Get To The Why

Have you ever gotten to the deepest meaning for any of your goals? If growing your hair long is your goal, why do you want that? Because you like the way it looks? Couldn't you just get a weave? Yes, but you want it to be growing out of your scalp, you want it to be yours? Do you do it because you want a man to be able to run his fingers through your hair? Why? Do you do it so other women can envy you? Why? Do you do it for yourself so that you can feel like you've accomplished something difficult to do? Do you like the challenge? Do you know the deeper meanings of your goals?

Single ladies that are marriage-minded, why do you want to get married? So you can have a two income household? Couldn't you get a roommate? No, you want someone to love on. Maybe you want to be loved. Couldn't you get that from friends and family. Or maybe you want stability and security. Can you find that in yourself? Have you tried?

Maybe you want lots of money? Why? To buy nice things? Why? Because they make you feel good and make you happy. Couldn't you find other people/things that don't require money to make you happy. Or maybe you're in debt and you want to pay it off, but why? So you can be free?

Have you ever just considered, really... just why? In finding your why, you might come to find that the thing you want so desperately is not what you want at all or maybe there are alternatives or perhaps it will increase your passion to reach a certain goal when you know the true meaning of your desires. Perhaps when you're clear on what it is that you really want, the steps will be clearer on how to get it. Or even better, maybe you realize that you already have exactly what you want.

It's great to have goals, but challenge yourself to ask why.

Why? Because I've seen it make drastic changes in my life. My life has been more efficient and more focused since I discovered my why. I don't have all of the answers, but there are specific areas I focus on at any given time. I think it would help you too. If big goals are too intense for you to question, start with something small and watch it work for you.

How Much Am I? Bianca by Christian Louboutin

This may be a no brainer for some of you, or shocking for some. How much do you think these shoes are? Take the poll and don't cheat, you'll ruin the fun. Once you're done with the poll, you can click the shoe to find the price. Happy Guessing!

Every Second Counts

Every second is a decision, a decision to move close to your dreams. Every day you make small decisions that effects your present and your future. Every little thought you have is an opportunity to move closer to your dreams. Everything starts with a thought or an idea. Are your thoughts conducive to fulfilling your goals? Are you taking small steps each day, each hour, each minute, each second to move closer to your goal?

Remember that a long journey begins with small steps. Sometimes you will have enough faith to leap, but sometimes you can't take the leap until you've taken the small steps.

Let's use hair as a metaphor. You want to grow your hair to waist length, but you're shoulder length now. Every little decision you make will determine whether you reach your goal. Deciding to sleep on satin or silk every night, taking the time to detangle and deep conditioning every week are steps towards your goal. You just have to do the little things.

Why am I telling you this? When I first started this blog, the tagline was 'inspiration for the kinky, curly and chic". I'm trying to inspire you. It's so humbling and touching whenever I get an e-mail from someone telling me that Mane and Chic changed their lives. If just talking about hair and wardrobe building can do that then I feel obligated to share what I know about setting goals and some other life changing stuff.

Curly Clip-Ins

I want to make curly clip-in hair extensions that match my hair texture. Why? Because I think it would be fun to try. How are you going to do that? I'm going to buy some wig clips and high quality curly hair. They don't really make clip-ins for curly-kinky hair. There are loads of YouTube tutorials on how to sew and use clip-ins but I always see it on bone straight hair. It may be out there somewhere but I haven't found it. It just would be cool to maybe add hair with highlights. I'd probably experiment with how natural I could make my braid outs look when blended with the clip-ins.

Your Hairstyle Repertoire

In a month, how many hairstyles do you currently have in rotation? Do you change your hair for everyday or the week or do you just have a couple of go to styles?

Realistically, how many styles would you like to have?

Please participate in the poll.

Girl Next Door Vs Model

Would you be more likely to read a magazine that featured models/celebs or girl next door types? Would you be more interested in an in-depth interview with Tracee Ellis Ross, Sabina Karlsson (or another curly/kinky hair idol) over a girl that's not famous, but with your idea of perfect hair?

You can't have both, you have to choose one.

How Into Fashion Are You?

Do you live for designer clothes. Do you like being exposed to designer clothes even though you wouldn't dare spend the exorbitant amounts of money? Do you like looking as designer clothes and coming up with your own interpretation? Or are you more of an out of sight out of mind girl': if you don't see it, you can't torture yourself lusting after it? Or maybe you're just not into fashion at all?  

Participate in the poll.

Red Hair Dark Skin

source: Kandi Burruss for Essence

A couple of readers have been inspired by Rihanna's red hair, but wanted to know if a bold red color would work on darker skin tones.

Dark skin looks great with all hair colors. The shade of red you choose should reflect your personality. Red is an edgy color to use on dark skin, but if you want to stand out from the crowd, go for it. Above you see Kandi Burruss' red hair. She looks edgy, but polished.

You'll remember Kelly Rowland did red a few years ago. She did some chunking with black. It was a bold move. Fantasia did it too. Her's was a brighter red, think Ronald McDonald. She also played with a deeper red. Of course the incomparable Chaka Khan, red is her signature hair color as of late.

If you're conservative, you might choose a subtle more natural looking red. You should look at swatches with a hair stylist and perhaps go to a store that sells hair and play with the different shades against your skin tone. Before you make a commitment to color, it might be a good idea for you to use hair augmentations to test drive a color or you might actually just want to wear hair augmentations to avoid coloring your hair altogether. Chemically dying your hair is very risky. If you're looking for a change, temporary hair pieces are a healthier option. Just be sure that you're taking care of your hair underneath and that you're avoiding too-tight-braiding practices.

Kelis may be a little darker than Rihanna. You can see the red working for her skin tone and curly hair.
source: bvhairtalk

Go Black Naturally

I love jet black hair, but I am allergic to black dye. I've been searching and researching ways to get black hair and I stumbled across a recipe in one of my favorite books, The Herbal Home Spa.

The recipe consists of combining equal parts dried indigo, dried lavender, dried black malva flowers and boiling water. Basically you'd grind all the dry ingredients into a powder and then add the boiling water until the consistency is a thick paste. You want to make sure to use a glass or porcelin bowl because metal will affect the color. Next, cleanse and rinse your hair, apply the mix with gloves. This will stain the skin so you'll want to avoid your scalp and skin. You might consider using a noncomedogenic oil or butter to line the perimeter of your hair and ears. Make sure the paste is in from roots to tips, apply plastic bag, leave on 30 minutes to an hour and rinse until the water runs clear. Cleanse and condition once more being sure to rinse with cool water.

I'll get around to trying this one day. It's just so hard trying to find all the ingredients. I know about all the henna sites that sell indigo, but I'm very intrigued by this recipe because it doesn't require the use of henna.

I'm actually on the fence about hair color. Some days I miss the ash blonde highlights I had in college or the blue-black hair I had when I moved to Miami. Lately I've been wanting to try a red because I've never been red (despite the red cast you've seen in my pictures), but I won't make any rash decisions.

Mayo Conditioner For High Texture Hair

I used to do Mayonnaise deep conditioners when I first started being more conscious about the way I cared for my hair. I loved it because it was so cheap and I could use as much as I wanted without worrying about the price. Also, I'm not a big mayonnaise kind of girl, so I'd buy some if I had a craving for a sandwhich but then I'd end up just using it on my hair since I knew I wouldn't finish the jar.

You'll want to use a homeade mayo or a natural mayo that you can buy at a natural food store. You can google a recipe for mayo and it typically calls for egg yolks, vinegar, an oil and water. The eggs add protein, the oils are emollients, the water is for moisture and the vinegar helps to maintain the proper pH of your hair. Some recipes will call for other ingredients that you can skip when making mayo for your hair: lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper and mustard.

You can doctor up your natural store-bought mayo by mixing in an extra egg yolk, add honey, adding more oil or a little more vinegar (apple cider vinegar is best).

If you can find a store-bought conditioner that's salt free then good for you, but it's going to be hard. That's why if you're going to do the mayo deep conditioner it's going to be better to make it yourself. Salt can have a drying effect, but it is high in minerals and acts as an astringent and antiseptic so it isn't all bad. Just be aware of that when using store-bought mayo.

Once you have it all mixed up and it's all creamy, just maasage it into your scalp and apply from root to tip. Apply a plastic cap and leave it in for at least 30 minutes. You can also use the condition and re-condition method here. What's that? It's when you reapply the conditioner 3 times in 10-15 minute intervals and use a heat source: steamer, dryer, hot towel or conditioning cap.

Extra Tips:
You'll want to make sure your hair is detangled and sectioned off before applying.

You can do this on hair before it's washed or after. Experiment to find what method works best for you.

Emollients For Dry Hair

Dry hair needs emollients to keep it soft and smooth. What are emollients? An emollient is a substance that inhibits moisture loss on the scalp, skin and hair. All vegetable oils are naturally emollient. Dry hair needs emollients for protection to smooth the outer cuticle of the hair and create sheen.

There are tons of synthetic ingredients that are classified as emollients like mineral oil and various silicones. Of course, we want to go the more natural route on Mane and Chic and would encourgae the use of natural vegetable oils, shea butter, sweet almond oil and jojoba oil.

It's cold outside and for a lot of us that means dry skin, hair and scalp. Here's a tip, use an emollient-based product on damp skin right out of the shower. I like to use an oil based in sweet almond and jojoba. A little goes a long way. This also works for hair. Right after you've washed and your hair is still damp or wet, apply a small amount of an emollient to your scalp and hair. You really want to be light-handed here because too much product can wreck your finished look.

Festive Hair: NyJolle Jewellery

Trying to figure out how to dress up your buns or 'fros for the holidays? Check out these insanely beautiful pieces from NyJolle Jewellery.

source: NYJOLLE Jewellery

source: NYJOLLE Jewellery

Wishlist Worthy: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Natural Beauty Products

If you know of a product mixtress or you are an aspiring mixtress, there is a new book out entitled The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Natural Beauty Products. It's a good idea for women trying to save money and women that prefer natural products. Give the book alone or make it extra special by pairing it with a couple of non-perishable ingredients from the book and you've good a perfectly thougthful gift. One of my favorite places to shop for ingredients is FromNatureWithLove.com. The site sells over 1,750+ natural ingredients used in skin care, hair care, cosmeceutical applications, massage, aromatherapy, spa products and herbal preparations. They also have a large selection of packaging supplies, bath accessories, natural body scrubs, books and equipment.

The Redux: Have A Deep Red Moment Inspired By Rihanna

Take notes from Rihanna's recent looks and be inspired to create your own red moment.

source: Sawf News

Texturephile: Numero Tokyo

Here is the January/February 2011 for Numero Tokyo featuring Marc Jacobs, Katja Borghuis and Kristy Kaurova. Photography by Brian Bowen Smith.

source: Makisaito

The Power of Gratitude Can Transform Your Life

Author: Sandy Bidinger

True inner transformation will come to you when you practice gratitude.  Follow these steps to develop an attitude of gratitude. THE best way to raise your vibration and attract what you desire.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to practice gratitude when you are following your path to personal development growth.

Think of it not only as a tool for transformation but as a way of life.

Now, if you have wrapped your mind around the fact that we are all energy then you realize there is no separation and we are all connected. Everything is energy with it's own rate of vibration that attracts things of like vibrations to it. That of course includes our thoughts. And thoughts, feelings and words of gratitude are some of the most powerful and they allow for great positive shifts to occur.

THE TOP 2 WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE

#1. BE THANKFUL IN ADVANCE: It has been said that the most powerful form of gratitude is the kind which you express in advance of your actual experience. The expression of faith that this requires allows for the most effective type of vibrational shift.

#2. FIND THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN BAD SITUATIONS: Focus on someone you have a conflict with or on a negative emotional situation in your life. You then look for things to be grateful for in those situations. They may not be obvious, but they are ALWAYS there.

Be grateful... that you only have to deal with this person once a month, that if it weren't for this situation - you wouldn't have met a new friend, that this situation now offers an opportunity for growth...

A newer, more positive energy will be come from this especially since you had to look deeper into yourself to find the gratitude.

OTHER WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE

KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL: It's a good practice to take 10 minutes a day to write down things you are grateful for and that bring you joy. They can be big or small as long as you tune into the feelings of gratitude for having them in your life right now.

Be grateful for: a stress-free commute to work, a call you got from an old friend, a delicious meal, a hug from your child, a compliment you received from your boss, a great night's sleep, an invigorating workout...

DO A GRATITUDE WALK: As you're strolling with the kids, walking the dog, or doing your chores, look around and rattle off as many things as you can think of to be grateful for. Tell the Universe out loud what you love about your life.

HAVE A GRATITUDE ROCK: This is something I first saw in The Secret movie. Find a small rock and keep it with you throughout the day and let it remind you to state something you're grateful for whenever you touch it.

WATCH A GRATITUDE AFFIRMATION VIDEO: Go to Wealthvibes.com or YouTube.com and watch free affirmation videos.  Make it part of your daily ritual and a powerful gratitude exercise.

WRITE A GRATITUDE LETTER: Write a mock letter to someone very important in your life who would be excited for your news. Tell them how grateful you are about this wonderful thing that has happened in your life. Doing this exercise will bring about intense emotions and will put you in a joyful, grateful vibration.

"Hi Julia, The most exciting thing happened to me... I couldn't wait to tell you about it.  I went to the gym a few weeks ago and was working out and got to talking to the girl next to me.  I told her about the new web business that I just launched and she was so interested that she interviewed me for a local newspaper article.  It created tons of traffic to my website and I made some big sales too.  I am SO grateful that I met her that day."

TIP: You can even write this "as if" that something happened to try and attract it into your life.

DO THE MIRROR EXERCISE: Talk to yourself out loud while looking into a mirror. Express your gratitude and appreciation. If you use EFT, tap around at the same time. Later on, you can use this image of yourself tapping in a visualization for a quick, enhanced gratitude refresher.

Just make sure you practice gratitude every day. Create a routine that's easy and sustainable.

When it comes to creating and experiencing the kind of life you want, it's a law of the Universe that it will always deliver in the right time for the right vibration of your body.

So if you practice gratitude, you will energetically raise your vibration and speed up the process of attracting what you desire.

There is truly NO BETTER WAY to do that than when you have an attitude of gratitude.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/the-power-of-gratitude-can-transform-your-life-567836.html


About the Author


Click here to visit my website. It's a practical guide to learning the Universal and Spiritual Laws that will empower your personal development growth. Explains Law Of Attraction, Energy, Emotional Freedom Techniques, Wealth Consciousness and more. Includes practical tips, techniques, articles, audio & video clips.

Curl Spotter: Cé & Barsi for Hair Issue Magazine

source: Hair Design by Cé & Barsi Hair Issue Magazine

source: Hair Design by Cé & Barsi Hair Issue Magazine

source: Hair Design by Cé & Barsi Hair Issue Magazine

Curl Spotter: La Maison Gerard Laurent for Hair Issue Magazine

Check out the work of hair designer La Maison Gerard Laurent for Hair Issue Magazine.

Source: Hair Issue

Source: Hair Issue

Curl Spotter: Hair Designer Petra Mechurova for Hair Issue

Source: Hair Issue Magazine

Source: Hair Issue Magazine

Curl Spotter: Mod Cloth for Antler

Spotted this illustrated ad for ModCloth.com in Antler Mag.

source: Antler Magazine

Texturephile: Victoria W for Fashizblack Mag

Have you seen the latest issue of FASHIZBLACK? Here are a couple of images from my favorite editorial in this month's issues. Click here to see the rest of the November/December 2010 issue.

source: FASHIZBLACK

source: FASHIZBLACK

Voice Your Opinion For Easier Navigation

As I am making changes to the format of Mane and Chic, your opinion matters. The plan is to make Mane and Chic more picture-heavy, sleeker, more visual, integrating your favorite things but taking it to the Nth level. The biggest change you might notice is fewer updates. I'm leaning towards a monthly magazine editorial calender rather than 3 posts per day. What does that mean? I'm not sure yet, I have an idea, but Mane and Chic readers will play a huge part in what happens next. Generally, it will be mean less fluff and more meaningful meaty features. Probably under 10 features per month, but it will be the kind of stuff you'll want to come back to see and read (I hope). In 2010, the focus was on quantity, but for 2011, I really want to focus on the quality of the material I'm creating.

If you're interested in playing a major role in the future of Mane and Chic, please participate in the poll.

Your Keratin Treatment/Therapy Status

The biggest trend in hair care is keratin treatments. I was curious and I'm sure many of you are curious to see how Mane and Chic readers feel about the keratin treatment phenomenon.

Please participate in the poll.

Out of The Closet: 3 Jewish Men That Get Relaxers

I think it's interesting to see how many men, Jewish men, are coming out about getting relaxers. Recently, Issac Mizrahi was on The Wendy Williams Show where he admitted to getting relaxers. On Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen, Nate Berkus didn't exactly cop to getting relaxers, but he said that he only washed his hair once a week and it's packed with products to keep it tame. In his book, Fierce Style: How To Be Your Most Fabulous Self, Christian Siriano describes in detail his hate for his curly hair and why he gets relaxers.

What do you think about this?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Fashion Designer, Isaac Mizrahi
source: Country Living

Interior Designer, Nate Berkus
source: ifelicious.com

Fashion designer, Christian Siriano
source: www.fashion.elle.com

What's Your Hair Status?

Every now and then, I like to check in to see where your hair is. It's always drastic to see the responses I get. My readers grow with me. When I first started the blog, most of my readers were relaxed too. A few months later when I decided that my stretching would turn into a transition, my readers were largely transitioners. Last time I checked, 60% of you were relaxer-free and everyone else was transitioning. A small minority, under 10% were using a texturizer of some sort or were still getting relaxers.

So what's your hair status? Please participate in the poll.

Curl Spotter and The Beyonce Body Switch?

Apprently two covers were shot for the December 2010 issue of the beauty supplement for Vogue Nippon: one featuring Alessandra Ambrosio and one featuring Beyonce. Well, the internet is abuzz with bloggers and fashion writers saying that Beyonce's head was photoshopped onto Alessandra's body. From a technical aspect, it seems obvious and clear that they are using one body. The fingers are identical, the earrings are in the same position. Alessandra's photo looks like an unedited image and obviously Beyonce's had some color correcting and looks more finished. They also appeared to have used photoshop to make Beyonce's hips a tad bit bigger while keeping the waist in. I hope this happened because Beyonce couldn't travel to Nippon for the shoot or the dress couldn't be shipped because of customs or something like that, but you never know. What do you think about this?

source: Sassi Sam

How To Wear Suede Taupe Knee Boots

A reader recently purchased a pair of taupe suede boots and hasn't worn them yet because she doesn't know what to wear them with.

Taupe is a neutral color and it will go with any color you pair it with. For this post I'm using lots of earth tones and classic fall tones, but you can use whatever you have in your closet or whatever colors speak to you.

The easiest way to go with taupe boots is to wear something all black. Here I chose a long sleeve black jumpsuit, but you could also do a black dress or black separates. Add a layer that compliments the shoe, here you see a fur jacket and gilet. Top it all off with a statement bag in a bold or muted tones, depending on your taste. You can also easily recreate the same look with navy, brown and certain shades of grey/gray.

For a casual outfit, you can do a plaid top with corduroy or denim, making sure that the colors compliment each other.

Knee high boots look great with flirty relaxed dresses, if it's chilly out you'll want to cover up. I choose these blazers.