Earlier this week, Kehlani and YG shut down the internet with news of their Compton coupledom, but her newfound relationship isn't the only major transformation that's happening in the 24-year-old singer's life these days. Along with becoming a mother to a now almost 6-month-old baby girl, Kehlani says that she's focused on becoming the best version of herself, for herself. In since-deleted tweets, Kehlani got real about how she almost let her anxiety block her bag and I can totally relate.
Despite the pressure that may be placed upon us in our personal lives, the world doesn't stop spinning on our behalf, and Kehlani learned this first hand after a very public breakup with her ex, Kyrie Irving. In 2016, the singer was hospitalized after a suicide attempt and left to pick up the pieces in from of the world. She tweeted:
"I never went outside much. I go to the studio and go home. I've dealt with 3 years of social anxiety and media related PTSD."
I can personally attest to a number of times that I almost allowed my lack of belief to block my blessing and Kehlani says that over time, the pressure of walking in her purpose almost led her to walk away from the industry for good:
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
"I've stopped my own bag and slowed myself down for years because I was literally terrified of y'all. The internet. I shaved my head and moved across the country for a year. I drew up my contracts to quit. Ya'll are not about to reduce my newfound healing and confidence to PR."
Although Kehlani is a survivor of mental illness, in previous interviews, she's made it clear that she's not a victim. Three years ago on The Cruz Show, the entertainer explained:
"I wasn't a victim, you know what I mean. I'm never a victim, I refuse to be a victim—I'm not. It was really recovering from so many things at once…on the flip side, there's not too much that can hurt me now."
Now, the singer says that she is here to reclaim her time and her career, and it's all thanks to one little person that came into the world and became the source of her inspiration.
"Birthing my daughter gave me [a] battery in my f*cking back. I have someone to go extremely hard for. To face my fears for."
The singer says you can call her what you want, but one thing you will not do is call her on some petty sh*t. According to Kehlani, she's been working through her issues one day at a time knowing that ultimate, she's the only one who can stop her from shining.
"So f*** with me, or don't… because what matters is that I finally truly f*** with me and if you can't tell than you know absolutely nothing about me and that finally has no control of my life, to God be the glory man."
Featured image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
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Now, when you go to the hair store you are inundated with all kinds of hair textures, colors, and more. That’s why it was so upsetting to read the latest report about synthetic braiding hair.
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A Feb 27 Consumer Reports article revealed that most popular synthetic hair brands that are used for braiding have dangerous chemicals such as carcinogens, lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The report stated that 10 of the brands were tested and all 10 had these chemicals. These brands included Shake-N-Go, Sassy Collection, and Sensationnel.
These chemicals include benzene, which is a carcinogen that has been linked to acute myeloid leukemia and unsafe levels of lead, which can cause kidney damage, brain damage, and cardiovascular problems in adults.
In children, it can cause brain and nervous system damage, learning disabilities, behavioral problems and even developmental delays.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing led the testing for synthetic braiding hair. “Our exposure and risk analysis found all nine products could expose a regular user of any of these products to a level of lead that could be concerning over time,” he said.
As shocking as this is, it also brought some clarity around why I’ve had issues with wearing braiding hair as of late.
Not only have I dealt with scalp irritation, I’ve even had breakouts on my back from the hair touching. Since then, I’ve started rinsing the hair with apple cider vinegar, and haven’t had that many issues. However, the report stated that ACV isn’t a “cure-all” and can potentially release harmful chemicals when rinsing the hair.
@javonford16 Replying to @Julianna Rebundle vid: @Javon Ford Beauty #blackhairstyles #braidinghair #blackgirlhairstyles @Consumer Reports
While the report sparked some outrage, chemist Javon Ford has a different view. In a TikTok video, he shared that the report was tested for oral exposure and not dermal exposure.
He showed a screenshot of an email he allegedly sent Consumer Reports questioning their decision to test this way. The email said, “the best model to use, in our view, is the ingestion model for the reasons given in the article.”
“While I understand they went with that model, I don’t agree with it because you’re not intentionally ingesting braids,” Javon said. The chemist also said that the amount of chemicals found in the brands is “conservative” compared to other types of products.
So what does this mean for us braid-wearers? If you still want to wear braids, but have some concerns, you can limit how often you wear them. Another option is wearing non-toxic braiding hair or plant-based hair. The only downside is that it's pricier than synthetic hair.
The Consumer Report also suggested checking for recalls, reading labels carefully, and reporting adverse effects. Hair isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it’s best to do your research when making purchases.
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Feature image by AzmanL/ Getty Images