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.

Congrats to our Healthy Life Contest Winner Monette Chilson

Here is the winning story:

When my kids went back to school this fall, I took the idea of holistic living and balance into the pages of my calendar. Yes, my calendar still has pages—no electronic gadgets for this book-loving gal. When I open up a new week, I check to make sure I have covered all my bases, and I don’t just mean tackling enough items on the never-ending to-do list. I look for specific items each week that will nourish me physically, mentally and spiritually. A yoga class might do double duty as spiritual and physical sustenance. Time to write is crucial for my mental well-being. Doctors appointments—those annual check-ups and regular dentist visits—are a must for my physical upkeep, but they drain me in other ways, so I make sure that I limit them to one a week—no exceptions unless it’s a medical emergency! That’s where the balance comes into the picture. Too much of even a good thing can throw me out of balance, a lesson I learned when I scheduled numerous lunch and coffee dates with several close friends in one week. I love each of them dearly, but the sheer quantity of the time commitment, which would have otherwise been life-giving, knocked me out of balance, squeezing all the time for writing and introspection right out of my week.

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.”

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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.

I can’t believe summer is over and it’s time to head back to school already. This summer, my curls took a real beating between the beach and camp. I enjoyed days at the beach, in the pool or just catching some rays, but the wind and salt from the ocean really left their mark on my hair. Here’s what I did to get my hair healthy and shiny just in time for class:

First I got a trim to remove dry, split ends that were left over from the sun and beach. My mom wanted me to cut my hair shorter for school. But to avoid any back-to-school hair trauma, I just went for a simple and minimum trim. No drastic hair cut was going to take place this year!

Second, if your hair is like mine, it had a lot of environmental build-up. YUCK! I used Ion Purifying Solutions Clarifying to remove all the chlorine and mineral gunk! After I use this shampoo, my hair is really beast (for those who are little older, that means it’s clean, fresh hair with its natural texture and vibrancy restored”>.

To keep my curls in perfect shape, there are a couple of other things I do. I don’t wash my hair every day. It might seem “gross,” but my hair is much shinier and in much better condition. Instead of washing it every day, I wash it just two or three times a week and make sure to condition it daily. I use Miracle 7 every day. It’s a leave-in conditioner that detangles and adds shine, but it’s light and doesn’t weigh my curls down. For a daily shampoo, I love Beyond The Zone Noodle Head Curly Hair Shampoo that makes my hair soft and shiny and it smells great.

Everyone’s curls are different so experiment with different products to find the ones that may be right for you. My mom shops at Sally Beauty so I always ride shotgun when she heads there or go online to SallyBeauty.com and see the tons of products they have and just experiment.

And when it comes to styles, have fun! Look through magazines and experiment with different accessories. I’m a big fan of curly ponytails. They look fun, and they keep my curls out of my face.

Gotta go! I hear the bell!

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.

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.

Hair Facts from Living Proof:

Hair Composition

There are more than 12 different structures that make up each hair fiber. These structures make hair an integrated system that can act both independently or in concert with each other. But hair can most easily be thought of as having just two structures: the cuticle (outside”> and the cortex (inside”>. A hair fiber is built much like a tree, with a layered outside and a fibrous inside. The cuticle is hair’s protection from the environment. It is made of very strong proteins and looks like shingles on a roof. The cortex is overwhelmingly responsible for hair’s stiffness and body.

There are about 100,000 hairs on the average person’s head. Because hair grows at an average rate of 1 cm per month, if it were possible to lay all the hair on your head end to end, it would grow a total of 100 feet per day.

Hair Chemistry 101

Hair essentially consists of four general types of chemicals: proteins, melanin, water and trace elements.

Melanin is the part of the hair responsible for its color. It is made up of very small colored particles whose shape and number determine what color your hair is. Bleaching the hair is the process of breaking down and dissolving these melanin particles.

Lifespan of Hair

The lifespan of hair is genetically determined and typically runs from two to seven years. In addition, typically, 90% of scalp hair is growing (known as the anagen phase”> and 10% are resting (known as the telogen phase”>. Waist-length hair takes about seven years to grow, whereas shoulder length hair takes only about three years. Thus, only certain people with long anagen times can expect to grow their hair down to the waist. As you age, the growing phase shortens. For example, someone with a five-year growth phase can grow hair to a length of approximately 2 feet before it enters the resting phase. If their growth period drops to three years as they age, their hair will then grow only to shoulder length before it falls out or is brushed out. It is normal to lose about 100 hairs per day from the scalp.

Hair Morphology

If you cut a hair, and then look at its cross section, the shape you would see defines the orientation of the hair. For example, very curly hair has a flat oval profile, while very straight hair is round. Interestingly, these characteristics are genetically determined and related to nationality or racial origin. People from Asian decent have very round shaped hair. People of African descent have very flat shaped hair and people of Caucasian descent tend to have oval shaped hair.

Hair and Humidity

Humidity plays a far larger role in the appearance and behavior of hair than any other environmental factor. In fact, hair can absorb up to 40% of its weight from a humid environment. Its diameter swells nearly 25% when wet, yet its length hardly changes in water. This swelling causes the hair cuticles to expand and lift, creating frizz. Finally, high humidity makes hair more likely to tangle, and much harder to comb. Hair is 3 times limper at high humidity, losing virtually all its stiffness when wet.

At a relative humidity of 30%, hair has a moisture content of ~6%. If the relative humidity increases to 70%, the moisture content in hair raises to nearly 14%. That’s a difference of 130% ! In addition, when hair is damaged, and its porosity increased, its moisture content can approach 50%.

Check out other Spotlight stories here.

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.

“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.

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!”

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.

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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

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

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.”

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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.”

Celebrity stylist Kenneth Darrell shares his expertise with us in this article.

Cuts

1. “Iconic Long”

bohemian, hippie chic, long hair look!

(Hair like that of Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker”>

Now when we say long, were talking bra-strap length or longer. If you don’t have it or have the time to grow it, and you want it and want it now, you can buy it. The addition of temporary extensions, wefts and various types of length-creating accessories are now as close as your local beauty supply store. Combine these lengths with texture and body, and you are right in the jet stream of what’s hot with hair for ‘09.

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2. The Short Bob

(Hair like that of Mena Suvari and Katie Holmes”>

Last year’s just-off-the-shoulder length bob design has undergone a major-length modification. This bob is hottest worn from cheek to chin in length. It has also become less “constructed” and has an edgy feel with a definitive look of movement and action.

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3. The Super Short Pixie

(Hair like that of Rihanna and Halle Berry”>

Generally cut with a razor, with extreme jagged textural shape, this super cute design is topped off with baby doll bangs, rendered very short and with impish flair or with an exaggerated long front fringe. This design is the boldest of the trends and requires a strong, confident personality to maximize its potential. When worn this way, it leaves a memorable impression that is hard to forget.

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Colors for Spring/Summer ’09

Any of these three cut designs can be paired with the color trends for this season to make them “impact” cuts. Colors have taken a turn toward drama, with vibrant reds and outrageous blonds leading the way. This season will be the time to step out and step up. Where some trends in the past have dictated that the natural or blended color are the highlight, this season, “color” can make women feel empowered and “color” will be

noticed from clear across the room!

Tips for Capturing the Trends

1. Discuss with your stylist which cut, design and color is best suited for you, your lifestyle, and perhaps most important, your personality. It is helpful to do your homework. Collect a few pictures and email them to your stylist, if it’s possible, a few days before your appointment. This will allow your stylist time to review them and give some thought to the direction you wish to go.
2. Remember, to keep the look, hair has to be maintained. Develop a maintenance plan with your stylist to keep your new style looking fresh. Short hair will need to be shaped every 4-5 weeks and long hair trimmed every 6-8, with a color service generally at every other cut.
3. Ask your stylist to help you select the right products for your look. There are too many products on the market to “select by guess.” You will need a guide through the “product jungle.”
4. It’s okay to request extra time at your appointment with your stylist so that he or she can show you how to work with your hair. Even if you pay for this extra time, it will be well worth the investment. Remember, your new cut and color is only as good as your ability to fix it at home on your own.
5. Show the love…tip your stylist. The quality of your hair service is a direct reflection of how your stylist feels about working with you. Show your excitement and appreciation! Hairstylists are artists and as many of us do, they too crave validation. When it’s time for your next appointment, your stylist will roll out the red carpet for you!

Five Tips to Do-It-Up-Right at Home

(You Can Do-It At Home!”>

1. Invest in quality tools to style your hair. Look for ceramic curling irons, blow dryers with ionic features, and quality brushes that feel good in your hands. Remember, these are the tools you will use every day to prep the most important part of your look…your hair!
2. Practice makes perfect. Style your hair on your day off when you have time to be a bit more creative. You don’t want to wait until just before an event to test your skills.
3. Be flexible in your styling. You will never get the exact results twice, and that’s okay. It’s what makes styling hair an art form.
4. Have your stylist take a couple of photos of your finished style. You can use these pictures later as a reference to recreate the look. (And don’t forget the back!”>
5. Book some “style-out” appointments with your stylist. Have him or her style your hair in different ways with different tools. Take advantage of this time to watch, ask questions and learn, so that YOU can do it at home.

That’s a Wrap!

Capturing a hot new hair trend can be one of the most exhilarating feelings there is. You feel sexy and empowered wherever you go, no matter what you’re wearing.

Hair creates more impact than any other aspect of your look. If your hair is beautiful, you can look fantastic in jeans and a t-shirt.

Develop and cultivate a great relationship with a stylist. Your stylist wants to make you a “hair celebrity,” so people will say… “Pardon me, but…who does your hair?”

Your stylist can become one of the most important persons in helping you from season to season to bring out the best in your personal style.

Mattel just unveiled its newest collection of Barbies: the So in Style (S.I.S.”> collection. Created by an African-American designer, the dolls are meant to be more culturally relevant to young multi-ethnic girls in their fashions, facial features and hairstyles with inspiring hobbies.

“I want them to be examples to real girls,” says Mattel designer Stacey McBride-Irby.

The dolls come in pairs with a big and little sister to encourage mentoring relationships. While we applaud the cute dolls – Grace and Courtney, Kara and Kiana and Trichelle and Janessa – most still look like a darker shade of Barbie. Only one of the three adult dolls, Kara, has natural hair, while the other two sport long, stick-straight ‘dos. And out of the three little sisters, only one has a textured style – afro puffs – while the rest have straighter styles.

Barbie has come along way since she first was conceived 50 years ago by Ruth Handler, who founded Mattel in 1944 with husband, Elliot and Harold “Matt” Matson. Handler was bucking a post-World War II trend of paper dolls and baby dolls by creating a fashion doll, whcih she named after her daughter, Barbara.

The early Barbie’s measurements were unattainable. In 1989, a Barbie Liberation Organization was formed by a group of activists who objected to Barbie’s unrealistic figure and her superficial consumerism.

And Barbie definitely lacked ethnicity, even when they were meant to be black or Hispanic. The company simply took the Barbie mold and hair and gave the doll darker skin.

The new dolls are a definite improvement over Mattel’s previous attempts. But they still fall slightly short, falling back on what is more socially acceptable and reinforcing old standards of beauty that have changed dramatically as our society becomes more multicultural.

The dolls have gotten mixed reviews from the African-American community.

“The S.I.S. dolls are just another example of how America loves to see American-Americans: as white as possible,” says About-face.com. “Of course many black women do have hair like this, but most don’t grow it that way naturally. There are six different dolls – why not six different kinds of hair? To me, this lack of representation just reaffirms the notion that ‘nappy’ or ‘kinky’ hair is bad, while promoting long, sleek hair as the most (or only”> beautiful option.”

Blogger Raven Hill writes on Jezebel.com: “Hair can be a complicated subject for black women, and it would be sad for any little girl to feel as if her texture wasn’t desirable or represented.”

As a child, I can recall the sound of the blowdryer roaring away as my father tried to beat his curly locks into submission. For much of the early ’70s, he sported a frizzy, pouf — not quite curly, but not quite straight.

Over the years, he learned to accept his curls and got a short flattering cut that played them up rather than hiding them.’

These days, men with curls can stop fighting their curls. The trend is toward natural hair — making the most of the texture.

‘Men right now can wear their hair curly much more than they could in the past,’ said Ruth Roche, global artistic director of design for Redken. ‘Just like with women, textured hair has made a comeback.’

Roche adds that ‘women love running their hands through curly hair.’

Men need only look at curly-headed stars like N’Sync’s Justin Timberlake, who has attracted a throngs of adoring female fans. When rumors recently surfaced that Timberlake was thinking about cutting off his curls, some fans went so far as to launch a petition drive to stop him.

Moisturizing shampoos are a must. And although men traditionally have shied away from conditioners, they can make a big difference when used once or twice a week.

At American Crew — the best-selling line of men’s hair products — the trend is toward natural hair. The look gets its inspiration from the ’70s look of stars such as Robert Redford, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. This also was a time when actors like Paul Newman, Elliott Gould and Kris Kristofferson let their curls do their thing. The look was natural. ‘We’re focusing on the death of the purposely undone hair — contrived bed head,’ said Kurt Kueffner, vice president of American Crew. ‘We’re going toward a look where the hair isn’t in any way, shape or form forced.’ A good solid haircut and a good shampoo and conditioning regime are key, Kueffner said.

Men with curls also have more options than they had in the past. They can go long or short. ‘Short is still real big,’ said Jon Fishwick, educational director of Giovanni & Pileggi, a Philadelphia hair salon. ‘The kinkier the hair, the shorter they want to keep it.’

A variation on the short look is to cut the sides and back short, while leaving the top a little bit longer — 1 to 2 inches long, Roche said. To play up the texture, she likes to put a strong gel into the hair when it’s wet and let it air dry. For those who want to show off their curls, longer hair can work well.

For long hair—chin length or longer—Roche suggests long layers.

Because curly hair tends to be dryer, it must be handled with care.

Moisturizing shampoos are a must. And although men traditionally have shied away from conditioners, they can make a big difference when used once or twice a week.

Many haircare companies make leave-in conditioners that double as styling aids, which work well in men’s hair. These products include Sebastian Potion 9, Redken Speed Control Smoothing Treatment & Styler and Graham Webb Synchronicity. Frizz-fighting gels and serums also can work well in men’s hair, controlling the curls while leaving hair soft and natural looking. For a natural feel, styling pastes and pomades are good. For a crunchier feel, gels work best.

‘We’re using real subtle products — aerosol sprays, light-hold gels, silicone-based products for shine,’ Kueffner said. ‘In the ’70s, we were trying to get rid of fizzy, flyaway hair. That’s the same goal today. We want hair that looks really, really healthy.’

Apply styling products when the hair is wet, suggests Jarrod Harms, national educational manager for Graham Webb International, which is launching its new Back to Basics Authentic Mens Grooming line this fall.

However men choose to wear your hair, the message is simple:

‘Make the most of the texture that you have,’ Harms said ‘Guys with naturally curly hair already have natural detail. It’s just a matter of activating that.’

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Curly Hair & Hair Care Products | Deva Curl | Deva Curl DevaSun Dryer DevaFuser

While straightening your hair is considered taboo in many curly circles, some curlyheads enjoy a sleek style as a temporary tweak.

If you’re considering the straight look once in a while for something different, know there will be consequences. Just how dire are those consequences? Stylists say it depends on the tools and products you use, as well as the techniques. Whenever you flatten textured tresses, it takes time, deep treatments and a lot of tender, loving care for your curls to bounce back.

“Anytime you straighten your hair, it will affect your curls,” says Ethan Shaw, a stylist with James Allan Salon in Austin, Texas. “If you want to do it once a month, great. But remember not to let it turn into a vicious cycle because the more you straighten your hair, the less good it’s going to look when it’s curly. It’s a trade off.”

For those who want the option of wearing their hair straight, stylists say there are must-follow rules for straightening success. Here, they share their secrets to straightening your textured tresses without wreaking too much havoc on your hair.

THE PRODUCTS

Stylists are quick to remind curlies to keep the hair as healthy as possible, especially when it’s exposed to intense blasts of heat from a blow dryer or flat iron. One of the critical protectants is a deep-conditioning treatment. Do it often and be consistent (once a week or once a month, depending on the needs of your texture”>. Aside from treatments, as well as your daily conditioner, stylists recommend using a heat-protectant spray before blowouts. Products with silicones will make it even easier, stylists say. But remember silicones are cosmetic — a quick, but very temporary, fix!

“Anti-frizz serums help smooth the cuticle out fast and prevent frizz,” says Stanley of New York’s Christopher Stanley Salon, noting that he uses KMS Silk Sheen and Ecru Silk Nectar Serum for his client’s blowouts. “Silicone-based products can be hard to dis-tribute through the hair when it’s wet, though. A little bit goes an awful long way, so if you put too much it can make your hair look greasy. I usually apply a dab of the product directly to each section for a blowout.”

Shaw will use Bumble & Bumble Straight for blowouts, but he also recommends combining Phyto Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm with an equal part of DevaCurl One Condition for a smooth finish.

Whatever straightening product you choose, make sure you apply it evenly to your textured tresses— including the back, crown and underneath at the nape of the neck.

“You can also use a heat-protectant, leave-in spray, layered with a straightening gel or serum from the mid-shaft to the ends to protect the hair from heat damage,” says Jeanie Syfu, lead TRESemmé Stylist for Bravo TV’s reality show “Project Runway.”

THE BRUSH

A big round brush is another important component of a quick, smooth blowout. Stylists suggest choosing a brush with a combination of boar and nylon bristles to make the straightening process the easiest.

“The nylon bristle will help grip the hair and the boar bristle helps to smooth it,” Shaw explains.

“The brush needs to give the hair a little tension so you can pull the curl out all the way to the ends,” adds Syfu.

While Stanley always has a Mason Pearson brush on hand, he prefers the Mebco Pro Spin Ionic brush for blowouts.

“The brush dries the hair really quickly,” Stanley says, “and when you’re drying curly hair straight you want to work as fast as possible because once the hair starts drying on its own, it’s a lost cause without smoothing it out.”

A common problem is choosing a round brush that’s simply not big enough for a stick-straight blowout, Stanley says. “You really want to use a brush with at least a two-inch barrel,” he recommends.

THE BLOW DRYER

And when choosing a blow dryer, pick a powerful one with at least 1800 watts, multiple heat settings and always use a nozzle attachment— but not too close!

“If you put the nozzle right on the brush when blowing your hair straight, it puts way too much direct heat on your hair,” Shaw says. “Aim to keep the concentrated nozzle about an inch away from your hair.”

One of the secrets to minimize heat damage, according to Syfu, is to apply your straightening product, then pull your hair back in a ponytail and let it air-dry about 60 percent before sectioning and blowing it out.

“It’s less damaging because you’re not going completely wet to dry, and you get faster re-sults,” Syfu says. To create a straight style with some movement, Syfu also suggests this technique:

“Wrap the hair with the brush around the head in one direction, and start to blow it dry following the nozzle all the way around — almost like using the shape of the head as a roller,” she explains. “After drying in one direction, put the hair on the opposite side of the head and dry it the other way. It won’t be totally flat to the head, so you’ll get really beautiful movement. Then, you can go in and touch up the ends when it’s needed.”

Meanwhile, Stanley suggests starting blowouts from the front and work your way back. “If you spend so much time blowing out the back, by the time you get to the front it’s dry and you have to re-wet it,” Stanley explains. “Then, usually you don’t allow yourself enough time to do the front — but the front is what people see and what matters most.”

THE FLAT IRON

The flat iron is a useful tool in straightening, but it can also be the most destructive to curly hair. Don’t use it if you don’t have to, Shaw says.

“Any flat iron you put on your hair will damage it,” he says. “If you’re planning to flat-iron your hair, try blowing it out first. Nobody is wearing their hair completely straight anymore, so you can have a little more body in your hair from blowing it out. Then, only on the very top layer, smooth it with a flat iron, but be very conscious of having that flat iron on your hair for as little time as possible.”

And if you must use an iron, choose one with ceramic plates, according to Stanley. And even still, go easy on the pressure. One of the most common mistakes women make with the flat iron is to clamp down too hard on the ends of the hair. Big mistake.

“Start out with tight pressure on the iron near the top of the scalp, then as you get close to the ends release the pressure a bit or you’ll fry the ends, and the ends are usually not the problem.” Stanley says.

If you’re only straightening once in a while, stylists say it likely won’t be so tough to bring your curls back to life as long as you follow the rules and don’t overdo it. And like anything new, it takes practice so be patient.

“It’s not something you’re going to learn in five minutes before you go out the door,” Stanley cautions. “You really have to sit with a glass of wine with some music and practice. It’s tricky to learn how to maneuver the brush and the blow dryer and section out your hair. It’s time consuming more than anything else.”

This week, Anthony Dickey is opening a new salon where all hair textures can co-exist under one roof.

Hair Rules New York, with its elite team of stylists and colorists, is located at 828 Ninth Avenue, between 54th and 55th streets in the diverse Clinto neighborhood.

“From the first day of cosmetology school, stylists are taught to process hair without regard to natural texture,” explains celebrity stylist Dickey, creator of the Hair Rules line of products for multi-textural hair. “What that means to women with highly textured hair is that their hair is a problem that needs fixing.”

As a result, says Dickey, generations of women with wavy, curly and kinky hair have battled their hair into submission, often with damaging chemicals and heat. “The result of that is not only damaged hair, but divisive notions about what’s socially, professionally and fashionably acceptable.”

Although the majority of salons work with a broad clientele with all hair types, many stylists do not feel comfortable working with naturally kinky hair. And for many salons that do specialize in highly textured hair, the main focus may be relaxers, weaves and heat styling to change the texture rather than work with it.

“Others still promote only natural styles such as braids, locks and twists,” Dickey says.

With his new salon, Dickey wants to change the rules.

“Hair Rules takes everything we know about the hair industry and heads it in the right direction,” says Dickey, who authored a straight-talk guidebook called Hair Rules: The Ultimate Hair Care Guide for Women with Kinky, Curly and Wavy Hair .

Hair Rules co-founder supermodel Kara Young considers Hair Rules a mindset — “a new way for women who have always struggled with their natural texture to learn to embrace it and truly love it.”

Hair Rules New York will offer hair-care and styling-based approaches to working with texture. No texture will be viewed as problematic, from super kinky hair to straight hair that “won’t hold a curl” to every texture in between.

“Our goal is to undo years of despair and disappointment by helping our clients rediscover their natural texture, embrace the versatility it offers and wear it however they choose — but via healthy, responsible methods,” says Dickey, stylist to Minnie Driver, Kelis, Estelle and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The 2,160-square-foot loft space features eight cutting stations, four color stations, four drying stations and a comfortable living room where clients can unwind. The space is decorated in an eclectic mix of colors, surfaces and fabrics — what Dickey calls “a groovy, elegant, multi-textural vibe.”

Green building techniques were used in the design, including responsibly harvested bamboo, the use of wind power, non-toxic paint and energy-efficient lighting. The salon has partnered with Matter of Trust, a nonprofit organization focused on recycling hair into hair mats for cleaning up oil spills.

Beyond salon services, Hair Rules New York will conduct advanced education classes for licensed hairdressers, and will host events, including seminars and workshops, that promote beauty, community, the arts and well-being.

“Hair Rules redefines standards in hair-care and styling services, taking the healthiest approach to achievable beauty as a means toward providing women with choices as they relate to style and self expression,” Dickey says.

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To make an appointment, call 212-315-2929.

When Brenda Garcia finally decided to stop relaxing her hair, she found herself struggling to get her hair to look good. Even without the harsh chemicals, her hair was always dry.

“I braided it because I couldn’t get it to look the way I wanted it to,” Garcia says. “I began experimenting to find products that would give my hair weight so it wouldn’t frizz.”

She began making her own treatments, researching books on natural hair products. As a chef, Garcia was a pro at blending ingredients to get a desired result. And having majored in biology in college, Garcia had an understanding of the what hair and skin need to be healthy.

“I just started experimenting with ingredients, tweaking this, adding that, just like baking,” Garcia says. “I found I was getting better results from the products I was making than I was from the ones I was buying. My hair looked so much healthier.”

She began chatting about her successes with her online friends, and sending out samples. Based on their response, she launched Brendita’s Body Works last summer with Super Moisturizing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, Super Moisturizing Conditioner, Phat Head High on Coconut Conditioner, her No Knots Leave-In Moisturizing Mist and Oil Free Aloe Vera Styling Gel.

“They immediately started selling,” says Garcia. “I was very surprised. There was no playing around. I hit gold with the first batch.”

Although most of Brendita’s products were developed for curly hair, Garcia didn’t want to limit the line. So she tweaked her recipes to create some products for fine hair as well.

As she celebrates her hair-care line’s 1-year anniversary, Brendita’s sells three shampoos, three daily conditioners, two deep conditioners, two gels, one detangling spray, one moisturizing sun shield spray, a pomade and a shine serum.

Whenever possible, she uses only certified organic ingredients or those that have been grown and manufactured with minimal, if any, chemical processing. Although it costs a little more, Garcia says she uses aloe vera instead of water in her products. She believes people are willing to pay a little more to find quality products that work. All of her ingredients are supplied by companies and organizations with documented and certified fair and ethical trade practices for all of their farmers in the USA and overseas.

She says she gets ideas for new products from customer feedback. But she knows she can’t try to create products for every request because she would spread herself too thin, and quality would suffer. Not to mention that “we don’t have enough room in my house,” she says.

“If I get a lot of people asking for something, or there’s a lot of buzz about something on a chat board, I’ll play around the lab when I have the time,” Garcia says. “I’m currently working on a non-foaming cleanser.”

Garcia, who balances Brendita’s with a full-time job, still makes the products in her house, in two-gallon batches. She fills orders after work and on weekends.

In addition to her hair-care line, Brendita’s also sells a wide variety of body-care products, including masks, toners and cleansers.

Garcia says she now has orders coming in from around the world, mostly through word of mouth. Eighty-five percent of Brendita’s customers are repeat buyers, she says.

As demand grows, Garcia says she’s exploring ways to make her operation more efficient, but not at the expense of quality. She has no aspirations to be in Ulta or Sephora.

“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself by sacrificing quality for mass production,” Garcia says.

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Check out other Spotlight stories here.

We asked you to tell us your Best of the Best for 2009, and you did. Thousands of you did.

We chose three winners in each category. They included some perennial favorites as well as some newcomers; salon brands as well as those products that can be found at your drugstore.

Without further ado, here are your Best of the Best!

Best Brand:

Devacurl, Jessicurl and Kinky-Curly

Best Cleanser:

Devacurl No-Poo, Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream, Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner

Best Second-Day Hair Product:

Jessicurl Awe Inspiraling Spray, Kinky-Curly Curling Custard and Devacurl Mist-er Right.

Best Daily Conditioner:

Jessicurl Too Shea!, Devacurl One Condition and Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner

Best Leave-In Conditioner:

Kinky-Curly Knot Today, Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk and Giovanni Direct Leave-in Weightless Moisture Conditioner

Best Deep Conditioner:

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner, Ouidad Deep Treatment Intensive Conditioner and Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment

Best Styling Mousse:

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse, Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam and Joico JoiWhip

Best Styling Gel:

Devacurl AnGell, Kinky-Curly Curling Custard and Jessicurl Rockin’ Ringlets

Best Anti-Frizz:

Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper and Jessicurl Confident Coils

Best Pomade:

Aveda Brilliant Humectant Pomade, Oyin Burnt Sugar and Jane Carter Nourish and Shine

Best Styling Cream/Pudding:

Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding, Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, AG re:coil

Best Product for Braids & Twists:

Oyin Whipped Pudding, Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding and Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk

Best Natural/Organic Line:

Amourai Organique, Kinky-Curly and Aubrey Organics

Favorite Curly Celebrity:

Taylor Swift, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel True

Favorite Curly Actress:

Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts

Favorite Curly Actor:

Adrien Grenier, Patrick Dempsey and Seth Rogen

Favorite Curly Musician:

Taylor Swift, Josh Groban and Shakira

Favorite Inspirational Curly:

Jessica McGuinty, Lorraine Massey and Taylor Swift

Favorite Curly Athlete:

Troy Polamalu, Anderson Varajao and Joakim Noah

Favorite Book:

“Curly Girl” by Lorraine Massey

Best Place to Buy Products:

Online

Best Beauty Site:

MakeupAlley.com and Sephora.com

Best Place to Get Style Info:

Online

Best Special Occasion ‘do:

Updo

Best NaturallyCurly Columnist:

Tonya McKay (Curl Chemist”>

Best Blog:

Curly Nikki and Jillipoo

Best Article:

Michelle Obama “Politics of Hair”

Best Site Feature (NaturallyCurly.com”>:

CurlTalk

We asked our CurlTalkers for their biggest concerns about your curls and kinks, and they told us. The answers covered a wide range of topics, from self-image issues to finding a good stylist. Here are the ones that rose to the top of the list.

1. Triangle Head! On a similar note, many people cited “Flat Top.”
2. Finding a stylist who understands how to work with curls. “Finding a stylist who knows how to deal with curly hair without making their curly client look like a mushroom when done. (nightmare process! I just went six years without a professional cut!”>” said CurlyCassieRo.
3. Finding Holy Grail products. “Countless people can say, ‘Oh this product really worked for my hair and it’ll work for you too,’ but then you try this billion-dollar product and you end up with straw-hair. Believe me, it’s happened to me!” says Alannah Angel.
4. Unpredictability. “With the same routine every single day for 30 days, I can have 20 different heads of hair in a month, and maybe only half of them are good, if I’m lucky,” says PrettyPorcupine. “I know you’re just supposed to ’embrace’ its ‘unique’ personality and be all ‘free and easy,’ but let’s face it – that is just not realistic when you have to look decent for work every day, want to be sure you look good on a date or for a special event, or because you just are so fricking tired of not knowing how the hell your hair is going to look at any given time.”
5. Acceptance of curls in society and in the workplace. “Every time I pick up a magazine or see a segment on a TV show about ‘how to manage your curls,’ the answer is always to straighten them! It’s insulting,” says Tinah. “The mainstream media pushes straight hair as the only acceptable option. Just once I’d like to read an article on how to manage curly hair that actually tells me how to manage curly hair, not how to make curly hair straight. I’m pretty sure we ALL know how to make it straight! We’ve spent years doing it!”
6. Second-day hair. “And maybe even third day and fourth day hair,” said CurlTalker Desert Flower.
7. Frizz! “Dealing with frizz constructively (i.e., no baseball caps or severe buns”>,” says PrettyMedusa.
8. Curls in the workplace.“Why should we have to worry about how to ‘look professional?'” says rbb. “Why isn’t the way you wear your hair everyday good enough for work? It’s you!”
9. Finding curly style options. “Most styles in mainstream beauty mags are geared towards straighties and perhaps some wavies. If it is a curly style, it is usually done on a straight head of hair, so the styling methods are different,” says Redcelticccurls.
10. Styling time. “It’s hard dealing with hair if you are a frequent swimmer, runner, etc., when there’s no time to do the whole routine afterward,” says Rozettasone. “Some people spend half the day with wet or damp hair. By the time it’s dry and looking its best, it’s nearly time for bed!”