Black History Feature: Madam C.J. Walker



Sarah Breedlove better known as Madam CJ Walker



Thank you Madame C.J. Walker for your contribution to African American hair care and your remarkable business savvy. Here are a few facts about the first black female millionaire:

• Tired of losing her hair, Madam C.J. Walker created her own hair care products, Wonderful Hair Grower and Vegetable Shampoo.
• Launched her business selling door to door. 
• Conducted product demonstrations in churches.
• Opened Laila College, a beauty school to train Walker Hair Culturists.
• Purchased her very own factory where her products were made. Opened a second beauty school.
• She was a philanthropist and a tireless activist.
• Developed the Madam C.J. Walker Hair Culturists Union of America, which was a group sales agents who sold hair products just like the Avon, Mary Kay, and Tupperware sales reps of today.
• Conducted the first national sales meeting for her sales agents.

For more information:
Madam CJ Walker

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Replenishing Sheen Spray



Creme of Nature's Argan Oil Replenishing Sheen Spray has been a wonderful replacement for my beloved Moroccan Oil Luminious Spray.
I absolutely adore the entire collection of Moroccan Oil hair products. My hair stylist uses the shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and the oil. At home I use the oil and I was using the spray until the nozzle popped off and was lost forever. So frustrating! The can was more than half full which made me even more upset.

I decided to try Creme of Nature's Argain Oil Sheen while in Walgreens. The smell was almost identical to the Moroccan Oil spray and it was $15+ cheaper. I love it! Great scent. Long lasting shine and it doesn't weigh my hair down. This is definitely a win-win for my hair!

Photo

Hair Care Boot Camp: Cold Weather Hair Care

As the temperatures prepare to drop, it is time for us to kick our hair care routine into high gear. And taking extra special care of your hair is important whether you are natural or you’re relaxed like me, say it loud, I’M RELAXED & I'M PROUD (fist pump, explosion of confetti, queue the noise makers) Relax, I kid, I kid! I am so NOT into the whole relaxed or natural debate. Do what works for you because I will most certainly do what works for me.

Anyhoo, I have my hair relaxed every eight weeks because as I have shared many times on my blog, I am extremely lazy when it comes to doing my own hair. I’m good at basic home maintenance but elaborate styling, at home washing and conditioning? No. Not. Happening. I have a standing hair appointment every Saturday morning. Since the cold weather is surely on the way, my stylist and I will work together to keep my hair healthy, growing, and on my head this season like we do every winter.

Here are my cold weather hair care tips:

Protect Ya’ Neck – No this isn’t just a song by the Wu-Tang Clan which was my jam back in the day, but I digress… It is a way to prevent breakage at the nape of your neck. Acrylic and wool coat collars and scarves are the hair enemy! Head to your nearest TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or even Macys and find an assortment of affordable silk scarves to wrap around your neck as a barrier between your hair and collar. If you wear a hat, you can find a satin skull cap from your local beauty supply store. I bought one from Sally’s last year. It kept my hair style intact, my head stayed warm, and my acrylic knit hat never touched my hair.

Drink your water – Simple enough. We all know we should drink 3 liters a day but I suggest squeezing in an extra cup or two if you can. In areas that are really cold like Chicago, the dry air can be extremely cruel to African American hair.

Grapeseed Oil & Organic Coconut Oil – There are so many hair care companies that tout these two oils as the main ingredients in their products but when you look at the back of the package they are somewhere in the middle or end of the list. I say eliminate all the stuff you can’t pronounce and just purchase these two oils from your health food store. OCO is a great pre-shampoo treatment. I use it weekly before I go to the salon. GSO is a wonderful natural heat protectant and it strengthens the hair making it resistant to breakage.

Rosemary Oil – There are reports that RO is good for growth. I like it use it for an at home scalp massage once or twice a week. It tingles and really opens my scalp up. I can’t speak on the hair growth aspect because I take a lot of vitamins and supplements so I always have a lot of new growth. I don’t know if it’s the RO or the vitamins or everything working together.

Blowdrying...Just Say No - I know the blow dryer is fast but it can be more damaging during the winter months. Take the extra hour and sit under the dryer. Wraps and roller wraps are wonderful because your hair holds the shape which means less at home heat styling. All you have to do is add a few self holding rollers in your crown for height, wrap your hair at night then in the morning comb it or leave it wrapped and put your satin skull cap and winter hat on, then style your hair when you get to work.  Okay...was that NOT the most run on sentence? LOL! Who cares, I had to get my point across :P

How will you change your hair care routine this winter? Do you have any cold weather hair tips? Please share in the comments section!

Janet Jackson Rockin' a Short 'Do

Leave it to Janet to switch it up style wise and walk the streets like "Yeah. So?" I think she looks amazing with her natural hair in an uber short cut. Her swag is so serious in these pics.

Janet & her rumored new beau, Wissam Al Mana

I'm going to need those boots, her bag, and I'll take that jacket too. Miss Janet you are fierce!!! Work that short hair, diva.

A Life of Style: Hair Care Boot Camp

The picture on the left pretty much sums up how I feel about my hair as of late. I'm such a drama queen at times! Lol!!

I made the mistake of switching hairstylists and getting my hair cut again. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, my new stylist does amazing work, but she's obsessed with cutting a lot of her clients hair short. Super. Short.

In my opinion, short hair is too much work. I don't have the patience to fuss over my hair. I need my hair to be a workable length so that I can quickly style it and go about my day. I may have mentioned in this series how lazy I am when it comes to my hair.

So I've started a new agressive hair growth regimen:

The first step will be returning to my former stylist. He knows my hair and really worked on making my hair healthy.

Step two involves vitamins, vitamins, vitamins. I changed up my vitamins and I'll share them in a separate post.

Step three is my special hair mix:

• Rosemary Oil - 1 oz.


• Grapeseed Oil - 4 tbsp.


• Avocado Oil - 4 tbsp.


• Organic Coconut Oil - 1 heaping tbsp.


• 2-4 drops of Dr. Miracle's Healing Oil & 1 drop of Tea Tree Oil

I mix the above oils and apply to my scalp one to two times a week. This mix works well for my hair. My relaxed hair drinks this up.

And the last part of my regimen which I can't stress enough is water, water, water. I have cut down on the high fructose sugary juices and eliminated pop (soda). My main drinks are water, Nantucket Nectar juices, and GTS Organic Raw Kombucha (YUM!!!).

Soon I'll be able to add eliminating heat to my regimen but with my hair being so short I have to curl it. Luckily I learned that grapeseed oil is not only a strengthening oil but a natural heat protectant that can resist heat up to 425 degrees.

Hopefully I'll have some good growth over the next few months. I'll update my progress in June.

For more information:

Now Foods is a natural product company whose products are in many health food stores.

Organic Coconut Oil

Organic Kombucha

Dr. Miracle's Healing Oil

A Life of Style: Hair Care Boot Camp 2010

Happy Sunday! I've been feeling some kind of way about my hair so I decided to blog about it. I'm long overdue for a Hair Care Boot Camp update so I'm bringing this series back in a big way for Twenty-10.

My last Hair Care Boot Camp post was ahem, quite some time ago and so much has changed. Back then I was growing my hair out and really wanted to achieve a certain length. Well I made an impulsive decision on December 5th, 2009 and got my hair cut short. Fast forward to today and I am so over my hair cut. I'm so over my hair cut, I need a new word for over. I loved my hair cut for about three weeks but now I regret going short. So I'm back on my healthy hair regimen...again.

Throughout my recent hair journey, I have discovered that when I am stressed out, my hair suffers. Last summer was a particularly stressful time in my life and by September my hair was not doing well at all. My stress level has reached an all time high and the damage is done. I cut my hair because I needed a change. I was hoping to feel more sassy and chic. You know channeling my inner Mary J. Blige or something. Well the feeling of sassy and chic hung around for three, four days at the most. Perhaps I really wasn't ready to go short.

If I can just get my bob (pictured at right) back by June, I'll be very happy.

Wish me luck!!!!

Hair Care Boot Camp rides again...

A Life of Style Meets Dr. Miracle's

Today was a really good day. Everything flowed according to plan (that rarely happens). I was on time for all my appointments. My hairstylist got me in and out of the salon in record time. I ate four mini cupcakes from Sugar Bliss (ignore that). And the icing on the cake was meeting the fabulous ladies behind the Dr. Miracle's brand.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Brand Educator, Kathleen Johnson and Marketing Director, Joelle Joseph, who visited the Windy City for television appearances and meeting local bloggers.

We chatted about hair care, Dr. Miracle's extensive product line, transitioning from relaxed to natural hair, and the importance of getting and keeping your hair healthy.

I must admit, before today I was not familiar with Dr. Miracle's products at all. I've never used them. Luckily I was given the opportunity to test some products before today's meeting.

As many of you know, my hair is relaxed and the bulk of my hair care takes place within a salon. Today I got my usual shampoo, conditioning treatment, and wrap. I took Dr. Miracle's 2 in 1 Tingling Shampoo & Conditioner, and the Healing Leave in Treatment & Conditioner. I always apply organic coconut oil to my hair as a pre-shampoo treatment one or two days before having my hair washed. As an extra treat, I applied the Intensive Healing Oil Hair & Scalp Treatment as well.

While I applied the oil to my scalp, the slightly sweet yet medicinal scent took me back to a wonderful childhood memory. My great-grandmother used some sort of hair dressing that had a similar aroma. I used to help her brush her hair when I was about three years old. The power of scent is a very real thing.

My scalp tingled a little which I liked. I wrapped my hair with a silk scarf like always and this morning my hair was so soft and my scalp did not itch.

During the harsh Chicago winters, my scalp is especially dry and itchy. The healing scalp oil calmed all the itching.

My stylist's assistant used the shampoo and she liked the fragrance. I liked the tingle. Tingling means its working! Even though the shampoo has conditioner already mixed in, she insisted on a deep conditioning treatment under the hair dryer. After my hair was rinsed, she applied the usual wrapping foam. I asked her to mix the foam with the healing leave in treatment and conditioner. I went back under the dryer for an hour.

Once my hair was dry, my stylist began his job of styling me pretty. My hair had a lot of shine; I was amazed at how great my hair looked and felt. Trying new hair products always makes me nervous. I'm never sure if the product (s) will make my hair feel like a Brillo pad. That was not the case today. I'm excited to try more Dr. Miracle's products now and tell you all about them in the weeks to come.

While speaking with Joelle and Kathleen, I learned so much about Dr. Miracle's products and company. Each product heals an issue plaguing African-American hair - heat styling, chemical over processing, dryness, and breakage. Heal the hair, then nurture it and it will grow.

If you've used Dr. Miracle's products, I'd love to know how well they worked for you. Please leave a comment or send me an email. Over the next few days, I'll be posting more about Dr. Miracle's products and there may even be a giveaway. So stay tuned to A Life of Style!

For more information:

Dr. Miracle's

Dr. Miracle's Blog

A Life of Style: Halle Berry's New Do

Halle Berry has been sporting a very stylish bob and I love it! I think this is my new hair inspiration.

A Life of Style: Hair Care Boot Camp - Finding a New Stylist

The relationship between a woman and her hair stylist is very important. I know people who have their hair done at random by any and everybody, they salon hop, and have the nerve to complain about the poor condition of their hair.

I believe in patronizing a quality salon with talented and capable stylists whose main concern is healthy hair.

If you don't have a regular hair stylist it's time to get serious about finding someone.

So here are my tips for finding a new stylist:

**Ask a friend who has great hair, "Who does your hair?" Referrals can be a great way to find your new stylist.

**Check out salons close to your job or in your neighborhood. Ask the receptionist who the best stylists are. I used to pass a very posh salon on my way to S'bucks every morning. I went in one day to get some information and possibly schedule a consultation. Not only was the salon very upscale, the staff had that 'more upscale than thou' attitude which I detest. Fancy and upscale aren't always good things.

**Interview potential stylists in person so they can see your hair. Ask what is their hair philosophy, what products they use, how do they keep up to date on the latest products, techniques, etc, do they have pictures of their work, what are their hours, what are their rates, how can they help with particular hair issues you may be having, what do they recommend for your hair? During the interview/consultation, the stylist should ask you questions as well and offer some recommendations based on your specific hair type.

**Schedule an appointment with the stylist you feel most comfortable with. It's also a good idea to take a picture of a hair style along so you can see how well the stylist can reproduce the look. If you don't have a picture, that's fine just tell the stylist how you normally wear your hair.

**Pay close attention to the stylist and the salon. Is his/her station clean? What is the salon atmosphere like? Does he have too many clients at the same time causing him to do what I call assembly line styling? Do the clients appear comfortable with the stylist? Is he/she super chatty? Are the clients smiling when they leave the chair?

**If you're pleased with your hair then schedule another appointment and start going to the stylist on a weekly or biweekly basis - that's how you build a good rapport with the hair stylist. It's important to stay with one person who can get your hair in the best condition. Consistency is important in achieving healthy hair.

A Life of Style: Hair Care Boot Camp - My Hair Story Pt. 1

In this segment of Hair Care Boot Camp, I'm going to discuss my hair again. I'm the first to admit that I'm very lazy with my hair and that's why the majority of my hair care takes place within the salon.

My hair is thick and relaxed so I really have to nurture it. Earlier this year I decided to grow my hair long. I was tired of my bob, and didn't want to go back to the short tapered cuts that I wore a few years ago. Starting a growth plan is essential to achieving the desired length. I took three months to really get to know my hair. During the get to know my hair phase, I discovered what products worked best in my hair, invested in more natural oils, and paid close attention to my shedding problem.

My hair was growing quite nicely until I hit a bump in the road in May. I had surgery and was hospitalized for three days. A week before going into the hospital, I got a touch up and a deep conditioning steam treatment. Thanks to my overprotective mother, I wasn't able to get my hair done again until the third week in June. The anesthesia dried my hair out and caused some breakage. My stylist cut the damaged ends and I started taking two 500mg biotin tablets along with my daily multivitamin. I began researching vitamins more extensively in August and seeking advice from friends who were also growing their hair long. I'm telling you guys vitamins are the key. I noticed a change in my hair within a couple of months. Some days I do slack and forget to take my vits and on those days I try to at least take my GNC program. I really need to come up with a better way to take all those pills in one day. Any suggestions????

The latest hair challenge I'm facing is Chicago winter. The ridiculously cold and below freezing tempertaures cause major hair trauma so I use two Carol's Daughter products religiously, Hair Balm and Khoret Amen Hair Oil. I take both products to the salon so my stylist can use them before he curls or flat irons my hair. If I opt for a roller set, he applies the hair balm and a tiny drop of the oil after he removes the rollers. Protecting my hair during the winter is my main concern so I wrap my hair in a silk scarf before wearing any kind of winter hat.

My hair loves avocado oil, pure silk amino acids, Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner, and organic coconut oil. I apply a pea sized amount of avocado oil to my hair when it feels dry. The silk amino acids are added to my moisture spray, thermal protectant, and leave in conditioner. I apply organic coconut oil directly to my scalp twice a week and my hair has been shiny, full of body, and, dare I say growing a little faster? I'll keep you guys posted, I've been using coconut oil for two months and the results have been pretty amazing.

My next Hair Care Boot Camp will focus on finding a salon and stylist. Stay tuned!

Oh, before I forget! My blogger bff wrote a great article entitled "Make the Most of Your Salon Time". Check it out!!!!

A Life of Style: Hair Care Boot Camp - Healthy Hair

Bon Jour Beautiful People! I'm back and better, fly and fresh, bigger and mo' def. Okay...I'll stop now =)

Before I share some recent developments I want to talk a little about my new Hair Care Boot Camp series.

I have a really good friend who was recently complaining that her hair just won't grow no matter what she does. Over the years I have seen her brand of hair care and it makes me cringe. If she's not playing kitchen beautician to her already weak tresses, she's salon hopping by allowing any stylist who's rate is $35 and under to do her hair. I firmly believe that you can not be cheap with your hair. You have to make a small investment by using quality products for your hair type, find a stylist that you can build a good relationship with, watch your diet, keep your stress level down, and drink plenty of water.

I understand that circumstances often require us to play kitchen beautician and if you have the skill, and patience then go for it. My friend is really doing her hair more harm than good. She relaxes at home, rarely gets her ends trimmed, and uses heat everyday. I told her that she has to get her hair healthy first and then she can focus on growing her hair out, thus the Hair Care Boot Camp series was born. Stay tuned!!!