Well, after seeing the great results Southern Tease of Mane & Chic had, I recommended them to Dalilredmama. Her hair came out so gorgeous! I decided to try them for myself and I just loved the curls. It took about 2 hours for me to do them carefully since it's easy to pull out hair if you're not careful. I used a little anti-frizz serum on my hair while putting on the CF's to keep the curls from dropping when I took them out. All in all, I liked the curls. The price for the kit Dalilredmama purchased was $54.99 which to me is a little crazy. Anyway, just thought I should post this for you guys.

I was thinking about who my inspiration was earlier today and decided to start a discussion on it. I have too many inspirations to name right now, but I'll post later!

• Who is your #1 inspiration (Family, friend, blogger, fotki member, hair care forum member, or celebrity)?
• Why is said person your inspiration?

I wanna hear from you guys!

Hi There!

I was on your blogspot about coarse hair, and I have thick, coarse hair myself and its a struggle as a young, black lady to manage it. I don't get my hair done anymore becuz im afraid of these beauticians of damaging my hair, its full of volume, brown, with light, reddish brown highlights.

Beauticians nowdays charge too much for a style thats not going to last a week! Any suggestions? I've read a book by: Shamboosie and tried dudley's products which are good 4 my hair(soft).

Keep up representing Coarse Hair women!!!!

J.

Hey J.,

I feel you on the hairdressers and healthy hair. They hardly ever match up. Coarse hair needs a lot of care. Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Pak has been great for my hair. It softens up my new growth like nothing else. You can also use great conditioners like Aussie 3 Minute Miracle "DEEEP" Treatment, KeraCare Humecto, etc. Conditioning is a must for coarse hair. Everytime you shampoo, try to sneak in some time for deep conditioning. I guarantee the health of your hair will improve ten fold in a few weeks. Make sure to moisturize your hair lightly everyday or every other day with a product that has water and glycerin (or glycerol) listed as one of the first ingredients. Good luck and feel free to e-mail me at anytime.

- Belle Cheveux

Tool Name: Jilbere Pastel Shower Comb
Price Range: $0.99-$1.99
Company: Jilbere de Paris of ConairPro (http://www.jilbere.com/)
Catch Phrase: Evenly distributes conditioner through wet hair; Nylon ball tips are extra gentle on scalp; 12 wide-spaced teeth easily detangles curls and snarls; Convenient arched handle for easy hanging; Available in assorted pastel colors: pink, blue, green and purple.

What I Say: This comb is amazing. It really detangles. I used it when my hair was 80% dry and it slid through like nothing. I HIGHLY recommend this comb for coarse hair!

Tool Tip: Comb from ends to roots!
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)

Here's some great hair care tips straight out the newest issue of Seventeen Magazine. I only put the good ones, so yes, they're not in order.

1. Get soft hair!
Make your own natural deep conditioner; Mash two avocados in a bowl, and slather onto hair from roots to ends. Leave on for 10 minutes then wash out completely.

2. Create volume
...with duckbill clips. In damp loose hair, use the clips to lift your hair at the roots, then leave them in for 15 minutes. This trick is great for curly hair, which tends to weigh down roots.

3. Brighten dullness!
It's so easy: Just take a break from your hot tools--and wash your hair no more than every third day. It will look glossier in a week!

4. Loosen tight curls
...by first blow drying them on the cool setting, then wrapping hair in hot rollers all over. Alternate between medium-size and larger-size rollers for a natural look.

5. Get crazy shine.
Mix two tablespoons apple cider vinegar with 1 cup warm water. Pour over clean wet hair, then rinse with cool water.

6. Soften your hair
...by using shine serum the right way. Coat ends with a dime-size amount, then use what's left on your hands to work your way up the strands (so you put only bit near the roots). Then brush your hair to distribute the product a little more evenly.

8. Prevent breakage
...by picking a brush (or a comb) with smooth wide-set teeth. Always use gentle strokes!

9. Remove knots.
Apply detangler to your hair while it's wet. Then, comb out the knot by starting at the ends and slowly working your way up the strands.

10. Mix it up!
If you have curly hair, add a drop of shine serum to a quarter-size amount of gel--you get hold and shine. If you have straight hair, combine a squirt of mousse with a dime-size amount of a lightweight gel for volume and lift.

14. Make your hair thicker.
If your texture is fine and thin, getting highlights will puff up the hair cuticle, making every strand thicker.

15. Add body!
If you wash your hair every other day, your scalp's natural oils will give your hair a bit of fullness.

18. Create the prettiest curls.
Spritz curl-enhancing spray on a 1"-wide section of hair, then wrap hair around a 1"-barrel curling iron. Repeat this all over, alternating the direction of the curling iron to make the curls look natural.

22. Grow out your relaxer
...the best way! No need to chop off your hair--just deep condition it twice a week. This treatment will strengthen your hair so it won't break off. Use one with natural ingredients, like shea butter.

31. Protect your hair!
You should always use a good leave-in heat protectant before you style with heat--whether your hair is wet or dry!

32. Make waves.
Create four ponytails around your head while your hair is damp, braid them, then twist into loose knots. Wait until your hair dries, then let down the knots and unravel the braids.

34. Avoid frizz
...by blow drying your hair thoroughly--even a tiny bit of dampness can cause frizz, so you have to get out all the water.

35. Get touchable locks!
Apply a deep conditioner after washing then cover your hair with a plastic shower cap. Blast it with warm heat from a blow dryer for five minutes so the conditioner really penetrates, then rinse.

36. Be gentle
...with relaxed hair! Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase--cotton ones absorb moisture and oil from your hair, making it dry, dull, and delicate.

37. Watch out for sunburn!
Your hair, like your skin, can be damaged by exposure to the sun. Keep sunlight from drying out your strands and burning your scalp by using an SPF 30 body spray. Apply directly to your scalp and lightly all over hair.

46. Fight humidity!
When it's sticky outside, make sure to coat your hair entire head of hair with an anti-frizz serum. Missing even one piece of hair will cause your style to expand.

48. Go straight and sleek
...by aiming the nozzle of your blow dryer in the same direction that you're pulling your hair. This allows you to direct the heat from the roots to ends for a more polished blowout.

49. Wash your brushes
...once a month with shampoo and water. This trick will keep your brushes from redepositing dirt and oil back onto your hair.

50. Prevent splits
...by using snag-free elastic bands--these glide onto your ponytail without tugging or breaking your hair.

Source: Seventeen Magazine

Okay, I know I haven't posted in a week; life got in the way. LOL. Anyhoo, I'd like to introduce you guys to our newest TCHD Feature. Dalilredmama, who is my best friend, will be tracking her transitioning journey right here on TCHD! So far, so good! She hasn't had a relaxer since October 2007 which is amazing! Anyway, take a look at her photos!

Check out more of her pictures at: http://public.fotki.com/dalilredmama

Tool Name: Conair Classic Wood Small Round Brush 87303
Price Range: $4.99-$6.99
Company: Conair Hair (http://www.conair-beauty-products.com/index.html)
Catch Phrase: 100% Boars Hair for softness and support / Use when blow drying to straighten or add wave to hair

What I Say: I am in love with this round brush. It's so soft on my hair but smoothes it down like nothing else. I used one with both plastic and boar bristles and that was a disaster! This brush is nice on the hair. Even if I'm not using it to get my new growth straight, I still use it as a regular brush. It's that good.

Tool Tip: Brush gently!
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)

Although both products are designed to get rid of buildup, they are both designed to get rid of different types of buildup. A chelating shampoo rids the hair of calcium and mineral buildup and a clarifying shampoo rids the hair of product (usually silicone based) buildup.

So, how do you get calcium buildup?
You can get calcium buildup from products with milk protein and No-Lye relaxers.

What about product buildup?
You can get product buildup from products that have silicone, petroleum, or mineral oil in it. Don't be fooled by different names for these things! Mineral oil is also called paraffin and petroleum is also called petrolatum. An ingredient with -cone in the word is a silicone!

Okay, can you use a chelating shampoo to get rid of all the buildup including product buildup?
Well, I've heard that you should use each shampoo if you have a problem with what the shampoos are made for. I've been using ORS Chelating to clean my hair of all the gunk and it's been working for me. But as you know, hair differs on each head so what works for me might not work for others.

Clarifying shampoo: Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo for Normal to Oily Hair
Chelating shampoo: Organic Root Stimulator Chelating Shampoo

Here's a little inspiration to go with your morning coffee. Not only is she an accomplished actress, but she was also a fashion model. We all know her as Joan Clayton from Girlfriends, but did you know that she did fashion campaigns for Paul Mitchell, Donna Karen, and GAP? You can also see her in Daddy's Little Girls, Life Support (HBO movie), and of course in Kanye West's Touch The Sky & The New Workout Plan.

Product Name: Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship
Price Range: $3.99 (for each)
Company: Clairol Herbal Essences (http://www.herbalessences.com/us/)
Catch Phrase: To get long, satin-soft hair, engage every strand in a long term relationship.

What I Say: This product line was okay. It wasn't great. I liked the shampoo and conditioner, but the leave-in felt like it was coating my hair since it was so heavy. The good thing about these products is the smell! They smell wonderful. I would definitely buy the shampoo and conditioner again, but not the leave-in. I'll stick to using a moisturizer as a leave-in.

Product Tip: When shampooing, focus on washing the roots, not the hair. Why? This shampoo has a strong detergent in it.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ (3/5)

I've been discussing the possibility of making video tutorials on The Coarse Hair Channel (Yessir, we have our own channel!) on YouTube. My best friend and I plan to make the first video a braiding tutorial. After that, we plan on making a bun-making tutorial! All I have to do is get a quality video camera, do a few graphics, and BAM... New videos. Just give me some time. I'll keep you updated on the videos. Happy reading!

Save $10 off $50 when you use Bill Me Later on Beauty.com!

Okay, I promise to stop putting comparison shots for a while but I just wanted to show how close I am to my goal of BSL! I got a blowout today at my regular salon, but not with my regular stylist. I was told she got let go so I decided to let the owner do my hair. Never again. She was detangling my hair starting from the scalp which we all know isn't a good idea for coarse hair. It was just a bad experience topped with a lot of hair loss. Anyhoo, I still liked the length...

There are a lot things I know I won't be able to have... A date with Dwyane Wade, a winning lottery ticket, and salon quality blowout at home. I might not be able to have the first two, but I can come pretty damn close to getting a good blowout at home. All you really need is a good blow dryer, a boar bristle round brush, and a good arm. Here's how you can get a great blowout at home too:

1. Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo like Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing.

2. Condition hair with a conditioner of your choice.

3. Deep condition hair with a conditioner like ORS Replenishing Pak for fifteen minutes with a plastic cap under a dryer or forty-five minutes without heat.

4. After rinsing, towel dry. Apply a leave-in serum like John Frieda Frizz-Ease, focusing on the ends.

5. Roller set the hair with magnetic rollers and sit under a dryer for forty-five minutes.

6. After drying, separate the hair into four sections (like you would if you were applying a relaxer). Then, divide the bottom left or right into 1" sub-sections. Starting at the nape, blow dry the roots and slowly work your way to the ends. Tension is the key to this technique! After straightening the roots, go back under the piece of hair and blow dry the hair while rolling the hair with the round brush (as if you were using a curling iron).

7. Repeat the same technique with the rest of the hair until you're complete. When finished, wrap the hair and apply plastic wrap around the hair.

8. Sit under a dryer for five to ten minutes. Unwrap hair and apply a dime-sized amount of moisturizer to hands. Run your palms down your hair to smooth.

Photo Credit: Nikki Kahn

I've gotten e-mailed about where I get my hair done so I might as well post about it. I get my hair done at Ciao Bella Salon in Pembroke Pines, On the intersection of Flamingo Road & Sheridan Street in the Cooper City Plaza. I usually get blowouts and the occasional relaxer here. My best friend also works there and she braids my hair when I want to give my hair a break. If anyone decides to go there for relaxers or blowouts, ask for Rosie the hairdresser. If you want to get your hair braided up, ask for Stephanie. Tell 'em Stephanie's best friend referred you.

Here's some exciting news... The Coarse Hair Diary was chosen by the Essence Ad Network to display ads by Essence.com. I received an e-mail from a representative for the network today. The launch is next month and the great thing is that I might have a chance to submit articles or guest blogs that may be published in Essence magazine or featured on Essence.com! Anyhoo, that's pretty much it, enjoy your reading!

I was looking at the stats for the page views of TCHD and thought about you guys and your hair care journey. So, let's talk:

• How far into your hair care journey are you?
• What products are you using?
• How has your progress been?

Stuff like that. Feel free to add anything more. I want to see how you guys are doing.

Here's a little comparison shot. The picture to the left was taken January 01, 2008 and the picture to the right was taken today. I did a lot of co-washing (a.k.a Conditioner washing) and deep conditioning. Those two things helped tremendously with the growth. The growth to me was okay, but not great. It's my fault since I've been using KeraCare Humecto as a conditioner. I knew it had mineral oil in it, but I just loved the way it made my hair feel. Anyway, after taking out the twists, I had to battle a lot of tangles and knots so I lost some hair. I'm 15 weeks post relaxer as of today and I'm trying to see if I can keep stretching.

Sanaa Lathan has been one of my inspirations for years... Ever since Brown Sugar. Her hair is always looking good and I don't care if it's real or not. That hair is gorgeous! The picture to the right is that of Jordan Richardson. If you don't know who she is, check out a fashion magazine, you just might see her. This model is gonna be the next Naomi. I love her big natural afro. It's lovely. Do your thing girl!