Carol's Daughter Essence Fest Events

If you're in New Orleans for Essence, be sure to stop by the Carol's Daughter store at 531 Bienville Street (between Chartres Street and Decatur Street). From July 1st through July 4th, the pop-up store will have complimentary facials and hair styling, giveaways, surprise celebrity visits and happy hour from 2 to 6 PM. Today, June 30 there will be a private shopping event that you have to RSVP to attend. Thursday, there will be gelato to celebrate Carol's Daughter Day. Friday, there will be free skin and hair consultations. Saturday, Jada Pinkett Smith and Trey Songz will be toasting to women. Sunday, the gospel group Mary Mary will be in the building at 1 PM. Click here for more info including a link to Mary J. Blige's passport guide to New Orleans.

Kisha Koffee

Meet Kisha Koffee in her own words.

I am a lover of life. I love music, poetry, reading anything that challenges my brain. I teach third grade and love it.

Being naturally curly My hair has always been crazy, frizzy and curly. I have come to love it and just let it be. Even when my mom would press it or relax it, it was still curly. I wear it both curly and straight, but mostly curly.

Hair care regimen I wash my hair every 1 to 2 weeks, depends on what going on with it. But I wet it just about every day. I don't deep condition or use intense hair treatments often, I should probably do it more. It took me along time to figure out my hair’s formula, but every now and then I might try a new product to see what it would do, but I normally go back to my formula.

Color I highlight my hair every 6 months or so.

Products Wet and Wavy, liquid conditioner and liquid moose

Salons I go to Anndrea Stembridge to do my cuts and color at Danleya Cosmetics and Hair Care in Douglasville, Georgia.

Go to style Wake up and go. Although it’s gotten long, so I can wear it up too.

Photo by Keyology

Kisha's online portfolio.

Jasmin

Meet Jasmin in her own words.

I'm a NYC native who graduated from Parsons and has worked in fashion and in publishing for the last 8 years. My job experience includes Vanity Fair, The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Niche Media, AMI and producing fashion shows during NY Fashion Week since 2005. I'm a magazine aficionado ( I've been reading Vogue since 1992) and a cinema addict. Love modern art and the Old Masters, love fashion photography and reportage style as well.

Being Natural I initially stopped relaxing my hair in jan 2005 and cut it in increments about 3-4 times. By 2007, all of my relaxed hair had been chopped off and I was completely natural and have been ever since.

Hair care regimen I wash my hair about twice a week, deep condition once a week. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually detangle, style and go.

Trimming I trim every 6 months.

Heat I almost never use heat, I only blowdry my hair once a year.

Color I haven't colored my hair in eleven years.

Products I love anything by Miss Jessie's, Loreal Vive, Loreal Texture line, Danzines, Arrojo, and Ken Paves Red Carpet Styling Mousse. Olive cholesterol deep conditioner is a miracle worker, so great for my hair. I get my products from Duane Reade, Ricky's and good old Sally's beauty supply.

Go to hair style Loose, healthy and shiny!

Most prized hair tool My red wide toothed comb I got in 2005 when I first went natural, I still have it.

You should know I have a blog which reflects my personal taste and opinions about pop/celebrity culture, fashion, cinema,literature, basically a mixed bag of cultural treats. It's called mauvediary.blogspot.com. Check it out!

Eli

Meet Eli in her own words...

I am an artist who was trapped in the wrong jobs for far too long. I Finally decided to pursue my passion for art, and now have a professional artist service Company, Infinite Productions LLC. We help to translate peoples artistic vision into tangible artwork. I love to hike the great outdoors, I am a trained dancer, and love traveling with my husband to new countries. As much as I love art, I love giving back to the community so I am always looking for ways to integrate that into our company activities.

I have been natural for 6 years now. I decided to go natural when I realized that I wasn't relaxing my hair because I wanted it to be straighter or because I felt I looked better. The real reason I was doing it was learned behavior/ beauty regimen. When I sat down to think about what I really wanted, I came to the conclusion that I had not interest in putting such harsh chemicals into my hair, and that I preferred my curls in their true essence.

Hair care regimen I wash my hair 2-3 times a week. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually detangle scrunch and go, and sometimes I set it in braids if I wash it near bedtime.

Deep treatments Once a month I do an organic coconut oil & honey hair treatment.

Trimming Once every two months, because going to the hair salon is my least favorite errand!

Heat I use blow dryers on occasions maybe once or twice every 3 months.

Color I do not dye or highlight my hair.

Products The Alba line of hair products work well for me, and I love the scents. I've gone back to my country upbringing, and make my own homemade hair treatments. I don't have unique recipes to boast, it honestly depends on what I have in stock at home. Some ingredients I love using are Hawaiian honey, expeller pressed coconut oil, oatmeal, avocado and almond oil.

Styles My babysitter growing up was a hairstylist so I can style my hair in more ways then average hair stylist would even dare trying on my curls. I like wearing my hair up in a french twist with tendrils, or just letting it down.

I must have a wide hair comb for detangling, it makes detangling my hair effortless. I am currently using this one from The Body Shop.

Remember me if you are interested in Organic & Sweat Shop free Tees (www.wombapparel.com), Logo Design for your business, or Fashion Bodyart (www.infinitebodyart.com) and photo shoots.

Help a Natural Get on Oprah

Angie reached out to me to ask for my vote and all of yours to help her win Oprah's search for the next tv star.

She wrote...

I go by the name 'The Hairoine' and I've been campaigning for years now for black women to treat their hair better and to learn how to deal with their natural hair. I have my own company where I sell natural products which I personally make (http://www.thehairoine.com). I feel like I'm making some headway (my YouTube videos have over 1 million views (www.youtube.com/msbrice) and I feel like this could me my next opportunity to help the cause of the natural sista! I auditioned to have my own show on Oprah. It would be a show about making natural products for hair and skin in the kitchen. The deadline is July 3rd so time is running out! Voting is unlimited and the top 5 votes are chosen. I know it's a long shot, but Oprah said they review ALL videos, so mine could be a wildcard.

Tegan Marie

Meet Tegan Marie, a student from Minneapolis working towards a degree in clinical psychology.

Being Natural I had my hair relaxed once when I was 13. The damage to my hair was irreversible; it became dry, half straight, half kinky (from split ends and damage, not naturally), not to mention the painful sores and chemical rashes on my scalp that it left behind for months. It took years to fully grow it out and start over. I never got a relaxer again.

Hair care regimen I wash my hair about every other day but ONLY because I use a shampoo that does NOT contain a lathering agent so it does not strip my hair of any of its natural oils. I condition every time I wash, I haven't done any special treatments since I switched products because my hair has been very healthy and hasn't needed it. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually scrunch it with my hands to squeeze out excess water, put it in a loose bun on top of my head and wrap a towel around it. I try to do as little with my hair as possible so that I can allow it to be as natural as possible.

Trimming I trim about twice a year.

Heat Occasionally, I will flat iron just to change things up, but that's all and I only do that two or three times a year at most.

Color I do color my hair, but I always get it done professionally.

Special techniques I comb my hair in the shower (with conditioner in it) with a wide-tooth comb upside-down. What I do is, after combing my hair out, I bend over so that my head hangs upside down and comb through again, this keeps it from parting down the middle and flattening on top, it gives it volume.

Products Deva Curl products are all I use. I buy them from Ulta.

Salons I go to Hairpolice to get my hair done.

Go to hair style Down and curly!

Just want to remind everybody to love their hair!

Christina Daly

Meet Christina Daly from Brighton, UK.

On being natural... I haven't always been natural. I used to straighten my hair a lot when I was younger. It led to breakage. I've only ever relaxed my hair once. It damaged my hair so much and my curls took ages to come back.

Hair care regimen... I tend to only wash my hair like once a week sometimes two. My hair is easier to style when it's not fresh. I like to deep condition my hair whenever I wash.

Trimming... The last time I had a trim was the other day, but before that I'd say about 6 months ago. I slack when it comes to trimming my hair. I tend to forget about trimming my hair because it is so wild and big, I don't notice the split ends.

Heat... I hate heat! They messed my hair up big time when I used to straighten. Also, it takes hours to straighten and once it's finally done it's so hard to mantain.

Color... I coloured my hair for the first time last summer. I wanted to do it for ages, but I kept putting it off as I didn't know what colour I wanted. I decided to get a non - permanent. It wasn't so 'non - permanent' and never washed out after 20 washes. I don't mind because I like the colour, but I don't so it often. I've dyed it once since the first time.

Favorite products...  My favorite hair product chages all the time. At the moment, I really like Le Kair Cholesterol for extra dry hair. My favorite shampoo and conditioner is Frizz eez and my fav hair gel is Pink.

Salons... I can't remember the last time I went to a hair dresser. They are way too expensive and I don't trust anyone with my hair. I buy my hair products from my local African Carribean Hair Shop called T&Z's.

Go to hairstyles... I like my hair best when it's down, big and wild or slicked up in a massive ponytail. I love the Rihanna's hair at the moment and Amber Rose, but I'm no where near brave enough to go there.

Out of the ordinary... Once I was so deperate for hair cream that I used Johnson's Baby Lotion ( I do not recommend)!

You should know... I've recently signed with a new agency called BM Models (www.bmmodels.co.uk).

Photo Credits

Headshot by Paul Simmons.

Full length shot by Daniel Regan a Brighton/London based photographer. His website is www.danielregan.com. The make-up artist is called Lucy Brown her website - www.makeupbylucybrown.com

Asiah

Meet Asiah, a 16 year old high school student from Lawrenceville, Georgia with a passion for fashion.

Hair care regimen... 
I wash my hair about twice a week...maybe more depending on if I exercise or not. My hair is really dry so I don't want to wash it too often. I deep condition my hair every time I wash it, and sometimes I even add a leave-in conditioner on the days I'm not washing it.  After I wash and condition my hair, I usually use a wide tooth comb, add a bit of Garnier gel or light oil and let it air dry. I get my hair trimmed every 2 months or so.

On heat...
I don't use it very often because it takes a very long time to straighten my hair, but I would say I use heat to straighten about every 2 months.

On color... 
I have had highlights in the past (10 years old or so), and I dyed my hair for the first time (black) about a month ago..using a semi permanent.

Favorite products...
Just for Me non-drying alcohol free gel and Garnier shampoos and conditioners.

Favorite stylist... 
Nia Nicole salon - Snellville, GA (when I'm able to go).

Favorite style...
Naturally curly (down) or a messy bun.

Favorite tool...
A wide tooth comb because it helps prevent extensive breakage from detangling.

On style...
I'm in love with fashion, but I don't really do the 'trend' thing. I try to have my own style.

Rachel Stewart Twitter Contest Winner

Congrats to @juicyincouture on Twitter. She won and claimed the Natural Necklace by Rachel Stewart. If you want it, it can be yours for $38. Just visit Rachel Stewart's Online Jewelry Shop.

Beauty Mix During Essence Fest

If you're going to be in New Orleans for Essence Fest, you should visit The Makeup Lab Artistry's Beauty Mix. The event will feature über talented makeup artists from all across the globe including the fabulously talented Kisha Williams (the co-founder of TMULA and hands down one my favorite 'face beaters').

Artists will be available for makeup applications, false eyelashes, brow shaping, as well as customized services. In addition, the artists will be available to work on-location for live performances, print and media spreads, and TV appearances.

Conveniently located downtown, just blocks away from the Ernest Morial Convention Center, The Makeup Lab Artistry will house the best glam squad in town!

Location: 843 Carondelet St. Studio #4
Studio Hours: 1:00pm - 10:00pm
Email: info@tmula.com
Contact Number: 504-982-0289

Appointments are highly recommended, but walk-in's are welcome. Please contact us to inquire about custom or on-location services.

Hair Typing, Do You Care

How do you feel about hair typing?
	I don't care. It's never helped me.
	It matters, but it's not a big deal.
	It's very important and helped me with my hair.

D. Olive

Meet D. Olive... 

On going natural... I had a relaxer once when I was younger, and it wasn't by choice. I hated it. I let my hair grow out and cut off the relaxed ends over time. I've been natural since then, which was about 8 years ago. 

Hair care regimen... I usually wash my hair about once a week. I try to deep condition my hair whenever I wash it. I usually leave the conditioner on my hair after I wash it for the appropriate time and then rinse it off. I try to trim my hair every 3 months. 

On color... I currently have black hair with blonde highlights. I refresh my highlights every 4 months. 

Special hair techniques... When I style my hair I prefer blow drying it dry rather than letting it air dry. Instead of using gel, I use conditioner. 

Favorite products... A hair product that I really like is made in Dominican Republic, its called Silicon Mix. It makes my hair feel soft and healthier. 

You should know... I love wearing my hair curly, the bigger the better.

Last Chance: Rachel Stewart Natural Necklace Twitter Contest

You have until midnight tonight, June 24 to be eligible to win this unique gold acrylic necklace by Rachel Stewart.
All you have to do is follow Mane and Chic on Twitter and send this tweet: @maneandchic I will SHUT IT DOWN when I rock the @RStewartJewelry Natural necklace and my #naturalhair.

I will assign each tweet a number (in the order the tweets are received) and use the random number generator to choose one winner. The winner will have until midnight on Friday (June 25) to claim the prize. If there is no response, I will choose another winner.

Transitioners Thursday: Sleeping

A popular question readers ask...

"I'm XX months into my transition, what do I do to my hair at night to prepare for bed?"

One of the biggest issues with transitioning is matting. Yes, I know it all too well. I think sleeping is what causes me the biggest headaches when it comes to my hair. Yes, even today as a natural. I like to be free when I'm sleep. During my transition, it was hard for me to do anything to my hair to prepare for bed. If I wore rollers, I ended up taking them out in my sleep. I refuse to be uncomfortable. I would typically just sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase with a satin bonnet. What I learned is that not protecting my hair or doing something to tame it at night, made it harder to detangle the next day and I was loosing a lot of time and hair. How you prepare your hair for sleep is crucial, not only because you're trying to preserve some semblance of a style, but also because it's an absolute necessity. If you want to keep the hair you have and not spend your life detangling a matted mess, don't let your hair get matted.

How you prepare your hair depends largely upon how you intend to wear your hair the next day.

If you wear your hair straight...

• Sleep on a silk or satin pillow case.
• Roll your hair with soft rollers that won't pull your hair when you toss and turn. Consider using end papers on the ends of your hair, they make a big difference for me.
• OR Wrap your hair.
• OR Pin curl your hair.
• Cover your hair with a satin or silk bonnet or scarf. The scarf may flatten your hair, but if you wear the bonnet, your hair could still matt. If the scarf has just the right tension and is secure, you shouldn't have any issues.
• You might experiment with sealing the ends of your hair with oils and butters. Using a water-based product on straightened hair could make your hair frizz up.

If you wear your hair curly: in braid outs, twist outs or roller sets...

• Re-moisturize your hair, again try experimenting with sealing the ends of your hair with oils and butters.
• Sleep on a silk or satin pillow case.
• Re-set your braids or twists (roll the ends for a more uniform curls). You don't have to do as many as you did for the original set, it's up to you. End papers are great if you have trouble getting your ends on a roller or just to make the ends smoother. I swear by them.
• OR Re-set your roller set, using fewer rollers and rollers safe for sleeping.
• OR Loosely secure your hair in a high pony-tail, wrap a scarf around your hairline and nape to keep the edges smooth and top with a satin or silk bonnet or scarf.

How do you protect your transitioning hair while you sleep?

Summer Shoedrobe Rotation Poll

From my last post, you know that I currently have about 8 pairs of shoes in my summer wardrobe. I'm probably only going to wear 5 or 6 of them regularly or in the next 30 days. How many different pairs of shoes will you wear in the next 30 days (not including house slippers, swim shoes, gardening shoes, uniform shoes, working out shoes or things of that nature)?

How many different pairs of shoes will you wear in the next month?
	1 to 5
	6 to 10
	10 to 15
	15 to 20
	20 or more

Summer Shoedrobe

Yesterday, June 21, 2010 marked the first day of summer 2010. You probably already have your summer shoedrobe, but you're probably thinking of a couple more you can add. I had a few pair in rotation for spring that will essentially be the same for summer: open toe canvas ankle boots, platform pumps, stilettos, a couple of pairs of flat sandals, black wedges (that I wear nearly everyday: loves them), nude ballet flats (I hardly wear) and caged platform sandals. That's roughly about 8 pairs of shoes. This economy is gross and we really need to be getting the most bang for our buck. I'm very practical when it comes to shoes. I have to be in love with them and they have to fit into my current wardrobe or I have to love them enough to refocus my wardrobe.  I might get two pairs of trendy shoes for spring/summer and then for fall/winter. It's usually a dressy pair and a casual pair. When I get bored, I sell them to consignment shops. I can sell two or three and buy a new pair.

I try to keep only 10-15 pair of shoes maximum in my shoedrobe. I'm not big on having a shoe closet or hoarding shoes. My mom is like that and I literally grew up in a designer shoe boutique in the French Quarter (New Orleans). She didn't own it, but my mom shopped there so much! We were there every weekend like clockwork. I worked there through high school and college. My mom loved Stuart Weitzman shoes. We became very close to the store manager — she was like an extra aunt. That was fun and I guess that's where I developed a love for shoes.

I love shoes, but I love them responsibly meaning I don't walk (long distances) in any that will murder my feet (or I just walk super slow), I don't spend a ton of money on them and really think before I buy (regardless of whether they are $20 or $200). I started a blog for them, but I really just wanted to integrate it into Mane & Chic. Most of my readers seem to love it anyway. In school I studied fashion photography and art direction, loved shoes so much that I focused most of my major school projects around shoes. I know that fashion can be trivial and shallow, but to me shoes are like architecture on your feet. You can learn so much about a person from their shoes. I am a bit of a shoe snob, but not for the reasons you may think. I'm more into construction and inventiveness, I couldn't care less about the designer or price tag though oftentimes it is the premier designers that offer the most inventive shoes with the best construction.

Lately, I've become obsessed with wedges. I used to hate them. What's cool about wedges is that you get all the benefits of heels without most of the hurt and I'm all about comfort now. That being said, I am looking to invest in a couple of additions to my shoedrobe: lace up wedge or platform ankle boots (in gray or caramel), pump wedges (in a bright color like yellow), thick strappy wedges or platforms (in caramel), leopard ballet flats, and a pair of platform pumps (in a skin tone neutral like beige, brown, caramel, light gray). I will not get all of these right away, but I know a few of these will transition into fall and even well into winter.

What's on your summer 2010 shoedrobe wishlist? Please share in the comments.

Twitter Contest Winner: Kairos Products

Congrats to @KinkyKurlyQueen for winning the Kairos contest on Twitter! Your Kairos products are on the way!

Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Collection

New from Carol's Daughter is the Hair Milk Collection and it's only available at Sephora. That's right, even CarolsDaughter.com doesn't have in stock. The Hair Milk Curl Perfecting Shampoo claims to eliminate frizz and gently remove dirt, oil, and product build-up. Hair Milk Curl Perfecting Conditioner is a penetrating, moisture treatment for curls. Hair Milk Lite The Curl Booster claims to boost curls, tame frizz and define curls in the form of a weightless lotion. Finally, Hair Milk The Original Curl Definer claims to define, tame, and restore luster to natural curls while conditioning.

I am a Hair Milk user, I like it for re-setting my hair at night. It reminds me of Luster's Pink Oil and Wild Root. Those are the two major products my Mom used on me when I was growing up. I like Carol's Daughter Hair Milk better because it has better ingredients and formulated without parabens, petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates, and artificial colors.

I think the packaging is really clever. I'm definitely going to try this after I finish with a couple of other products I need to use up.

What do you think? Are you interested in trying the new Hair Milk collection from Carol's Daughter?

 Please share in the comments. 


Click images for details.

Rock It Knock It: Versace Leather Platform Ankle Boots

Cobalt blue and navy with accents of orange and patent-leather green, these leather ankle boots by Versace features 5.5" heels with a 1.5" hidden platform. What do you think? Would you rock them? Click image for pricing and details.

Shurnita

Meet Shurnita, a 25 year old mother of one from Grand Prairie, Texas who is studying to be a psychiatrist and enjoys singing, dancing, acting and spending time with her son.

On going natural...
I chopped off all of my hair in 2008. I've been natural for 2 years.

Hair care regimen...
I wash my hair twice a week and I let the conditioner sit for an hour.

On styling...
I like to wear my hair wild and free. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually just let it air dry and eat chocolate cookies and milk.

On trimming...
I get my hair trimmed every month.

On heat...
I let my hair dry naturally and I only use flat irons for special events.

On color...
I dye my hair every 2-3 months and I like colors like honey blonde to compliment my skin tone.

After this photo...
I just cut all of my hair off so I'm like India Arie when she first cut her dreads.

International T-Shirt Day AND Free Shipping

It is International T-Shirt and for today only, Spreadshirt is offering free shipping when you type in the code TSHIRTDAY10 at checkout.

Click here to visit the Mane & Chic T-Shirt shop.

A little disclaimer about the "Ruck Felaxers" tees. They are not meant to hate on women with relaxers or to offend anyone. They are meant to be humorous, light-hearted and celebrate those of us who feel the sentiment of the words on the tee. They are quite popular in the t-shirt shop. A few people have sent me e-mails saying they have worn the t-shirt and they have been great ice breakers and once their friend catch on, they usually burst into laughter. Some other people have said they haven't had the nerve to wear them in public, but they get a kick out of it wearing it to bed, just hanging out at home or under a jacket.

Anyway, there are a couple of other designs in the Mane & Chic tee shop including length check tees in a multitude of color combinations and sizes. There are also goal tees for those of you trying to reach specific hair length in 2010.

Fashion Help Poll

To decide the future content of Mane and Chic, I need some feedback. I get many requests for work gear especially in corporate environments or jobs with very traditional dress codes. I also get lots of requests for special events: weddings, graduations and things of that nature. Where do you need the most fashion help or inspiration?

Where do you need a boost of fashion inspiration and or help?
	Work - traditional or corporate dress codes for your 9 to 5
	Play - date and night out gear for weekends and after work
	Chill - for casual weekend wear or for college students
	Special and Formal - weddings, balls, graduations, etc...

Please share in the comments!

How Do You Feel About Shrinkage?

One of the biggest issues with curly and kinky hair is shrinkage. Lots of women love it, lots of women hate it. The fact that some women can stretch their hair to their waist, but in a natural state it will only ever curl up to their shoulders is kind of amazing. If you have super long hair when straightened, it's cool to rock your hair in a natural state and have an entirely different look to where people think you got a hair cut. How do you feel about shrinkage? If you're not a huge fan of shrinkage all the time, what techniques do you use to stretch your hair?


Participate in the poll.

How do you feel about hair shrinkage?
	I love it
	I hate it
	I love it sometimes and I hate it sometimes
	I don't know

Amina “Amhara” Hassan

Meet Amina “Amhara” Hassan, a student, currently completing her Arts & Science degree at the University of Toronto.

On going natural...
I’ve kept the natural look my whole life, so I’ve never experienced a relaxer or any other chemical products in my hair. The most drastic change I’ve ever put my curls through was chopping them all off last year in August and sporting the short look. Not only was it liberating, but it gave me a real sense of what I looked like without using my hair as my safety blanket, which is something I find a lot of us women do.

Hair care regimen...
I wash my curls almost every other day, but I try to limit my use of shampoos and conditioners to two or three times a week, to avoid damage of course.

On trimming...
I try to trim my hair every month and a half, but this really means… anytime my hair stylist tells me to.

Heat usage...
I try to keep my use of flat irons as limited as possible. But during weeks of stress (for instance, full work schedules or exam season) I’ll straighten my hair to avoid the hassle of my curls in the mornings. However, I make use of my blow dryer almost everyday.

On colour or color...
My hair is at its natural colour. I’ve never had the opportunity of colouring my hair simply because I find no other colour more suiting for me. Au naturale, baby.

Hair Secrets... 
I wish I had secrets regarding my hair, but it’s all quite simple: shampoo, wash, condition, wash, repeat, blow dry, and I’m out the door. However, I suggest to anyone with curls to avoid use of gels, mousse, or hairspray – if you make serum, leave-in-conditioner or carrot oil your best friend, you’ll find your hair looking it’s healthiest, softest, and easiest to deal with.

Favorite hair products...
Faith in Nature Shampoo and Conditioner or Giovanni is a must for me – it consists of organic products for us Vegans and Vegetarians. Once in a while, I’ll try Essential Care… if I have the money to upgrade. I also use carrot hair oil as I blow dry my hair.

Favorite style...
My hair is currently going through a growing phase, so I make use of hair clips and bobby pins a lot, as displayed in my photo. But there is nothing I miss more then a simple bun. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually blow dry and go.

Most prized hair tool...
My blow dryer is my other half – I simply couldn’t survive a day without it.

More Amina...
I'm a blogger, visit me at http://aamhara.com.

Transitioners Thursday: When To BC

There comes a point in most women's transitions when they begin to feel it's no longer necessary to keep their relaxed ends. They contemplate a Big Chop (cutting off their relaxed ends and becoming 100% natural). For some women the transition period is a couple of months, for some a few months and then there are the long term transitioning that stick in there for a year a more (like me). I didn't plan my Big Chop, I just picked up a pair of scissors on July 4, 2008 (a year and a half after my last relaxer) and never looked back. "When should I BC?" is one of Mane & Chic's most asked questions. Here's my answer on when you should Big Chop.

• When you're ready. You don't want to regret doing it too soon.
• When you're comfortable with the length you will loose. Your relaxed ends are weighing down your hair, be prepared to loose a lot of length not only due to the cut, but to shrinkage.
• When you're tired of dealing with the line of difference. It can be annoying and if you're having a lot of difficulty here or are rushing through detangling, you might consider the Big Chop.
•  When you're tired of dealing with the different textures. If you feel like you want to simplify your hair routine, it would help to not have to deal with the drastically different textures. Keep in mind that your natural hair may not be all the same texture (often it's not), but it shouldn't be like dealing with relaxed and natural hair.
• When you've figured out how you're going to do it: are you going to do it? a close friend? or are you going to a salon?
• When you're prepared. Have you done your research? Do you have the products and tools you will need to be natural?

Notice a common theme here? It's you. There is no good or bad time to cut off your relaxed ends. It's all on you. 

You should also read...

Preparing for the Big Chop

Kinky-Curly Event in Atlanta

Shelley Davis, the creator of Kinky-Curly will be at Urbanbella in Atlanta Saturday, June 19 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You will need to call UrbanBella to reserve a seat as space is limited. For more info see UrbanBella.net.

Twitter Contest Last Chance: Kairos Products

Last chance to win the Kairos Anti-Acne Hair System products.

Recap: By Thursday at midnight, I will be giving away a shampoo and conditioner from the Kairos anti-acne hair care line.

Want to win? First, follow Mane and Chic on Twitter. Next, send this tweet: @maneandchic I want to win the Kairos products for my #naturalhair. I will choose one winner randomly by printing out those tweets, putting them in a box and shaking it up (old school style). Good luck, ladies!

Jaleesa Dee

Meet Jaleesa Dee from Rhode Island. 

On being natural...
I always wear my hair out curly and NEVER had my hair relaxed. I love my natural curls.

Hair care regimen...
I wash my hair 3-4 times a week. I hate to leave products in my hair for too long. I deep condition however often my hair needs it like if it's getting crunchy or feels dry. I trim my hair every 6-8 weeks. I love to straighten my hair so I often use flat irons. I color my hair every 4-6 months. I don't go to the salon a lot to get my hair done unless it's for an occasion.

Favorite hair products...
I use TRESemmé. I love their conditioner and shampoo. I am not a fan of using too much oil because the make my hair look oily, but they do leave great shine. Gel is not really my thing. I'd rather use water than to put gel in my hair.

Favorite style... I absolutely LOVE my hair out wild: curls bouncing everywhere. I sometimes put it all to one side or just in a bun.

You should know... Natural is the new thing!

Photo by Nelson Damoura.

Bottom Up Dressing: The Tyra Wedge

Have you ever loved a pair of shoes so much that you base your future wardrobe purchased around the lovelies? Suddenly I'm into wedges and I saw the Tyra shoe by Por La Victoire. They retail for $295. The golden mustard color really lends itself to be paired fabulously with lots of colors like teal, turquoise, coral, peach and orange.

See below for pricing and details, click for details.

More Tory Burch...

Khade

Meet Kahde, she's been natural for 8 years.

On going natural...
It was a change of lifestyle in general. I started eating healthy, my scalp was burned from a bad relaxer and I also discovered that some of the ingredients in relaxers cause brain cancer and have also been said to contribute to lupus. I let go of an unhealthy romantic relationship and literally felt as if I wanted to be reborn. I had discovered how beautiful I truly was regardless of the length or straightness of my hair.

Hair care regimen...
I wash my hair once every other week, sometimes once a week depending on the weather. I condition my hair with K. Beam Custom Butta hair butter which I make myself.

Hair secrets...
Love your hair, wash your hair at least once every other week, use natural hair care products that DO NOT contain, alcohol, mineral oil or bees wax.

Favorite salons...
Honeecomb Hair Salon and The Art of Gem Hair Salon in Atlanta Georgia. My favorite stylist is Stephanie Muckoro in NYC.

Favorite products...

K. Beam Custom Butta hair and body butters, which are my natural skin and hair care products. I also  use Trader Joe's herbal shampoo, and oats and aloe all natural soap, it's made with vegetable glycerin.

Wardrobe must-haves...
A cute fitted pair of jeans, tights, long dress, basic tees, midriff sweater, black dress and high boots.

Khade's links...
My natural skin and hair care products www.kbeamcustombutta.com and on Twitter @kbeamcustombuta.

Wardrobe Wipeout

Let's not create a weird or tragic scenario like someone breaking into your house while you're in the shower and stealing your entire wardrobe. Let's just say for some strange reason, you find yourself absolutely wardrobe-less. You have to start over from scratch: new shoes, new bags, new jeans, new earrings — new everything! Your insurance company has sent you a check and it's quite a bit more than you expected. You need some clothes, but you could also use the extra money for other things. How much would you realistically spend on your new wardrobe over the course of one season: spring and summer, 180 days or the next 6 months?

How much is your wardrobe worth?
	Under $1000
	$1000-$2000
	$2000-$3000
	$3000-$4000
	$4000-$5000
	Over $5000

Simone

Meet Simone from Baltimore by way of Jamaica, a 22 year old who loves the outdoors: camping, fishing, hiking, bike riding and going to the beach. Simone's passions include acting, modeling, dancing, and singing.

On being natural...
I was natural my entire life until high school. I got a relaxer when I was 15 years old. At 19 years old, I got tired wasting money on relaxers, so I decided to transition back to my natural hair. I did a big chop only because my hair had been long my entire life and I wanted to experience the short cut and I absolutely loved it.

On her regimen...
I wash my hair every three days or so, unless I have a style which I usually keep in for 5 days. I try to deep condition my hair every time I wash my it, I have been slacking off lately.

On trimming...
Wow, Usually I trim my hair every 6 months or so. Whenever I decide to go to the hair salon to straighten it out, which has been twice in the last year.

On heat usage... 
I don't use flat irons or any heat tools unless I go to the hair salon: once in a blue moon. I do use a hooded hair dryer every time I wash my hair (every 3 days) for 20 minutes when I deep condition my hair.

On color...
I had gold streaks in my hair which lasted for 2 years and about 4 months ago I went to the hair salon to dye my hair completely black again.

Hair secrets...
The biggest hair secret for woman of color is to keep our hair moisturized. The difference between our hair and other races is that our hair gets dry easily so we have to make sure we have a hair lotion that we use daily. It is harder for me to keep my hair moisturized when it is straight than when it is natural.

Favorite product...
My favorite hair products are Cathy Howse's UBH products. I have been using her hair lotion and deep conditioner for 2 years now and they are amazing, they definitely helped to transform my hair. I order my Cathy Howse products online at her website.

Go to hair style...
My favorite way to wear my hair is to have it freshly washed and out, maybe a head band as well. After I wash and condition my hair, I usually cornrow my hair in 2 big braids or I leave it out, depending on my mood.

Photo credit: Simone's photo is by Lucyna Mont.

Natural Necklace Twitter Contest

Feast your eyes on this unique gold acrylic necklace from Rachel Stewart. It sells for $38 on Rachel Stewart's online jewelry shop.

Cute huh?
How would you like to win it? All you have to do is follow Mane and Chic on Twitter and send this tweet: @maneandchic I will SHUT IT DOWN when I rock the @RStewartJewelry Natural necklace and my #naturalhair. Once that happens, I will only send a couple of people details on how to move forward with the contest. It will be fun to watch and participate.

Adrianne

Meet Adrianne from the YouTube channel MlleCafeAuLait.

On YouTube... 
I love You Tube. It has helped me immensely in regards to natural hair care, makeup, products and all that good stuff. My channel is brand-spankin' new, but I will mostly post natural hair care tips and throw in makeup and fashion for a little flavor.

On going natural...
I never did a big chop, I transitioned by pure accident! My hair was severely damaged due to years of damaging hair products, flat ironing and hot combing, so basically I transitioned from relaxed to natural by straw-setting or "bunning" my hair on a regular basis. I did my "kinda-sorta" big chop (straight, damaged ends)", to a Rihanna-esque cut in June 2007, and a 2nd final cut the end of December of 2007. Healthy 3c hair ever since!  I have been natural since 1998, however I made the decision to REALLY take care of my hair in the beginning of 2008. From 1998 to 2008 (10 years!) my hair was damaged "straight" to the point where it would no longer curl, and it was more like a frizzy wave texture. I didn't even know my texture until summer 2008. My last relaxer was Sept 1998, right before I moved out and went away to school . I thought I would look for a new salon or stylist to relax my hair before my next touch-up. About 4 months later, I took a good look at my new growth , and had an epiphany to try and wear my hair natural and to no longer relax. My main motivation was thinking about how much money I would save along with pure laziness!! At the time, I still continued to flat iron/hot-comb on a daily basis, and unbeknown to me, was another huge mistake!

Hair care regimen...
My regimen is fairly simple. I wash when I feel it needs it ( about 1-2 weeks). I have 3 wash cycles: light,medium and heavy wash. Light is a co-wash, medium is a wash with sulfate-free shampoo, and heavy wash is to clarify with a mild shampoo containing sulfates. I alternate with a deep conditioner and a protein treatment every 2 weeks. I do this as a pre-poo on dry hair.

On trimming...
I dust using the "search and destroy" method every time I straighten my hair, which is about 4 times a year! However I will trim maybe every 6 months.

On heat...
I flat iron maybe 4 times a year, or maybe on some random special occasion. I do stretch out my curls with my blow-dryer on low heat maybe once a week, if that counts. I wear my hair down may once or twice a week. I usually wear a "high" or "low" puff!

On color... 
The last time I've dyed my hair was January 2009. I've only used rinses that wash out, but I really want to try Henna.

Food for hair...
I've used and still use MAYO as a protein treatment ONLY BECAUSE I accidentally bought some fat free mayonnaise, (and I HATE fat free mayo) and I didn't want to just throw it away. I will use it until its gone. What can I say, I hate wasting money.

Favorite products...
Hands down, my favorite product is Nourish Spa conditioner, from Trader Joe's! As a matter of fact, 90% of my favorite hair products come from Trader Joe's! Trader Joe's Jojoba oil, Nourish Spa conditioner and aloe vera gel. However, I'm still looking for my "staple" spray leave in conditioner.

Favorite hair styles...
An 80's side curly ponytail, or a low side curly puff.

You should know...
Imperfections are beautiful! I have a bald spot on my right temple. Its like an oval shaped silver dollar. I used to be so self conscious about it. I used to get asked about it all the time. I used to want a hair transplant to get rid of it permanently. I cover it up on occasion, but now I'm fine with it and I know it makes me who I am.

Kenzo Spring/Summer 2010

The spring 2010 Kenzo collection was desert meets ethnic chic. The brightly colored sheers fabrics and the intricate prints were the highlights. The show featured several models of color. Here are a couple of inspiring looks from the collection. What can we learn here? Don't be afraid to wear bold color, mix patterns and rock sky high strappy sandals with shorts, cuffed pants, skirts and dresses.

View the entire show at Kenzo.com and Style.com.

Twitter Contest: Kairos Anti-Acne Hair System

By Thursday at midnight, I will be giving away a shampoo and conditioner from the anti-acne hair care line Kairos. 

A few words from the Kairos website:

Do you know that your hair care products may be contributing to your acne? It's time for your hair to apologize to your skin. Kairos Acne Care Solutions are where healthy hair and clear skin meet. Kairos is a new approach to acne management, the first ever hair care created to combat the causes and aggravators of acne related to hair and hair care products.

Want to win? First, follow Mane and Chic on Twitter. Next, send this tweet: @maneandchic I want to win the Kairos products for my #naturalhair. I will choose a few people to move forward to the next step. It's going to be super easy and fun, but there will only be one winner. Good luck, ladies!

Carmen Alicia Belcher

Meet aspiring entertainment mogul: model, musician, journalist,  former Lingerie Football League New York Majesty player— Carmen Alicia Belcher.

On being curly...

I started getting relaxers very young because my aunt, who raised me, couldn't comb my hair without my screaming and crying. I was so "tender-headed" the neighbors called the police! When the police came to the door, my aunt had to beg me to tell them I was alright so they'd know she wasn't abusing me! LOL. Needless to say, I was of what my natural texture would be like when I first made the transition to natural hair.  Three years later, I know it's the best thing I've done for the health of my hair and scalp.


Hair care regimen...
My hair is pretty thick so I must co-wash it daily in order to comb through it. I'm a product nerd so I love to use a product until the bottle empties then try another. My favorite to detangle is Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. Not only does it smell nice, but the thick cream makes detangling in the shower so much easier. I buy the family size from Sam's Club to save money. A fabulous girlfriend put me on to Moroccanoil in the pot to hydrate deeper as I detangle.  I don't wash it out until the next day.  Sebastian's Wet is a liquid gel I've used since my childhood days of going to the beach in the Hampton's for that "wet" look. It also tames frizz before straightening with a blow dryer. I buy the generic at Sally's or Bed Bath & Beyond. When I was interning at InStyle magazine, the beauty editor gave me some Ojon conditioner and I fell in love! Haven't used it in a while but the results back then were amazing.

Hair secrets...

I only straighten when I have it "dusted" every three months. I like to experiment with new bangs and a blunt cut to stay current while growing my hair out. I comb with a widetooth Denman to brush in ponytail and while straightening. For uniform curls, I take a few strands soaked in setting lotion and twirl with my fingers. 

On salons...
I avoid the salon except when it comes to cutting. I haven't had a stylist who was able to really straighten my hair while keeping it shiny and healthy since college. Plus, stylists have always complained about the thickness of my hair, so I do my own hair. But, another girlfriend of mine with a gorgeous set of curls referred me to Devachan Salon & DevaSpa, and it was the most amazing experience. They specialize in curls and treated me like a queen. I've tried their product line, but only use their special blow dryer on a regular basis.

Favorite hair style...
Sleek bun, french braid, big fro, blunt futuristic haircuts.

On her style... 
I love to play with my image! So much so, friends don't recognize me sometimes. I'll wear anything as long as you aren't! I'm a reformed tomboy so I go from one extreme to the next. 

Favorite places to shop...
My Aunt Pat's closet! Everything of mine people really love, is pulled from her massive closets. She's kept EVERYTHING! She's tres chic. Had me wearing her vintage St. John's in high school. And I don't mean St. John's Bay...


Must have wardrobe pieces...
Trench coat, good bag, and most importantly super high heels! 

Carmen Alicia's links...

Myspace: www.myspace.com/carmenaliciamusic

Blair's Update

You remember Blair, right? Here was her first interview with Mane and Chic way back in 2008, click here to read it.

She's back by popular demand with updates on her curly hair regimen.

On being natural…
I have been fully natural 3.5 years. I base this number from the date of my Big Chop in November 2006, which was preceded by 11 months of transitioning. In the past my hair always grew easily and retaining length was never a problem, even if I wore my hair down every day. When I went to college I fried, dyed and blow dried my hair — once I even dyed it blonde twice in one day. Eventually my hair just started falling out. I finally got it cut even at shoulder length, but my hair never retained length. A friend talked about going natural, but I was scared of my natural hair because I equated natural hair to an unkempt Afro and my personal preference was not to have big hair. As I saw her begin to transition, I decided to think seriously about it and that’s when I signed up for longhaircareforum.com and realized the different ranges of natural hair — I even realized that I could embrace whatever my hair decided to throw at me whether that be big, frizzy, kinky, curly, etc. I realize that with a relaxer I was trying to correct something that was the furthest thing from wrong. I stand out in a crowd, my hair is versatile and it's never been healthier.


Curly hair regimen...
My regimen is  simple — I just occasionally shampoo and cowash a lot. I shampoo when I feel the need — sometimes that’s once every couple of weeks or  twice a week, but it really just depends on how my hair feels. I only shampoo once, no lather AND repeat, and I use it directly on my scalp with only one quick swipe on the rest of my hair. After that, I put conditioner in my hair and use a wide-tooth comb, bottom to top, to distribute the conditioner throughout my hair. Next, I lightly rinse my hair with water, put more conditioner in my hair, put my hair in a loose bun (while squeezing out excess water) and continue with my shower. Before I step out of the shower, I squeeze residual water out of my loose bun. I co-wash and detangle every 1-3 days and my conditioner also serves as my leave-in. I deep condition maybe once or twice a year — definitely not a high priority.

Straightening regimen...
I started straightening my hair in July 2008 after about two years of no heat. I straighten every two or three months. I was addicted to the straight hair for awhile because, for me, it’s low maintenance and less time walking around waiting for my WnG to dry. But every time I straighten my hair I immediately miss my curls and feel as if I disappear into a crowd.

I straighten my hair every few months. I go to a local Ethiopian Salon for my straight look as they have low prices, use limited heat and most of the customers I’ve witnessed have very long hair. They shampoo and conditioner my hair, roller set my hair and then flat iron or curl. I get results that are amazing and I give them a big thumbs up because they can get you Dominican blow-out results without a blow dryer. After this process, I don’t mess with my hair much. I usually keep it for 1-2 weeks and sleep with a satin cap sometimes. I haven’t found a moisturizer for straight hair that I like yet. I know I need to improve my straight hair care regimen because I don’t seem to retain as much length when I straighten.

Go to hair style...
I switch up between ponytails, messy buns and wearing my hair half up/half down or just free flowing. If I wash my hair the night before and I have to be somewhere early the next day I usually end up with a ponytail or bun. If I have enough time to prepare I’ll usually wear my hair down. I usually add a little bit of style by flat twisting the front of my hair and securing with bobby pins (besides that I’m style challenged).

Favorite Products...
Conditioners: Herbal Essences Hydralicious (purple), Herbal Essences Totally Twisted, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, Suave Humectant. **I know many people are against cones in their hair products for a variety of reasons, but I’ve found less single-strand knots and have seen enhanced curl definition when I use products with cones.

Shampoo: Creme of Nature (green bottle), Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo (disclaimer: I only use Joico because it was free — I do not suggest expensive products).

Detangler: Wide-Tooth Comb and Denman Brush


Thoughts on growth aids...
Don’t rely on growth aides. Your hair grows. You may just not be retaining your length due to frequent trimming, damage, etc. So keep your scalp clean and protect your ends and if you can just eat healthy, exercise or anything that naturally promotes the health of your body and skin.

Let your hair be the boss...
I know it’s easy to jump on a bandwagon, think specialized or more expensive products are better but in many cases they aren’t. If you think you need special products it’s probably because you are trying to manage and/or train your hair to do something it doesn’t want to do. I’ve learned to embrace frizz and just let my hair live its own life.

On trimming...
(Frequent) Trims are unnecessary. I went two years without scissors touching my hair and have retained my hair. After I started using heat, I employed the Search and Destroy method and have been fine. Unless you NEED the straight across even look, you most likely never really need a professional trim every 6 weeks — I retain about .3-.5 inches a month. If I trimmed more frequently, I would never see any length. Also, I never noticed split ends until I started using heat so I make sure I use heat sparingly!

My first trim since my BC was on July 25, 2008. I had an actual cut (long layers) in November 2009. While both experiences were good, I prefer to do my own trims via the Search and Destroy Method. My hair grows pretty even and even with my Search and Destroy I never end up with see-through ends, so I don’t ever feel the need for a comprehensive trim or cut.

Favorite salon...
Almaz Diamond Salon, Arlington, VA. They are an assembly-line style salon (first come first serve) so there is no stylist trying to manage 5 heads at once. I’ve never been in the salon longer than two hours. Prices are also very low, even with long hair.