- Gabrielle Union addressed comments she’s received about her two-year-old daughter’s natural hair not being “done” all the time.
- The actress said she takes care of Kaavia’s natural hair, but people shouldn’t expect things to look “picture perfect.”
- Union also revealed that she’s been wearing her natural hair around her kids to showing them how “freeing” it can be.
Like any parent, Gabrielle Union would like you to remember that her daughter is just a kid, so your opinion on her looks aren’t necessary. In an interview with Madamenoire, the then 48-year-old actress addressed those who made comments about how she cares for her two-year-old daughter Kaavia’s natural hair.
“I see comments where they’re like, ‘That child’s hair is never done,’” Union explained. “And it is done, I just don’t chase her around making sure that we document her looking super, super done every single day. You’ll see her like that on occasion.”
Union said Kaavia likes to swim every day, so even when her hair is done in the morning, she’ll end up swimming later in the day. “Kaav is going to run around here during a pandemic after swim class and it’s going to be what it is,” she said. “You’ll see her natural curls. You’ll also see that they’re going to be moisturized. That’s more of what I care about, hair health, not the style.”
“It’s not going to be picture perfect or whatever people feel that means. I’m human,” Union added.
In fact, Union’s been embracing her own natural hair after admitting that she “hated” her curls in the past, she said in an in interview with People. “It’s one thing to say, ‘Oh your hair is beautiful as it is’ while you’re getting a relaxer every six weeks,” she said. “What you say and what you’re doing don’t match.” (In case you’re not familiar, relaxer is a product that makes hair easier to straighten by chemically “relaxing” naturally tight curls.)
Union hasn’t relaxed her hair since her early 30s. Instead, she’s been “growing it out, loving my own texture, [and] loving my own curls,” to set an example for her daughter—it’s just one reason she came out with her own natural hair line, Flawless Curls by Gabrielle Union.
FLAWLESS BY GABRIELLE UNION Restoring Exotic Oil Treatment
FLAWLESS BY GABRIELLE UNION Scalp Soothing Tonic
FLAWLESS BY GABRIELLE UNION Hydrating Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner
FLAWLESS BY GABRIELLE UNION Repairing Deep Conditioning Masque
“Having your kids see you get regular hair cuts and trims, you don’t even think about how freeing that can be,” Union said. She “tries not to obsess” over Kaavia and her stepdaughter Zaya’s hair, but rather instills in them the importance of taking care of their natural hair.
“Zaya, she’s a teenager, so she has her own way of wanting to do things. She loves to color her hair,” she said. “You want to dye it? Cool. But you got to take care of it. You’ve got to moisturize it. You’ve got to comb through it all. Every day! You’ve got to wrap it up. All of these things.”
“It’s a challenge with the kids,” she added, “but it’s also giving them the freedom to just exist without having to think about their hair all the time.”
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Currently an assistant editor at Prevention.com, Nicol is a Manhattan-based journalist who specializes in health, wellness, beauty, fashion, business, and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Houston Chronicle, Business Insider, INSIDER, Everyday Health, and more. When Nicol isn't writing, she loves trying new workout classes, testing out the latest face mask, and traveling. Follow her on Instagram for the latest on health, wellness, and lifestyle.
