Laura Wambi Arina
We have evolved as Kenyan women over the years, and so has our hair. From twisted coils to afros to wigs and weaves, we have survived everything from the hot comb to the salon mama who would really tighten the cornrows on your head because your mother had instructed her to do so so that she wouldn’t be bringing you back to the salon in a long while. Now we have human hair weaves, Brazilian, Peruvian, Indian…whether braided or twisted, weaved or permed, natural or relaxed, a woman’s hair defines who she is and her current mood and state of mind. She will do whatever she can to keep her hair looking good.
There is quite a split between ladies who like their hair natural and those who like theirs permed, with the later wanting to have relaxed hair for shine and ease of management, and the former wanting to retain their kinky hair because that is how it came and that is how it is meant to be. Ultimately, despite online wars with some quarters portraying a holier than thou attitude because of the type and style of hair they choose to keep, it remains upto an individual to rock whatever style she’s comfortable with depending on her personality and lifestyle.
For those who like their hair relaxed, there is a new product in the market. Darling, East Africa’s leading hair product manufacturer, has recently launched its first range of hair relaxer products, Aliyana, a customized African hair relaxer, which is aimed at addressing the African hair challenge.
Speaking at the colourful launch at the brand new Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, the Business head for Cham Industries (manufacturer of Aliyana and Darling range of cosmetics) Mr. Deepak Varanasi said, “Over the years, our ladies have been using relaxers which are not customized. This has led to numerous hair concerns including hair loss and burnt scalps. Aliyana is a product borne of years of research on African hair which has resulted in a reliable brand with enhanced ingredients and tested deliverables,”
The Aliyana relaxers, according to its developers, have been formulated to cater for Kenyan women based on the climatic conditions of the regions they live in. It is tailored to specifically maintain and protect the African hair. Aliyana comes in two forms – the Enrich series with keratin protein which is best for damaged and dry hair and the Shine series which is infused with olive oil and olive extract to give a result of shiny hair.
Watch this video on how to use Aliyana so you know when your hair dresser is not following instructions.
