Mrs. Huxtable herself, Phylicia Rashad. She embodied that strong Black woman ideal back in her Cosby days and I love her for that. Not only did she portray a wonderful mother, but she also played a lawyer. I gotta give her props.

Taking some source of sulfur daily can help your hair internally. Sources that have sulfur include: onion, dairy products, garlic, asparagus, and MSM. Make sure to take your daily dose of sulfur!

I'm surprised that after more than a year, I've never had a HOT 5 segment on Flat Irons! I can be ditsy sometimes, I know. Anyway, here they are!

Farouk CHI 1" Turbo Flat Iron, $160.99

FHI 1" Platform Flat Iron, $195.99

Hana 1" Professional Flat Iron, $99.99

GVP 1" Pastel Pink Ceramic Straightening Iron, $69.99

Sedu 1" Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron, $108.95

You can find these great flat irons at: Misikko, Folica, and Sally's.

Product Name: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration
Price Range: $3.99 (for each)
Company: Clairol Herbal Essences (http://www.herbalessences.com/us/)
Catch Phrase: Let us soak it to ya. We're all about the moisture, so let us quench your tresses with lush hydration.

What I Say: For some reason, any shampoo from Herbal Essences tends to leave my hair a little dry. This shampoo honestly left my hair a little on the dry side. The conditioner was great though. I've been using this conditioner for co-washes and as a moisturizer (diluted with water of course). Although I'm not a big fan of the shampoo, the conditioner is a keeper.

Product Tip: Mix a little bit of the conditioner with water for a great moisturizer.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (4/5)

A great video tutorial on getting curls with a flat iron from the wonderful people at Misikko (where I got my Corioliss!). See more videos like this on The Coarse Hair Diaries.

Previous Recipe: The 2Bossay Growth Aid, Moe's Growth Oil, Moisturizing Spritz

I remember a while back when I was trying out new things and happened upon this recipe. Although I don't really use it anymore, it was a good recipe. Why? As you may or may not know, Cayenne improves circulation and the oxygen levels of the scalp. Also, Chinese wild yam blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which can inhibit hair growth.

Cayenne Pepper Stimulant

• 4 TBSP cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil (heated for 30 seconds)
  
• 1 tsp Chinese wild yam extract (optional)

The best way to use this recipe is after rinsing your hair with warm water to open up your pores. After doing that, sit under a dryer for a few minutes and then rinse out the mixture. Make sure you don't get any in your eyes. If you do, rinse your eyes out with MILK. Water will only worsen the pain. Anyway, as I've said many times before, you can modify this recipe.

You can't tell me that these girls didn't have you drooling over their fabulous hair back in their Sister, Sister days. Personally, both sisters are my inspirations. Their natural hair was gorgeous and their relaxed hair was simply beautiful. Even though Tia rocks lacefronts on her show, The Game, I still got love for her. I usually see Tamera in curls and I'm just in awe of how great her hair looks.

Could it be? Has everyone found their miracle growth aid? It looks like it to me! For a while now, I've been noticing a surge in the popularity of a particular product by the name of Mega-Tek Coat Rebuilder. What is it? It's a growth aid that is used primarily for the growth of a horse's mane and coat. Yup, ANOTHER horse growth aid has captured our attention. Apparently, women have been seeing significant amounts of hair growth after using this product so naturally, I decided to talk about it here. Here's what the company says: Mega-Tek™ stimulates and promotes rapid hair and hoof growth without the use of synthetic polymers, oils, or petroleum based products. No petroleum? WOW! It would seem like this is the perfect growth aid. But wait-- there's more. With all great products, there's always a downside. Some women have experienced excessive shedding and protein overload after using this product. So, should you buy it? That's up to you. Only through trial and error will you find what works for you!

Here's the link to the company's website: http://eqyss-online.stores.yahoo.net/index.html

Here's the latest video. It's about detangling while stretching your relaxer.

The volume is all effed up for a lot of people so here's what I did:

• Moisturized my hair completely with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration diluted with water.
  
  
• I split my hair in two and then in about four sections on the first half of my head.
  
  
• Starting with the first section, I spritz the new growth with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration diluted with water.
  
  
• I comb from ends to roots with the Jilbere comb until it's completely detangled.
  
  
• I repeat the same process with the remaining sections.
  
  
• After my hair is completely detangled, I braid my hair in two plaits and seal with my African shea butter.
  
  
• I clip the braids up and put on a scarf before I go to sleep.

Have money to spend on hair accessories? Then these lovely pieces might be for you! Jennifer Behr's hair accessories are so hot and trendy that even the ladies of Gossip Girl have been sporting them in recent episodes. From $52.00 to $228.00, would you rock these? It's a bit pricey for me, but I do love them! Click the image to visit the official website.

I got a 16 ounce tub of African Shea Butter from Ghana today that I plan to use as a sealant. The butter is really thick so I'm really hoping it works! It's 100% natural and doesn't expire. Yay, me! I dabbed a little bit on my ends today since I braided my hair in two plaits last night and unbraided my hair after. My ends felt great. I'll experiment with this for a little longer and see how it works. Click on the image to see what the words really say!

Anjela, this is for you! This is what my ends look like right now. I just finished air drying my hair after a good ol' co-washing session with my Suave Humectant. My ends are doing great and there's no split in sight! Click the image for a better view.

It's been a while since I've posted some makeup pictures! I went out today and was so in love with the color choices I made so I decided to post a picture for fun. I kinda rubbed my eye so some of the color faded, but you can get a pretty good idea at what I was going for. The shadows that I used were Olive and Space from the NYX line. I used my fingers to do the makeup.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Kerry Washington at an event back in February 2008.
No, I'm not becoming a Jada stan. LOL.

Previous Recipe: Moe's Growth Oil, Moisturizing Spritz

I got this wonderful recipe from 2Bossay of Hair-A-Mania today. She's been massaging this mix on her son's hair and has seen some pretty good growth. I promised I would share it, so here it is in its entirety. I named the recipe after her since I don't know its original name. LOL.

The 2Bossay Growth Aid

• 30 drops nettle extract
• 30 drops horsetail extract
• 30 drops peppermint oil
• 30 drops rosemary oil
• 30 drops jojoba oil
• 1 applicator bottle

Once again, the wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can modify it to your liking! Thanks for giving me this recipe, 2Bossay!

Results after doing a wet wrap! Thanks Nichole23 for the idea :)

Add some edginess to your traditional ponytail by making a deeper side part. After shampooing, conditioning, and deep conditioning, add a little leave-in to get those cuticles flat. After the hair is dried, add some moisturizer to give the hair a little shine. Part the hair and tie your ponytail.

Photo Credit: Google

Yesterday made it the twelfth week since I had my last relaxer. The picture in the center and on the right are the newest ones. I just finished air drying my hair so that's my length with a helluva lot of shrinkage included. I stretched a piece from the center in the right picture, even though I should've stretched the back since it's the longest. Regardless of the stretching, you really won't be able to see how much my hair grew until I relax. What I noticed during this stretch is that my hair is getting a little bit thicker (THANK GOD!) and that I haven't had as much shedding as I used to when I first started stretching. My new growth is finally cooperating with me. I guess that's due to me using my trusty ol' Jilbere and my new lover, Denman D3. Anyway, for the last few weeks, my regimen has been changed. Here's a look at what my new regimen is:

• Shampoo with Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing twice a week (will be replaced with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration soon)
  
  
• Condition with VO5 Moisture Milks after each shampoo
  
  
• Deep condition with ApHogee 2 Minute Reconstructor once a week followed by my Clairol conditioner (the one that came with my Natural Instincts box)
  
  
• Use my homemade water/glycerin/Infusium 23 as a leave-in
  
  
• Co-wash with Suave Humectant once or twice a week
  
  
• Detangle with Jilbere or Denman D3
  
  
• Air dry ALWAYS

I can't really tell you when I'm going to relax since I'm actually having fun with this stretch, but it'll probably be soon. Stay tuned...



By the way, did you notice that I made it to bra-strap length? I didn't really notice until I did the comparison picture. I can't wait until I relax to see how much more length I'll gain!

"Once a week, usually on a Sunday, my trick is that I go to the steam room and I fill my hair up with conditioner. There's three different conditioners that I'll use, that's my deep conditioning day. I wash it once a week, sometimes twice depending on how many products we've put in my hair because if you wash it too much it gets dry. There's a really cheap product called Hair Mayonnaise, it's an organic product that you can buy at health food stores. It's a big tub and it's like a hair growth product [and] really good conditioner. Rene Furterer makes a conditioner called Karite Nourishing Conditioning Cream for dry hair ($22, 3.4 oz.). It's expensive but good, but I say that the Hair Mayonnaise is just as good and cheap.

In terms of products to get my hair curly during the week, the trick is the Denman brush, a D4 ($17) or the industrial one, it's the key to curls. [While in the shower] Wet your hair, fill it up with conditioner. I split my hair into six sections, bottom section split it in two, brush it over the shoulder, next section, brush it over the shoulder, etc. Leave the conditioner in. After I've brushed it out, I put a little more conditioner in my hair and (shaking the hair gently) I try to make the curls happen. You can see them develop at that point. Put the hair up in a clip, wash the body, do what you gotta do, rinse it out."

Credit: Google

Jada Pinkett Smith at an event. Did you know that Jada loves Carol's Daughter products?

Anonymous said...

what's "long cancer", Belle, can't you spell?

So, I got this comment earlier today from an anonymous user that I was pretty amused by. The comment was posted in response to the post about the woman who lost her hair due to a bad relaxer. Just in case you didn't see the comment I posted, "Anonymous," I stated that I didn't write the article; it was a copy of the original article which is available all over the Internet. Oh, I can spell too by the way. As a matter of fact, I used to participate in Spelling Bees as a teen and I also tutor. Thanks for your comment and please stop by again! :)

P.S. The way you typed your question was incorrect. A proper way would've been: What's "long cancer," Belle? Can't you spell?

Tool Name: Denman D3 Classic Brush
Price Range: $6.99-$14.99
Company: Denman (http://www.denmanbrush.com/)
Catch Phrase: The famous Denman anti-static rubber pad provides maximum grip and control during blowdrying for smoothing, shaping and polishing the hair.

What I Say: I kept hearing how amazing this brush was on several forums and since I was at Sally's anyway, I bought it. It cost me about seven dollars, which was great since the next beauty supply I went to charged fifteen bucks for it! Anyway, I washed my hair earlier and use it for detangling. It was AMAZING! I don't think I'll ever buy another brush, that's just how great it was. I might even use it in place of my precious Jilbere! I'm so happy with this brush right now.

Tool Tip: Be gentle with your hair and start from the ends!
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ (3/5)


UPDATE: The brush turned on me! I only use it now when I'm blow drying to get my hair straight.

Previous Recipe: Moisturizing Spritz

Since this blog is about achieving healthy and possibly longer hair, it makes sense for me to post a recipe for a natural growth aid. This recipe is the original Moe's Growth Oil (Mo'Gro or Mo' Grow) that is popular among the hair care forum circuit. The beauty of this recipe is that you can modify it to your liking!

Moe's Growth Oil (The Original)

• 1 glass jar
• 6 oz jojoba oil or macadamia nut oil
• 2 oz aloe vera juice/gel
• 2 TBSP horsetail herbs
• 1 plastic squirt bottle (like the one for hair dye)

Place oil and herbs in the jar. Afterward, place the jar in a pot of boiling water let the oil heat up. Remove the jar from the water and place the top on it . Let this mixture sit for three days so the herbs can infuse with the oil. After three days, strain the oil into squirt bottle and pour in the aloe vera. Shake well and VOILA!

I hope this recipe helps anyone who really needs it. I plan to buy the ingredients for this one today in addition to some nettle and grape seed extract.

Aloe vera includes an enzyme that is beneficial in stimulating new hair reproduction. It's great for strengthening the hair, treating hair loss and any type of hair problems while adding softness & shine. It is also useful in retaining moisture. Aloe vera juice can be taken internally to help improve skin ailments & the digestive system.

Aloe vera juice or gel can be a great addition to your moisturizers, spritz's and scalp massages to improve the health of your hair!

♥ Sunshyne

Brought to you by: Hairlicious Inc.

A GREAT video on detangling natural hair. See more videos at The Coarse Hair Diaries.

With all the products out there that have extracts, oils, and other hoopla in them, I thought it would be better to just list popular natural things that you can add to your hair care products for a more happier experience.

Nettle
improves the circulatory system, strengthens the hair, stimulates the scalp, and is an excellent source of silica

Panthenol
adds elasticity in the hair while also thickening the diameter of the individual strand

Safflower oil
has moisturizing properties and is a great source of EFAs

Apple seed & Grape seed extract
both assist in the regeneration of new cells

Cayenne pepper
a stimulant that improves circulation and the oxygen levels of the scalp

Basil
a strong anti-bacterial mint that has soothing properties

For those you looking for a way to slick back your hair or to define your curls a little bit more, try using Aloe Vera gel. Use pure Aloe Vera gel along with a few drops of grapeseed and orange oil and you'll see how much this mixture helps your hair! In case you're wondering, you can buy the gel from stores like Walgreens and Wal-Mart.

Photo Credit: Essence

I get a large volume of e-mails daily from women who believe that I have "good hair" and that I can somehow provide them with the Midas touch and give them good hair. I love the fact that they e-mail me and all, but calling their hair bad or nappy is just-- WOW. There is no such thing as bad hair, just hair that isn't necessarily taken proper care of. From natural to relaxed, our society has brainwashed us into believing that coarse hair is bad and soft, silky, and sometimes curly hair is better. My natural hair was the sh*t. I loved it and would play with it when I was a little girl. It wasn't until my mother relaxed my hair when I was six-years-old, that I started seeing my gorgeous strands become more harder to keep on my head. She would always resort to straightening my hair with globs of serum or pomade so my hair just kept snapping off slowly. I didn't start taking care of my hair until my once midback natural hair was now neck length and relaxed. I had all kinds of splits all up and down the strands of my hair. Shampooing, conditioning, deep conditioning, and air drying my hair weekly brought my hair back to its healthy state. So, please, think of your hair as one of a kind instead. Thanks for reading this... I really needed to vent.

And one more thing, don't use pomade to press your hair!

Start this style off by making a deep side part. Then, starting from the hairline, french braid the hair until you get to the ends. Pull the hair to the side and add a cute pair of sunglasses to glam up this look.

Photo credit: Essence

Megan Fox at the MTV Movie Awards '08 earlier this year.

Photo credit: Google

In correspondence to the Make Your Own Hair Products post, I decided to start posting healthy hair recipes. This series will include recipes for your own homemade hair products. To start the series off, we're gonna be making... a water-based moisturizer!

At-Home Moisturizing Spritz

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup glycerin
• 1/4 cup aloe vera juice
• 1/4 cup rosewater
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 TBSP royal bee jelly
• 2 TBSP emu oil
• 2 TBSP sea kelp (optional)
  

The wonderful thing about homemade hair products is that you can change up the recipe! If you want less of something, you can do that! Go ahead and try this recipe!

Emu oil is said to boost the hair follicle's activity by 20% and can actually thicken the hair over time. Make sure to buy it and add it to your favorite products!

Miss Sanaa Lathan at two different events during New York Fashion Week.

Ever since I started my healthy hair care journey, I noticed that there's always new products being made for our hair. This means you spending more money on the possibility that the product might work. Excuse all the italics. Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you that you don't have to buy products all the time, you can make your own hair products at home! It's really simple to do and you'll be happy you did. Now, just so you know, the ingredient lists for both the moisture and protein products are based on the fact that the ingredients are commonly found in said products.

Making a Moisturizer/Moisturizing conditioner
The main purpose of a moisturizer or moisturizing conditioner is to penetrate the layers of the hair to increase its hydration, make the hair more pliable, and to soften it. Moisturizing products usually consist of humectants, emollients, lubricants, and natural oils.

The ingredient list:

• glycerin(e)
• honey
• coconut oil
• jojoba oil
• aloe vera juice/gel
• rose water
• vitamin e oil
• panthenol
• WATER
  

Making a protein based product
Products that contain protein are used mostly to strengthen the hair. The strength of the protein can vary. You can have a mild protein based product or a heavy protein product. Protein based products penetrate the layers of the hair all the way to the cortex (in some cases) to strengthen the structure of the hair.

The ingredient list:

• silk amino acids
• amino silk acids
• silk protein
  
• hydrolyzed protein
• hair keratin
• keratin
• avocado oil
  
• eggs
• mayonnaise
• glycine
• collagen
• fibroin

The very best tip I can give is to TRY TO MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS! Recently, I've been just moisturizing my hair with a mix of just plain old glycerin(e) and water. My hair feels amazing and I'm glad I've been doing it. My next hair mixture will be a mix of glycerin(e), rosewater, and aloe vera juice. So, go to your nearest health food store, and try it for yourself!

How many hair products have you bought in the last month?

15+	8 (8%)
8-14	17 (18%)
3-7	47 (52%)
0-2	18 (20%)

Votes so far: 90

Poll closed

The people have spoken! More TCHD readers bought between three and seven hair products within the last month. Awesome. I think it's cool that a few people bought more than fifteen! You guys are wonderful and thanks for voting! In case you're wondering what I chose, I chose 3-7 also.

By the way, there's a new poll! This time around, I want to know how many inches your has grown since last year.

My mother picked up a tub of the Mizani Butter Blend Rhelaxer for Medium/Normal Hair the other day for $22. I read the ingredients and it sounds pretty good. It has cocoa butter, honey, and shea butter in it which is great. My mother used it and her hair came out soft and silky (She's a member of the 4b club like me so silky hair is always a good sign). I will stretch for a few more weeks and relax with this for sure. I can't wait to show you the results!

Kim Kardashian out and about.

I've been a fan of Victoria Beckham ever since her Spice Girls days. I'm even a fan of her soccer playing husband, David Beckham. I always loved her style and chic new hairdo's. But not this time around! I honestly can't stand the new 'do she's flaunting all around New York. It doesn't fit her at all. It's too dark, too short, and is just... BORING. I loved last year's blonde and asymmetrical hair. Now, that was hot. But all good things come to an end...

Product Name: ApHogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor
Price Range: $6.99-$8.99
Company: ApHogee (http://www.aphogee.com/)
Catch Phrase: This concentrated blend of keratin amino acids, botanical oils, and vitamins does wonders to restore strength and softness to hair that requires a deep, penetrating treatment.

What I Say: I was turned off by this product since it had Mineral oil, but since I wasn't going to be using it daily anyway, I decided to give it a try. I slathered on about one ounce on my dry hair, focusing on my roots and ends. I left it for seven minutes and rinsed it out. My hair was sooo soft and detangling was a breeze-- which is weird since detangling ten weeks post is a struggle. This is a keeper! And the smell is great.

Product Tip: Try it on dry hair.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)

Whew! What a day! I've been working on this layout for nearly five hours. It of course features the lovely Miss Rihanna. I decided that this will be the new layout until further notice. I love everything about it. Let me know what you think! Also, if you look in the address bar, you'll find that I also added an icon. One of my best friends did the coding for me on that one. Thanks, love!

I know it's been forever since I had an update on my hair that included pictures, but to be honest, I'm pretty pissed. My hair doesn't feel like it grew at all. I know it did since I can clearly see all that delicious new growth, but it's not where I wanted it to be. It's probably just the shrinkage playing with my head again. I will keep you guys posted on whether or not I decide to keep stretching...

Oh, my camera is on the fritz so I don't even know when I'll be able to post pictures or even do another video. Just my luck.

Ever since The Devil Wears Prada, I've been a huge fan of the lovely Anne Hathaway. She's a great actress and is a beautiful lady. So, when I saw her photos from the newest issue of W Magazine, I just had to share! She's chic, gorgeous, and an inspiration. For more on her, check out her interview.

Have some amazing hair that you'd love to show off? I would love to feature you on The Coarse Hair Diary. This will help motivate others and even you. Seeing progress gives hope, so go ahead and nominate yourself!

To qualify, e-mail me with the answers to the following questions. Include at least two pictures of your hair. One showing length and the other how you wear it normally.

• Your name/username
• Your hair's current state (Relaxed, natural, transitioning)
• When did you start your hair care journey
• Your current regimen
• Why you decided to grow your hair
• Your staple product
• What technique (no heat, deep conditioning, stretching) has helped you the most
• Your advice to the readers

If you're interested, send your entry along with the pictures to thecoarsehairdiary@yahoo.com. I will choose 5 random readers who will be featured in the upcoming months. ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE: November 1st, 2008.

Sanaa Lathan and Taraji P. Henson at the New York premiere of The Family That Preys.

Product Name: Roux Porosity Control Extreme Pak Moisturizing Treatment
Price Range: $1.69-$1.99
Company: Roux Laboratories (http://www.rouxblue.com)
Catch Phrase: Weekly treatment that delivers intense conditioning to dry, porous or damaged hair. Equalizes hair’s porosity for new elasticity and styling ease. Can be used daily or weekly.

What I Say: At first, I didn't like it. I put it in my hair and my hair felt gross and it smelled like sunblock. LOL. But after ten minutes under the dryer to let it penetrate, my hair was soft. I dried my hair and even my new growth was soft. After this experience, I think I might try the conditioner that everyone is raving about. Yes, I wasn't using the one people are talking about. I thought I was, but on the official website, it looks like there's a conditioner, shampoo, and pak in the three-step system. Go figure.

Product Tip: Deep condition with it for ten minutes for better results.
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (5/5)

Jill Marie Jones, Solange (who looks more like Joan Clayton), Keri Hilson, D. Woods, Melyssa Ford, and Elise Neal.

The hotnesses that are Rihanna, Ciara, Jordan, and Keri!

Reconstructors are designed to fill in the gaps and holes in your hair strands. This is beneficial to damaged hair. Two good ones are Affirm 5-in-1 and ApHogee 2 minute Reconstructor.

Jada and Will at the L.A premiere for The Women.

I got an e-mail today from this website that told me about another website which sells a removal cream for braids, dreads, hair extensions, etc. I've never tried it, but I don't know if I would. Why? I mean, what could possibly be in those products that I can't find elsewhere or conjure up in my own kitchen? Just my thought. And another thing, is it me or does one of the girls on the poster look AWFULLY familiar? Hint: she's wearing purple eyeshadow and has reddish hair...

Anyway, if you won't listen to me and want to see the product for yourself, here's the link:

http://takedownproducts.com/articles.php?category_id=6

Meagan Good out and about (on two different occasions).

Anjela, my blog buddy and fabulous author of Blaq Vixen Beauty, sent me a message on Twitter today to let me know that she nominated me for an "I love your blog" award. I was pretty shock since TCHD has never been nominated for an award before. Thanks girl! The rules:

1. The nominated is allowed to put this picture on their blogs.
2. Link to the person who hearted you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other people and link to them.
4. Leave a message on those people's blog to make them aware that they're nominated.

I nominate:

The Anti Hair Slave
Beauty Rookie
Hairs My Story
Hairlicious
Brown Girl Gumbo
15 Min Beauty
Beauty 365


UPDATE:
I was nominated again by two lovely ladies. Todoni, of Love for Fitness, Fashion, Beauty & Hair Care, was the first to re-nominate me. And Sophie, of The Long Hair Diaries, was the second. Thank you so much ladies for the nominations and thanks for loving the blog!

And thanks also to Journey to Naturality for her nomination! I'm officially happy.

Q: Does washing your hair really help growth?
A: When your hair's clean, there's nothing stopping it from growing.

Q: What's APL, SL, NL, MBL, EL, and WL?
A: These are terms for lengths where the hair reaches. ArmPit Length, Shoulder Length, Neck Length, MidBack Length, Ear Length, and Waist Length.

Q: What does hair need more... Moisture or Protein?
A: Hair needs more moisture than protein.

Q: Should you take vitamins?
A: Yes! I'm anemic so I take an Iron supplement. So far, it's helping my hair. I had loss a lot a couple years ago when the anemia was at it's worst. You can take anything from Biotin, MSM, Horsetail, Prenatal Vits, etc.

Q: Does rinsing with cold water help hair?
A: Cold water seals the cuticle which keeps moisture in. This helps your hair stay soft and keeps bacteria and debris out of your hair.

Q: Should I drink water EVERY day?
A: YES! It's not only good for your hair, but also for your overall health.

Q: Why do my temples seem revert after a relaxer?
A: The temples/edges are a different texture than the rest of your hair. Plus it's exposed to water from daily facial washing.

Q: Which is better Lye or No-Lye?
A: Lye. Lye allows the hair to hold in moisture better. No-Lye is very drying. Although some opt for it cause it less harsh on the scalp, it makes your hair "poofy" and prone to damage.

Q: Can oils penetrate the hair?
A: Yes. Coconut oil is one of the best oils known to penetrate the hair. EVOO is a good one too!

Q: Where can I get stuff like glycerin/glycerine, essential oils, and vitamins?
A: Health food stores. Or online at: http://www.nutritionsmart.com

I made yet another banner for the website. I decided since I finally fixed the layout to look great both on IE and Firefox, that the website deserved a new banner. It's Rihanna, of course, and I actually love this one better than the previous. Anyway, it's now available in the Advertising/Linking section. The image is a lot bigger once you click it. It's 500 pixels wide and 160 pixels long.

Halle and baby Nahla Ariela at the Zoo.

Kelly Rowland out and about.

A quick video on straightening natural hair.

You know you want to have curls like Leona Lewis! I know I do. An interesting fact about curly hair, as reported by ABC News, is that curly haired women are more favorable to job interviewers. Craziness! But then again, the study was done with mostly Caucasian women. Anyway, before I start rambling, let's get done to business... how to get curls like Leona. After washing and deep conditioning your hair, apply a heat protectant serum throughout the hair, focusing on the ends. Roll the hair on flexi-rods (like the ones shown below) and dry the hair under a hair dryer for 45-60 minutes.

Regular Price: $7.99
Sale Price: $5.49
With Beauty Club Card: $5.49
@ Sally Beauty Supply!