Finally! Oprah brought her curls and kinks out to play on the cover of O Magazine’s September 2012 Makeover Issue. Her editorial team explained the decision on Oprah.com:
For the first time ever, Oprah’s appearing on the cover of O without blow-drying or straightening her hair. She says that wearing her hair naturally—as she often does on weekends and on vacation—makes her feel unencumbered. But there was a time when she wanted to just cut it all off. “I wanted to wear it close-cropped a la Camille Cosby but her husband Bill convinced me otherwise. ‘Don’t do it,’ he said. ‘You’ve got the wrong head shape and you’ll disappoint yourself.’ I took his advice,” she says. Although, never one to shy away from a style update, Winfrey is a firm believer that changing your hairstyle can change what we see and feel is possible.
Oprah made a splash back in April 2009 when she revealed on Twitter that her thick, long hair is not a weave and posted this photo as proof:
It’s really cool to see Oprah rock her natural hair for a professional shoot, something she’s rarely done in the past. Ladies, what do you think of the magazine cover?
when we being to accuse oprah of having tracks in her head because of how big it is let us not forget that she is the most wealthy black woman on the planet. she can afford the best and most informed hair stylists on the planet. she didn’t say she did her own hair and put it on the cover of the magazine. in addition to a hairstylist she probably has a nutritionist and fitness guru on her team. y’all stop hatin on her swag. two thumbs down to your snarky comments.
Old photos of Oprah from her teenage years show that she’s always had long thick hair. She has even said that she might not have had good looks but she always had hair. (paraphrasing, I can’t remember the exact quote) And she can avoid heat/styling damage by having a personal hairdresser at her beck and call. The rest of us can’t afford a Andre Walker to nurture our hair everyday. Nevertheless I love her hair and think its looks great!
Video of her talking about her hair and also showing it: http://www.eonline.com/videos/189707/oprah-winfrey-s-real-hair
Just looked at the video link (without sound because of my rubbish IT systems at work) and my initial views are as follows:
1. She is exploiting the popularity of natural hair. Why is this even an issue? If she wished to rock natural hair for a change why make a song and dance about it? i mean interviews with E! really necessary? Press releases about her being on the front of O magazine with natural hair? C’mon!!!
2. That does not look natural to me but it looks like a braid out on relaxed hair; and
3. If the “natural hair movement” has made it acceptable for the richest black woman in the world to rock her “natural” tresses then as another poster said below… we are all making an impact slowly but surely hopefully it will trickle down to the masses so that the likes of Gabby Douglas can excel in peace
Some of you natural chickens make me sick. All up in peoples head like you know everyone’s hair. “Exploiting” the natural hair community” Like it is really worth that much. It is just freaking hair. The natural hair community provides black women with great hair tips and helps black women who are going through things emotionally with their hair, but some of you chicks act like its life. Get out of peoples head and tend to your own.
I think Oprah should rock her natural more often… this is the best way to promote self-acceptance.
Lets be real. O couldve done this years ago. The only reason why shes doing this cover is because natural hair is BIG BUSINESS. Ladies, give yourself a standing ovation. YOU have changed the beauty landscape. And just like we changed the dynamic in regards to hair, we can do it with anything else.
I agree.Natural ROCKS! LOL What next ladies…….. LOL Consumer power is here to stay.
it’s been a minute, but i thought Oprah used PhytoSpecific relaxer.
Here’s an interview with Oprah’s stylist from last year about her relaxed hair. Shout out to Shelli(hairscapades.com) for finding it
http://www2.tbo.com/lifestyles/health-4-you/2011/jan/22/4UNEWSO6-catching-up-with-oprahs-mane-man-ar-11722/
Here’s a part of the q & a
Q: Does Oprah use a relaxer? If so, how do you protect her from damage and breakage?
Andre: Yes, I do relax it. Most relaxers are either calcium or sodium based. I tend to like calcium based, or no-lye relaxers. They tend to be less damaging. Also, the new keratin Brazilian hair straighteners are great. But I want to learn more about them. I gave Oprah one once and the chemical fumes were enough to knock you out. But the hair is unbelievably beautiful. Still, I want to see and read more about it. I don’t think they are completely formaldehyde-free, because that’s the ingredient that makes them work.
PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ!
DID THIS LYLAH ALPHONSE CHIC FROM TODAY’S YAHOO ARTICLE ABOUT OPRAH JUST CALL OUR NATURAL HAIR “WILD”???? IT’S IN QUOTATIONS AND I AM NOT SURE IF SHE SAID IT OR IF OPRAH SAID IT BUT SHE NEEDS TO CORRECT HERSELF ASAP!! IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IS WHAT SHE IS CALLING UNRELAXED, UNWEAVED, UNBRAIDED NATURAL HAIR.
AND WHAT IS SHE TALKING ABOUT NEW BEAUTY TREND?? DO JOURNALIST TODAY EVEN DO ANY RESEARCH ANY MORE OR DO THEY JUST VOMIT ONTO THEIR WORD DOCS WHATEVER COMES FROM THEIR HEADS.
CAN SOMEONE RESEARCH WHY SHE SAID THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE IS HALF INDIAN AND HALF HAITIAN?
http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/black-beauty-trend-oprah-rocks-her-natural-hair-184400770.html
“Wild” is in quotations in the article. Please simmer down.
Oprah has a relaxer. She isn’t natural. Her hair is still beautiful.
Natural? I think not! That pic IS NOT natural hair. It’s relaxed hair, washed and air dried without flat ironing! I have a friend who does it ALL THE TIME. So TIRED of the fakeness.
Oprah’s hair is beautiful!! Makes me glad I have began the journey to au natural myself!
She has a different definition of natural. If you read the article it clearly states that she gets relaxers just not very often. I also take issue with the fact that the author said black hair growth depends on the texture, impling kinky haired naturals cant grow long hair. So not true, depends on the condition & mamagement of your tresses. But Oprah’s hair is lovely!!
My hair has been natural for 17 months, i do NOT use heat on my hair, it’s 100% chemical-free and I never cut/trim my hair & people still ask me all the time “Is that all YOUR hair?” b cuz of how thick & long my hair is (i also NEVER straighten my hair!)
i think its offensive when someone asks that b cuz it shows that they are assuming that a black woman can’t grown her own real natural hair long
as if a black woman with long, thick hair MUST be wearing a fake ass weave or wig
that’s racist!
how people (even our own people) view us (black women)
yes, my hair is thick and yes my hair is long and YES my hair is 100% my own real natural hair that grew out of my scalp
i do not have to buy hair….i grow my own!
Agreed. You’ve piqued my interest… show some pics of your hair? Just curious.
Pingback: Wendy Williams is the Latest Celebrity to Claim Her Natural Hair | Black Girl with Long Hair
Pingback: Andre Walker Clarifies Once and For All Whether Oprah is Really Natural | Black Girl with Long Hair
WOW!!! I just came across this sire today and I am very ashamed of the natural hair community. Why are YOU natural?
Are you proving a point to society or doing it for yourself?
Any woman or man has the choice to hide or show their natural hair. Some don’t because of the maintenance. We all KNOW natural hair can be a TASK. If someone is a busy individual, they may not have time to maintain their hair on a daily or weekly basis. For some of you to say Oprah should do this or not do this is CRAZY. She can do anything she chooses, but she has created an image for herself that she wants to maintain, not for the sake of the natural community, but for OPRAH!!!
We have to STOP being so danggone judgmental. That is partially why I hesitated about becoming natural and wearing my hair out. People are hateful and no matter the person, words and scrutiny hurt. Put yourself in other people’s shoes before you pop off and judge their actions. I never knew people to be SO OFFENDED about something that can easily be gone. It’s only hair!!!!!! Some women may not have healthy hair and don’t care to treat it, so they wear weaves. Most celebrity women have long, healthy hair because they PROTECT their hair. While we are so worried about them not showing their hair, they are growing their hair the way they want to.
So do your hair thing and let the next person do theirs. God blessed us with our own hair and we should treat our hair right or not.
God Bless and love YOUR hair.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!! Oprah and her stylist both said that he relaxes her hair. This is Oprah’s hair with a relaxer after a wash without straightening. It is NOT NATURAL!!! Just putting the facts out there. Her hair is beautiful, but it is chemically treated.
Jeeez. So what? Just be glad you have hair! Take it from me, I know. Cuz I’m bald! You are all beautiful as individuals. And so am I. Hair or not. Just enjoy it while you got it!