I have always thought that the best friendships came with a healthy dose of envy. I have no doubt that my life would be much better if I had my friend Jennifer's lovely long legs and Heather's beautiful rosy cheeks. The fact that they are both white, so said legs and cheeks might look a bit odd on me, doesn't matter.

On a slightly more realistic note, one thing that makes me truly green is the fact that they, along with all my other white friends, can nip into a supermarket and buy a bottle of shampoo or conditioner, or maybe some make-up, at the same time as doing the weekly shop. The thought of being able to pick up a bottle of shampoo at the same time as a carton of milk astonishes me. I have to make special trips to certain chemists to stockpile hair products. The first time I found one of these chemists (actually, it was more of a cupboard in the market underneath Manchester's Arndale Centre), I was amazed. The place was full to bursting with black women carrying wire baskets, each one containing at least three or four bottles of shampoo and another three or four of conditioner. Well, the good news is supermarkets are finally beginning to realise that they've got black customers, too.

From next month, Asda plans to stock Curl Definition shampoo (from Urban Therapy), and is set to carry out trials on the Twisted Sista and Funk Soul Brother styling ranges (also from Urban Therapy), and even some of the range by that old favourite Dark and Lovely. All of these products are specifically for Afro hair.

Of the big four supermarkets, Tesco does best when it comes to stocking products for Afro hair - providing both Urban Therapy and the Black By Design ranges in certain areas. Waitrose also stocks Urban Therapy. If you think that list looks pretty small, it's worse when it comes to make-up, with only one supermarket, Waitrose, stocking Sleek, the cosmetics range for black skin. Incidentally, Sleek is currently being updated, with plans to lose its cheap and not so cheerful image. I'll keep you posted.