Curl Spotter: Nastasia Ohl for Dazed Digital

Nastasia Ohl was recently featured on Dazed Digital in articles about designers Charles Youssef and Shao-Yen Chen.

source: Dazed Digital

source: Dazed Digital

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Men With Long Hair

source: Fabulous Buzz

You just saw Troy Polamalu and his lovely wife in the previous post. Do you think Theodora has anything to do with the care of Troy's hair? That's an insane amount of hair on a man. He works out all day every day, so you know he has to wash it everyday. Do you think he really uses Head & Shoulders on his legendary curls? Hmmm, I don't know if I believe it. I've seen his hair frizzy when he doesn't do anything to it, but then I see it when it appears to be smoothed/shingled. I wonder if he gets his hair done before every game. What do you think? I just can't see a man caring for curls of that length. Like I said, I've seen his hair frizzy before his Head & Shoulders deal and I could tell it was literally a wash and go, he is undoubtedly doing a whole lot of something extra now. Do you think it's too much hair for a man? Could you be bothered? I'll tell you what, if I was Theodora I would have a Denman surgically implanted into my palms to keep that $1,000,000 hair on point at all times, but if his hair wasn't his money maker, mmm... homie might be own his own with all o' that.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MEN WITH LONG HAIR?
	I love it and I'd be happy to do his hair whenever
	I like it, but I have my own to worry about
	I'm not a fan
	I'm not sure

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS.

Curl Spotter: The Polamalus and TroysHair.com

Always been of fan of Troy Polamalu (#43 Strong Safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers) and his hair. I knew that he had an endorsement deal with Head & Shoulders. I even knew about the million-dollar insurance policy from Lloyd's of London for Polamalu's hair, but I didn't know their was entire website dedicated to his hair? Have you visited TroysHair.com? They are giving away free samples from their Hair Endurance line. The line claims to give you fuller, thicker looking hair after only one week of use.

The site is obviously targeting men and I found this paragraph about over-conditioning to be interesting:

Look, just because your woman is nagging you about conditioning doesn’t mean the fancy stuff in the pink bottle is the answer. Too much conditioner (like, for a girl) takes down a thick look faster than a blindside sack. Hair Endurance has balanced conditioning and moisturizing love, tailored specifically for a man, so you won’t smell like honeysuckle and lavender either.

source: Troy's Hair

His wife, Theodora Polamalu, is also a Curly Girl. Here they are with one of their two sons. Theodora just gave birth to their second son a few days ago. How cute are they?

source: Baller Wives

101 Best Products for Curly Hair

I used last years list and conducted over 100 short interviews over the past few months to come up with this list. It features Mane and Chic reader picks for your favorite products of 2010. Please feel free to send me a list of your favorite products, products you can't live without and products you think other women need to know about. Disclaimer: Mane & Chic doesn't necessarily agree/disagree with any of the products on this list. (*) indicate a product was popular, multiple stars indicate even more popularity.

Cleansers
ALBERTO V05 KIWI LIME SQUEEZE CLARIFYING SHAMPOO

ALTERNA CAVIER SHAMPOO

APHOGEE SHAMPOO FOR DAMAGED HAIR

AVEDA BLACK MALVA SHAMPOO

DEVACURL NO POO

JESSICURL HAIR CLEANSING CREAM

JOHNSON & JOHNSON BABY SHAMPOO

KERASTASE BAIN DE FORCE

KINKY CURLY COME CLEAN

MATRIX BIOLAGE COLOR CARE SHAMPOO

NEUTROGENA ANTI-RESIDUE SHAMPOO

PAUL MITCHELL TEA TREE LINE

SUAVE DAILY CLEANSING SHAMPOO

VICTORIA'S SECRET SO SEXY SHAMPOO

WEN CLEANSING CONDITIONER

Conditioners
ALTERNA CAVIER CONDITIONER

AUBREY ORGANICS WHITE CAMELLIA CONDITIONER

AUSSIE 3 MINUTE MIRACLE DEEEEEP

AUSSIE MOIST CONDITIONER*

BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY CONDITIONER

BUMBLE&BUMBLE SUPER RICH CONDITIONER

FREDERIC FEKKAI PROTEIN RX ANTI-BREAKAGE TREATMENT MASK

GARNIER FORTIFYING DEEP CONDITIONER 3 MINUTE MASQUE

JOICO K-PAK DEEP PENETRATING RECONSTRUCTOR

JOICO K-PAK INTENSE HYDRATOR

KERASTASE CIMENT THERMIQUE

KERASTASE MASQUINTENSE

KERASTASE OLEO-RELAX SERUM

L'OREAL NATURE'S THERAPY MEGA MOISTURE HAIR TREATMENT

MATRIX BIOLAGE CONDITIONING BALM

MIZANI'S MOISTUREFUSION SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

MORROCAN OIL TREATMENT

NEUTROGENA TRIPLE MOISTURE DEEP RECOVERY HAIR MASK

NEXXUS EMERGENCEE STRENGTHENING POLYMERIC RECONSTRUCTOR

OJON TUNU ELASTIK HAIR TAMER

ORGANIX COCONUT CONDITIONER

ORGANIX POMERGRANATE GREEN TEA

ORGANIX WHITE TEA GRAPESEED

PANTENE PRO-V RESTORATIVES TIME RENEWAL REPLENISHING MASK

PUREOLOGY HYDRATE CONDITIONER

QHEMET COCOA DETANGLING GHEE

QHEMET'S AMLA & OLIVE HEAVY CREAM

SUAVE TROPICAL COCONUT

WHOLE FOODS LAVENDER CONDITIONER

Leave-Ins
ALOE VERA JUICE

APHOGEE TEA TREE LEAVE IN CONDITIONER

CAROL'S DAUGHTER HAIR MILK

JANE CARTER SOLUTION'S REVITALIZING LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

KAREN'S BODY BEAUTIFUL EGYPTIAN MUSK HAIR MILK

KINKY CURLY KNOT TODAY***

MOTIONS LEAVE IN CONDITIONING SPRAY

OYIN HANDMADE'S GREG JUICE

TALIAH WAAJID PROTECTIVE MIST BODIFIER

Oils and Butters
CASTOR OIL*
COCONUT OIL ******
HAIRVEDA'S VATIKA COCONUT FROSTING
JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL
JANE CARTER SOLUTIONS NOURISH AND SHINE
OLIVE OIL**
SHEA BUTTER *****

Treatments
APHOGEE RECONSTRUCTOR
CAROL'S DAUGHTER TUI HAIR SMOOTHIE
CASSIA OBOVATA
GARNIER FRUCTIS 3-MINUTE UNDO
KAREN'S BODY BEAUTIFUL LUSCIOUS LOCKS MOISTURIZING HAIR MASK
REDKEN REAL CONTROL HAIR MASK*

Gels
ECO STYLER GEL
KINKY CURLY CURLING CUSTARD ***
ALOE VERA GEL**

Styling Aids

BEYOND THE ZONE NOODLE HEAD

CHI SILK INFUSION

GARNIER FRUCTIS SLEEK AND SHINE SERUM

MISS JESSIE'S BABY BUTTERCREME******

MISS JESSIE'S QUICK CURLS

MISS JESSIE'S STRETCH SILKENING CREME

MOROCCAN INTENSE CURL CREAM

You Missed Out: Twitter Yard Sale

If you're not following me on Twitter, you missed out on the Twitter Yard Sale. Not to worry. I have more stuff coming soon, but you won't know unless you're following Mane and Chic on Twitter.

Twitter.com/maneandchic

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Luxe Splurge: Mark Davis Luna Hair Bauble

Where I'm from, we called these ponytail holders 'balls', but 'bauble' sounds much chicer. Designed by Mark Davis, it is a burgundy marbled vintage bakelite hair bauble with 1.80ct rhodolite and .24ct spessartite set into 18k yellow gold. Can you guess how much it is? Take a guess and then click the image to find out the price. When you're done be sure to leave a comment. Were you way off?

Curly Kinky Haired Barbies

I found these really cute Barbies with natural looking hair. I think this is something little girls should see. Click here to see the Angelic Dreamz Black Barbie Collection.

Originally posted 5/24/08

6 Reasons to Eat In Season

1. Freshness - Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually harvested the same day as they are purchased. Produce from across the country can’t be that fresh.
2. Taste - Produce picked and eaten at the height of freshness has more flavor. Taste the difference.
3. Nutrition - Fresh, fully ripe produce contains more nutrients than food that is past its peak of freshness or was harvested before it ripened fully.
4. Variety - Farmers selling locally are not limited to the few varieties that are bred for long distance shipping, high yields, and shelf life. Often they raise and sell wonderful unusual varieties you will never find on supermarket shelves.
5. Environment - The environmental impacts of growing and shipping produce, sometimes halfway around the world, are enormous.
6. Local Health - Buying seasonal produce from your farmers’ market or from neighborhood farms supports your local economy, increasing the local quality of life for everyone.

Eat In Season: Fall Fruit and Vegetables

Ladies, today is the first day of fall 2010. Are you eating in season? Here are a few fruit and vegetables that are at their best during fall.

Apples, Bananas, Clementines, Cranberries, Grapes, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Kumquat, Oranges, Pears, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Quinces, Satsuma, Mandarin, Oranges, Tangerines, Avocados, Beans, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery Root (Celeriac), Chestnuts, Collards, Garlic, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Parsnips, Pumpkin, Rutabaga, Salsify, Snow Peas, Spinach, Squash (Winter), Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Watercress.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON EACH AT FOODFIT.COM.

Chic Shoes: BCBG MAX AZRIA F/W 2010

source: BCBG

Honeyquat Is The New Glycerin

In my constant quest to find healthier, more natural options in my hair care regimen, I ran across info and raves about the ingredient honeyquat (Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey).

Made from natural honey, Honeyquat is an excellent humectant, binding environmental moisture to itself, thereby increasing the moisturization of skin and hair. Moisture uptake studies show that Honeyquat has twice the moisturizing ability of glycerin. It has the ability to soften and plasticize the skin by adding critical moisture. On hair, it leaves a clean, conditioned feeling, enhancing shine and luster due to its smoothing properties, especially on damaged hair. Honeyquat will help to improve wet-combability of the hair and reduce and eliminate static buildup. -soapdish.com

You can purchase honeyquat from lotioncrafters.com to make your own moisturizer, or when you're looking to buy a new moisturizer be on the lookout for this awesome ingredient.
Products that contain Honeyquat (Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey) and their hazard scores according to the cosmetic safety database (0-2 low hazard; 3-6 moderate hazard; 7-10 high hazard)

1. modern organic products d-curl straightening balm styling gel/lotion 2
2. Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo shampoo 2
3. modern organic products leave-in conditioner conditioner 3
4. uhaircare Irish Moss Everyday Cleanser shampoo 3
5. uhaircare Irish Moss Everyday Conditioner conditioner 3
6. Dark & Lovely Hair Color Shampoo Moisture Replenish shampoo 4
7. Dark & Lovely Hair Color, Moisture Seal Deep Conditioner conditioner 4
8. Dark & Lovely Moisture Seal Deep Conditioner conditioner 4
9. Bumble and Bumble Bb. Does It All Styling Spray hair spray 4
10. Aura Cacia Amplifying Foam Volumizing Mousse for Fullness & Control styling mousse/foam 4
11. Aura Cacia Reviving Protein Foam Fortifying Boost for Stressed, Limp Hair styling gel/lotion 4
12. Samy Colorcare Conditioner conditioner 5
13. Modern Organic Products Conditioner for Fine Hair, lemongrass conditioner 5
14. Bumble and Bumble Holding Spray hair spray 5
15. Nioxin Bionutrient Actives Cleanser, for Normal Hair shampoo 5
16. Aura Cacia Color Extending Shampoo shampoo 5
17. Aura Cacia Color Retaining Conditioner conditioner 5
18. Aura Cacia Moisture Restoring Conditioner conditioner 5
19. Aura Cacia Rich Moisturizing Shampoo shampoo 5
20. Rusk Sensories Shampoo, Smoother shampoo 6

originally posted 5/27/08

Braided Mohawks

Konstantina Mittas shows for Australian Fashion Week (vintage: Spring/Summer 2008/09 Collections on April 30, 2008 in Sydney, Australia). I thought these were very innovative. It just looks like the hair was brushed into a bun, a braid was added, formed into a bun, the braid was then formed into the Mohawk, pinned down, and then looped towards the back. You will need a really long braid maybe 2 or 3 and lots of bobby pins. Do you dare to try it?

The Perfect Meetup

I always wanted to do an online focus group. I'm always curious to hear your opinions. This week I posted a topic on Mane and Chic's Facebook Fan Page: "The Perfect Meetup". I'd love to hear your  thoughts on your ideas for the perfect meetup.

A few of my ideas:

• Lots of people, the more the merrier 50-100
• Free cocktails
• Really good food! Girly and fun finger foods, tapas and candy
• Gift bags for everyone
• Big prize(s) awarded by random drawing
• Comfortable seating
• Celebs and speakers to do Q & A sessions
• Stylists to demo easy hair styles
• Lots of ice breakers
• Good music
• Lots of Dancing
• Photo Booth to take silly pictures
• Free mani/pedis with spa massage chairs!
• Free steam treatments
• Free scalp massages
• Free makeup lessons
• Local shops selling their wares
• No straight men, sorry leave the husbands and BFs at home
• Dress to impress dress code
• "Biggest Hair" contest and various other contests: "Best Color" "Best Curl Definition" "Best Style", etc.
• Innovative seating: large bed-like seating, big comfy sofas or circular arrangements

What are your ideas? Leave them in the comments here or visit the Mane and Chic Discussion Board on FaceBook.

Curl Spotter: Myriam Averlant for Glamour (France) No.78

The September 2010 issue of Glamour France focused on fashion idols. One of them was Prince and his "Glam Funk" and Myriam Averlant was the model for the spread.

source: Glamour France via New Madison

source: Glamour France via New Madison

source: Glamour France via New Madison

Curl Spotter: Little Curls for Guess Kids

Reader submitted.

source: Guess Kids

Hair Reflections: Coffee For Hair

I wrote this post back in May 2008.
I got this weird urge to use coffee in my hair. I am not a coffee drinker, but I use a coffee body scrub and I wondered what it would do for my hair. Well, I did some online research and I found many interesting things I thought I'd share with you.

• can be used as a rinse to cover gray
• can be the cure for male pattern baldness by inhibiting DHT applied topically
  
• can be used with yogurt as a conditioner
• can be used with eggs as a conditioner
• caffeine actually stimulates the growth of tiny follicles in the scalp in men who are starting to lose their hair
• Alpecin, a UK based products claims it's caffeine based product actually extends the hair shaft's growth phase longer genetically predisposed
• remove odors (cool if you are using smelly ayurvedic herbs)
  
• adds sheen to hair
• caffeine was proven to increase hair growth in a study

I'm into trying anything especially if it's natural. I think this would be a good pick me up with a morning shower. I think it might be a good look for my hair regimen too.


UPDATE
For my experiment I used brewed coffee. I don't do this anymore. I remember it was incredibly messy and my hair was unusually frizzy. I might experiment with this in the future, but I haven't been into mixing stuff lately. Apparently there are caffeine powders, coffee oils and coffee butters. It's all very interesting. If you're info caffeine and coffee mixing for your hair, please share your experience in the comments.

Ladies in Greenville, North Carolina

Ladies, if you're going to be in or around the Greenville, North Carolina area on Saturday, September 25, you should check out the Hibachi, Drinks, and Hairtalk meetup. Join Meetup.com to find out more info and to RSVP.

Curls to Know: Jenny Bapst Boussaert

Source: JennyBapst.com

Jenny is a fashion model that was accepted to La Sorbonne. She is signed to New York Models. She is also a singer and her music is really good. Check our her website JennyBapst.com.

She and her voluminous curls were recently featured on Altamira. Here's the image.

source: AltaMiraNYC

Ladies in the DMV Area

Ladies, if you're going to be in or around the Vienna, Virginia area on Saturday, September 25, you should check out the Let's Do Some Hair Meetup. Join Meetup.com to find out more info and to RSVP.

Help Me To Help You: Blog Navigation

Ladies,

There's nothing that aggravates me more than a blog or website that's hard to navigate. It is incredibly annoying, right? I know you know what I'm talking about. I hope this blog isn't like that for you because I try really hard to make everything easy to find. If you are having a hard time with anything on the blog, I'd like to fix it. Is there anything that you would like easier access to? Is there a topic or series of posts that you'd like to see in the top navigation bar? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

UPDATE
I was stubborn at first because I really wanted to make the sidebar navigation work, but then I decided to listen to your requests and put the navigation bar at the top of the page again.

Also, to make your viewing experience a little more visually pleasing, I've added a "Must Reads This Week" section where you can see my favorite posts of the week.

I'D BE THRILLED TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS,

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FEEDBACK IN THE COMMENTS.

Red Carpet Redux: Solange

1. Top 2. Satin Belt 3. Shoulder Bag 4. Skirt 5. Multistrand Necklace
6. Cream Matte Lipstick 7. Smudge Stick 8. Platform Pumps

Last week Solange attended a RocaWear/GQ party and this is what she rocked. It was a little boring for my taste, so here's the redux. Using her outfit as inspiration, but took it up a notch. The pairing of the flowy skirt with an oversized belted tunic was good, the platforms were good and the matte lip paired with the cat eye — loved. The multi-strand statement necklace was also great. You can recreate this look with some stuff you already have or you can cop a few new things. A top like Solange's and the one shown above will work with anything. First, it's black and duh, black goes with everything. You can also dress it up or dress it down with accessories and different bottoms.

LUXE SPLURGE: SWAROVSKI & SILK

Take your protective styling to a whole new level of chic with these handmade 100% Silk Charmeuse L. Erickson Headbands for $172 a pop. Go chic or GO HOME!

Like Mane and Chic?

If you haven't already, be sure to become a fan of Mane and Chic on Facebook, by visiting www.facebook.com/maneandchicfans. If you don't like feed readers, e-mailed posts or ads, this is a great way to get up to the minute daily updates on the blog whenever you check your FaceBook. You can also add pictures of your hair and discuss hair and fashion topics on the Discussion Board.

One of my goals for 2010 is to have 5000 Facebook Fans for Mane and Chic and it can happen with your help. Spread the word by suggesting the Fan Page to all of your curly, transitioning and highly textured homegirls. The more people that read the blog, the more people I can inspire and the more I can do with my vision for Mane and Chic.

Meetup: Natural Styling 101

If you're in or around the Carson, California area on Sunday, September 26, you should check out the Natural Styling 101 meetup. Join Meetup.com and RSVP.

Trimming

I used to go to a hairstylist every 6-8 weeks to get my hair trimmed until I found out if I took better care of my ends, I could avoid getting trims for as long as I wanted.

How to avoid getting trims?

• Stay away from scissor happy stylist.
• Avoid using direct heat as much as possible.
• Wear protective styles to protect ends from the sun, environment, wind and from rubbing against your clothes.
• Keep your ends moisturized.
• Wear satin/silk scarfs or baggies at night to protect your hair from rubbing against bedding even if you use satin/silk pillowcases.
• Employ the Search and Destroy Method, but learn the dos and don'ts of cutting and always use high quality professional shears.

Your ends are the most fragile part of your hair because they are the oldest, if you want to grow long healthy hair, your ends must be a top priority.

In my opinion trimming is a personal preference. If you like super sleek clean ends, get a trim every 6-8 weeks. I don't care if my ends aren't perfectly even since I wear my hair curly 99% of the time and it's not evident. I have not had my hair trimmed since April 2009 (that's well over a year). I probably won't trim until January 2011, but I regularly "Search and Destroy" to rid my hair of weathered ends.

Make Your Own Hair Growth Chart

Back in May 2008 I posted this step-by-step animation and instruction on how to make a growth chart made from a tape measure and ribbon. If you're an avid reader then you know this is my main method for measuring my hair. You can see from the images that my hair was near the 5" mark. Now, it's somewhere near 13". (I'm not sure, we will find out on October 4, 2010). Honestly if I didn't have this method of measuring my hair, I wouldn't really know if my hair was growing or not and I probably would have given up and cut it a long time ago. It may be a little obsessive for some people who don't care about length, but for people who like to visualize there goals, this is a game changer. My goal now is about 15" and that would put me at waist length when my hair is straight, but it will probably only be a little past my shoulder blades in a natural state.

We all are different; I have a really long back. What's waist length on me might be hip length on you. Make your own custom growth chart using my technique to chart your future hair.

1. Get a tape measure, they usually have holes at the top.
2. Thread a ribbon through the hole of tape measure.
3. Tie ribbon around your neck (if your hair is shorter... go higher up to tie the ribbon... wrap around your ears/face).
4. Make sure the tape measure is running vertically straight down your spine.
5. Tie another ribbon around waist to keep it straight.
6. Have someone photograph your back.
7. Upload photo to your computer.
8. Print it out and track your hair goals using the assumption that your hair will grow 1/2" per month.

Now you can see how many inches you have to go to reach your length goals!

Storing Rollers

There are a couple of things you need to think about when storing rollers.

1. Will you hide them in a closet or cabinet?
2. Would you prefer to have them out in the open for easy access?
3. How many different types of rollers do you have?
4. How much space will each type of roller require?

It will be easy for you to find cheap solutions no matter what your personal storage needs are.

If you are planning to hide the rollers in a cabinet or closet, you can buy cheap plastic boxes from a discount store. If you have a store like Family Dollar or Dollar General in your area, you can typically find plastic shoe boxes for about $1. Stores like Wal-Mart and Target will have these boxes too, but you will pay twice as much. You can buy a box for each type of roller. What's great about these boxes is that they are translucent and stackable, making it easier to grab the rollers whenever you're ready for them. There are high-end versions of these boxes like the ones below, but if they are going to be hidden, there's really no need to spend the extra money, princess. This is one way I store rollers that I don't use on a regular basis. Once you have the box, you can tuck them away in your closet, under your bed, in your linen closet or wherever you want to put them.

Now, for rollers you use daily or on a weekly basis, you want to have easy access. You might even want the storage box to be pretty to look at if you're going to leave it out on your dresser or bathroom cabinet. For that, I recommend a trip to Marshalls or TJMaxx. They always have super cute fabric boxes. If you're lucky, you can find the ones with a see through window. I have a zebra print print one that I scored from Marshalls that I store my flexi rods in. I paid $12.99 for the one I have, but they can range depending on the size. You can also find solid colored boxes at Office Depot, The Container Store, Crate and Barrel, etc.

Boxes with lids are my preferred method of storage, but you might consider a rolling trolley. They are sold at Sally Beauty. You typically see them in beauty salons. You can also find cheaper versions at discount stores: stackable rolling drawers.

The options are limitless, it really depends on what you're looking for.

Curl Spotter: Sabina Karlsson for Madison Plus

One of our favorite models in the naturally curly world, Sabina Karlsson has signed to Ford Model's plus size division. Check out the entire spread for Madison Plus (a plus size fashion blog).

source: Madison Plus

source: Madison Plus

source: Madison Plus

source: Madison Plus

source: Madison Plus

You can also watch Sabina in the video below as she talks about her struggle with weight and her new opportunities as a plus size model.

Ashley Graham Interviews Sabina and Alyona from Ford+ Models from Madison Plus on Vimeo.

She's one of my favorites and I'm glad to see her back in the modeling world. Hopefully we get to see a lot more of her.

Chic Shoes: Aldo F/W 2010

1 Norkus, 2 Sandidge, 3 Rocray, 4 Tyms, 5 Grocott, 6 Crankshaw, 

7 Merckling, 8 Mcdade, 9 Bursley, 10 Lampros, 11 Calcagni

Hair Reflections, Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner

In May 2008, I wrote this post about Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner before I tried it.

I've actually heard people having much success with Aubrey Organics and I've passed it up quite a few times in Whole Foods. I'm thinking I may have to pick this up next time I see it.


The Promise
For Dry, Brittle Hair
The sweet smell of success for your hair. Trade those dry, thirsty tresses for vibrant, touchable, soft hair with this moisture-intensive conditioner. Restorative herbal emollients detangle and rehydrate to leave hair ultra-silky and irresistibly fragrant. Also recommended for bleached or highlighted hair.
Detangles and smooths for ultra-soft, shiny, touchable hair.


FEATURES BENEFITS:

• Organic Shea Butter & Rosa Mosqueta® Oil
  Deep-condition & protect; soften hair texture
• Organic Aloe
  Replenishes moisture
• Honeysuckle Oil
  Adds a soft, floral scent

Not tested on animals. Biodegradable. Recyclable Container.
Made in USA


Ingredients

---

Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Aloe Vera (Organic), Shea Butter (Organic), Wheat Germ Oil, Jojoba Oil (Organic), Rosa Mosqueta (Organic), Rose Hip Seed Oil, Extract of Fennel, Hops, Balm Mint, Mistletoe, Camomile, Yarrow, Chrysanthemum, Angelica, Forsythia, Honeysuckle Oil, Carrot Oil, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamin A, C, E)

UPDATE
I tried it and loved it. It became one of my staple deep conditioners. I've been out of stock for awhile because I've been using Giovanni conditioners, but I definitely will repurchase this in the future. I actually prefer the Rosemary Peppermint version of this conditioner that is only sold at Whole Foods, but this one works just the same. I just love the tingle of the peppermint. The only negative about this product is the packaging: I think it should be sold in a jar. The product is so rich and thick that's it's hard to get it out of the bottle. It's kind of expensive too, so I want to get every last bit of it. I have been known to take a small table saw or scissors and cut the bottle open, sometimes 1/4 of the product is stuck in the bottom and sides of the bottle. Is that a little extreme? Maybe, but I'm not into wasting money. No ma'am. I use about 1/2 the bottle whenever I use it. Is that too much? Maybe, but I'm a conditioner addict.

Setting Techniques: Smoothing Explained

Smoothing is not rocket science. It's basically running your fingers down a section of hair a few times until it feels smooth. You put a section of hair between your fingers, using your fingers like a flat iron, you simply smooth your fingers down the hair until you've reached your desired level of smoothness. Now, you definitely want to have some tension in your fingers, but you don't want it to be too much because you could pull your hair out. Miss Jessie's has a YouTube video entitiled "Shingling 101 Demo" and smoothing is essentially the same thing. Skip to minute 2:14 of the video to see the smoothing technique. They use a fine tooth comb, but you don't have to. I use a Denman before I smooth my curls (sometimes). Richeau also has a video on shingling and if you skip to minute 8:12, you can see the smoothing action she's using.

Just like the videos, you can put hair between your four fingers and thumb OR you can put the hair between your index finger and middle finger. It really doesn't matter. I tend to use a combination of both. I don't know how I know when to switch, it's all very intuitive and organic. You'll figure it out when you're doing it. You'll see in the videos above that the women switch up the use of their whole hand versus just fingers too. It's not complicated at all and you don't need to make it complicated by over thinking it. So if this paragraph confuses you, completely ignore it and just pay attention to the fingers in the videos above. You'll get it immediately.

The only difference between the Mane and Chic smoothing technique and the videos I mention above are that I do not use a fine tooth comb. I use a Denman to clump the curls and then I follow with the smoothing action using tension and my fingers. For my hair, using the Denman in conjunction with smoothing with my fingers gives me optimal results. Also, I tend to use larger sections when smoothing as oppose to shingling so it moves much quicker. Essentially, smoothing is like the shortcut to shingling, but it's something we need to be doing before we set our hair. If our hair is wet, we need to be smoothing it before we do anything else. Okay, that's just my opinion, but I can tell you smoothing was a game changer for me. This is when I realized that I could control my hair and make it do what I wanted it to do. Now, you can get very precise and separate over 20+ sections of hair or you can quickly smooth over 4 or 5 sections. It depends on what you're doing and your desired outcome. Everybody's hair is different and I can't say what will work best for you. Experiment!


I also use smoothing techniques when I am re-moisturizing and re-setting my hair at night. It sounds like a lot to do, but I literally spend less than 10 minutes per day on my hair. Once you get the hang of it, you'll speed through it. The best part about smoothing is that if you stay on top of it and do it regularly, you can save a lot of time detangling. It is one of those things that should become second nature.

READ OTHER POSTS ON SMOOTHING
31 Curly Hair Tips: Tip 7 Smoothing
How To Use a Denman and Clumping

FAQ: Shingling

Shingling 101

Hair Reflections, Au Revoir Joan Clayton ;:o(

source: The CW

I wrote this post back in February of 2008 when I found out Girlfriends was cancelled.

I am really going to miss seeing Tracee's hair every week on Girlfriends. There's always syndication, but it's not the same. If you don't know by now "Girlfriends" has been canceled. To be quite honest, I wasn't really feeling it after Toni left.

How I Feel Now
I was excited to hear that Ms. Ross was co-producing a new BET sitcom entitiled "Reed Between the Lines". It was actually supposed to start filming in August 2010, but I haven't heard any news. Have you?

Hair Reflections, Carrot Juice

Winter 2007, I was obsessed with Carrot Juice. Here's what I posted.

I'm adding organic carrot juice to my diet. I started today with Bolthouse Carrot Juice. It was yummy. I plan on doing fun stuff like mixing other juices with it. I did some research about Carrot juice and decided it would be an awesome addition to my diet. Carrots give you natural energy. It's a root vegetable so it's packed with minerals. Carrots are an awesome source of vitamin A, vitamin C, B complex, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium. Your skin may have a yellow tint to it, but it's harmless. Your skin will become softer and some say it has the power to make your hair grow. I'll be drinking one 4oz. glass per day. I've been doing this since September and let me tell you, it does make a big difference. I notice it mostly with my face. I skipped a week and I broke out, but the next day I went back to my 4oz. of carrot juice and it was gone. If you have issues with acne, this is amazing! Don't sleep on carrot juice!

UPDATE
I can't remember the last time I had carrot juice. This is something I definitely don't do anymore. It's one of those things I did for a few months and lost interest. I remember being excited about it and that it made changes in my skin but I can't remember the specifics. A reader warned me that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered a recall of Bolthouse Farms "100 per cent Carrot Juice" and other Bolthouse Farms products because of several cases of botulism, but after researching it I found out that the recall happened well before I started drinking the product and that was deemed to be safe by The US Food and Drug Administration. When I'm in the mood, I might figure out a clever way to use carrots in my daily smoothies.

Red Carpet Redux: Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross at Essence's Fierce & Fabulous event.
1. Matthew Williamson Pleated Silk-C Dress 2. MAC Digi-Dazzle Lipstick 3. Platform Pump in Animal Print

Fall Concert Gear

Fur Vest. J'Adore Kinks Tee. Knuckle Ring. Tights. Leather Shorts. Fur Bootie. Platform Boots.

Bun O' The Week: The Mya Bun

I posted this back in September of 2007, but it's still as fly today as it was three years ago.

source: WireImage

Hello! Buns can be sexy! Here's what COSMO said about women that wear buns, "Chances are, you crave glamour in the boudoir. Bun girls really enjoy male attention. The neck is the most sexual part of a woman's body, so exposing it is a subconscious way of flirting and showing you're available".

source: WireImage

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT COSMO'S THEORY?

DO YOU THINK YOU ROCK BUNS TO FLIRT SUBSONCIOUSLY?

Chic Shoes: Pour La Victoire

source: Pour La Victoire

Curl Spotter: Solange for FASHIZBLACK Magazine

You're probably seeing this everywhere, right? Well, here it is again. Solange did a spread for FASHIZBLACK Magazine. Here's my favorite shot. You can see the rest on their website.

Chic Shoes: Nina Ricci F/W 2010

source: Nina Ricci