Michelle

As I Am Smoothing Gel

When the As I Am brand for natural hair was launched earlier this year, Joy became the official face of the brand. Joy represents the collective know-how of a number of real life natural-textured women who are highly knowledgeable and experienced in the care and styling of hair. Her mission is to help others embrace their natural hair.

NaturallyCurly wanted to learn more about Joy, and her own hair journey. She was thrilled to share her story in the hopes she could help others accept their coily, kinky texture.

NaturallyCurly: How old are you?

Joy: Joy doesn’t tell her age. I just like to say I’m fully grown, but young at heart.

NC: Have you always embraced your natural texture?

Joy: As a young girl, I did not. Like many African American women, I somehow got the notion in early childhood that certain hairstyles and hair textures are “pretty” and my natural tight-coily texture was not. It would take teams of psychologists and sociologists to unravel all of the reasons why these notions are so entrenched in our culture; however, I am certain that the media and social norms play a major part. At the age of six, my hair was straightened (pressed) for the first time, and at age 13 or so, I got my first relaxer. Over the years, I attempted to “go natural” a number of times, only to go back to either chemically- or thermal- straightened hair when I could not seem to style it or get a look I was happy with. It’s been a little over two years since I made the decision to be forever natural… to joyously embrace the texture that nature provided.

NC: How would you describe your hair?

Joy: My hair is type 4b, a very typical texture among African descent people. It has a definite coil pattern, configured much like the small springs in retractable ink pens.

NC: What advice would you give women who want to transition?

Joy: I would first say to practice patience. As you grow in your natural texture, the new growth can make styling your hair in its usual style a virtual nightmare. You may be tempted to use a lot of heat to blend the coily with the straight. This is not the best approach because high heat styling can straighten natural coils permanently. Additionally, I have three main things to suggest: (1) As you transition, It’s a good idea to switch to styles that better match your natural texture, like those created with rod sets, straw sets and braids (that are not too tight). In this way, you are coaxing your chemically-treated hair to behave more like your natural texture and not the other way around, (2) trim your hair gradually if you are not one to go straight to the “big chop.” When you have only 2-3 inches of straight hair left, then go for it! Cut all of the straight portions off, and (3) begin to “baby” your hair during the transition, just like you will want to do once your hair is fully natural. Use only the gentlest, most hydrating sulfate-free cleansers, deep condition often with a great conditioner, avoiding high-protein conditioners, except perhaps on the relaxed part of your hair (animal protein can harden the hair). Avoid styling products that contain alcohol and keep your hair well moisturized with rich emollients.

In my case, I wore weaves for two years as my hair grew out. My stylist would go easy on the underneath cornrows so that my hair would not thin out. I got my weave redone fairly often – every 6 to 8 weeks – and made sure to deep condition my hair well before the next one was sewn in. And I think this is very important… begin to visualize yourself wearing your natural texture – starting now. If you do weave your hair, select textured hair and have it styled attractively so that you can begin to see yourself natural. Weaving is not for everyone. Some would say that wearing weaves defeats the purpose of going natural, in the sense that they fall short of accepting yourself as you are. This, however, is an emotional thing for many women and we’ve got to cut each other a break. Some women will continue to blow dry their hair straight, even after going all natural… others will not. Some will wear weaves and braid extensions as they move away from chemical straighteners… others won’t. Some brave ladies go for the big chop and look and feel absolutely beautiful in a matter of a few minutes… others can’t fathom this idea.

A good frizz-fighter is hard to find.

When we opened the box, our initial thought was, “Did somebody get confused when our site said it dealt with all things kinky?”

We’ve seen plenty of “interesting” looking packaging over the years, but Samy’s new Twisted Frizz Control Spray, with its pink cylindrical shape, takes the cake (nice touch on the pink color, marketers).

Of course, Tigi Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream is right up there, too.

Tell us what packaging has caught your eye. Meanwhile, we’ll be spending a little quality time with our, um, “product.”

You know what they say. A good frizz-fighter is hard to find.

Katie Holmes on the red carpet

Katie Holmes in a scene from “The Decision”

NEW YORK, NY — To launch its new hair color, John Frieda wanted to do something truly innovative.

So for the biggest launch in the history of the company, they made the product—Precision Foam Colour—the star of a movie.

On Tuesday night, at a red carpet event at New York’s Lavo nightclub, beauty editors, company executives and celebrities gathered for the premiere of “The Decision,” a short film starring Katie Holmes and the hair color.

The tongue-in-cheek movie asks the question: Is cheating on your colorist worth the risk? Holmes plays Joan Hudson, a high-profile actress who makes the choice to leave her colorist and color her own hair. Ultimately, Hudson finds that John Frieda Precision Foam Colour truly delivers salon precise coverage at home.

A series of online teasers have led up to the debut of the short film, dropping clues as to the identity of the film’s star and the contents of her bag (John Frieda Precision Foam Colour).

With its 20 stylist-selected shades and foolproof foam texture, the unprecedented formula ensures effortless application and complete coverage for natural-looking, salon-quality results. Earlier in the day, John Frieda creative color director Nicola Clarke demonstrated the ease of using the new hair color by applying the foam color to her own hair in front of a room full of beauty editors at Hudson Studios.

“Part of what traditionally sets salon color apart from at-home color is the quality of the shades,” explained Clarke. “I worked with John Frieda hair care to create shades that closely reflect what I really use in the salon. There’s a full range of natural, luminous colors for blondes, brunettes and redheads, giving women access to a caliber of color usually found in the salon.”

John Frieda Precision Foam Colour

Watch “The Decision.”

Cyntelia Abrams

Marketing coordinator Cyntelia Abrams was walking down the hall at Design Essentials two years ago, bemoaning the fact she needed another relaxer, when a visiting stylist suggested she go natural instead.

Abrams, who started working for the Georgia-based haircare company in 2005, had experimented with low-lye relaxers, but she had never been quite ready to embrace her natural texture.

“I hadn’t seen my natural hair since I was five years old,” Abrams says. “Growing up, I never thought natural hair was pretty.”

She decided to transition to her natural hair. “I was still wearing my hair straight,” says Abrams during an interview at ‘Fro Fashion Week in Atlanta.

A year and a half ago, the light bulb went off. She said it was time that she finally embraced her natural hair— kinks, coils and all.

“I can’t just love my natural hair when it’s straight,” she says. “I realized—this is my hair. It was time to get comfortable in my own skin.”

Although she still wears her hair straight every now and then, Abrams says she wears it natural most of the time. Usually, she just wets it and goes.

And Abrams’s acceptance of her own natural ‘do is reflected by Design Essentials, which is committed to natural hair. The company developed its Natural Hair Care System— a collection of curl definition products infused with a combination of natural butters and oils to maintain and style loose wavy to tightly coiled hair textures. Each product is specially formulated with a blend of nourishing natural ingredients such as jojoba, cocoa butter, coconut oil, soy and almond oil to better meet the individual needs of each hair type. The ingredients provide the intense moisture that natural hair needs and the curl definition the natural consumer desires.

“We love natural hair,” Abrams says. “We’re committed to natural hair. This isn’t just a trend. It’s a lifestyle and it’s here to stay.”

Cyntelia shares her favorite products and tips:

“My favorite products are the Design Essentials Natural Curl Cleanser and Moisturizing Conditioner. I love how they soften and detangle my hair. I also love the smell!”

“I usually style my hair by doing a Wet Two Strand Twist Set. Tips for achieving the best results with this style:

1. Detangle before twisting. Detangling helps to remove any hair/coils that have shedded during shampooing and conditioning. Detangling also creates a smoother curl/twist once the style is dry and taken apart.

2. Sit under a dryer. I’ve found that my twists are more defined, with no frizz, when I sit under a dryer versus air drying.

3. Allow hair to stay twisted for at least 1 or 2 days before untwisting the hair. This allows the wave/twist pattern to form for more curl definition with the style once twists are taken apart.”

Mahisha Dellinger, founder of CURLS, is a big proponent of cocktailing products. Her product line is designed to be mixed together to customize them to your hair’s specific needs. We recently talked to her about the benefits of cocktailing to get the most beautiful curls and kinks.

Right now, you can enter to win one of 10 CURLS Custom Cocktail Kits (kit retail value $75)!

NaturallyCurly: what does it mean to cocktail products?

Mahisha Dellinger: “Cocktailing products” means to mix or use multiple products (most times from varying hair care lines) to create the perfect curls.

NaturallyCurly: What are the benefits of cocktailing products?

Mahisha Dellinger: It provides you with access to a host of products to create the perfect curls for your hair.

NaturallyCurly: Are there products that should not be cocktailed?

Mahisha Dellinger: Gel-based and cream-based products generally do not cocktail well together. For the best results, when cocktailing these two, apply one on wet hair and allow to dry at least 50 percent before applying the second product.

Dellinger’s Top Tips

Reduce frizz: Apply a frizz control gel to wet hair, scrunch and allow to air dry.

Add volume: Shampoo with a clarifying shampoo to remove excess product build up and apply conditioner one-inch or more away from the scalp to prevent limp roots.

Stretch curls: Twist out the curls while their drying.

Dellinger’s Favorite CURLS Cocktails

Spring and Summer: Cashmere Curls + Curl Gel-les’c

Fall and Winter Cashmere Curls + Curls Milkshake

Click here to read more about cocktailing products.

Highlighting American Idol’s Curly Contestants

American Idol’s finalists are rife with wavy, curly and kinky hair. As the season moves forward, will their stylists encourage them to go straight or will they stick to their curly guns?

Ladies first

Karen Rodriguez—Type 3a

Spotlight on Karen Rodriguez
New York City native Karen Rodriguez, 21, auditioned for American Idol via MySpace, but Karen knows her way around a stage too, having previously appeared on a Spanish-language television singing competition. In awe of Jennifer Lopez during her original audition, she even sang J. Lo’s “If You Had My Love” at auditions in Hollywood—while J. Lo sang along silently. Telling J. Lo, “You don’t know how much you inspire me” probably wasn’t a bad call, either. Certainly, she made an impression on all the judges.

More Curly Women

Tatynisa Wilson—Type 3c

Lauren Turner—Type 3a

Ashton Jones—Type 3c

Thia Megia—Type 2b

Kendra Chantelle—Type 2a

Haley Reinhart—Type 2b

Salute to Stylists contest winners revealed!

The Contest

Recently, NaturallyCurly.com launched its two-month long Salute To Stylists contest, asking for your vote for your favorite stylist. We have our winners! Regional winning stylists will receive 3 months of free advertising on NaturallyCurly.com and a 1-year subscription to Modern Salon. Grand Prize winning stylist will receive 3 months of free advertising on NaturallyCurly.com and a 1-year subscription to Modern Salon, as well as a trip to New York for 3 days of Deva Curlaboration instruction. Winning consumers will receive $150 worth of merchandise from CurlMart.com and $150 in services from their winning stylist.

The number of reviews were calculated from 12/15/10 to 2/15/11

Pantene celebrity stylist Danilo has a passion for curly hair in all its forms—from loose waves to tight kinks.

Danilo is very excited about the options provided by Pantene’s new Curly Hair Series, designed especially for waves, curls and kinks. From cleansing to styling to deep conditioning, the products in this line work together to give you repaired, moisturized, frizz-free curls every time. The collection provides a wide range of products to keep curls looking their best.

During a recent video shoot in New York, Danilo provided some curly hair tips to keep ringlets looking their best. The ideal style to achieve is the wash-and-wear look that works with your natural texture.

Danilo working his fab magic on our NaturallyCurly.com community members.

1. Diffuse your curls

A good hair diffuser is a curly girl’s best friend because it doesn’t have the rapid air movement of a blow dryer that could disrupt the curl pattern. For more volume, flip your hair upside down and diffuse.

2. Moisturize

Curly hair has an inherent need for moisture—moisture excites the curl! The Deep Moisturizing Treatment has been a huge hit with curly girls. For maximum results, Danilo suggests working the conditioner into the hair, and then combing it through after it sets for five minutes.

3. Manage that frizz

To reduce frizz, use a detangler and/or crème throughout the hair, like Light Conditioning Detangler and Anti-Frizz Straightening Crème. You can also fight frizz with a curl enhancing spray or mousse, like Curl Enhancing Spray Gel and Curl Defining Mousse.

4. Protect your hair from heat damage

Any type of iron works for curly hair, but be sure to protect hair from the heat by using a heat protection spray such as Heat Protection & Shine Spray.

5. Enhance your curls

If you have some curls that aren’t as tight as others, try finger-curling them. You can also enhance them by using a curling iron.

Pssst!

NaturallyCurly was on site to help with the filming of 4 Pantene videos at the Mark Garrison Salon in New York City. We got four great models—our own curly community members!—with an incredible spectrum of hair. Both stylists—Tippy Shorter and Danilo—were amazing. Danilo is one of the hottest stylists right now. He does Katy Perry and Lady Gaga’s hair as well as such stars as Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson. He’s very down to earth, and very knowledgeable about curls. He was so good on camera, and really threw in a lot of great curly hair tips.

Check out this video from Tippy Shorter using Pantene’s Curly Hair Series products:

Tarin Boone, founder of Naturally Me! Media

Tarin Boone’s natural hair journey started five years ago, with her own desire to find new creative styles for her newly natural hair. That journey has grown into Naturally Me! Media, a growing media company created last year to help multi-ethnic women discover, accept, and celebrate their natural hair and beauty. Her mission is to inform, entertain, educate and support natural beauties in the areas of beauty and lifestyle through conferences, videos, blog posts, mobile applications, and social media interaction. ‘Fro Fashion Week, Naturally Me! Media’s natural hair show, debuts February 18th-20th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Atlanta.

NaturallyCurly talked with Boone about Naturally Me! Media and ‘Fro Fashion Week.

NC: Tell me about the inspiration for Naturally Me! Media.

Boone: I started going natural five years ago, and by year three, I was stuck in a rut. I started experimenting with styles I’d seen online, and coming up with my own styles. People would stop me and ask me about natural hair and about transitioning. One time, I was literally stampeded in Target by a lady who dragged me down the aisle to ask what I used in my hair.

NC: How did that evolve into your business?

Boone: Last summer, I started thinking I should write this stuff down and document it. Naturally Me! Media was born in July 2010. I started it as a blog and began getting tremendous traffic. The blog now features over 15 categories of information, including a hairstyle gallery and homemade hair and skin recipes. I also created the first iPhone application that helps women find black beauty supply stores in their area. Naturally Me! Media has become the umbrella for all my ideas.

Mother Gothel of Disney’s “Tangled”

Curly girls have been a rarity in Disney movies. So the fact that one of the stars of Disney’s new movie “Tangled” is curly is a major step forward – even if she’s evil. Really evil.

Mother Gothel is the main antagonist of the upcoming CGI animated film, “Tangled.” The Queen of a nearby kingdom was near death and had her guards search for this magical plant to heal her. They find it and the Queen heals, soon giving birth to Rapunzel. The flower’s abilities are in Rapunzel’s magical glowing hair that gives eternal youth. Mother Gothel acquires Rapunzel as a child, stealing her from the royal nursery and hiding her in an inaccessible tower. Gothel lies to Rapunzel about the outside world and everyone in it, imprisoning her in a tower to keep access to the youth-restoring qualities of her hair. The problem is, now Rapunzel’s all grown up, wants out and mama’s not going to have it.

But while Mother Gothel may have her issues, she does have great curls – beautiful black ringlets. The character is voiced by television actress and singer Donna Murphy. According to Pixarplanet.com, creating her long, curly hair wasn’t easy. They had to create and develop special techniques to create her 3b curls.

Maybe Disney’s next curly character will be the heroine. Baby steps.