Natural Hair Care in Oregon

Hi Petitioners,

My name is Amber Starks and I have created this petition seeking your support for a change in regulation for Natural Hair Care in Oregon State law.  I am an African-American woman who sees a need for more natural hair care stylists and for the freedom to legally practice in Oregon for compensation only after completing a health and safety course/certification. 

Currently, the law requires all hair dresser/hair stylists to complete 1700 hours of schooling; this includes individuals practicing natural hair care (styling without the use of chemical that alter the structure of hair). However, other States such as Washington and California allow for natural hair care without a full cosmetology license and I want to encourage the State of Oregon to do the same.


I agree the requirement is necessary and beneficial for individuals seeking to alter hair with chemicals (straighteners, dyes, perms), by cutting/barbering or with heat (straightening combs, flatirons and the likes), but would suggest that it is excessive for those practicing natural styling.  Also the majority of stylists who practice natural hair care learned the skills as children, practicing on family, friends and even themselves, refining the skills into adulthood.  So I’m asking the State to make an exemption for natural hair care styling which I define as:


-Washing/Conditioning: Non-professional products (that can be purchased without a license in just about any retail or grocery store).
-Application of Temporary Hair Products: Gel, Wax, Lotion, Grease, Mousse, Oils, etc.
-General Styling: Combing, Brushing, Braiding (with or without extensions), Twisting, Dreadlocks, Ponytails, Curling (without the use of heat apparatuses)
-Accessorizing: Barrettes, Rubber bands, Ribbons, Bobby pins, Beading, Hairclips, Rollers/roller rods, Headbands, etc.


According to preliminary results of a survey distributed to licensed Oregon cosmetologists, more than 80% of them agree that general hair care (and specifically natural hair care) for those with genetically African hair is NOT taught in schools nor is there much support for those seeking to practice it. Also of the hours spent learning and practicing hair styling the majority of those surveyed acknowledged that they spent less than 10% of their time doing anything related to genetically African hair.  One of my concerns, therefore, is that many Oregon cosmetology schools won’t adequately prepare many stylists for providing anything other than straightening for clients with genetically African hair. This does not negate that some stylists do have an understanding of all hair types and can perform natural hair care.  However, there are many of us who’ve grown up learning and practicing natural hair care and HAVE over our lifetime completed more than 1700 hours of “training” which I would suggest makes us more than capable of practicing without formal schooling.


I am, however, concerned with health and safety and am requesting that the State require natural stylists to pass a safety exam and become certified, (which can be taken from the current board of cosmetology exam and shouldn’t cost the State or tax-payers anything if a fee charged) before they are allowed to practice. In this way we are protecting both the stylists and the clients served.

If the State can make exceptions for stylists who work for photographers, theater/productions companies, and demonstrators who are selling hair products (all of which are exempt from the schooling and licensing laws), isn’t it only fair to allow those practicing natural hair care to provide services to their community? 



This campaign is not only about allowing natural hair care providers to practice their skills without completing a full cosmetology certification of 1700 hours but about informing the State that many of our schools do not currently providing the necessary tools and support for natural hair care and may be inadvertently reinforcing the practice of straightening Afro-centric hair with harmful chemicals. In addition, it is about allowing individuals to use skills that have been passed down for generations as a way to promote healthy self-esteem,  empower our young, and help them to embrace their culture. Lastly, this change in regulation will allow individuals to legally use their cultural skills to support themselves and participate in the local economy.



Please join with me in asking the State of Oregon to support natural hair care.

Thank you,


Amber Starks
Amber Starks, LLC.
naturallydonepdx@gmail.com

P.S. For more about my cause please email me or read the Sightline.org article:
http://daily.sightline.org/2012/01/03/making-sustainability-legal-2011-progress-report/. For information regarding current cosmetology law please visit: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/690.html