GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- St. Martin's first natural hair group and hair care product line, "Don't Break the Comb," will launch at the St. Martin Book Fair on June 1, 2013, at 11 am, at the University of St. Martin, said biologist Taymer Mason.
Don't Break the Comb is the brainchild of founders Taymer Mason and Rochelle Ward (Faizah Tabasamu), both writers on the island as well.
From its Facebook and other digital media responses, it appears that the hair care products and the workshop introducing the line, are "highly anticipated," said Ward, a teacher at the St. Maarten Academy high school.
The workshop is entitled "Natural Hair Mixology: Make your own homemade hair products." "We will show attendees how to make quick, safe, easy and natural recipes to combat several hair issues like dryness and breakage," said Mason.
"The workshop is for naturals and anyone interested in using natural products in their hair care regimen. Parents of children who proudly wear their natural hair are all invited," said Mason.
The attendees will get recipe cards, an information booklet to take home, and exciting giveaways and surprises. But the special treatment won't end there. "The hair care workshop guests will get to network with each other and we hope they realize that they are not alone in taking care of their natural hair," said Mason.
Mason and Ward want their guests to leave the workshop "armed with hair care knowledge, homemade hair treatments, product samples, and even a full belly if they choose to," said Mason, who is a vegan cookbook author.
Last year Mason hosted the highly successful cooking workshop at the St. Martin Book Fair. That was followed by the tremendous turnout for her Caribbean food demo at the annual vegetarian festival in Toronto.
This year Taymer Mason is offering tasty eats along with the treatment for beautiful hair at the Friendly Island's book fair. "We will offer optional $20 VIP gourmet box lunches, so go to http://dontbreakthecomb.eventbrite.com/ and register for our free workshop and sign up for a hearty lunch," said Mason.
And talking of networking for success, "Our group was conceived because of the St. Martin Book Fair 2012, where we met for the first time, each person eyeing the other's proudly-worn natural hair," said Ward.
"Although we met at the Vegan cooking workshop where Taymer was the speaker, I eventually ended up talking about hair care, styles, and the YouTube natural hair mines. It took off then. Bit by bit we are learning about natural hair groups on other islands. It's great. Just the other day we got followers from Cameroon. Go St. Martin!" Ward said with glee.
The two beauties, who have been wearing natural hair styles for a few years, want women to feel empowered with the upcoming workshop and their other hair-related activities – such as the St. Martin Natural Hair Expo slated for later in 2013.
"For the women of St. Martin, we want to give them back themselves. We want to give them space to network and conquer fears and problems they might have about their hair and their history with it," said Ward.
Showing a new generation of women home treatments for their hair does actually have a history-based reason for the founders of Don't Break The Comb. In the Caribbean, "so much information is being lost as it pertains to natural hair care with the advent of the hot iron, relaxers and weaves. We need to salvage this information before it becomes lost forever," said Mason.
What about teamwork at the beauty works company? If Mason is the scientist, then Ward is the one dealing not only with marketing but also giving "aesthetic feedback" when Mason makes the products.
"During product development I also document recipes and get my hands messy. It is riveting to decide on final colors and the aromas of our creations," said Ward.
