rip-off version of their own for $20 and then jacked the price when they got popular. I’m not against making money but at least be up front about it and drop the kumbaya attitude.
With regard to the price increase – look my first silkener was 175.00 back in 2002. Fast forward to my last silkener in 2006 – it was 325.00 yeah I didn’t even get a customer discount -matter of fact – 5 years later and they make you pay before the service now – so I know it was all monetary based – but also like any other business they have over head – but I am not mad at those girls because so long as they have a core group of women who will pay they will provide the service – I remember when I had a perm I would get my hair done religiously every week at 24.00 a pop for a wash and set – so I would spend 96.00 a month on just washing my hair – now times 3 it is almost the same price – then I would get a perm every 8 weeks at 75.00 so I think that they just charge more on the front end but not any more then any other stylist who has a customer who is a regluar – that is just my opinion – one thing I loved was the fact that I could actually go there twice a year and w/products spend less then 1000 a year on my hair which was cheaper then when I had a perm..so if you hang yourself on the price you will never go – NOW that being said – I would not recommmend going there for a trim -it starts at 125.00 or two strand twist – I say take the curly pudding to another salon and ask them to use the product in your hair it will be cheaper LOL – Good luck ladies!
Great interview and very informative. I was a curve/miss jessie’s client for the past 2 yrs and was disappointed in the short, short notice regarding the closing of the salon. (I do take issue with Titi claiming that BedStuy is not a “good” neighborhood. Prospect Hgts is just as “good” or “bad” as BedStuy. It’s not as if she’s moving to the Upper East Side. And I loved the brownstone setting and the privacy. There were no vendors coming through asking you to buy anything from bootleg CDs to panties. That being said, I look forward to the re-opening of the salon.)
I have a silkener and love it! All I do in the morning is apply a little Buttercreme and fluff it with my fingers. I only wash every other week. It’s not natural in the true sense of the word, but it is definitely a “black” style; it does not simulate straight white hair. In the absence of Titi and Miko, I went to Diane DaCosta at Serenity Salon for a touch up and a cut. She did not apply a curling product and I was not that happy when I left the salon. When I got home, I wet my hair and applied Curly Pudding and I must say that I am very happy with the Diane’s cut. She layered the back and it really looks full and thick and she charged less than Miss Jessie. But when Titi opens up again I will be there!
I love this lady’s curls and cut!!! The product is a bit pricey, but if it means I’ll get to rock a fabulous fro again, without having dried and brittle hair, then it’s definitely worth the investment! Thanks Afrobella for this post!
P.s.–Afrobella, I read in a different post that your hair stopped growing from overprocessing, what was your fix? My hair growth is at a stand still, I cut it to shoulder legnth after much deliberation, because I had too many split ends and breakage, but my hair,(which used to be mid back in length) has not grown, and it’s been almost 10 months since my initial cut. I’m desperate to find a cure, please advise;)
I’m not a “Nappy Nazi”, but I know that they do exist. I don’t like them, either. As black women fighting for the right to justs…be, we can’t afford to alienate one another, based on hair choices. That’s foolishness at the most base level. We are not our hair.
However, I believe black women are heavily influenced by the media, and we base a lot of our worth on how attractive we are to men. One of the most common reasons black women fear going completely nappy is because they don’t believe they’ll be viewed as attractive, desirable women Ć¢ā¬ā by black men, in particular. How do I know this? Because I get emails from sistas, who ask me about it Ć¢ā¬ā all the time. I believe there are many women, who would love to get off the perm merry-go-round, but they don’t have the confidence to walk on the ground.
Yes, the decision to “soft-relax” the napps is a personal decision. But I ain’t buyin’ that the decision is not greatly influenced by the desire to “fit in” and be considered most attractive, for MANY (not all) women. Let’s tell the truth, shame the devil, and free somebody.
Thanks, Afrobella!
“…do your thing, but at the same time donĆ¢ā¬ā¢t say IĆ¢ā¬ā¢m ugly because I am wearing what God gave me.”
I agree with this 100%.
As someone who relaxed their hair for many years before ‘going natural’ almost two years ago, I am certainly not going to knock those who decide to choose to chemically alter their hair. However, I think it is ‘deceptive’ to use chemicals that permanently alter the hair and still go about calling oneself ‘natural’. A silkener is a texturizer–in other words, a weak relaxer. I’m so glad Titi was honest and did not ‘lie’ about NOT being ‘natural’. There is nothing wrong with relaxing your hair, if that is what you want. When I did relax my hair, it was never about ‘trying to look white’, either. I couldn’t make myself look white if I tried, nor do I want to. I just wanted more manageable hair. After going natural, I surprisingly discovered that my natural black hair wasn’t difficult to manage at all! I had bought into the stereotypes (about ‘black hair’) for so many years that I hadn’t even tried to deal with my own natural hair before! I love my natural hair, and I love being FREE from the stylists who used to ABUSE my hair (and have the nerve to charge me for it)!
So, to each his own, as long as you don’t criticize the people who embrace the hair God blessed them with naturally.
Hey JustMyWord, the only thing that worked and made my hair start really growing again was a complete lifestyle change. I started eating healthier, taking vitamins more than once in a blue moon, went natural and stopped using unhealthy hair products, and tried to take better care of myself in general. It took months before I noticed a difference in my hair and skin. But it worked!
A Nappy Girl, I agree with you that we naturalbellas shouldn’t be hating on our relaxed sistahs to me that’s no different than judging each other based on skin color or class, whether its something you can change or not, all these non-issues are meant to do one thing – DIVIDE THE BLACK RACE! I’m down for any bella whose down for the betterment of our people… I see these natural websites as a source of information about natural hair that wasn’t being address by other main stream outlets (not even essence has provided the tomes of info that afrobella has done on this one site)… I’ve seen natural sistahs who looked way better relaxed and vice-versa, I for one am just glad that ALL our options our finally being discussed allowing us to make the best decisions for ourselves… And for the sistahs afraid to go natural for fear of their attractiveness to men that’s ALL women – breast implants, botox, lipo, working out, going blonde, dressing a certain way, etc… It’s all about enhancing our look in order to feel attractive so I don’t think we should knock relaxed sistahs for their concern, we women, especially black women have it hard enough already constantly being judged by others – lets uplift one another to be comfortable in our own skin no matter what instead of knocking others choices trying to convince them our way (nappy) is better… Which to me is like a “Christian” trying to make a heathen feel bad enough to accept Christ – while knowing that the Bible ask us to testify to one another yes but ultimately it is God through the holy spirit that calls and actually saves! Sorry, for the rant lol but I just hate any form of moral judgment passed on others to make ourselves feel superior hence why I heart your site afrobella and think your a true model of acceptance and open-mindedness making this blog such a breath of fresh air! nothin’ but luv for bellas worldwide –
for anyone looking for another product that can achieve the same look as Miss Jessie’s, i would suggest Matrix Curl Life Contouring Cream. it gives great results paired with a diffuser.
i live in the uk where no body appriciate natural, not even blackwomen, its a big shame as i love my natural hair and wont change it for the world. u cant even get a salon where you can do your hair just enter a hair saloon with your naoppy hair and they all look at you like you’re a zonbie.
dont know how i got on this site but i thank my heaven i found it, its such an inspiration. wish black peole in the UK could be as positive about nappy hair as black women in the uk.gonna be getting missJ product throught the internet soon, cant wait to get my hair kinky and curly.luv been being afrobella.
ok….. one weekend i really wanted to try the product, and tried to get to rickys on broadway , but there were so many parades . it’s almost like a higher power did not want me to get ms jessies… .. fast forward 1 week ago finally got to ricky’s , brought the large containers of the buttercreme , pudding and meringue… I love it , it is fabulous . I have long hair , and love wearing my hair in a chignon , usually i use a little gel , but the curly pudding or meringue does the same thing. i love this stuff.. I hate wearing my hair out , because i don’t like the fuss , air dry takes to long.. But if you have curl in your hair , u can put on the meringue and blow dry and your hair will curl…
It’s not easy having your own business , and i am sure these two sisters will agree. It’s also not easy to work with family … In regards to thier pricing , it is not expensive that is the going rate in a black salon with a name . In regards to bedstuy , its an aquired taste , and prospect hghts is more developed , we also don’t know what feedback they are getting from thier clients ( so i am not mad they want to leave bedstuy). Kudos to these two sisters who have produced a product that is causing much discussion . when i went the to ricky’s AND the sister at the counter knew about ms jessies and said many people come to buy it , FYI ricky’s is one of the few places you can purchase ms jessies in ny ..
What Salon in DC is Miko currently at. I’ve been trying to find the name and number so I can go get my hair done! I used to go to the salon in New York, and was surprised that there was no info on how to contact her.
Well- I’m sure you all are aware by now. It is officially over for the salon. Great to finally hear honesty. After lying to people for months.
Here’s the statement on their website:
“Dear Miss JessieĆ¢ā¬ā¢s Salon Patrons:
As you may already be aware, Miss JessieĆ¢ā¬ā¢s announced the closure of The Salon effective July 2, 2007. The decision to close operations was a difficult one but part of an overall restructuring plan to focus on the wonderful products we deliver to help you manage your naturally curly, kinky and wavy hair. We want to thank all the patrons whose lives we have touched either directly or indirectly.
Should you have any questions at all please contact us at 718-852-2600.
Sincerely,
Titi Branch
Managing Director”
Well finally the truth has come out – Titi and Miko knew for months that the salon would not be reopening – it is sad that they could not work out their differences – I tell you money, power and family are never a good mix – hopefully Miko will open her own salon and start a new…..
For the ladies who had a silkener like myself – I currently use revlon texturizer w/kera care conditioner mixed in and it is almost as good as going to Miss Jessies/
Good luck everyone!
Mavis,
Miko has her own website:
http://www.findmiko.com
Her phone number is listed. I just made an appointment for later this month. She tells you the price up front and it is astronomical. Be prepared!
I had my hair cut yesterday in a long established and expensive afro hair salon in a swanky part of West London and I left the salon traumatised.
A bit of background – I have natural hair and after months of wearing braids (cost approx $550, time spent taking them out approx A SOLID 24hrs each time!!) and I’d finally reached a point where I was happy with my hair, it was nice and even in length, especailly at the back where I’d struggled to grow out the crown. It now just needed neatening up and some layers to take weight away from the front.
So.. I made sure I was EXTREMELY clear with the stylist with what to touch and what not to touch – “I want to keep the length and I’m growing it out and I want to still wear it tied back sometimes, etc, etc..”. The stylist cut my hair whist it was damp by pulling sections out straight and snipping. Now as my hair is not in its normal curl pattern because of how she combed it I can’t see what the shape is really like. I’d said at the beginning that I wear my hair curly (I went in there with it curly and out so they could see it!) and that is how I wanted the end result to be.
Well, the stylist finished cutting then she said that the back was hanging down too long so would I like her to even it up? HUH??!! So she showed me in the mirror and there was about 2-3 inches of hair (curly – not pulled straight length which is longer) hanging down at the back lower than the length of the sides. At this point it is dawning on me that she’s taken too much off but as my hair wasn’t styled at this point I couldn’t really tell but I told her not to take it off. She then combed my hair some more and tried fluffing it up with this comb that is too fine for a start then she put on some smelly spray, probably some type of curl activator from 1983 because it STANK then she sat me under the dryer with my ends dripping!
As my hair is say 3 different textures naturally, if it isn’t styled correctly it looks a mess and as it turned out that the stylist didn’t have a clue about natural hair textures that is how my hair turned out – a mess, frizzy on the front and crown and gheri curl on the sides and back of my head.. I can achieve an even curl texture all over my head by just using the right conditioner and styling cream (no fancy techniques required) so there was no excuse for my hair to be styled so badly.
Once I was left under the dryer I was left to sort out my own hair from that point on. Can you believe that?? All I could do was towel dry the ends so the stinky jheri curl spray she’d put on me wouldn’t drip on my shoulders. This is 2007 isn’t it??
I was almost in tears as I left the salon. I didn’t say anything because I was too upset so I quietly paid my exact money and left. I could tell that she’d hacked into the sides too much by cutting layers that were too short but it was only when I’d got home and washed and re-styled my hair myself when I saw the true damage. Basically, there is no style or shape to my hair, about 3-4 inches needs to come off the back to level it up and it will take a good 18 months for my hair to get back to the length that it was when I entered the salon yesterday mornning. Sick? Well I know that every morning when I look in the mirror and struggle to style my hair that I now can’t wear out or even tie back and makes me feel ugly, that I’m going to think of that clueless stylist and get upset.
So that’s it now, after countless salon traumas I will never, ever let someone cut my hair again.
Thanks Coco,
I spoke with her and have an appointment as well. Yeah, the price is steep, but I hope well worth it! Thanks again.
HELLO!
I REALLY would love to get a silkner. Please tell me how to get in touch with Miko and Titi in DC. What salon are they working out of???
Thanks
Zaneta, I just did a post about that this week. Click here: http://afrobella.com/?p=308
Miko’s new website is http://www.findmiko.com. Good luck!
Thank you! By the way I LOVE your website.
Sincerely,
Zaneta
I am going to get a silkener. Right now my hair is 100% natural but I cant take it. I’m noticing that I want it to “look” like I have a silkener. I do twist outs, it leaves my hair dry unhealthy and tangled. I am signing up for the silkener. Its better than pressing my hair every two to three weeks, just to wash it out. Plus my twist outs dont last~ FRUSTRATING. I may take vitamins and change my diet to get some more length. OR I’ll just fly to DC http://www.findmiko.com, perhaps my journey will be worth it.
Do anybody know about miss jessie’s salon in uk.tks
I just got the silkener. My head is really sensitive so I could not keep the chemical on long. It was really expensive $425 just for the silkener. It looks okay…not sure how much difference a phytospecific texturizer would have looked on my hair. Miko does a great job with styling hair! But as far as the chemical I am still working with it…I can put my fingers through my hair that’s good. It can still look like an afro too; thats cool…I like it, but is it really different from having a regular texturizer???
Hi,
I did go to Miko in DC and the salon was packed. Like the sister who posted before, I was the only one not getting a silkner that day. I’m not going to lie. I have had my hair cut by not as good as Miko did. That angle balance method is awesome! My twist outs are amazing. I wish I know how to do it. Besides that, I only did the shingling method and it was really nice, but my style only last a couple of days. I don’t have an issue with silkners, but I don’t want any chemicals in my hair. Since going natural, my hair has been so healthy and I’m afraid of going back to chemicals destroying my hair. There are many products out there to help maintain a natural hairstyle, but I do know we all have different textures. So, I do sympathize with hair woes. Anyway, I loved Miko’s energy and attitude. She was really nice and even got me to look at various hairstyles she was doing that day. I think she’s going to do great in DC!
This was a great article since i stumbled upon this product tried the curly meringue at home and loved out it turned out. I had locks which i untangled and wanted to be able to wear my hair curly to keep from having to mess with it too much. The silkeners look aweson in pictures not sure it is something for me becasue i have color in my hair and i i think that is enough chemical for me. Does anyone know if Miss Jessie’s shop has reopened in Prospect Park in Brooklyn?
I’m completely new to Afrobella, and stumbled upon the site as I was looking for other press mentions regarding Ms. Jessie’s. I’m your classic “woman in transition,” trying to figure out how to care for my dual-texture hair, and voraciously consuming information on styles and products. I don’t know if this has been addressed before, but has anyone used any of Carol’s Daughter products as substitutes or alternatives to Ms. Jessie’s? They produce all natural products that perform a variety of different “hair tasks.” Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Natural hair care is certainly becoming big business. I remember living in Fort Green (N.Y.) and walking to Lisa’s brownstone to get her homemade Carol’s Daughter concoctions. That was a many years, and millions of dollars in sales ago.
Wish me luck on my natural hair journey (2.5 months perm-free and counting. I’m already loving it. I can’t wait for it to hurry up and grow! Does anyone know of any similar salons that cater to natural hair in the S.F. Bay Area, where I now reside?
TO Leeleesmommy
I have a question for you.
How do you apply your newly found own SILKENER
STEP 1: FIRST YOU WET YOUR HAIR
STEP 2: APPLY THE KERA CARE HUMECTO CREME CONDITIONER
STEP 3: APPLY THE REVLON TEXTURIZER
(DO YOU MEAN THIS ONE
: – REVLON Professional Realistic Permanent No Lye No Mix for Normal to Coarse Hair Creme Texturizer 15oz/425g
OR
ANOTHER ONE IF SO COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME
AND WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER APPLYING THE TEXTURIZER WAS IS OUT OR LEAVE IT IN MY HAIR.
AND CAN I WET MY HAIR WITH THE SILKENER IN IT AFTERWARDS……..
lOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU
CINNELIOUS
AFROLIOUS
Hi!
Well first I section I out my dry hair to prepare for my silkener – I then take the revlon texturizer w/the purple top and mix in the kera care mosturizing conditioner – I mix it well and it becomes very fluffy. then I apply the texturizer like a perm -I do not leave it on for long – no more than 7 minutes – and I rinse and wash my hair – you should look for shampoos and conditioners with soy protein in it as that helps soften the hair and prevents breakage – afterwards I rinse my hair and apply some curly merengue and once I get out of the shower I apply curly pudding evenly throughout my hair and I tell you – you would not know that I did not just step out of Miss Jessies..
Hope that helpS
Hi,
I did get my hair done by Miko in April 2007 in DC by Miko. I loved my cut, but you really can go elsewhere to get a twistout cheaper. I will go back for the haircut.
Hi,I cant seem to find the link for the giveaway’s..please please this sounds like a life changer for me!!
ANY CHEMICAL PLACED ON THE HAIR IS NO LONGER NATURAL. A SILKENER IS A CHEMICAL. IT’S ASHAME HOW WE FALL VICTIM TO NOT LOVING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CHEMICAL EVE USED ON HER HEAD? LEARN TO LOVE YOUR HAIR. ANOTHER THING, I ALSO DISAGREE WITH LOCS, ALL OTHER EXTENSIONS AND FLAT IRONS. UUGH! I JUST HATE THEM ALL. “A NAPPY NAZI” YOU SAY? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!
I’d read about Curve in Essence, and made an appointment 2 months before I left my island home to visit New York’s museums and do some shopping. I’d been natural for almost 2 years, an allergic reaction to medication had caused my hair (well past my shoulders) to fall out. When the hair loss became obvious, my boyfriend washed and shaved my head for me insisting that “it was only hair”. Like most Black women, I had no idea what the true kink of my natural hair was, and was pleased when little coily-woilys sprouted. They were precious, I loved pulling on them and feeling go “spriiiooonngg” back into place. As they got longer, I could group and play with them. I said I would protect my coily- woilys.
Appointment day I wake up, order a cab for the right time and prepare according to the explicit “pre-appointment” instructions: do not wash, but water your hair; do not comb or manipulate; do NOT use product; let dry naturally. I arrived looking like Buckwheat – now you know the secret to the before and after pictures.
I tried asking questions, but was told the “silkener” was a blah-di-blah gobbledigookey to silken to hair. But why does it smell like that “crack cream”? Almost 5 hours, over $400, disappointed at the result (not very different normal)and near tears at the cost. I could have bought a pair of shoes with that! And to add insult to injury, the smell of the Curly Pudding gave me a migraine, plus wimp that I am I bought a tub of that crap.
I have no problem with how people choose to wear their hair, or what they put in or on it. My only problem with the entire Miss Jessie’s website is that it’s implicitly or explicitly promoting a type of hair that just is naturally realistic for the majority of black women. The goal is to get “Tracy Ross” type hair instead of helping all black women love their own texture and work with it. Kinks are seen as something that needs to be fixed through extensive hair processes or chemicals. Like Afrobella said, I wish it was just hair, but it’s not. Just like perms, the choice to get any type of texturizer or the desire to have a particular type of curly hair is not made in a vacuum. I would love to see all types of natural hair celebrated, since their is still a distinct preference for a certain type of natural (or texturized) hair.
Which salon is Miko working at in DC?? I’d like to get one of these famous cuts, at a minimum. Thanks!!
Hello, you guys are looking for a good salon, besides Miiko Salon, check out Edris from Edris Salon in New York, she a beast with natural hair as well as, just google her name.
wow i was just looking for reviews of the products and glad google brought this afrobella interview to my attention.
thank goodness the sisters will still be doing hair as i have dreams of one day getting a holiday booked around getting my hair done by them.
my hair is natural and i agree too many stuck up naturals give naturals a bad name.
but yes a nice interview and so much to take in
i must make an order while the pound is still strong if they do sip to the uk.
i pray their business continues to grow… who knows they may start selling shampoos and conditioners too.
p.s. what struck a cord with me is that its sooooo true with any product you need to take time to apply to achieve what your after
@ Shannon here is the link to the salon in DC.
http://www.findmiko.com/
I had my hair done by Miko today in DC. I must say that she is so beautiful and has a very nice personality. She seems confident and knows what she is doing with regards to cutting and styling. My only complaint is the prices! I was charged $350.00 for a two-strand twist-out. This included a haircut, which was really more of a trim (shaping), but not much of my hair was cut because I insisted that I did not want a haircut. However, my ends were ragged, so I needed it. When I asked Miko what bought her to DC, she responded “litigation” and that’s all she said.
I had been using Ms. Jessies Curly Pudding since late 2006, so I was already familiar with the product, which is OK. I noticed that most of the women were getting two-strand twist which is something that can be done at home and you can save tons of money. Although the customer service was great at the salon, i.e., warm welcome, refreshments, complimentary deep conditioner, complimentary “Miko” t-shirt, I will not be paying $350.00 again for a two-strand twist-out. What’s funny is that Miko’s policy is that you pay a $75.00 deposit over the phone when you make an appointment, and once you are there, the receptionist comes to you and settle the bill long before your hair is completed. This is the first time that I have ever paid for service for hair and/or nails, and had to pay up front. This policy I assume is to protect her in the event a client is not satisfied and refuses to pay. However, I thought it was kind of rude for the receptionist to come to me for money while I’m sitting under the dryer with a wet head. Maybe Miko does it this way because some women are excitied at first, but once they get their hair done, they realize that they could have done it themselves and have refused to pay.
Overall, I’m glad that I went because the curiosity was killing me! But now that I’ve satisfied my curiosity about her technique, I’ll go back to styling my own natural mane. But again, she seems genuinely a sweet person and I do hope that her and Titi will resolve their differences.
Best,
Cindy
I have absolutely nothing against getting a silkener. I am actually for them. It sucks to be on some natural hair/product high horse and be upset with how your hair looks. I spent almost 9 months last year with natural hair and it rarely looked good enough for me to wear out. I kept telling myself when it gets longer then I will just love it. Well I ended getting it relaxed and didnt like that either. I would have loved a silkener so that I could have curly hair that can easily be defined but also have the option of wearing it fluffy. And most importantly wouldnt have wasted 8 1/2 months of hair growth on a stupid relaxer that didnt come out right. Im not into wearing a big picked out afro everyday or dreads. Right now Im natural once again because I hacked off that relaxed hair. Im not trying to be one of those so called “fake natural”. I think hair is just hair. I tried to convince myself that this was self love. That being natural was what I wanted, but it was not. Im in love with curly hair and that is all that I have ever wanted. So I will be setting up an appointment with Miko as soon as I get some length.
Also I have no real big problem with the Miss Jessie’s product having mineral oil in them. A lot of ladies who are relaxed spend big bucks on hair products laden with mineral oil and silicone and their hair looks great and so do many curly heads. I see little natural haired kids with long hair who parents only use johnson& johnson baby lotion and kid’s organic shea butter detangling lotion and those things have silicones in them. Right at this moment the only product that keep my hair feeling soft is fantasia ic ice polish that’s second ingredient is mineral oil with the exception of Kinky Curly curling custard + knot today. Kinky Curly is great. So Im all for trying out the Miss Jessie’s products. I have put it off for too long. People complained about them when they were natural and people still complain about them now that they arent. What is the harm in trying and seeing for oneself rather than listening to product junkie’s who cant decide on a single product.
Someone on this blog mentioned Edris Salon and said she’s pretty good. I checked out the website; the prices are expensive but I assume (and hope) that her skills is top-notch. But my question, has anyone went to Edris and if they did, what was your experience like? I would love to go to DC and let Miko bless my hair with her expertise but I called the receptionist for a price quote and she told me 425 dollars( only for the silkner NOT the angle balance haircut) If I go then I will probably pay half of a thousand dollars for hair service and that’s not what I wanted to do. And besides paying for hair, I would have to find myself spending money on transportation so if I really look at it, I would blowing alot of money in one day. So if Edris Salon is as good as one person stated then I’m willing to risk my money and time to check her out.
CaramelPA, Edris has cut my mane, all I can say is that I love it and the cut grows out extremely well over a three to four month time period. Edris, is the real deal, she create perfects haircuts that fits your life style and face. I have naturally curly hair I think I would be considered 3C, and Edris was able to create a “white boy” cut onto my hair. She is the best and her team is awesome you can not go wrong with Edris Salon.
Has anyone tried any of Cristo’s products from the Curlisto site? This in light of the comments on the Miss Jessie’s products being so expensive.
In light of speaking of the products for Miss Jessie and how expensive…has anyone used the Cristo products from the Curlisto site? Are they good?
Miss Jessie’s new products.
I order both of the new product the Quick Curl and the Silkening Creme. Now the Qucik Curl is not for use kinky curly head girls. It’s designed for ladys with loose soft curls. But I like it as a lite moisturizer.
As for the Silkening Creme it did dry alot faster then their other products and my curls were big and plump. But I get the same results with the Curl Pudding. I might use it during the winter when I need my hair to dry super quick.
How anyone can talk ish about what someone else decides to do with their own hair is beyond me. Where do some of you get off?? If you don’t like it don’t use it and don’t look at it. The stuff some of you are doing is the exact same thing as what white ppl did years ago. Trying to make other feel less than b/c of something as unimportant and superficial as hair and skin color. Should ppl who are in good physical condition go around telling other ppl how out of shape they are and talk bad about them? No, no one has the right to make anybody feel bad about themselves. For all of you who do all I can say is what goes around, comes around.
has anyone used miss jessie other products on kids hair. my babys 3 years old with mixed race hair.
@ Cashe: I used The Baby Buttercreme on my nieces hair and it works great. I tried using the regular Buttercreme but it was way to heavy for her soft coils. It really helped at controlling her fizz hair. Her mom was amazed at how pretty her hair turned out.
By the way ladies of NY Miko is back!!! I believe they are re-opening the salon this week. So I wonder does that mean she’s closing the salon in D.C.
Leeleesmommy I have a question. Do you use a neutralizing shampoo after rinsing your silkener? Also in one post you said that you apply the conditioner to your hair. In another you said to mix the conditioner with the texturizer. Which method is best?
Feel free to email me:
DivineNubienne@aol.com
Miss Jessie’s products are now on sale!!!! Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Stock up now!!!
My hair was past my shoulders but was so damaged I cut it all off. In it’s natural state, my hair is very dry, thick, & kinky. I’ve been looking into Miss Jesssie’s for quite some time and I must say that this is the BEST blog I have red, although the Miss Jessie’s site is very informative. Btw, they have a great sale right now. Buy one get one free! I think this would be a great time to try out some of her products. Now if only they had free shipping! lol… I’ve also been reading about this no-lye softening system called Caribbean Dream??? Still looking into it, but so far it seems like it’s made for softer hair textures than what I have…
This post is old, but I found it interesting. Unfortunately, I cannot shake my dislike of Miss Jessie’s, and trust me, I have tried. It’s not even the prices, because I would be willing to pay top dollar for a top dollar product…but I’m not going to pay $50-60 for something with a bunch of mineral oil/petroleum/cones. There are just too many great natural products out there. Everytime I go to my BSS, I browse at the MJ stuff…and put it back.
I want to try these products so badly but even with the 2 oz sizes I can’t get over fact that mineral oil is a top ingredient in a bunch of her products. I wish they would replace these harmful ingredients with something more natural or human-friendly. Maybe I’ll just go for it when I have the cash.
Wow, thanks for all the comments. I was comtemplating getting my and my daugther’s hair done at a Miss Jessie’s salon for the summer. You all have really given me alot to think about. I really appreciate it.
You have talked about several interesting things on this page. I found this by using Yahoo and I’ve got to admit that I already subscribed for your blog site, it is extremely decent š
isn’t a “silkener” basically a perm with lye?
I wish I would have found this back in 2008 when I 1st decided to go natural. (especially b/c i see they were buy 1 get 1) I love MJ products they work great for my hair. I would love to get a silkener, but I just can’t afford that on top of travel expenses times 3 – 4 times a year. Maybe 1 day, for now I’ll just buy the products & techniques I saw on the website
I wish people would get off their natural hair high horse! My hair is super kinky and dry and I have to get a texturizer if I want to attempt to get my fingers and a pick through my hair. It is a personal decision. I love the Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding. It makes my hair soft and shiny. It does address the shrinkage when applied properly. You have to use the Curly Pudding on soaking wet hair and piece by piece apply it through the hair. You can’t just slap it on and call it a day. You have to work with the product. As for the mineral oil in their products? Well, black women have unknowingly been using mineral oil in their hair for years and years. That Luster’s Pink Oil and Blue Magic hair grease that our mothers slapped in our hair to make it more manageable all had mineral oil in it. What black hair care product doesn’t have mineral oil it? Did it kill you, no? So why the big stink about Miss Jessie’s products? I think Miko and Titi Branch were brilliant to open a salon and sell hair care products specifically for black, natural hair when everybody else ignored our unique hair needs. If you can’t afford the the big sizes, then purchase the small sizes, and you still get alot of product. And you don’t need to use a whole lot. A little goes along way with their products. As black people, we need to stop bashing each other and start supporting one another, and maybe other races won’t look at us as inferior anymore.
And I also may add, 95% of black women have had some kind of chemical service applied to their hair. So, all of you so called natural hair buffs, I’m sure you were amongst the 95% sometime in your life. Now you want to bash other women for getting chemicals in their hair, when you know that you’ve had chemicals in your hair at one point in your life. Puulease!!!
HI Lady its been over 30 year ago send Titi,miko play in my hair. we grow up in queen on 127 street i boda,my cousin eris were best friends until we move away to philly i was so happy when eris found them on the internet on jessies hair care it took me back into time when we use to do each other hair and me boda,miko use to beat eris,Titi its was the golding year as best friend so lady we alway love ah god bless huges&kisses boda,eris hope to see you lady soon.P.S Miko i do need my hair done again love boda.
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