Baby hairs, the fine, soft hairs along the hairline, have become a staple in Black hairstyling. Laying down these wispy hairs with gel or edge control helps create a polished, sleek look. But who first popularized this technique? While it’s unclear exactly who pioneered laying down baby hairs, the practice has origins in Black hairstyling traditions going back generations.
Traditional African Hairstyling Techniques
Styling and laying down baby hairs likely emerged from traditional African hairstyles. Many styles involved intricate braiding, twisting, and wrapping of the hair close to the scalp. Attention was paid to controlling and slicking down flyaway hairs to achieve a neat finish.
Different groups across Africa developed distinct techniques for styling and adorning the hair. For instance, in traditional Maasai hairstyles in Kenya, the hair at the hairline would be sectioned and braided or twisted. Likewise, Fulani styles in Nigeria, Ghana, and other parts of West Africa involved braiding and twisting the hair at the edges.
These techniques laid the foundations for modern baby hair styling. The impulse to control flyaway hairs at the perimeter is consistent through traditional African hairstyles. So while baby hairs themselves were not necessarily a specific focus, they were integrated into elegant coiffures.
The Roots of Black Hairstyling in America
When Africans were brought to America as slaves, they brought their hair customs with them. Under the harsh conditions of slavery, elaborate African hairstyles were often not possible. But slaves still sought to maintain their hair traditions and identity through styling.
House slaves who worked closely with white families sometimes adopted smoothed, controlled hairstyles akin to their mistresses. Meanwhile, field slaves concealed tools in their thick, tightly-wrapped braids.
After emancipation, freed Black people continued inventive hairstyling traditions. Products like pomades helped achieve smooth, laid hairstyles. Black barbershops and salons became hubs of haircare and community.
As with earlier African coiffures, early Black hairstyles in America paid close attention to slick edges and perimeter styling. Baby hairs at the nape and temples would be incorporated into overall looks. So the basic techniques for controlling baby hairs carried through centuries of Black hairstyling lore.
The Rise of New Hairstyling Techniques
In the early 20th century, hair straightening and relaxing products helped Black women achieve smoother, looser hairstyles. Madame CJ Walker invented specialized hair straightening products for Black hair and became one of America’s first self-made female millionaires.
Meanwhile, barbers developed methods like the conk, which used lye and other harsh chemicals to straighten men’s naturally kinky hair. Improved hot combs and chemical straighteners let Black people adapt their hair to fit Eurocentric beauty ideals. But a countermovement also emerged embracing natural Black hair textures.
New hairstyles like the afro, braids, and cornrows became popular in the 1960s and 70s. Black hair culture was thriving. Natural hairstyles emphasized creative expression of Black identity and pride. With relaxed and natural styles, hair at the perimeter continued to be an important detail.
Baby Hairs Become a Specific Focus
By the 80s and 90s, baby hairs themselves started coming into prominence. Hip hop culture, which celebrated African American style and identity, helped highlight baby hairs as a distinct component of Black hairstyling.
Early hip hop artists like Salt-N-Pepa, Kid ‘n Play, and Will Smith wore stylized baby hairs with their looks. The soft swirl of baby hairs framed the face and completed sleek, fashion-forward styles.
Certain products like gel and pomade were applied specifically to control and direct baby hairs. It became popular to use a toothbrush to coil and sweep baby hairs into place. Stars influenced fans to mimic their signature baby hair techniques.
While baby hairs were important in Black culture long before, this era marked them moving into the mainstream spotlight. They were now deliberately integrated into unique looks, rather than just viewed as fuzzy flyaways to control.
Evolution into a Mainstream Trend
In the 2000s and beyond, baby hairs became cemented as a full-on trend. Fashion and beauty icons like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Zendaya spotlighted their own signature baby hair styles. Other stars and influencers popularized flashy laying styles like intricate swoops and curlicues.
Mainstream outlets declared baby hairs a must-have trend. They graced fashion runways and magazine covers. However, Black women who had been styling their baby hairs for decades viewed this as cultural appropriation. The trend was being rebranded, credited to other demographics.
Still, it solidified baby hair styling as part of the zeitgeist. Today slaying and laying baby hairs remains in vogue. New products continue emerging to help shape and direct baby hairs. While the roots trace far back in Black culture, baby hairs remain creative symbols of identity and style.
Key Innovators in Baby Hair Styling
While we can’t pinpoint the first person to purposefully style their baby hairs, some key figures elevated baby hairs and influenced mainstream trends:
Madame CJ Walker
Walker revolutionized Black haircare in the early 1900s with her hair straightening products and salons. Her techniques for chemically straightening kinky hair laid groundwork for modern sleek black hairstyles including straightened baby hairs.
Salt-N-Pepa
This trailblazing 80s rap duo sported stylized baby hairs framing the temples and nape. Their look epitomized the emerging baby hair trend in hip hop and fashion.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé amplified baby hairs to an artform in the 2000s. Her baby hairs became an iconic part of her brand and a blueprint for extravagant swirl designs.
| Innovator | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Madame CJ Walker | Developed hair straightening techniques integral to slicking baby hairs |
| Salt-N-Pepa | Helped pioneer baby hairs in hip hop fashion |
| Beyoncé | Set trends for elaborate baby hair designs |
The Purpose and Function of Baby Hairs
Beyond just aesthetics, baby hairs serve important purposes:
Moisture Barrier
Baby hairs help protect the hairline from drying out. Their tapered ends aren’t as prone to splitting, so they retain moisture at the perimeter.
Absorbing Oils
Baby hairs at the hairline readily absorb and distribute natural oils produced by the scalp. This nourishes nearby hair follicles.
Enhancing Sensation
The nerve endings around fine baby hairs help heighten tactile sensations. So baby hairs can enhance perception around the forehead and temples.
Touch Receptor
Baby hairs are sensitive to even subtle touch or air currents. This helps protect the face and improve spatial awareness.
Filtration
Baby hairs can catch and trap air particles like dust before they reach nostrils. This filtering protects the airways.
So baby hairs, while fine and wispy, have integral purposes. They play important functional roles as well as stylistic ones.
Baby Hair Styling Techniques
Today various techniques exist for styling, sculpting and directing baby hairs:
Gel
Gel provides control and hold for slicking down baby hairs close to the hairline. Apply to dry hair and use a toothbrush or brow brush to direct into shape.
Edge Control
These pomades grip baby hairs for a strong hold effect. They can achieve styles with more dramatic swoops and points.
Scarfing
Tying a scarf or headwrap over freshly done baby hairs helps set them in place as they dry. Silk and satin scarves prevent frizz.
Soft Bristle Brush
Gently brushing baby hairs with a soft bristle brush blends them into the hairline and achieves a natural effect.
Twisting
Rolling longer baby hairs into tight twists or coils helps them hold shape when styled.
Blow Drying
Using concentrated airflow from a blow dryer can help direct baby hairs and \”train\” them to stay put. Go for air that’s warm, not hot.
| Technique | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Gel | Slicking and holding hair in place |
| Edge control | Strong hold for sculpted swoops |
| Scarfing | Setting hair by covering while drying |
| Soft brush | Blending into hairline |
| Twisting | Pre-styling for hold |
| Blow drying | Directing hair |
Cultural Significance of Baby Hairs
For many Black women, baby hairs carry important cultural meaning:
Expression of Identity
Unique baby hair designs allow creative expression of individuality. Laid edges become signature to one’s personal brand.
Symbol of Pride
Baby hairs represent pride in the texture and versatility of black hair. Their ability to be styled in myriad ways is celebrated.
Challenge to Standards
Elaborate baby hairs defy white mainstream ideals of “neat” hair by embracing texture. This challenges Eurocentric beauty standards.
Shared Experience
Laying baby hairs becomes a common experience bonding black women across generations. Passing down techniques creates connection.
Resistance to Appropriation
As other groups adopt baby hair styling, maintaining their origin story resists cultural appropriation. Baby hairs remain inextricable from black culture.
So for many Black women, baby hairs hold personal and communal significance. Their continued prominence resists attempts to erase the origins of Black hair traditions.
Baby Hair Controversies
While widely embraced, baby hairs have also faced some controversies:
Cultural Appropriation
When white celebrities like Kim Kardashian adopt baby hair looks, it sparks accusations of cultural appropriation. The trend borrows from styles originated by black women yet erases their contribution.
Messy Look
Critics argue extremely sculpted baby hair designs appear messy or unprofessional. However, this represents entrenched bias against black hair textures.
Damage Risk
Pulling at delicate baby hairs to style them risks breakage and hairline damage. But careful technique mitigates this.
Gender Norms
Men wearing laid baby hairs confront toxic ideals of masculinity. Though as stars like Usher, Neyo and Tyga adopt the style, it gains acceptance.
Distraction in School
Some schools banned styled baby hairs for being “distracting.” But this unfairly targets black students’ self-expression.
So while a popular trend, baby hairs raise issues of cultural ties, discrimination, and more. Ongoing debate surrounds perceiving them as fashionable style versus cultural identity.
| Controversy | Issue |
|---|---|
| Cultural appropriation | Co-opting without credit to origins |
| Messy look | Bias against textured hair |
| Damage risk | Potential hair breakage if overstyled |
| Gender norms | Toxic masculinity standards |
| School bans | Targeting black students’ expression |
Conclusion
While the inventor of baby hairs may never be known, their origins are centuries-deep in Black hairstyling culture. Early African braiding patterns and American ingenuity during slavery began traditions of controlling and beautifying the hairline’s delicate fringe.
Baby hairs as a specific focus emerged out of 60s black pride, got spotlighted in hip hop, and hit the mainstream via icons like Beyoncé. Their endurance as a veritable hair trend speaks to their cultural resonance.
More than just a style, baby hairs represent the resourcefulness and creativity woven through the history of Black hair. Their visibility challenges racist notions of “acceptable” hair. So baby hairs remain an important way of celebrating identity, ancestry, and natural beauty.