Michelle Breyer

Kevin Murphy

When Kevin Murphy was creating his line of hair-care products, he was told he needed to include a straightening product in the mix.

“I thought, ‘Why would you want that?’” says the Australian celebrity hair stylist, whose styles have graced such magazines as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

Murphy’s attitude has always been that you should work with the texture you have. It is this philosophy that has earned him his nickname “Texture Master.”

“I’m obsessed with texture, in any shape or form,” Murphy says. “Straight hair is a bit boring, a bit flat. I consider flat irons to be taboo.”

Murphy says his own curls sparked the development of his line, which all started with Easy.Rider. He created the styling cream to work with his own long curls - now cut short.

“I used to use body moisturizer on my hair because I needed the moisture and elasticity,” he says.

He started mixing hairspray and body lotion together to create a setting lotion for his salon, and soon clients were requesting it. They used to mix it in 2-liter jars in the back of the salon, but as demand grew, they had to hire a “proper manufacturer.”

This evolved into Easy.Rider - the first product in the line - which contains hydrolyzed moisture as well as green tea, vitamins and lavender. Easy.Rider provides flexible hold and frizz control to activate curls and keep them hydrated.

Murphy says his desire to create a line of hair-care products always stemmed for his desire to help women feel good about their hair.

“I have a lot of passion for this,” he says. “I don’t like to see women struggle with their hair, and I wanted to help them.”

In terms of texture trends, Murphy says “fizz” is in. Fizz, he says, is a controlled version of frizz.

“The hair has to look healthy,” Murphy says. “It can’t be dry.”

The line, which launched last year in the United States, includes shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling products, which have all been designed for specific hair types. All of the products are sulfate and paraben free and contain high levels of natural ingredients, with high-grade essential oils and amino acids.

The square plastic packaging also is unique. Murphy says the bottles use 40 percent less plastic, yet hold more product than rounded bottles. They also take up 40 percent less space.

He also has developed a variety of tools that help create and control texture. These include Hair.Curlers and Wave.Clips, which provide ways to “control what you’ve got.”

Murphy says he was unsatisfied with the performance of mainstream hair-care products, especially those for wavy and curly hair. Too often, he says they were too heavy and greasy.

Murphy, who oversees all product development, says all of the products in the line evolved out of looks he wanted to create on a photo shoot or while teaching a class.

“I wanted the hair to look a certain way, so I would mix products together,” he says. “But I wanted it all in one product.”

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Murphy made his mark in the Australian hair-care industry in the early 1990s, and his Chapel Street salon became an institution. Although he hasn’t been in a salon since the mid-1990s, Murphy is an in-demand stylist for editorial and advertising shoots, and has coiffed numerous celebrities.

Murphy believes his own head of curls has helped him better work with others who have textured hair. In fact, he goes so far as to say that stylists with curly hair are better at working with curls because of their intimate understanding of the hair type, such as what can make it frizz and how much it shrinks and how to apply products.

“When you have curly hair, you know curly hair,” Murphy says. “I suggest you look for a stylist who has hair like you.”

Murphy shared some of his top curl tips with NaturallyCurly during a recent visit to Austin.

• To get even product distribution, throw your head over and start by applying the styling product on the back, putting it mainly on the ends and work your way up to the roots.
• When it’s drying, rap a turban around your head. That helps control volume and encourage curl formation.
• For thicker, coarser curls, apply product when the hair is soaking hair. For finer, wavier curls, the hair can be half dry to encourage more volume.

Are you trying to walk every day? Have you quit smoking? Have you taken up flossing?

In October, we are focusing on health and wellness, and we would love to hear how you’re working to live a healthier life. We will be selecting a winner who will receive an outfit from the Beyond Yoga Collection valued at $100.

Beyond Yoga is the brainchild of Jodi Guber, who believes a woman’s wardrobe should be chic and flattering but also liberating. Combining irresistibly soft, wrinkle-resistant fabrics with a flexible, unparalleled fit, the Beyond Yoga collection has reached cult status amongst dozens of Hollywood’s leading ladies, including Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively, Kristin Davis and many others. Each piece is created to work with the individual’s lifestyle—separates can be paired with jeans and t-shirts, or dressed up with cashmere. The color palette each season is expansive, offering everyday neutrals as well as fashion-forward colors that make a statement.

Send your entries to healthlife@naturallycurly.com by the end of the month. We will publish some of the top entries.

Fran Drescher

If someone told actress Fran Drescher a decade ago that her advocacy efforts to bring down women’s cancer death rates would one day land her on a Top 5 list of Hollywood’s political powerhouses — a list that includes people such as George Clooney, U2’s Bono and Angelina Jolie — her reply would be simple.

“Did you just say I was going to get cancer?” says Drescher, everyone’s favorite nanny. “I always imagined myself getting involved in big things. But I never factored in that I was going to be someone who got cancer. It has been a pivotal, life-changing experience.”

Even though she would have gladly bypassed her uterine cancer diagnosis, Drescher says “some of the best gifts come in the ugliest packages.”

Her personal experience with cancer prompted Drescher to launch the Cancer Schmancer Movement two years ago. The movement is dedicated to lowering cancer mortality rates by educating women about the importance and methods of early detection; transforming women from patients into informed medical consumers and shifting the nation’s priority to prevention and early detection as well as finding a cure. Cancer Schmancer was voted the 2009 runner up for the Cancer Fighters Award.

“At Cancer Schmancer, we believe that stage one is the cure,” Drescher says in her infamous voice.

Her passion comes from her own frustrations. She was misdiagnosed and mistreated for a peri-menopausal condition she didn’t have.

“My doctors told me I was experiencing symptoms because of a long list of reasons,” Drescher says. “My doctors didn’t order the proper diagnostic tests. At the time, I didn’t know to ask why or why not because I was just happy to be told I was too young for something!”

Two years and eight doctors later, her worst fear was confirmed in the summer of 2002. She had cancer. Luckily, she caught it in stage one. But the experience inspired her to write “Cancer Schmancer” to tell her own story.

But she came to realize that the book was not an end but rather a beginning to a life mission to improve women’s healthcare in the United States.

“We need to take control of our bodies, become greater partners with our physicians and galvanize as one to let our legislators know that the collective female vote is louder and more powerful than that of the richest corporate lobbyists,” she says. “I got famous, then I got cancer, and now I live to talk about it.”

In September, Cancer Schmancer and I Heart Inc. joined forces with Inner Images to help the low-income, uninsured women of Los Angeles received women’s cancer screening tests in their neighborhoods

John Paul Mitchell Systems’ John Paul and Eloise DeJoria are among two of Cancer Schmancer’s biggest supporters. The Paul Mitchell Schools have raised money for the movement, and in September and October, the company offered a limited edition pink Express Ion Smooth 1.25 iron to raise money for the organization.

“Paul MItchell is a brand rooted in and praise-worthy for its philanthropy, and there’s no other partner I’d rather team with to communicate my message,” Drescher says.

Drescher knows hair. She is a former hairdresser, with a head of naturally curly hair that she wears both straight and curly.

“When I’m working, I like it a little more controllable,” she says. “But I wouldn’t ever straighten it permanently. I like having the options.”

If you’ve been on CurlTalk recently, you’ve probably heard the buzz about the Flexi-8.

“It doesn’t pull at hair the way the clips and barrettes did,” Windflower said.

I love my Flexi-8s! Every time I wear one I get several compliments that day,” says Magoo.

The Flexi-8 is a unique, flexible barrette that is especially adept at holding thick, curly and coarse hair. It uses an ingenious, patented locking mechanism to secure it in your hair and comes in a seven sizes and wide variety of styles. It is made out of stainless music wire, which creates enough tension to hold the hair and keeps it lightweight.

The Flexi-8 got its start 17 years ago, says creator John Dorsey. Originally, he created and sold beaded chop sticks, and that evolved into the unique figure-eight design with a sliding, locking pin. He launched his web site eight years ago.

“Friends say I created the Wonder Bra for hair,” says Dorsey. “Nobody had ever done anything like it before.”

Although he did infomercials and got his Flexi-8 into the top chain stores in the United States, craft shows have been the key to the Flexi-8’s success, Dorsey says.

“When people see it, they love it,” Dorsey says. “Now we get most of our business through referrals.”

There 275 different Flexi-8 designs available on the site, and Dorsey says he is always coming up with new designs and styles. He gets the beads from around the world.

“We wanted to create a wide variety of designs to appeal to different tastes,” Dorsey says. “You have to design, design, design. You need to give customers a reason to come back.”

The most popular design is the Celtic knot. Other popular designs include hearts, butterflies and dragonflies.

The Flexi-8’s popularity with the curlies of the world comes from the ability to customize it to different textures. Unlike many hair accessories, which have a one-size-fits-all approach, there is a Flexi-8 for every hair type and length, Dorsey says. The site provides information about how to find the right size for your hair type.

“It bends around the hair and is fitted based on the thickness of the hair,” he says. “It’s almost like a pair of shoes. Hair is such a personal thing for women.”

Now for a limited time, when you buy four Flexi-8s, you get one free.”

Just when you thought you’d heard it all, there’s another twist on curls.

The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne, In., recently featured a photo of Lars Helgeson’s American Bashkir Curly stallion, Mahogany’s Dakota Sunrise, showing off his curly hair.

Yes, there are curly horses. It’s neigh joke! There’s even an International Curly Horse Organization — the equine equivalent of NaturallyCurly.com.

By current scientific breed recognition guidelines, the North American Curly Horse is not a true breed, but rather a coat type. However, the goal of many Curly Horse breeders is to develop real breeds of horses that are curly coated. Many Curly breeders are also just as dedicated to the preservation of the old bloodlines of North American Curly Horses that still exist. ICHO goals are supportive of all these types of breeding programs.

Curlies were first discovered by white men in America in the wild herds of mustangs in Eastern Nevada, at the turn of the 20th century. The Sioux and Crow Indians had Curly horses as early as 1800, though whether these two kinds of Curly horses were related we don’t know. There is also written and pictorial evidence of curly haired horses found at various times in various places around the world — Charles Darwin writes of curly horses in South America, for instance.

The ICHO is undertaking serious research on the Curly gene, to try to discover more about it and its various expressions. There will be pedigree tracking, surveys on traits, etc, to begin learning as much as possible about these mysterious, curly coated, hypoallergenic horses.

Like their human counterparts, Curlies come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and all colors. The winter curls on different individuals can range from crushed-velvet-looking, to Marcelle waves, to tight ringlets, to “French knot” microcurls. Manes and forelocks can be corkscrewed, ringletted, or dreadlocked. Tails may have some wave or curl. The hair in their ears is curly, the whiskers, eyelashes and fetlocks is often curly or wavy. These curls are considered a hallmark of the breed, and most owners would never trim or clip them off.

In summer, Curlies typically shed out to a slick coat, sometimes still appearing slightly wavy. Some Curlies keep strongly curled hair all year round, though not as thick or long, in the summer.

Curlies do not need pampering, but they do need good basic care. Normal grooming is satisfactory for most Curly coats. Combing out the ringletted or corkscrew or dreadlocked manes can cause them to lose their curly look. Some people choose to trim the manes occasionally instead keep them neat. Tails can be brushed and combed in the normal manner. Care must be taken during shedding season, not to pull out too much mane and tail, during grooming.

Unlike their human counterparts, curly horses have a quieter temperament than other horses.

“Some owners compare Curly Horses to mules or asses, in their higher intelligence, and the fact that they think rather than just panic,” according to the ICHO.

I’m not sure being compared to an ass is a good thing, but I’m a curly human.

Rob Robillard is Living Proof’s president.

When one walks into the offices of Living Proof, it becomes clear pretty quickly that this beauty company is different from many others.

Out of the 25 people who work at its Cambridge, Mass. headquarters, 18 are scientists with PhDs in chemistry. Unlike traditional consumer package goods companies — where marketing departments may dominate — only three Living Proof employees work in marketing.

“The bulk of our company is based on coming up with new technologies rather than focusing on making claims off existing technologies,” says Kate Alessi, vice president of digital marketing. “At Living Proof, we said let’s come up with really good technologies and let the results speak for themselves. We want to have results that can be seen across the room.”

It is a strategy that has helped propel the company to nearly instantaneous success since it launched in February on QVC and in Sephora with its No Frizz Curl Defining and Straight Making hair products. The products contain the PolyfluoroEster molecule, developed by the team of scientists after one year of research — the first new anti-frizz technology in over 30 years. Living Proof was the No. 1 brand launch at Sephora in 1999, Alessi says.

“It sold five times what Sephora expected for the brand,” she says.

Living Proof products.

This summer, Living Proof expanded the No Frizz line with a shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner. The sulfate-free shampoo and hydrating conditioner also deliver the PolyfluoroEster molecule. Alessi says the company tried endless formulas before developing a sulfate-free shampoo that lathers.

New No Frizz products will be introduced in early 2010, Alessi says.

Living Proof came out of a conversation five years ago between Jon Flint, co-founder of Polaris Venture Partners, and stylists Mitch DeRosa and Ward Stegerhoek. Flint came up with the idea of creating a beauty brand combining advanced medical and materials technology with aesthetics.

Flint and Polaris partner, Amir Nashat, Ph.D., studied the market for hair and skin products and confirmed that there had been few true technology innovations in beauty. MIT professor Dr. Bob Langer and his colleague Dr. Dan Anderson came aboard when Polaris funded the company, and they set about hiring their team of scientists. Dr. Rox Anderson, Director of Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Mass General, and Peter Hutt, former FDA General Counsel, joined the team. There were no beauty industry veterans.

“They looked at different polymers and formulas that could solve hair and skin problems,” Alessi says.

After one year of research, the team of scientists discovered the PolyfluoroEster molecule. PolyfluoroEster is a smaller molecule than the traditional materials used for frizz control. Due to its chemical nature, the formulation adheres tightly to the hair, which allows for long-lasting moisture resistance and rebalancing of the hair fiber’s interaction with the atmosphere, even after extreme humidity.

Using PolyFluoroEster as the core, the Living Proof scientists created the first No Frizz test products with promising results, getting them into the hands of “test clients” — everyday people who struggle with frizzy hair days.

“Most other frizz products use silicone,” Alessi says. “PolyfluoroEster is completely hydrophobic and seals the entire cuticle.”

A Eureka moment came on a hot day when a client came to the company’s offices with her own hair test. She’d used No Frizz on one side and a silicone product on the other. The No Frizz side was frizz-free and smooth, while the other side had become puffy and frizzy.

With excitement building over the products, key beauty industry executives were recruited, including former Kiehl’s president Rob Robillard.

The new product got a boost when Allure magazine awarded No Frizz the prestigious 2008 Beauty Breakthrough Award from the editors of Allure.

The No Frizz line was developed based on findings that there were six distinct hair types based on hair texture and desired style. The six items in the No Frizz styling line each were developed specifically for one of those six hair types. The shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner are designed for all hair types.

“You really should have a different formula based on whether you want your hair curly or straight, and based on your hair texture,” Alessi says.

In addition to its work on the No Frizz line, Living Proof scientists are busy at work developing other products for the hair and skin, including creating anti-wrinkle products, anti-cellulite products and non-damaging, long-lasting hair color formulas.

Later this month, Living Proof will unveil a new line of products on QVC for fine, limp hair, using a new technology and molecule that addresses this hair type.

“Living proof will continue to address other challenges in beauty and hair,” Alessi promises.

Through a nationwide contest with NaturallyCurly.com, Lorraine Massey, the original Curly Girl, and a team of curl advocates from DevaCurl, selected three winners who accepted the Curly Girl Challenge and embraced their curls.

When Deva invited women to “Do the Deva 3-Step: cleanse, hydrate, style”, hundreds of enthusiastic curlies tried Deva’s botanically-infused, sulfate-free line of curly hair care and they couldn’t wait to share their results.

Curly Girl Challenge winner Jesse Reese.

“Thanks to DevaCurl products, my hair is now healthy, shiny, and full of life, but more importantly, these products have helped me become a self-confident and independent woman,” raves Grand Prize winner Jesse Reese from Boise, ID. When she was given the “constructive” criticism by her college career center that it would be prudent to straighten her hair because curly hair is perceived as unprofessional, Jesse calmly explained that “my hair is a part of who I am and I would never work for an employer who would be so narrow-minded as to not hire someone because of the mere shape of their hair.”

DevaCurl applauds Reese’s extraordinary sense of self and commitment to her curls.

“Jesse personifies the DevaCurl message. It’s simple: Learn to love your curls and set them free,” says Massey, who has been leading the curly girl revolution for years and urging curly-haired women everywhere to put down their “blow-fryers” and straightening irons once and for all.

As the Grand Prize winner, Jesse will travel New York City in September where she will be pampered at the new Devachan Salon and DevaSpa with a “day-cation” of heavenly treatments. While in New York, Jesse will have her hair cut, colored and styled by Massey and be part of a photo shoot for Massey’s new book. This much-anticipated follow-up to her extremely successful first book Curly Girl The Handbook debuts in Spring 2010.

Curly Girl Challenge runner-up Zoraida Cabrera.

Zoraida Cabrera of Charlotte, NC, is one of the two runners up selected and shares, “I felt straight hair was equivalent to beauty and perfection. I would get my hair flat ironed or slicked down with so much gel that my curls were scared to stand up and be curls. The Curly Girl Challenge taught me that with the right products and care, my hair is not only manageable but beautiful. My curls are finally free!”

Curly Girl Challenge runner-up Theresa Berggren.

Theresa Berggren of Ithaca, NY, also selected as a runner-up, writes of her Challenge experience, “I sometimes find it hard to believe this is really ‘my hair’ and I am just now for the first time at 50 finding out that I have really nice curls! People come up to me now and say I look like Taylor Swift. Once, I did an internet search to see who she was—I was very flattered!”

Cabrera and Berggren will both receive $200 worth of DevaCurl products and will have their pictures in Massey’s new book.

DevaCurl would like to thank all the women who joined the Curly Girl Challenge and embraced their curls! It was wonderful to see all those beautiful curls and be a part of so many powerful stories of self-acceptance and curl love — you are all winners in our book! Please continue to share your stories and empower all curly girls. DevaCurl products are available at www.devachansalon.com.

The Winning Entries

Jessie Reese

Q: What did you learn from the Curly Girl Challenge?
Reese: DevaCurl has changed more than my hair—it’s changed my total outlook on life. The DevaCurl practices have become my way of existence. Thanks to DevaCurl products, my hair is now healthy, shiny, and full of life, but more importantly, these products have helped me become a self-confident and independent woman. I have a bank of recollections which contain a plethora of memories (both good and bad) relating to my hair. After reading the prompt for this essay, one memory in particular stands out. In college I participated in a mock interview with my university’s career center in order to better prepare myself for future job interviews. I had just discovered the product line, and with the help of DevaCurl and my Deva Stylist, Julia, I had never been more excited to be a curly girl. Upon the faux interviews completion I was given some “constructive” criticism which I will never forget. The young man conducting the interview told me that for future interviews it would be prudent of me to straighten my hair because curly hair is unprofessional. I have never in my life been more offended. I calmly explained to him that my hair is a part of who I am, and I would never work for any employer who would be so narrow minded as to not hire someone because of the mere shape of their hair. DevaCurl has helped me love my hair, and has given me the confidence to stand up to people who believe that women must fit a certain mold- and that mold requires straight hair. I am determined to break the mold and show others that curly girls are empowered women and that we are here to stay. We’re girls! We have curls! Get used to it!

Q: How has it changed your hair?
Reese: Before using DevaCurl my curls were simply uninspired. I wore my hair in a ponytail day in and day out in attempt to hide the fact that my hair was different. My entire life I wanted to be like all the other girls whose ponytails swooshed from side to side as they walked and whose hair tumbled down their backs in an orderly manner. Today, thanks to DevaCurl, I’m rocking out to a different tune. As I walk my glossy curls bounce with each step I take. DevaCurl has given my hair that extra polish it needed for me feel comfortable wearing it down. My curls are now an extension of my personality: bubbly and vivacious, and the product line has given me the opportunity to show my hair off to the world. Before stumbling upon DevaCurl I refused to take risks with my hair, but today I let my imagination run wild when it comes to my locks. If you ask any of my friends they will tell you that I am the poster child for DevaCurl products. Whenever I meet someone with curly hair I immediately tell them about the product line and what it has done for me. Nothing makes me happier than to helping a fellow curly girl embrace her hair for what it is- positively beautiful and unique! Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for helping me learn to love and accept my hair. Words cannot even begin to express my sincere gratitude for this product line.

Zoraida Cabrera

Q: What did you learn from the Curly Girl Challenge?
Cabrera: The Curly Girl challenge has taught me to embrace my curls and to set them free. Before this challenge, I felt straight hair was equivalent to beauty and perfection. In order to feel attractive I would get my hair flat ironed or I would have it pulled back and slicked down with so much gel that my curls were scared to stand up and be curls. I have learned that with the right products and proper care my hair is not only manageable but beautiful. After taking this challenge I can honestly say that I love my curls. No more “poo” for me!

Q: How has it changed your hair?
Cabrera:With the DevaCurl products and styling techniques my curls have become more defined and softer. My hair has luster because it is well conditioned and humidity is no longer my archenemy. I enjoy my curls so much now that they haven’t seen a tight bun or a flat iron since I started this challenge. My curls are finally free!

Theresa Berggren

Q: What did you learn from the Curly Girl Challenge?
Berggren: I probably should have waited and had my hair styled professionally for my after shot.;o) I always fought the natural curl in my hair because it always frizzed, however I have found that conditioning is the key and that I had amazing curls hidden away in all that frizz. It’s all about quality products and knowledge.

Q: How has it changed your hair?
Berggren: People that have known me for years now ask me if I got my hair permed. I tell them “no” but I know some don’t believe me(they have that “yeah sure” look, lol) Actually I sometimes find it hard to believe this is really “my hair” and I am just now for the first time at 50 finding out that I have really nice curls!! Oh another interesting change is I get people (not tons but a few) that come up to me now and say “you know who you look like? Taylor Swift!” I didn’t even know who she was, I had to do an internet search to find out. Of course once I did I was very flattered. LOL

Shari Harbinger

Q: I have a question about hair cuts that are good for curly hair. I have very long curly hair and am craving something different and short. But I also want something low maintenance that will only need a quick brush and mouse or gel in it, and off I go. As a mom of four kids, I don’t have hours or even 30 minutes to style my hair. I have natural curl that turns to ringlets mostly when not frizzing or dry. The lighter it is the more curlier it gets. I also have pretty thick hair as well. What hair cut would you suggest?

Harbinger: There are many ways to change your style without a drastic cut, especially since you desire to be low maintenance. Anytime you opt for a specific style, a haircut will require some maintenance. So instead, you might consider elevating and cutting the curls on the heavier top crown area of your head while leaving some length. This way, you will get that lighter, less “weighty” feel on top. But you still have the option to wear your hair back or in an updo. This type of cut will also minimize that thick feeling as more hair is removed from the top layer, which means faster styling time in the morning.

Q: I have always been able to just scrunch my hair while using a diffuser to accentuate all my natural curls. I never needed a comb or anything. Just my fingers. I have a new hairdresser, and it seems as though she cut the natural curl right out. Now when I scrunch it, it just sticks straight out. Is there any advise I could get to tell my hairstylist that needs to be done to bring my natural curls back?

Harbinger: It sounds as if your hair was not cut for curly hair, but rather, wet and more generically. The best cut for “curlies” is a dry cut, curl by curl, and without a comb. This method allows the stylist to see the natural movement of the curls without stretching them with a comb, which makes it impossible to anticipate the behavior of the curls once dry. I suggest letting it grow out a bit and using a styling gel such as Deva Arc AnGell with extra moisture and hold to recapture the curls. You should scrunch and encourage the curl, but try not touching the curls as they are drying as touching or manipulating the hair when wet, which could cause them to straighten out and, in some cases, cause some frizz.

Q: I had the most wonderful curly ringlets, which went half way down my back! A few years ago (about six) my hairdresser said it looked better straight and cut it to my shoulders. Since then I have been straightening it with a flat iron. I am now trying to get my hair back to its natural state. The products I am using don’t hold the curl like they used to. I am wetting my hair down every day and applying more products. I have spent a fortune on products and none of them work. My hair is now a 3a/b. I just want my hair to go back to its beautiful natural curls. Is there anything you can suggest?

Harbinger: Congratulations! You are on the right track to regaining your “curl power”! The first step in this rescue and recovery process is to stop straightening your hair and start reintroducing a more natural approach.

• Step One: MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE. The more naturally derived the moisture treatment, the better! You should apply a deep moisture treatment once or twice weekly for a month, and leave it on the hair for 15 -30 minutes. In addition, stop using stylers with silicones and plastics as they will only continue to dry out your precious locks.

• Step Two: begin styling with a moisturizing gel and start scrunching your curls in an upward motion towards the scalp to encourage and remind your curls what they are meant to do. This change won’t happen overnight so be patient. Afterall, you’ve been straightening your hair for a couple of years now!

• Step Three: Get a decent haircut for curly hair. Have it cut dry so that your stylist can see where the older damaged hair is and how it is different from the newer healthier curls. Start with a trim until all the ends are cut away. Or you can drastically take it off in one cut and just start over! Be patient and be kind to yourself and your curls during this process. You are on your way!

Q: I have some questions about the no-poo method. Isn’t it necessary to wash the hair with shampoo sometimes? And how often should I condition wash?

Harbinger: Thankfully, Deva No-Poo cleanser is water soluble so you never have to use conventional shampoo since it will never build up. I have been using No-Poo for nine years now and I have never felt the need to shampoo. You can feel free to co-wash with One Condition, but my suggestion is to use No-Poo on the scalp and ends and then One Condition on the ends only. Remember, No-Poo is botanically derived so there is never build up since botanicals work from the inside out as opposed to topical synthetic conditioners, which simply coat the surface of the hair and will indeed build-up. Be mindful of how much product you are using. When the hair is dehydrated, be generous with the product. When the hair and scalp have reached their maximum moisture, it is not necessary to use as much product, so pull back on quantity.

Q: I keep reading not to co-wash everyday because you’ll overcondition. So what should I do? Do you rinse with water and continue with the rest of your routine? Do you just avoid doing anything other than spritzing it with something?

Harbinger: I endorse extra conditioning and wetting the hair everyday only when the hair and scalp need it, meaning, it is severely dehydrated. You are the best judge of what the needs of your hair and scalp are. Analyze and treat them both separately. Once your scalp and ends are hydrated, use No Poo at the scalp and One Condition or Heaven In Hair on the ends for maximum moisture. Typically, the ends are more dehydrated than the scalp. If your curls are already moisturized, you may want to consider using just No-Poo from scalp to ends. Remember, No-Poo is a conditioning cleanser, and for some curl types, that is all you will need! Experiment and remember that it takes time to find the best routine for your individual needs.

Q: I have great volume on the sides of my face Trust me, I have A LOT of hair. But the top of my head goes flat from the weight of the curls and I’m at a loss for how to get more volume and still stay CG. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Harbinger: I have the same challenge with my curls as you do! Have your stylist cut the curls shorter on the top crown area to remove some of the weight that causes loss of curl and volume. I have a technically disconnected but visually connected haircut which looks great and gives me a truly overall curly look. In addition, I use the Deva Clips at the crown area on the scalp. Try clipping individual curl families at the root to relieve the curls of their own weight during the drying process.To encourage maximum curl, never separate the curl families by combing through them (even with your fingers or wide tooth comb). Apply product by an upward scrunching motion. Then apply Set Up And Above to your wet curls at the top of the crown wet h once you have removed the excess water and scrunch. This will add lift, hold and curl definition. Login to www.devachansalon.com or www.devaconcepts.com and view : Do the Deva Three Step video. There, you will be guided on how to clip your curls for extra volume.

One could say that hair-care company Komaza Care is the ultimate case of turning lemons into lemonade.

Rene Lesane

Rene Lesane was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. One of the side effects of the disease is malnourishment, which caused her hair to be dry and brittle and her scalp to be itchy. She discovered that the products she was using only exacerbated the problem, and she began researching ingredients that would be beneficial to her hair and skin.

Like others before her, the founder of Komaza was frustrated by the lack of natural, high-quality products for kinkier hair. The “ethnic” products that were available contained large amounts of mineral oil and petroleum, which can clog the hair follicle and create buildup.

“I was spending hundreds of dollars on hair products, but none of them worked on my hair,” says Lesane.

Lesane began experimenting with her own formulations containing ingredients designed to moisturize the scalp and nourish and strengthen hair. She found that shea butter was very moisturizing, but it was too oily and didn’t absorb well into her hair. So she created a Shea Butter Lotion.

“I did not have any intention of selling anything,” laughs the 37-year-old Sacramento entrepreneur, who was working as a data analyst for a large corporation at the time.

Friends who were also transitioning to natural hair asked her what she was using to keep her hair looking good, and “the next thing I knew, people were knocking on my door with money in their hands.”

Three years ago, she launched Komaza with her Aloe Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner, the Shea Butter Lotion, the Coconut Milk and a deep conditioner. The collection has grown to 19 products, many based on customer requests and her own needs. The company’s products include the Coconut and Califia collections as well as Shea butter Hair Lotion, Hair Nourishment Oil, Jojoba Hemp Balm, Herbal Tea Rinse, Almond Milk Cleansing Conditioner, Honeycomb Hair Treatment and Olive Moisture Mask.

Komaza products are designed to provide protection and for kinkier, coarser hair types. The products are made with natural ingredients, and do not contain harsh chemicals, mineral oil or petroleum, which can cause split ends, clogged hair follicles and slow hair growth. Whenever possible, Lesane buys certified organic and fair trade ingredients.

Komaza means “to encourage growth” in Swahili. Lesane says that is what the product line is all about: encouraging the growth of healthy hair.

Lesane makes all the products in a professional kitchen, and sells them online and in her Sacramento store.

Although Komaza has grown into a thriving business, Lesane says she also has altruistic motives.

“I wanted to help women grow their hair naturally and to encourage them to be good to themselves,” she says. “I am having the time of my life. I find that most women love talking about their hair, and I love talking about my hair. I love hearing how my products have helped somebody.”

Check out other Spotlight stories here.

NaturallyCurly.com, Temptalia and Basenotes have been named as the three most influential beauty blogs. This is according to Konector’s latest report that ranks the top 50 beauty blogs and bloggers. The report is designed for beauty companies who are using, or thinking of using, blogs and social networks to promote their brands.

“Using blogs for brand promotion is extremely powerful,” says Konector’s Director of Analytics, Brett Norval. “The total combined audience for the top 50 beauty blogs is over 2.8 million visitors a month. That is a huge number, and what’s more, these are decided views. The majority of people accessing these sites have made an active decision to view the page. Not curiosity, not advertising, just genuine interest in the content. Beauty companies can get their brands in front of those targeted consumers from day one. They can then monitor the conversations on a regular basis and gather all the feedback.”

Although the number of visitors is important, it is not the only requirement to make it in to the Konector Top 50 list. “When ranking the blogs we focus on three main criteria — reach, frequency and interaction,” says Norval. “We therefore use our proprietary Online Impact Factor to measure how many people visit a blog, how often they visit that blog and how active they are once they get there. It is very similar to what an advertiser would use to measure the success of a campaign.”

So what separates the top beauty blogs from the others?

“What is most noticeable is that many of the leading blogs focus on a particular topic or target market,” says Konector Director, Kingsley Maunder. “Basenotes, for example, is the online guide to fragrances, Temptalia and Specktra.net for MAC Cosmetics, NaturallyCurly.com for people who battle with frizzy hair. Afrobella, ranked at number seven, has set itself up as the beauty site for African Americans and Viva Woman targets an Asian audience.”

“The top blogs have also mastered the search engine optimization techniques,” continues Norval. “If you type in ‘Beauty Blog’ or ‘Makeup Blog’ into Google you will find Makeup and Beauty Blog at the top of the rankings.

Temptalia also tops the rankings if you search for ‘eye makeup’, ‘how to apply makeup’ or ‘makeup tips’. In addition to this Temptalia also has great content, and that converts visitors into regular readers. Regular readers are key as they denote people that are truly interested and interactive. They have crossed the barrier of ignored content and are actively engaging content.”

Another factor that differentiates the leading blogs from the rest is that the bloggers use all possible means to promote their sites, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. “Beauty is so visual that online videos are perfect,” says Maunder. “A few blogs have shot into the top 50 because the bloggers have mastered YouTube. Pursebuzz.com and xSparkage are two great examples of this, with over 125 thousand and 110 thousand respective YouTube subscribers.”

There are some blogs that one would think should be in the top 50, BellaSugar, The Jet Set Girls and eBeautyDaily for example. Norval explains, “For this particular report we did not include corporate blogs or networks in the Top 50. It is for this reason that sites like TotalBeauty.com, The Beauty Blog Network and the Sugar Network (BellaSugar) are not included. Another criterion to make the list is that the main focus of the blog has to be beauty, and that is why we did not include successful blogs like Shecky’s, Splendicity (eBeautyDaily) and The Jet Set Girls. We are accumulating data on these other blogs and fully expect to see them ranked in other industry reports.

So do Konector have any predictions for next year’s top 50 blogs? “We will soon be announcing the list of top 50 beauty bloggers, where we rank the impact that the individual bloggers have on the beauty industry,” says Maunder. “This will give you a better prediction of which blogs will do well next year, but my advice to bloggers is to focus your content and use all social media platforms to get out there in front of your readers. Beauty bloggers who use YouTube will definitely see the benefits, and if they can combine that with other social media networks, then all the better.”