Hair Things

Whether you have loose curls or tight coily locks you will definately be the talk of the town this spring!

We can see the evidence of the popularity of curls at the recent Golden Globe Awards. There were many celebrities sporting curls at this years gala event.

Halle Berry wore a loose French twist lightly curled in an updo. A very simple, yet elegant style. The list went on of celebs taking their straight hair and adding a little flare with curls. Best supporting film actress Natalie Portman’s shoulder-length, naturally beautiful curls with bangs made her a star that night.

Our lovely “Desperate Housewives” Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Nicolette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives looked lavishing in their loosely tousled waves. 2005 is said to be the Year of the Curl! No straight styles were seen at this years star studded event. Curls are back with a vengeance!

If you need some assistance maintaining the shiny glow of your curly ques, here are some tips:

Using the right hair cutting technique is extremely important when cutting curly hair. It’s important to cut the hair in a way that creates the right amount of volume without the frizzies. It is also very important to go to the right salon and to a stylist who is experienced in working with curly hair.

To create a sassy hairstyle, simply wash hair and towel dry or use a diffuser. Once the hair is almost dry use a moisturizing product that is not too heavy and run fingers through hair to add more volume. Let hair air dry and style as desired with your fingers. If you use a brush or comb you may add too much frizz.

Add a touch of essential oils like avocado, coconut, jojoba or olive oil to your hair. This can be a great conditioning regimen to do prior to shampooing the hair. Place any of the above mentioned oils into the hair and place the hair in a bun for about 20 minutes. You can even wrap your hair under a plastic cap covered by a heat cap for added conditioning. You’ll find that your curls will be more revived and manageable.

Love your curls and they’ll love you back!

Janice Johnson is the founder of the http://www.CurlyHairSalon.com website. An online multi-ethnic curly hair magazine that offers information, tips and advice to care for curly hair.

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Winter is the season that wreaks the most havoc on curly tresses. From the seemingly instant change in climate to the daily assault of dry, brittle wind and frizz-producing rain — a curly girl just doesn’t have a chance! However, you can counter the evils of winter by incorporating a good hair regime and using only quality products for your angel’s hair.

I hope to provide insight to all of those with inquiries

Question: I hope you can settle a difference of opinion between a co-worker and myself. Naomi and I have a mutual African-American acquaintance whose 4-year-old daughter cries when her shoulder-length hair is cared for. I commented how I would rather shorten the little girl’s hair rather than put her through such daily torture. However, since doing some research on the Internet, I’ve learned that short hair would be considered totally unacceptable by other children and the African-American community in general. Here is the question which we are trying to settle. Naomi is strongly of the opinion that cutting a child’s hair before the age of five is greatly harmful to the child’s hair. She explained that a child’s hair is replaced twice and the length of the hair determines the quality and health of the child’s hair in the future. If I remember correctly, she mentioned that a short hairstyle would result in more fragile hair and be very difficult to deal with when she’s an adult and that ‘anyone who knows hair will tell me this..’ It has always been my understanding that the hair follicles are based on genetics and that the length of healthy hair does not alter how the hair will grow out. Is she correct? And if so, does it also apply to boys? I thank you in advance for any light you can shed on this subject and I look forward to your reply. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Answer: I can honestly say, I have never heard such a wives tale! Your co-worker’s claims are untrue. Her 4-year-old old daughter can ’safely’ get a hair cut without worrying about making her hair more fragile. Short or long, African-American hair needs to be treated with tender loving care to thrive….the length of her Nubian princesses’ locks have nothing do with how difficult her hair will be as an adult.
To some extent, your research is correct. Most African-American girls do have a ‘hair complex.’ They long for naturally long, flowing locks that their Caucasian counterparts posess. Contrary to popular belief, African-American hair does and can grow…however, because it is THE most fragile hair texture (next to baby fine newborn hair) it tends to break off rather easily if not treated like a fine silk blouse. Because a lot of African-American girls get relaxers before they get their menstrual periods, they realize a lot of breakage, which results in short hair.
I would like to say that I hope your friend does not cut her princess’s hair out of frustration. I would advise her to seek the advice of a local African-American stylist to help her learn more about caring for her delicate tresses. After all, our hair is our crowning glory.

Question: I’m not a parent, but a teenager who is frustrated with my curly hair. Please help me. I have tried so many products and nothing helps. It’s probably because my hair has too many problems. My hair is dry, thick, poofy and frizzy. Even when it’s wet it looks bad. Recently, I’ve been using grease and mousse to help tame it and keep the curls in but still it’s hard to manage. I think I’m going to cut it short. Maybe that will help me, but I really wanted to let my hair grow. What do you recommend I should do?

Answer: Well, I see what part of the problem is. You are using the type of products that perpetuate the problem. Avoid products that contain mineral and/or petrolatum oil as an ingredient. Do not use products with these ingredients for your hair or scalp. Both of these synthetic oils coat and suffocate the hair shaft blocking out moisture. Further, they clog pores in your scalp and can retard hair growth. Also, most mousse formulations contain drying alcohol that, again, dry out the hair.
Remember this. Curly Hair minus Moisture equals Frizzy Dry Hair. Adding moisture every step of the way is critical - from the shampoo/conditioner to the styling products you use. Are you currently using a daily moisturizer? This is very important.They soften the hair, eases combability, moisturizes and conditions, preps it for the next step, and leaves a little goodness behind.
Also, read your product labels. Remember, the ingredients are listed in order of volume.

Question: I got my curly hair from both of my parents. You can probably imagine how curly that is. Could you please help me find something to unfrizz my hair? Do you know if it will work if I chemically straighten my hair ? I would really like to try that approach!!!!!

Answer: I do not advise on chemical processes for a few reasons. I prefer for curly girls to find alternative ways of caring for their locks without resorting to chemicals…and I do not want to assume legal responsibility for ‘perms gone bad.’
However, I can say that your daily ritual can help debunk and defrizz your locks. Are you moisturizing daily? If so, what are you using to do so? How often do you shampoo and condition your hair? What styling products are you using?

Mahisha Dellinger
Founder of CURLS

http://www.curls.biz

“Superb Hair Care for Women & Girls with Curls!”

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Frizzy hair doesn’t discriminate. It plagues both the thin and thick haired alike. If your hair has even the slightest wave or curl, it’s susceptible to frizz. This article details the six critical things you can do to launch a full-on assault on those unruly frizzies…along with a list of things not to do.

INTERNAL FACTORS–Our circulatory systems deliver oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles, which keeps hair growing healthy and strong. Make sure you’re getting enough of the nutritional requirements for smooth, shiny locks. These include:

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids, Evening Primrose Oil, Lecithin, Silica, Vitamin B8 (Biotin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Protein, and Water

KEEP IT COOL–I’m lumping 2 cooling techniques into one category here. Both are equally important. Coolness combats frizzies by closing down the cuticle (outer) layer of each hair strand. And of course, heat has the opposite effect, obliterating moisture and amplifying frizz. So cool your hair in these two ways:

- A cool rinse (with either just water or vinegar/water) will close down the cuticle and add shine.

- After heat styling with a blowdryer, use the cool shot button on your hair dryer to cool down the section you’re working with. That will increase the curl or volume you’re creating and amplify the shine!

SQUEEZE, DON’T RUB–When towel drying your hair, resist rubbing or creating any sort of friction. The best method for drying frizzy hair is to use a hand towel and squeeze the hair up from ends to roots.

KEEP IT TRIMMED–Surely you’ve heard it before, but it warrants repeating…regular trims prevent split ends. It’s stressed so often because of the nature of splitting hairs…they continue on up the hair strand, which exacerbates the frizz. And, once the hairs have split, the only way to repair the damage is to cut the hair above the split. So if it’s a bounty of smooth curls you desire, trim it up at least every two months.

PROTECT IT–Nature’s elements can wreak havoc on frizzy hair. Sun, wind, and environmental humidity are the main culprits. Here’s what you can do to defend against the harshness of the elements.

Humidity Control–Use an anti-humectant pomade to help repel water from the atmosphere. Conversely, too arid of an environment can contribute to frizz by drying out the hair too much. In that case, use a humectant pomade. Aveda makes both…keeps the invisible forces of nature from messin’ with your mane.

Sun/Wind Protection–Get yourself a stylin’ straw hat, bandana, or scarf to shield your hair from the harsh effects of sun and wind. Always cover your hair in tanning beds…just wrap it in a towel. Some styling products contain SPF’s, although their effectiveness is debatable.

PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS–Product companies are clamoring for your dollars, continuously launching “new improved” products which promise to quell your frizzies once and for all. Here are some tips for wading through the claims and finding the right products.

Try a pre-shampooing treatment like “The Strokes” by LUSH Cosmetics, which sheathes your locks in all manner of goodies like beer, yeast, and olive oil. This treatment is applied before you shampoo so it keeps the cleansing agents from stripping away all the necessary oils from your hair.

Conditioning Products–If your hair is on the thick side, use conditioners formulated to “smooth”. They’ll deposit a friendly film on the hair strands, adding weight and smoothing at the same time. On fine hair, however, the friendly film becomes more of a foe as it can add too much weight. In this case, use a daily conditioner formulated for colored hair. That’ll ensure your hair gets some extra moisture, without trading frizz for flatness.

Maximize the benefits of your conditioner! Keep a dry face cloth or hand towel nearby and, after shampooing, squeeze all the excess moisture from your hair into the towel. Then apply the conditioner. It’ll keep the product from becoming diluted by the water already in your hair, increasing it’s effectiveness.

Leave-In Conditioners–Ordinarily, the concept of applying a slimy coating on your hair may seem unappealing…when it comes to nixing the frizz, however, slime is the ticket. Not just any slime, though, try Sebastian’s “Potion 9″ for a leave-in conditioning treatment that’ll sooth your frazzled strands and offer just a touch of hold. I’m not sure how the folks at Sebastian will feel about me touting their product as a slime-fix. I really do mean it in the nicest way possible.

Styling Products–Here’s the truth. There does not exist a styling product that is going to smooth/straighten your hair in the miraculous way demonstrated in the ads. Surely this is not news to you and I’m certain you’ve got a cupboard full of cast-away “smoothers” to prove it. Cream styling products help condition the hair and silicones can disguise the frizz, but both need to be used in combination with the right styling techniques.

Color Glossing–Products like Sebastian ColourShines have a sealing effect on the hair, and dramatically amplify the shine. Great for frizzy hair! If you’re not looking to change the color of your hair, go for a clear gloss…same benefits, no commitment.

THINGS TO AVOID–Scan the list of “Don’ts” below to make sure you’re not unknowingly contributing to the problem.

Fine tooth combs and brushes

Excessive heat styling

Touching hair while it’s drying

High alcohol content in styling products (firm hold gels and hairsprays)

Any sort of friction on the hair

Consider yourself armed with sufficient knowledge to challenge the frizz and come out victorious. Combine all of the tips here for best results…and visit my website for detailed information on styling curly hair.

About the Author - Michelle Schill is the founder and webmaster of Style Hair Magazine, which offers hair style and hair color techniques and advice. Plus hair trends, hair style photos and new hair style ideas.

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