Where are you from?
E: I now live in Montpellier, South France where it’s always sunny. I was born and raised in Paris, then studied 2 years in Cocoa Beach, Fl when I was in high school. My mother is Cameroonese and my father Italian. I’m 25 and happily married to Alister, a half Cameroonese half Jewish Moroccan. We have two wonderful little girl Kélis and Naïa. I have a degree in sociology, after that I got a beautician’s license and now I’m a professional baker. We’d like to open our own bakery, and hair is a family affair.
What is the natural hair scene like in France?
E: Well, it’s a little tricky because of the France’s past. We have two main black populations, the West Indians, from Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion, and the African. The West Indians are former French colonies, and their ancestors were slaves. Then you have the African from the old colonies, some come directly from Africa, and some have been here for 2 or 3 generations.
For my final study to receive my sociology degree I decided to focus on the “globaliasation of occidental beauty”, and I’ve found a lot of very interesting things. I’d say, based on my studies, West Indians in France categorize hair by texture, from the most beautiful to the less (or ‘the straighter to nappier’.) I think the way they see hair is similar to African Americans.
On the other hand, African culture is a little different, they do braid a lot themselves, and see no problem with wearing wigs or extention, and are more exuberant with their hair styles. But natural hair is mostly worn by West Indians. Africans can generally appreciate curly hair on bi-racial girls for example, but few wear it themselves. For bi-racial girls, I’d say it’s half-half.
Why did you go natural?
E: I should start by what made me straighten my hair. It was back in 2000, just before my big trip to the US. I really wanted to look like the girls on videos, like Aaliyah, because I was a big fan. Plus everybody was telling me I would look so much better, so I did. I’ve been raised by my Italian family side, so my image of beauty was based on what I saw everyday, which was straight hair, plus I thought it would be so much more convinient at that time. My hair was always tied up, and hidden, and people were making fun of my large forehead all the time (which is very significant of my mother’s ethny, the Bassa). I figured that way I could have “longer” hair, a bang and untied hair.
I had a lot of success abroad, my hair looked pretty good there. But then I came back to France for holidays, and it was impossible for me to take care of it. My curly hair was coming back, and the straightened hair was starting to look like rat tails to me. I had breakage, and my hair wasn’t shiny at all. A pure nightmare. I realised my natural hair was so much better and I really missed it.
I was kinda scared to do the big chop, because I was afraid of my white American boyfriend’s reaction, what would he say? So I did nothing, and came back to the US, it really looked messy. I braided my hair a lot, and back in France I really couldn’t stand it anymore. So one day I was undoing the braids, my cousins where over, I told them to cut anything that wasn’t curly. T’was a pleasure to them, as I watched my poor hair falling on the floor, I told myself it was the first and last time I would do such a massacre.
It is really funny, because I always thought girls with natural hair were so pretty, and I was telling myself I would look like a clown if I did. I had to fight against myself to accept it, and find it beautiful and attractive. I remember that day I came out with my natural curly hair to go to school, I was so scared, but everyone liked it, and I had a tons of compliments for a month or so. Wearing my hair natural affected me in the way it made me shine and reveal who I was inside, it’s like I just realised I was multicultural, and that I had to be proud of it.
How would you describe your hair?
E: Curly, fluffly and healthy. I think it is the best part of me.
What’s your regimen?
E: Well, I wash my hair with not too hot water every 7 or 10 days with aleppo soap, or an organic shampoo with shea butter, avocado oil and orange zest. Then I spray a mix of mineral water, avocado oil, tea tree essential oil and cider vinegar to remove the limestone in the water. I apply a homemade cream my brother-in-law makes. I make my hair a beauty mask simply with coconut and jojoba oil once a month. I also like to use Lush products.
What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
E: Untied it, and not wash it too often. It is also important to me for my daughters to see that I like my natural hair. Yes, the most effective thing to do with my hair is loving and respecting it.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
E: Sure, here is our cake blog: www.ladinette.net
Or my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1072083286
Her hair is beautiful, but her style is amazing! Love the photos.
:)
Nice interview! I love the family pic!!!
^^
wow! what a beautiful family!
I’m glad you enjoy our family! Thank you!
Yeah this woman should be a style icon! She puts herself together rather nicely.
I really appreciate the comment, and about the clothes i like to buy on sales, because here in France prices are crazy!
Tres jolie!Beautiful woman and family.
And in French!! Thank you!!
Eloïse, you’re so beautiful! I’m loving the hubby-wife swag you and your husband got going on….too cute!
Thank you so much, we’ve been knowing each other since 10 years, and are together since 7, yes, i hope i’ll spend the rest of my days with him!
Love, Love, Love this post! What a cute family with great style!
^^ thank you!
that pic of her and her family is so cute. i love her daughter’s fro.
Yes, Naïa has nice hair, but trust combs aren’t her bestfriends! Thank you for the sweet comment!
Oh! You make such a beautiful family! I’m loving the style that you and your hubby (and your daughters) have. Plus, your hair is absolutely gorgeous.
Great interview! I love that there was a discussion about cultural awareness among those from French-speaking West Indian nations and French-speaking African nations. Very insightful!
I’m really glad you appreciated the social issue!
Oh wow. Vous est tres jolie! Et votre famille aussi. J’adore vos cheveux. Beautiful!
All in french, wow! Thank you!
Off to look for that hat? fascinator?…whatever she has on her head in the 3rd picture. Very nice.
Lol, yes it’s a fascinator, i purchased it at Accesorizes it’s an english brand, you can find some nice ones at Modcloth.com or even Asos.com .
Thanks…luckily we have an Accesorize in Sweden so I’ll look for it :)
Wow, I love this! Beautiful family.
Glad you like it!!
Hi Eloise!
Luv. Luv. Luv. Your family looks so beautiful, and happy. Your hair is just fabulous. Also love your style. Could we hear some more about that?
Which products from LUSH do you use? How easy is it to get products in France or do you stick to your brother’s mixology?
Could we hear some more about your research on West Indians and Africans in France? Really curious. Do you have a link to your work?
Thank you thank you thank you!!
Yes, i’d be glad to share with you anything you want to know!
About Lush products i’m using the H’suan wen hua mask and also the coolaulin conditionner.
Hair products aren’t hard to find, but chemical products are what you’re gonna see in all Afro Hair stylist. I like to buy hair care from Melvita, it’s an organic brand, i used to work for them, the products are really effectives.
Unfortunatly, my computer broke down two years ago, and all i had in it is lost, but i’ll be really glad to tell you what i know.
I’m from the english-speaking West-Indies, and I’ve always found it so fascinating that to a certain point, there was a similar origin, colonization history and experiences in the french-, english- and spanish Caribbean. The differences however are so striking and I wonder sometimes at how that affects culture and mindset of the following generations.
I cannot assume that someone from the French West Indies would have the same culture/cultural values as I would. What sort of cultural value differences (esp about beauty, femininity, etc) did you find?
Another burning question that I have is about your husband: Did he grow up in France or Morocco? Which ‘sides’ of his biculturalism was favoured in his upbringing? How large is the Moroccan Jewish community (in Morocco)? What is it like to grow up Jewish and Black in an arabic/muslim community? If I’m too nosy, then just tell me to kick rocks and go google. :-)
Ok, well, i didn’t go very very deeply into that part, because i accentuated my search on french spoken countries and the US. But at the begginnig of my search, it appears that french West-Indians have more problems with identity especially about beauty. Cause there happen to be more categorization, based on skin tone and hair.
About Alister, i was born in Cameroon, then they all came to live in Ivory Coast untill he was 12, because his father taught maths in french high schools.
When he came to France, eveything was difficult, he had an african accent, he was black with a jewish name, twasn’t that fun for him. I’d say he is more a cameroonian, because his mother was a stay at home mom. In Marocco, the jewish community is a minority but there is no problems of cohabitation there, whereas in France it is much more complicated. Jewish and muslim population don’t go along pretty well, but only when there are bith from Magrheb. I dont know if it unlight you?
Problems with identity,categorization based on skin tone and hair…Excuse me? Are we to believe that none of that is commonplace in Africa,right?
I said more in west indies, i didnt say none in africa.
Thanks so much for the product tips! This is awesome, I try not to drown in product-envy when I see how many lovely things the US-sistas can get.:-)
I’ve seen that Melvita has just opened a shop where I live, in Germany and was a bit unsure about what they had to offer. What would you recommend?
Yes, i had good results with Melvita’s, that shampoo for extra dry hair is just fine and teh conditionner works for me as well. But don’t buy their oils, because it WAY too expensive for what it is.
You can check the Aromazone.com the oils are great, and it’s full of tip, i think it is now trnaslated in english!!
Where do you love in Germany??
I live and love :-) in Karlsruhe… about 30min from Strasbourg. Thanks again for the tips and for sharing your and your husband’s stories.
There used to be a lot of classification of skin type too (we learned this in History class), so even though the names aren’t used generally, the same idea is all around the Caribbean. It’s been all about light skin and long silky hair for a long time. Rastafarianism and Black Power/Pride have changed things some…
My little ‘hobby’ used to be looking at who countries chose as their beauty queens. What does x-country think of as beautiful. That was much more fascinating to me growing up, than who actually won.
Really? My aunty lives in Hoenneim which is so close from Starsbourg, if i go there maybe we can meet someday??
I’d like to know more about you’re talking about! Do you have a facebook account??
Do you mean Hoenheim? Great. That’s only about an hour from me. :-)
Don’t worry, sometimes I don’t know what I’m talking about! Lol!
I’m not on facebook often enough (coz I would rather check in on bglh!), but you could drop me an email at bookbutterfly@web.de anytime.
Wow! What a beautiful & stylish family. They all look like models :) great post!
Oh you’re too sweet! Thank you!
what a perfect little family!
:) you’re sweet!
What an adorable family! Tres jolie! :)
Merci beaucoup!!
everyone looks so lovely and cute!
Yoli, you’re so nice!
Pretty girl, nice pics. I really like the international interviews that you do.
^^, thank you. I as well like iternational interviews, so great to learn about other cultures.
what a cute and fun looking family!
Merci!!
Nice photos. Love her hair color.
I am always saddened when I read black people explaining so much about their ancestry as if an explanation is needed. It is almost apologist. As if they are saying, “I have this melanin because….”
I simply do not see other skin colors feeling the need to justify or explain their skin color. For the many blacks claiming Jewish, Irish—I just never see or read about Jews or Irish people claiming black ancestry.
In any event, everyone obviously should be comfortable and whatever self identification to make their life easier—but really.
And historians say The Willie Lynch Letter is a hoax.
Um…. I think she mentioned those things because they had relevance to her story. She mentioned at one point that she loved straight hair because she was raised by her father’s Italian side, and that going natural, for her, was an embrace of her multiculturalism. I sensed no malice or condescension in her words.
I think that black people take it to far when they demand that bi-racial people can’t mention the “other side” of them. Like, the FACT/REALITY is that she is half Italian and half black. Why is it seen as a problem if she states the facts of her ancestry??
jasmine, i couldn’t have said it better myself. co-sign.
varnisha or whatever: WTF, dude?
Thank you Jasmine, you totally understood me!
lol i agree, i dont understand why being jewish was even mentioned.. it’s a religion : /
Vanisha, if you’re talking bout me, mentionning Alister was Maroccan Jewish, it’s because it is not the same culture at all, and they don’t live in the same place in Marocco. Even if it is a religion here, it is really part of a culture.
judaism is not seen as “just a religion” like other religions (ex. christianity, islam etc that you just join if you believe in it) because they believe that the “jewish-ness” is passed down genetically through the mother’s line.
that’s why people often refer to judaism as an ethnicity.
Right!
Hey Honeybee!
Did i mentionned my skin color? I’m seriously not talking about taht but just about my hair.
You’re from the US right? Just know that it’s really different livig in France in the US because we don’t have the same culture or past. Just like the West Indians, African-American used to be slaves. You don’t ask a West indian his origin, because you suppose by definition his ancesters are Afrcans. Just like you in the US, even if you’re black, they won’t ask you from where, refering to your origins, because again that’s what is, by definition.
My mother is black, cameroonese. When i say i’m french, they keep asking me from where? Which origins? Because colonisation happened not so long ago, and in franco-french’s mentality, a french person is a white person. Honnestly, i really don’t care about that, and i was really talking about my hair cause it is in every culture women’s pride, and i wasn’t proud of it a the time.
Plus, talking about my personal history, trust me, it is not such a good thing to grow up in an italian family, especially south Italy, when i was in holidays, i was calles “noiraude” -blacky- for a month or mulatta. And yes, an explanation is necessary to understand the personal progress. I’d really like to learn more about what you think.
I appreciate your honesty in explaining what you meant. There is absolutely nothing wrong with talking about your roots either in reference to skin or hair. It’s who you are. You’ve understood and embraced your heritage. That’s the most important thing.
You’ve got a great looking family.
Thank you, and i’m glad you appreciate it!