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It is the four-letter word that can spark fear and panic in parents.
“Lice seems to be parents’ biggest nightmare,” says Risa Bar, creator of the Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel line of anti-lice shampoos. “When they hear another kid has lice, even if their own child doesn’t show any sign of them, they’re ready to put a bunch of chemicals on their head. Just take a deep breath. It’s not the worst thing that can happen.”
Knowledge can go a long way toward preventing and treating lice, as well as the other conditions that can cause your child’s scalp to itch and flake, such as cradle cap, dandruff and eczema.
The chances are high that you will get a letter from your child’s school or camp at least once to inform you that another child in the class has lice. Head lice is one of the most common – and most dreaded – issues for young children and their parents.
Lice spread from one child’s head to the other through contact with an infested person’s clothing, brushes or other belongings. Discourage your child from sharing combs, brushes, towels or hats with friends.
Children with lice may have an itchy scalp, and may feel a sensation like something is moving in their hair. They may also have red sores on their scalp caused by scratching.
Remember that head lice is not a reflection on your child’s hygiene. In fact you should make sure not to wash your child’s hair everyday.
“Lice like clean hair, not dirty hair,” Bar says. “It’s easier for them to attach to a clean hair shaft.”
Lice make their home in human hair, nourishing themselves with blood from the scalp, holding onto the hair with hook-like claws found oat the end of their six legs. The average number of lice on a child’s head is about 10.
When looking for lice, focus on your child’s “hot spots” – the part line, the top of the head, the hairline, behind the ears and the back of the neck. They usually reside within a quarter inch of the hair shaft. Adult lice are light brown and the size of a pin head. Also look for the eggs – or ‘nits’ – which look like tiny white dots.
If you find them, there are several options, says Cozy Friedman of Cozy’s Cuts for Kids in New York, which just came out with its Boo! line of lice products.
Some believe chemical removal is best, using popular lice shampoos such as Rid or Nix.
But chemicals aren’t the only, or necessarily the desirable, solution. They actually contain the same harsh chemicals found in products like Raid Yard Guard and Black Flag Flea Ender. There is evidence that permethrin and pyrethrin, found in Nix and Rid, can trigger asthma and other respiratory problems. Some of the prescription lice products contain strong chemicals like Malathion, a harmful neurotoxin, and Lindane, a carcinogen that has been banned in California.
“It’s like spraying a pesticide on your child’s bed or car seat,” says Jim Rompel, president of Safe Effective Alternatives, which developed the popular Lice B Gone pesticide-free lice treatment seven years ago.
Rompel discovered that the number of children with head lice in America had risen to over 12 million cases, and growing every year. A big part of this rise was because head lice had developed a resistance to the pesticides (pyrethrin/permethrin”> that have been used for the last 15 years in head lice shampoos. Scientists at the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre in Cardiff, UK discovered four out of five lice were resistant to the chemicals. And many are ineffective against the eggs, which is why it can be so difficult to get rid of lice.
With four children of his own, Rompel wondered why anyone would intentionally pour pesticides on their child’s head if they knew they could solve them without them. Using his 25 years of experience in sales, marketing and distribution of health-related products, he developed Lice B Gone and launched it in 1999. He made it in an ice cooler and sold it out of the back of a van.
“I wanted to help people fight the problem without harming their children or harming the planet,” Rompel says.
Lice B Gone is an pesticide-free, enzyme-based treatment that dissolves the lice’s exoskeletons and softens the glue that nits use to attach to the hair shaft. It is sprayed on the hair, left on for 15 minutes and then combed out with a nit comb.
It is one of several natural solutions to prevent and eliminate lice. They contain such natural ingredients as eucalyptus, sandalwood citronella oil, tea tree oil, lavender, rosemary and geranium oil. Lice don’t like the smell of these ingredients. There is documentation dating back hundreds of years of rosemary being used to cure lice.
Fairy Tales makes Lice Goodbye, a yeast enzyme that dissolves the glue that the nits use to stick to the hair. Quit Nits by Wild Child is an Australian product that contains eucalyptus, lavender and geranium oils as well as wildflower essences to kill head lice and make it easier to remove the nits.
“It’s safe, effective and cheap,” Rompel says of his product, which is recommended by the American Journal of Nursing.
As a preventative measure, comb your child’s hair with a fine-tooth comb after shampooing to lift out the lice and nits. Last year a study found those who fine-combed their wet hair were four times more likely to remove head lice than those relying on products bought at the pharmacy.
Also try using some of these natural products on a regular basis as a preventative measure. The Fairy Tale line has four Rosemary Repel products that can be help keep lice away. Lorraine Massey of Devacurl recommends using a lavender spray such as her Mist-er Right as a lice repellent. Rompel recommends parents use a product like Lice B Gone before school starts.
Mayonnaise and Vaseline also have been effectively used to kill lice. Grab a handful of mayonnaise or Vaseline and cover all of your child’s hair with it. Then cover it with a plastic shower cap to keep the mayonnaise from dripping. Leave it on for two hours to smother the lice and eggs. Then shampoo the hair thoroughly. It may take baby oil or dish soap to remove the Vaseline. Olive oil and coconut oil are also good weapons in the war on lice because they dissolve the lice’s exoskeletons.
After shampooing, rinse the hair and scalp with vinegar, which loosens the glue that holds the nit onto the hair shaft. Rinse with hot – not scalding! – water. After you’re done, check your child’s hair under good lighting to make sure the nits are gone. If you see a few more, use a vinegar wrap to further loosen the glue. Thoroughly wet a towel with a mixture of half vinegar and half water, wrap the child’s head with a towel and leave it on for an hour.
Check the hair daily for any missed nits. If one living nit remains, it could hatch and start the whole process all over again, bringing about eight new eggs per day. Every person in the house will also need to be checked. Also inform the parents of kids who your child has been in contact with, as well as the school.
Another common culprit when it comes to an itchy scalp is dandruff. Dandruff is a persistent scalp condition in which the skin cells on the head shed excessively. It may be accompanied by redness and itching. To treat, shampoo with a doctor-approved shampoo. Dandruff responds to more frequent shampooing or a longer period of lather. Rub the shampoo into the hair thoroughly, leaving the lather on several minutes before rinsing and then repeat.
A product like Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo or AG Hair Cosmetics Stimulating Balm also works well with dry, itchy scalp by refreshing and moisturizing the scalp with ingredients like tea tree oil, peppermint, lemongrass, menthol and aloe.
“As with any shampoo or conditioner, just be sure not to get it in your child’s eyes,” says Tatiana Jovic, spokeswoman for AG Hair Cosmetics.
It is not a serious illness, but if the dandruff persists or if the scalp becomes inflamed, see a dermatologist. It may require a prescription shampoo.
In some cases, dandruff may not actually be dandruff at all. Product buildup, which can cause itching and flakes, can be confused with dandruff.
“Sometimes kids aren’t as patient and may not rinse out their conditioner all the way,” says Christo of curl salon Christo Fifth Avenue, creator of the Curlisto Kids line of products. “They think the flakes are dandruff, but it’s not.”
Childhood eczema is another very common condition, affecting approximately 10 percent of infants and children. It can start as early as two months of age.
Eczema has two distinct components — dry, easily irritated skin and allergies. When a child with eczema is exposed to allergens, the skin overreacts and breaks out in a rash. Common culprits include laundry soap, fabric softener and bath soap.
Moisturizing is crucial to avoid dry skin. Apply moisturizing lotion or cream all over your child’s body, two to four times a day, paying extra attention to the affected areas. Many brands are formulated specifically for eczema. Select a thick, non-watery cream for better protection. Natural ingredients such as shea butter, pure lanolin, calendula cream and tea tree oil are recommended to treat eczema-type irritations. Honey B.U.N.S., a line of non-synthetic products for babies, makes an all-natural product called Honey Butter Cream, containing shea butter, cocoa butter and sweet almond butter, to combat eczema.
Give your baby lukewarm baths, and avoid adding soap. Hot and soapy water can make eczema worse, while lukewarm baths allow water to soak into the skin, moisturizing it in the process. If you need to use soap, a soap-free cleanser such as Cetaphil is recommended.
For serious flare-ups, it’s best to see a dermatologist who may prescribe a strong cortisone cream. Stop using the cream once the rash subsides.
Cradle cap — also known as seborrhoeic eczema — is a common condition for babies, usually appearing in the first few weeks after birth. It is a harmless and temporary condition characterized by yellow, greasy, scaly patches on the skin of the scalp. The same rash often is prominent around the ear or the eyebrows. Its cause is unknown.
There are several ways to treat cradle cap. Some suggest rubbing olive oil or jojoba into the baby’s scalp before bed. Comb the hair with a fine-toothed comb in the morning. When the scales have been removed, wash the baby’s hair with a mild shampoo. Bar also suggests rubbing a tear-free conditioning shampoo into the scalp, using a baby toothbrush to help melt away the flakes.
Cradle cap usually is gone by eight to 12 months, and often long before that.
As with any condition, see a pediatrician or dermatologist if it persists.
Natural Lice products
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Shampoo
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Creme Conditioner
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Styling Gel
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Leave-in Conditioning Spray
So Cozy Boo! Leave-in Spray Conditioner
Rosemary essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Wild Child Quit Nits Treatment
Wild Child Quit Nits Preventative
Wild Child Head Lice Control Styling Mud
Nitmix Wet Combing Aid
Nitmix Ultra Fine Comb
Pure Nitmix Daily Spray
Lice Arrest
Facts About Lice
Head lice (pediculus humanus capitis”>
1. Lice are about the size of a sesame seed and are light brown in color.
2. Lice do not jump or fly.
3. Head lice has nothing to do with cleanliness. In fact, lice prefer clean, healthy heads.
4. Lice usually are transmitted by direct head to head contact with an infested person or their belongings.
5. The most common symptom of head lice infestation is persistent itching, particularly around the ears, back of the neck and crown.
6. Head lice can live off a human head for up to 48 hours and live on a head for approximately 30 days.
7. Nits are tiny white to light gray colored eggs that attach to one side of the hair shaft and do not come off easily. That is how you know the difference between nits, dandruff or dried gel.
8. Lice are most common in children five to 12 years old because of their play habits.
9. It takes seven to 10 days for a nit to hatch, and another seven to 10 days for the female to begin laying her own eggs.
10. Whatever technique you choose, you will most certainly need to manually remove nits by combing.
11. Make sure you wash everything that has come into contact with your child – pillowcases, sheets, towels, brushes, etc.
12. Off their human host, head lice will starve.
Sources: Headlice.org and dermatology.about.com
For more information about lice, check out this FAQ from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Armed with an MBA in international business in 1997, Marsha Coulton dove head first into the business world.
Over the next few years, her many jobs included a trader on Wall Street, an analyst for one of the nation’s largest retailers, a computer consultant at a global tech company and a career counselor with an Ivy League graduate school.
“I was jumping around to different jobs because I wasn’t particularly happy,” says the creator of Curl Junkie, a new line of products for curls and kinks. ” I was doing what I thought I should be doing. But since I was 12, I’d known I wanted to do hair.”
One day she was complaining about her own hair to her mother, who asked “Why don’t you go to beauty school?”
Coulton says she always felt like she was expected to pursue a high-powered career. So her mom’s suggestion to go after her dream was a breath of fresh air.
The timing was perfect because Coulton was just embarking on her own hair journey after decades of relaxing her hair.
“I wanted to see what my natural hair looked like since I hadn’t seen it since I was 8 or 9,” she says.
She found NaturallyCurly.com, and was inspired to cut off her long, relaxed locks. But she struggled with how to take care of her newly shorn kinky curls. She found that most newly natural people struggled with the same issues.
In 2004, Coulton started beauty school at the Carsten Institute in New York. From the beginning, her whole emphasis was curly hair. But beauty school, she says, was a bit of an eye opener.
“I saw that the push was to straighten out curly hair,” she says. “It wasn’t about working with the curl.”
She graduated last year and went to work at the Sam Wong Hair Studio in Manhattan. The salon had gained a reputation for its hair treatments using essential oils. Essential oils had long been a hobby of hers, and the job motivated her to learn more.
She began studying different ingredients, and she began developing her own hair concoctions. She spent hours each day on research, and her kitchen resembled a chemistry lab.
“I set out to make products for me and my fellow curlies,” Coulton says. “It helped that I hadn’t found my ‘Holy Grail’ product, and I wasn’t satisfied with the products that I had to use on my curly-headed clients.”
She tested her concoctions on mannequins, herself, her family and friends, and finally her clients. When clients began asking to buy them, she knew she had the makings of a successful line.
In February, she launched Curl Junkie. The collection includes more than 20 products, all made from the finest essential oils, gentle cleansers, botanicals and conditioning agents. The line is broken down by curl type, with products for thick and luscious, fine, and dry and damaged hair.
Coulton is developing a number of new products, including products for type 4a and 4b hair. This month, she has introduced two new curl cremes, Guava & Protein Curl Creme and Guava Curl Creme.
Although she’s getting numerous requests from distributors an wholesalers, Coulton says she wants to keep the line exclusive to maintain a high level of quality and service.
“Hopefully, Curl Junkie will meet the needs of most curly hair product junkies out there,” Coulton says.
Although Coulton got a relatively late start in the beauty industry, she says she has no regrets.
“I wouldn’t have done this if I hadn’t gone through all the things I’ve gone through,” she says. “I knew this was my calling for a while, but I was just fighting it. I really feel like this is what I should be doing.”
Coulton’s Curl Junkie products are available in CurlMart.
The Children’s Place features several curly kids in its advertising.
Flip through your newest catalog or page through a parenting magazine and you’ll see them everywhere: young boys and girls with flowing waves, fluffy afros and tight ringlets.
Curls, kinks and coils, once all but ignored by the media, now are celebrated by such companies as GapKids, Nordstrom and Children’s Place. No longer is there one homogeneous version of beauty.
“We are using all types of models with all different features, curly hair being one of them,” says Jodi Barone, vice president of creative services for Children’s Place. “There is more awareness and more acceptance of all types of beauty.”
We say it’s about time!
“I think it’s great to see more and more curly hair everywhere,” says Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue, a curly salon in New York. “At least 70 percent of the public has wavy to curly hair. Why not have curly kids in ads to make it look real and convincing?”
“I think it’s amazing,” says Lorraine Massey, author of “Curly Girl” and creator of the Devacurl line of curly products.
Advertisers are picking up on demographic changes that have transformed our society. With more mixed marriages and blending of cultures, today’s youth are more diverse than ever. Companies want to make sure they include images that a wide range of kids can relate to rather than the one-size-fits-all approach they once took.
Nordstrom uses curly models.
“There are many more models to choose from with many different looks and features,” Barone says. “The modern concepts of beauty have broadened the spectrum of what is considered ‘beautiful,’ enabling us to incorporate all types of great-looking kids into our media, advertising and photography.”
Today, the general market is the intra-cultural market, Stephen Palacios, executive vice president of consulting firm Cheskin, told “Advertising Age.”
“We argue that if you don’t have a response to that, it’s a problem,” Palacios says.
Kids today are doing more to celebrate their individuality — whether in the way they dress or the way they wear their hair. They don’t want to be put in “neat little boxes from a demographic standpoint,” Que Gaskins, vice president of global marketing for Reebok International’s RBK collection of footwear, told “Advertising Age.”
They now have a tendency to incorporate attitudes and traditions of cultures other than their own into their identity — a trend called “interculturalism.”
It is a positive development that should help curly kids feel better about their natural texture rather than fighting it for decades. A child’s self image is greatly affected by the media, and having more curly kids provides positive reinforcement that their natural hair is beautiful.
“A child or adolescent can become confused and preoccupied with the perceptions that others may have of him or her, becoming self-conscious about traits such as curly hair,” says child psychologist Dr. Mary Lamia, who hosts Kid Talk with Dr. Mary on Radio Disney. “To make matters worse, peers may be prone to teasing that chid. A child’s identification with role models in the media who have similar traits, such as curly hair, can lead to an alteration in the way that child sees him or herself, and can help the child develop an adequate, as well as desirable, self-image.”
While Massey says she’s encouraged by the trend, she believes there’s still a long way to go.
“It’s not mainstream yet,” she says. “It’s acceptable when they are kids. But as they get older, many are still fighting it. Just look at Shirley Temple. Whatever happened to her curls?”
When you go for a haircut with Michael Motorcycle, it’s only the beginning.
“It ain’t just a haircut,” says the Dallas stylist, whose real name is Michael Koler. “It’s much deeper than that. You get feng shui’d. I realign you with the universe. I give you a new beginning on life. I change your soul.”
Welcome to the world of Motocycle, a philosopher, Zen practitioner and curly hair expert who cuts hair according to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui. To him, that means determining your dominant and passive elements — in the Chinese bagua there are five: fire, metal, water, wood and earth — and creating a cut and color that fits your lifestyle. The right cut, he believes, can enhance your positive energy and bring back harmony in your life.
Motorcycle counts clients such as Jerry Hall and her model daughter, Elizabeth Jagger, as well as many of Dallas’ executives and society dames.
“Michael gets rid of all your negativity and sorrow when he cuts your hair,” Hall has said of a Motorcycle haircut.
Motorcyle is the pioneer of a growing movement, with a small number of hairdressers around the world incorporating Zen philosophies into their salons. Feng Shui hairdressing promises not only to create the perfect ‘do but to balance your “yin and yang.”
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L.A. hairstylist Billy Yamaguchi, for example, wrote “Feng Shui Beauty.” And Benu spa and salon in Dallas asks clients to fill out a questionnaire to be analyzed using elements of the bagua. From the answers, the stylist determines if you’re going to need a blunt or a funky cut, highlights or lowlights. Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue had a feng shui consultant help him design his New York salon. And Austin stylist David Moreno compares cutting curly hair to cutting a bonsai tree, looking at positive and negative space as he creates a shape.
In its original form, feng shui — meaning wind and water — is the Chinese art of arranging buildings and interiors to maintain spiritual equilibrium. feng shui hairdressing works on the principle that your hair should be styled in harmony with what it reveals about the roots of your personality.
How Koler came to become a feng shui hairdresser is a long and exotic tale, stretching from a Las Vegas air force base to a hippie commune outside Chicago to the tony salons of Paul Mitchell and Vidal Sassoon, to the beaches of Mexico to the foothills of Tibet, to a posh Dallas neighborhood.
Motorcycle first considered cutting hair after graduating from high school 40 years ago. He opted for the Air Force instead and studied electronics and hydraulic at a base in Las Vegas. While working there, he met girls going to beauty school and thought he’d like to do that. But again, he put the idea on the back burner.
After a brief stint in college, he got a job a large industrial company. When he was fired by a jealous foreman, he says “it was time to get off the merry-go-round.” Friends took him to a commune outside Chicago, where he “dropped out. No credit cards, no suits, no Cadillacs.” After he was arrested for a misdemeanor, he was given a choice — get a job or go to school.
He opted for beauty school, and hasn’t looked back.
“I loved it,” he says. “I never missed a day and became obsessed with it. I drove my teacher crazy. I’d ask so many questions that he’d lock himself in the office.”
To learn more, he trained with Paul Mitchell and Vidal Sassoon. After working six months at the Chicago Vidal Sassoon salon, he was recruited to open up a salon for the famed stylist in Dallas in 1973.
He left Vidal Sasson to work at Aki, a salon with Japanese owners. It was there that he Motorcycle got his first taste of Oriental philosophy. He read books on Taoism and Zen, which he says “gave me new eyes and ears and showed me a new reality. It’s better than any drug.” He studied Tao Chi in the foothills of Tibet at the Palace of the Heavenly Dragon and studied Tai Kwon Do with the masters.
A life-changing moment was when he decided to sell his beloved motorcycle. Within 60 seconds after making the decision, he says there was a knock on the door from somebody offering to buy it. Michael Motorcycle was born. He used that money that helped him open his current no-frills salon on Travis Street in Highland Park, where he has been cutting hair for the past 25 years.
These days, he’s made curly hair a major focus.
“It’s a very sacred thing, cutting curly hair,” says Motorcycle, who wears is salt-and-pepper hair down his back.
“Curly Girl” author Lorraine Massey taught a class at his salon, and he has adapted her technique with his own unique philosophy.
“Sometimes I cut it dry,” he says. “Sometimes I wash it. I pull it down over their Chakra points to determine where to cut it. I follow the grooves of your bones.”
He considers the shampoo sink to be the place where one lets go of their hatred and pain — the first step in the journey.
After a lengthy head and neck massage, he reads the client’s hairline. Motorcycle, who has written a book called “Hairline Lifeline,” believes hair growth patterns correlate with personality traits. He says he can tell if someone is analytical, intuitive or sensual by looking at the way their hair grows.
“I read the follicle and how it comes out of the pore. I bring it all together in tune with the shape of the face, the direction the hair grows. I find out what your hair wants to do and let it do just that.”
He may ring a Tibetan “mindfulness bell” several times during a haircut to remind the himself, and the client, to breathe and to stay present. Clients also are instructed to look at their former selves in the pile of hair on the floor.
Motorcycle’s unique philosophy has captured the attention of hairstylists around the world. He has been written up in papers as far away as England and India. Earlier this year, the La De Da salon in Dayton, Ohio flew him out to teach his techniques to area stylists. More than 20 hairdressers gathered for the five-hour workshop.
Writer Alexandra Marshall wrote about her own Motorcycle haircut in the July 24, 2005, New York Times Magazine.
“His method is affably hands-on: after an intensive massage and meditation at the shampoo sink, he leads me to a chair and starts poking around my hairline, discerning from the way it lists to the right above my forehead that I like to procrastinate. (No argument there.”> Two cowlicks at the base of my neck say I’m ‘ big-time ideas person.’ Once he has read my personality, he then starts cutting to rebalance any natural asymmetry and heighten my personal energy flow, obsessively combing my hair flat and then performing a fairly standard snipping and layering technique around the recesses of my sinus cavity, my jawbone and a few inches below my shoulders.”
Marshall came away a believer.
“Who would argue that a haircut often symbolizes a new beginning? That this beginning is ushered in with the loud ring of a bell is really window dressing, so to speak. Good stylists have always been part psychic, part shrink and part magician — and frankly, we could all do with a little less hatred and pain. Whether we let it go at the shampoo sink, or an hour later, in a burst of joy over a good haircut, it’s a job well done.”
Like many women with curls, Zenda Sims faced a daily dilemma.
After years of straightening her hair, she had decided to go curly. But living in New York and working in the finance industry, she led a busy life. But she had no time to air dry her hair, no time to diffuse, and regular towels caused her hair to frizz.
“So I began experimenting,” Sims recalls.
While there were several microfiber towels on the market, she felt wanted to create something just for women with waves, curls and kinks. Using herself as a guinea pig, she tried out different designs and fabrics – adding length and changing the weave.
Three years later, she introduced the Curl-Ease towel – a highly absorbent towel that wicks water away from the hair while reducing frizz and defining curls. The lightweight towel dries hair quickly and eliminates the need for hair diffusers and dryers. The towel sells for $25.
“It’s extremely lightweight and easy to wrap around your head,” Sims says. “It’s also very, very absorbent. It totally enhances the natural shape of the hair. Finally there’s something that caters to us besides a flat iron or a hair dryer.”
Zenda’s Tips for Perfect Curls: Gently squeeze excess water from hair. Lean head forward, wrap Curl-Ease tightly against head and tuck into itself. Remove after 15-20 minutes, depending on length and thickness of hair. Shake out hair, use favorite hair products to style hair and you’re ready to go!
Sims says she’s thrilled that she created a product that makes life easier for curly women, especially since she fought her own hair for years.
“My mom didn’t know what to do with it,” Sims says. “She’d say ‘Your hair is a mess. Go brush it.’ Then it would turn into a monster pile of frizz.”
She was a slave to her flatiron. But three years ago, a hairdresser alerted her to the damage daily heat styling had done to her hair. So she went curly. Curl-Ease, she says, has made her own life easier.
And the towels quickly have become a staple for other curlies since she began selling them in December.
NaturallyCurly.com member Shonta Newnham, (CurlTalker “CurlyNight””>, says she was initially a cynic, especially because of the higher cost of Curl-Ease compared to other microfiber towels.
“I didn’t think it would work when I saw it was essentially like a thin cotton cloth, but it does!” Newnham says. “It dries my hair faster. And due to how thin it is, it makes plopping easier too.”
Newnham says she likes it better than any microfiber towel because it’s smooth and thin, without rough edges.
“Curls/waves don’t loosen up or get frizzy since there are no rough edges in it,” she says. “While quite pricey, I like it a lot better than any microfiber towel.”
Susan Shay is also a fan of Curl-ease.
“After trying, and giving up on, a few curly hair products, I have found Curl-Ease to be the best solution for me,” Shay says.
A well-executed first haircut can set a positive foundation for future haircuts.
For many parents, their baby’s first trip to the hair salon can be an exciting, yet anxiety-ridden experience.
“It’s uncharted territory for parents,” says Cozy Friedman, who owns three Cozy’s Cuts for Kids salons/toy stores in New York City.
That’s especially true if the kid has curly hair and the parent has straight hair. There are a lot of unknowns. But if done right, it can set a positive foundation for a child’s feelings about future haircuts, as well as their hair.
One of the biggest questions for many parents is when to get the first haircut. Some believe you should wait until their first birthday.
“There are no rules,” says Jody Mackenzie, owner of Banana’s Salon in Fort Myers, Fla. “You should get their hair cut when you think they need that first haircut.”
If it’s growing horizontal rather than vertical, or getting in their eyes, it’s probably a sign that the time has come.
Then it’s important to find the right place to get that first cut. Kids aren’t necessarily welcome at every hair salon, so make sure the place you choose knows how to work with children and understands the difference between baby and adult hair. Many parents — and children — favor children’s salons. In addition to being designed around the needs of children, they usually are chemical free.
At Cozy’s Cuts for Kids, children sit in a jeep, watch a video or play their favorite video game. There are balloons, lollipops, free toys and all the bubbles they can blow. When getting that first cut, the child receives a “First Haircut Certificate” with a keepsake lock of hair.
“My goal was to make it a place to feel really happy,” Friedman says.
At Yellow Balloon in Studio City, Calif., there is a popcorn machine, a large play area with a mini-arcade and miniature toy boxes at each salon chair.
“Our stylists have had years of experience with children before coming here,” says assistant manager Christina Kirilova. “They entertain the kids with stories, toys and even magic tricks so they forget why they are here.”
For the baby’s first haircut, the Yellow Balloon includes a framed Polaroid picture commemorating the occasion, a certificate and a lock of the baby’s hair in a special envelope.
Maria Navarro of Classic Kids Hairstyling in Camarillo, Calif., puts colorful gel in little boys’ hair, and does special braids or twists in little girls’ hair.
“You want them to feel special,” Navarro says.
At Houston’s Playhouse Cuts, the stylists sing and dance and play with the kids to make them feel at ease. They also understand the limitations of their young clients.
“You have to have patience,” George says. “A kid’s tolerance isn’t that long. Even though they’re moving and wiggling, you have to keep going or you’ll never finish.”
Before ever getting the first cut, try to take the child by the salon before the day of the actual cut to make them feel more at ease.
“Even a walk-through prepares them for it,” Friedman says.
Over time, it’s best to stick with the same stylist. That way, the child will develop a comfort level, and the stylist will understand the needs of the growing child.
When it comes to cutting curls, it’s a good idea to ask for a stylist who is experienced in working with curly or kinky hair. Make sure the stylist understands that curly hair shrinks – as much as three to four inches. The right cut depends on the texture of the child’s hair.
“There is no one perfect haircut for every child,” Friedman says.
Often the stylist will work with the parent on a strategy for their child’s hair, especially if the baby’s hair is just coming in.
It may mean cutting the bottom layer over time to let the newer, top layer grow to the same length.
“Have a goal, especially for the first time,” Friedman says. “It’s setting the groundwork for years to come.”
With curlier or kinky hair, stay away from bangs, says Jami Walker of the Hairy Elephant in Ballwin, Mo. “They just kink up too much,” Walker says.
Bangs can be a big commitment, and can be difficult to grow out. Many stylists encourage the parent to work on growing the child’s hair to one length or long layers. Be an active part of your child’s haircut.
“You may want a bob, but every stylist has a different interpretation of what a bob is,” Friedman says. “Be very descriptive. Bring pictures.”
Make sure you’re realistic about what you want. If your child has tight curls, a pageboy haircut probably isn’t the right cut.
Finally, remember that the first haircut is a chance to make your child feel good about the experience, and about their hair. If the parent is anxious or talks about the hair as if it’s a problem, the baby picks up on it.
“Parents forget that children are sponges,” Friedman says.
Tips for the First Haircut
1. Always make an appointment. Otherwise, the child may have to wait.
2. Try to get the first appointment of the day so the child can get in and out.
3. Stay away from the word “haircut.” That can be scary for children, who associate cuts with pain. Instead, use the word trim.
4. Bring snacks. A hungry child is unlikely to cooperate.
5. Take the child at a time when they’re most relaxed. For some it might be after a nap. For others, it might be right before a nap.
Have you ever opened a bottle of shampoo and noticed an odd odor? Or has it turned an odd color or consistency?
Even the highest quality hair products have a shelf life. And depending on the ingredients, that shelf life can vary dramatically.
Most large companies put enough preservatives in their products to last roughly four years. These preservatives, such as methylparaben, quaternium-15, methylisothiazolinone and propylparaben, help prevent the products from becoming contaminated by mold and bacteria.
If you use preservative-free, all-natural products, remember that they will not stay fresh as long as commercial products.
The most effective all-natural preservative is a citrus extract, such as grapefruit seed, combined with antiseptic essential oils, such as chamomile, rosemary and echinacea. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin E, also are natural preservatives.
But most of these natural preservatives can only protect shampoos and conditioners from bacteria, staph, mold and fungus for 120 days, according to Tim Schaeffer, spokesman for Avalon Natural Products.
These companies constantly test the products using a challenge test. The product is baked in special ovens, with one month equivalent to one year. Each month, they inject several bacteria to test how effective the preservatives perform.
But even with preservatives, precautions should be taken to protect the product’s quality. Products should never stand in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time. Be cautious of products sitting in a window display.
If you have a choice of buying your favorite hair product in a tube or a jar, opt for the tube. Jars must be opened to dispense the product. When you dip your fingers into the product, it may be exposed to germs that can contaminate it.
For this reason, many cosmetic and hair care companies are moving toward pump dispensers. Pumps offer the advantage of measured doses while being more sanitary.
Some say the shelf life issue would be solved if shampoos and conditioners were refrigerated, or if they had expiration dates. But most products don’t have sell-by dates, and most products are kept on shelves at room temperature.
Because of this, make sure you open the cap and smell the product before you buy. (CurlMart‘s inventory is kept small and turns over quickly, so it is always fresh.”>
For products in your bathroom, regularly check the smell and the consistency. If the product has separated, it’s probably time to throw it away.
Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue recommends discarding products you’ve had for two years or longer. The potency of some of the ingredients will be lost through regular exposure to oxygen and light, making it less effective.
The Best Ways to Maximize Shelf Life
- Keep products in a cool, dry, dark place away from sunlight, humidity and heat. (That means out of your bathroom.”>
- If your product comes in a large jar, you can sterilize several smaller containers and put the cream into the smaller containers.
- Try not to travel with too many products. Changes in heat and humidity can change the consistency of products.
Protecting Preservative-Free Formulations
- Be sure your hands are sterile.
- Store products in dark containers or opaque packaging to keep them away from the harmful effects of sunlight.
- Make sure packaging is airtight. Natural products can oxidize and go rancid when exposed to air.
- Heat can damage natural products. Store products in a cupboard or other cool place.
- Because fingers can carry bacteria, avoid dipping fingers into jars and bottles. Instead, use a clean spoon, popsicle stick or other appropriate utensil. Pumps are good at dispensing more liquid-y products.
Whether she was painting or sculpting, Rochelle Rae always was inspired by beauty.
Now working as an Austin makeup artist, she has used these same artistic sensibilities to create the popular Rae Cosmetics line.
While working as a graphic artist and model, she met a makeup artist and was intrigued by the way makeup could bring out every woman’s beauty.
Her desire to learn more about the industry led her to Los Angeles, where she attended the prestigious Hollywood Makeup Designery. She began working on movies, but tired of the lifestyle.
Rae returned home to Austin to work as a commercial makeup artist and opened Rae Cosmetics Studio. She quickly gained a reputation for her natural, flattering style and gained a large and loyal clientele of newscasters, musicians, movie stars and legislators as well as brides, models, students and career women.
“I felt that her makeup made me look better than myself, but still like me,” singer Kelly Willis said of Rae. “I felt more confident than I normally do in a photo shoot.”
In Rae’s work, she found it difficult to find makeup that gave people a sheer, natural look that could hold up in the Texas heat.
“I wanted a light, natural makeup line for a hot, active community,” Rae said. “I wanted something easy that didn’t take a lot of time. Most people don’t have a lot of time.”
After 10 years in the business, she began developing her own makeup line – one that met the needs of on-the-go women. After two years of research and development, she launched Rae Cosmetics. Her slogan is “Beauty, Pure & Simple.”
The line includes lipsticks, lip glosses, eye liners, lip liners, concealers and foundations. Rae Cosmetics foundations and powders are mineral based and contain no oil, talc, fragrance or potentially irritating ingredients. They contain natural antioxidants and sunscreens as well as Vitamins A and E.
Although the colors are fun, they still are more natural. The purples, for example, have gold undertones to flatter any skin tone.
“This isn’t for makeup junkies,” said the blonde, curly Rae. “Rae Cosmetics are designed for active women who want to look great and then go about their lives.”
Help her keep her curls healthy and tangle-free
while she’s out on the field.
Whether it be sprinting down a soccer field, swimming laps or twirling in a tutu, physical activity is one of the healthiest things for kids. The right haircut, styling techniques and products can keep your curly kid on the go looking good as they run, jump and cartwheel their way through their many activities.
For girls, longer hair can actually be easier when it comes to sports because it can be pulled back away from the face.
“For active kids, it’s important to keep the hair tied back or braided,” says Ilona Reece, a specialist in children’s haircare and creator of the Taria Curlz line of products. “This helps prevent the hair from tangling up and getting in their way.”
Stacy Hershkowitz of Kids Cutz R us Salon in Greenacres, Fla. likes to twist hair away from the face, leaving the back long. Parents may want to invest in a product like a Topsytail Junior, a hair styling loop that easily and stylishly pulls even the curliest hair back.
“Anything you can find that’s original, kids will love,” says Sabra Dupree, owner of Kids Kuts Slon in Marietta, Ga.
Other practical and low-maintenance styles include pulling the hair back into two braided ponytails, twists or cornrows. The hair can be washed with braids.
Long layers can help give their hair shape and can make their curls look their best.
“One length doesn’t really work,” says Dana Grandy, a stylist at Snippets Mini Cuts in Chicago, Ill. “Layers help distribute the curls evenly and help the hair look its best. It gives it some body and shape.”
For boys, short or long can work well. If kept short, it can be slicked back with little bit of gel to slick it back or accentuate the curls. Longer hair can be pulled back in a ponytail – a la Troy Palamu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Swimming provides its own set of challenges because chlorine can be especially drying for curly hair. Before getting into the pool, the hair should be wet with regular water and a leave-in conditioner. This will act as a barrier to the chlorine.
“When you get in the water, the hair will be full of conditioner so there won’t be any room for chlorine,” Dupree says.
After getting out of the pool, use a shampoo especially for swimmers to remove any chlorine from the hair and condition again.
“If you can smell chlorine, you did not rinse it out well enough,” says Dupree.
The right products are essential. Shampoos should be gentle and moisturizing, and the hair should be shampooed no more than three times a week. On other days, try a lavender mist spray like Devacurl’s Mist-er Right.
Condition often. Every week or two, comb a deeper conditioner through the hair with a wide-toothed comb and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes.
“If curly hair isn’t hydrated, it gets dry, fuzzy and frizzy,” Dupree says. “I can’t stress enough how important hydrating is.”
To keep the hair pulled back for activities like gymnastics or ballet, use a soft-bristle flat brush and a little hairspray or mousse to comb back the sides.
“It helps to smooth out the frizzy hairs that tend to stick up,” Reece says.
If the child can’t shower, keep a spray bottle of water around and some gel or mousse in their backpack or gym bag, says Jennifer Senffner at Cookie Cutters in Napierville, Ill.
After they have finished their activity, they can quickly go to the washroom, dampen their hair and then reapply some of the products and restyle it, whether pulling it back again or leaving it down and curly.
“Doing this will eliminate the frizzies and will make the hair look neat and cute,” Reece says.
Product suggestions for active curly kids
Shampoos
Fairy Tales Lifeguard Clarifying Shampoo
Circle of Friends Ana Banana Shampoo
Ouidad KRLY No Time For Tears Shampoo
Jason’s Swimmer’s and Sports Rejuvenating Shampoo
California Baby Swimmer’s Defense Shampoo and Bodywash
L’Oreal Kids Swim Shampoo
Conditioners
Fairy Tales Detangling Conditioner
Fairy Tales Energizing Leave-in Conditioner
Fairy Tales Lemon-Aid Conditioner
Circle of Friends Abedi’s Safari Detangler
Circle of Friends Maya Papaya Leave-In Conditioner
Circle of Friends Dragon Dance Conditioner
Curlsto Kids Leave-In Conditioner
Curly Hair Solutions Slip Detangler
Ouidad KRLY No More Knots Conditioner
Jason’s Swimmer’s and Sports Revitalizing Conditioner
Styling Products
Fairy Tales Curly Q Natural Curl Maker Gel
Circle of Friends Erik’s Shaping Hair Gel
Circle of Friends Janaina’s Mango Mousse Foam
Circle of Friends Luc’s Lemon Lime Shine Hair Slicker
Circle of Friends Valerie’s Vanilla Freeze Hair Spray
Blended Cutie Soft Curls and Swirls Cream
Jessicurl Awe Inspiraling Spray
CurlFriends Rejuvenate Texturizing Mist
Ouidad KRLY Pump & Go Spray Gel
Michael EalyIn the past, many men cut their curls short to control them. Buzz cuts were common, eliminating any hint of texture.
“Quick and easy used to mean short,” says Veronica Bessey, art director for Dallas-based Toni & Guy.
But the current trend is for men to flaunt their curls, thanks to advances in products and cutting techniques. The look is stylized, with natural movement.
“Men are definitely wearing their hair longer and letting their curls come out more,” says Ethan Shaw, a curl expert at Anne Kelso Salon in Austin, Tx.
Ashton HolmesNew York curl expert Ouidad says 30 percent of her clients are men, and they are definitely wearing their curls longer.
“It’s very stylish,” she says.
A good cut is the first, and most important, step.
“Men can let their curly hair spring free as long as they have a professional cut so it has style,” says curl expert Elie Gerdak of Elie Elie Salon in Tysons Corners, Va.
To determine the right cut and style, a man’s face shape, jaw shape and texture should be considered.
“Keeping the curl pattern in mind is a must,” Gerdak says. “With tight curls, it is better to create a contoured shape through carving the hair and letting the curls breath. With loose curls, a gentle slicing technique can help the hair maintain its balance. Wavy clients want a style that is easy to maintain.”
In addition, a man’s age, lifestyle and occupation should also be considered. College students and those in creative fields are wearing their hairdown to their shoulders and below, as well as growing it out into big afros. In the corporate world, it tends to be closer to the neckline.
“The higher you get, the shorter it goes,” Ouidad says.
The key is in the cutting, changing the shape while keeping the length.
Ouidad, for example, carves and slices curls for control. Shaw razor cuts into the curls to break them up. For bushy curls, Woody Michleb of Woody’s Salon & Spa in Toronto likes the tunnel cut, where sections of hair are cut at the roots to remove bulk.
“I don’t like blunt cuts because they tend to puff out,” Michleb says.
Cypriano of Christo Fifth Avenue in New York cuts the hair shorter around the face and sides, leaving some length in the back — a look he calls a “progressive mullet.” He also does a cut where it’s longer on top and short in the back.
“The in-between look doesn’t work,” he says. “It will just be in a ponytail, so it makes no sense.”
Men aren’t afraid to have chemical services to better control their hair. Michleb regularly uses relaxers on tighter curls to take the frizz away and make them more manageable. Some of his Cypriano’s male clients now come in for a Bio-softening treatment to get a wavier look. Salons also are doing more deep conditioning treatments on men to keep their curls looking their best.
“All the essentials a girl has, a man wants,” Cypriano says.
Choosing the right products is essential to keeping curls looking their best. Most men want to be able to wash and go without being dependent on a lot of products.
“The key for men is ‘Does it look good and is it quick?’ ” Bessey says. “They want to be able to wash and go, without messing with it.”
Naveen AndrewsShampoos, conditioners and styling products should be easy to use, moisturizing and not overly fragrant.
Leave-in conditioners are a good choice for men. They are light and require little extra time.
The styling product you choose depends on your curl type. Coarser, kinkier curls need a heavier product, like defining and molding creams and pastes. These products provide control without crunch. Gels and mousses work well in finer hair types. Pomades work well on most curl types.
“As long as you can run the hands through it, that’s where you get the sexiness,” Bessey says. “Nobody wants to run their hands through crunchy hair.”
So how does one go from short to long? The transition period can be awkward. Bessey suggests slicking it back during the “evil, grow-out” stage. And there’s always the cap.
“Here in Texas, it’s all about the cap,” she says.
Product recommendations for men
Shampoo
Jessicurl Citrus Lavender Gentle Lather Shampoo
American Crew Citrus Mint Shampoo
Anthony Logistics Everyday Shampoo
ClarinsMen Total Shampoo
Sharps Mission Control Conditioning Shampoo
American Crew Revitalizing Daily Moisture Shampoo
Suave for Men 2-in-1 Shampoo/Conditioner
Conditioner
Ouidad Botanical Boost
American Crew Daily Leave-in Conditioner
American Crew Revitalizing Daily Conditioner
Malin + Goetz Hair Conditioner
Styling Products
Qhemet Biologics Karite Nut Curl Milk
Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper
American Crew Pomade
American Crew Citrus Mint Gel
American Crew Grooming Cream
American Crew Groom
Jack Black High Definition Hair Pomade
Jane Carter Solution Hair Nourishing Cream
Bumble & Bumble Medium to Thick Curl Creme
Aquage Illuminating Gellade
Ouidad Curl Quencher Gel
Ouidad Clear Control Pomade
CHI Pliable Polish
MOP Defining Cream
Tigi Catwalk Curls Rock Curl Amplifier
Curl guru Christo has a friend who illegally imports tiny bottles of tiger bone marrow from China—at $300 each—to make his hair grow faster.
Some people hang upside down. Others buy vitamins, sprays and creams that promise to jump start the follicles.
Growing out short hair requires lots of patience, experts say.
“There’s no magic potion,” says Karen Shelton of HairBoutique.
Shelton says that the most frequent question she receives every month is how to make hair growth faster.
“People say ‘I want to grow my hair six inches over the next six months,” Shelton says. “I tell them to get extensions or get a wig.”
The reality is that genetics determine how tall you are, your eye color, your hair texture and the “predetermined maximum growth rate” of your hair. Typically, hair grows at a pretty consistent rate of one-third to one-half an inch per month. Half a millimeter per day is good average. What this means is that the maximum growth rate for hair is about six inches (15 cm”> per year.
Hair tends to grow faster in the summer than in the winter. It also is affected by such factors such as pregnancy, stress, medications and exercise.
Although there is no miracle treatment, there are steps that can be taken to ensure optimal hair growth.
“People along the way abuse their bodies,” Shelton says. “They drink too much alcohol, too much caffeine and they smoke. The don’t drink enough water. They live stressful lifestyles. This may throw your hair out of balance.”
Proper nutrition is key to the hair growing at its optimal rate. Make sure you’re getting enough of Vitamins A, D and E, which are essential for healthy hair. Several companies, including Phytologie, JF Lazartigue and Folicure, make vitamins specifically for the hair and skin. Many curlies swear by Shelton’s HairTopia, a supplement with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs designed to provide the vital nutrients for hair growth. The vitamin was developed over a five-year process after Shelton became dissatisfied with the hair vitamin she was taking because it wasn’t being properly absorbed. She got together with a chemist and came up a formula that is absorbed quicker.
“It’s not a cure all,” Shelton stressed. “If you’re expecting six inches of hair growth in six months, don’t take HairTopia. But if you stick with it, it does help.”
Hair and nail growth depend on the circulation of blood in the body, says Jonathan Torch of the Curly Hair Institute in Toronto, Canada. Regular scalp massages can help stimulate hair growth by increasing circulation to the scalp and the hair follicles.
Christo recommends a scalp exercise treatment. Using mint oil or bay leaf oil, the scalp is massaged for 15 to 20 minutes every other day.
“The scalp is the only part of our body that doesn’t get a lot of exercise,” Christo says. “If the scalp is healthy, the hair will grow healthy.”
Make sure you care for your hair. Dry, fragile hair breaks, which can reduce length. Use high quality styling tools to reduce the wear and tear on the hair.
Make sure you keep the hair conditioned and trimmed regularly – every eight to 10 weeks for long hair and six to eight weeks for short hair, says Dr. David Cannell, vice president of research and development for Redken. And style your hair in a way that doesn’t stress it. Styles in which the hair is pulled tightly can stress the hair shaft, causing hair loss and breakage.
Diane Da Costa recommends wearing protective styles when growing out your hair.
“Those growing out a relaxer should use natural sets, flat twists or rod sets,” says Diane Da Costa, author of “Textured Tresses.” “Also, braids and some weaves—if done properly and taken care of—can help the hair grow in the interim.”
If you do have chemical services performed, make sure they are done professionally, and ask your hairdresser for the right products.
There are certain ingredients that help promote healthy hair growth, such as sesame oil, shea butter, rosemary and cloves.
“Any ingredient with a soy protein can help stimulate the scalp,” says Christo.
Removing product buildup also is critical to the growth of healthy hair. Products with a lot of waxes, gums and heavy oils can suffocate the scalp and can inhibit hair growth.
There are drugs that can help stop hair loss and promote regrowth in those with thinning hair. Rogaine and Minoxidil are the only over-the-counter drug recognized to promote hair growth and stop hair loss. And Propecia (finasteride”> is a FDA-approved pill proven to treat male pattern hair loss. But these are serious drugs. They aren’t designed to make hair grow faster.
Patience, says “Curly Girl” author Lorraine Massey, is essential for hair growth.
“Just zen out of your regularly scheduled program,” Massey says. “Just live through it, don’t poo it, extra One Condition it, extra Angell it, enjoy it, and most importantly love it. As long as you’re alive, your hair will grow. Trust me.”
Curl guru Christo has a friend who illegally imports tiny bottles of tiger bone marrow from China — at $300 each — to make his hair grow faster. Some people hang upside down. Others buy vitamins, sprays and creams that promise to jump start the follicles.
“There’s no magic potion,” says Karen Shelton of HairBoutique.
Shelton says that the most frequent question she receives every month is how to make hair growth faster.
“People say ‘I want to grow my hair six inches over the next six months,” Shelton says. “I tell them to get extensions or get a wig.”
The reality is that genetics determine how tall you are, your eye color, your hair texture and the “predetermined maximum growth rate” of your hair. Typically, hair grows at a pretty consistent rate of one-third to one-half an inch per month. Half a millimeter per day is good average. What this means is that the maximum growth rate for hair is about six inches (15 cm”> per year. Hair tends to grow faster in the summer than in the winter. It also is affected by such factors such as pregnancy, stress, medications and exercise.
Although there is no miracle treatment, there are steps that can be taken to ensure optimal hair growth.
“People along the way abuse their bodies,” Shelton says. “They drink too much alcohol, too much caffeine and they smoke. The don’t drink enough water. They live stressful lifestyles. This may throw your hair out of balance.”
Proper nutrition is key to the hair growing at its optimal rate. Make sure you’re getting enough of Vitamins A, D and E, which are essential for healthy hair. Several companies, including Phytologie, JF Lazartigue and Folicure, make vitamins specifically for the hair and skin. Many curlies swear by Shelton’s HairTopia, a supplement with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs designed to provide the vital nutrients for hair growth. The vitamin was developed over a five-year process after Shelton became dissatisfied with the hair vitamin she was taking because it wasn’t being properly absorbed. She got together with a chemist and came up a formula that is absorbed quicker.
“It’s not a cure all,” Shelton stressed. “If you’re expecting six inches of hair growth in six months, don’t take HairTopia. But if you stick with it, it does help.”
Hair and nail growth depend on the circulation of blood in the body, says Jonathan Torch of the Curly Hair Institute in Toronto, Canada. Regular scalp massages can help stimulate hair growth by increasing circulation to the scalp and the hair follicles.
Christo recommends a scalp exercise treatment. Using mint oil or bay leaf oil, the scalp is massaged for 15 to 20 minutes every other day.
“The scalp is the only part of our body that doesn’t get a lot of exercise,” Christo says. “If the scalp is healthy, the hair will grow healthy.”
Make sure you care for your hair. Dry, fragile hair breaks, which can reduce length. Use high quality styling tools to reduce the wear and tear on the hair.
Make sure you keep the hair conditioned and trimmed regularly – every eight to 10 weeks for long hair and six to eight weeks for short hair, says Dr. David Cannell, vice president of research and development for Redken. And style your hair in a way that doesn’t stress it. Styles in which the hair is pulled tightly can stress the hair shaft, causing hair loss and breakage.
“Those growing out a relaxer should use natural sets, flat twists or rod sets,” says Diane Da Costa, author of “Textured Tresses.” “Also, braids and some weaves — if done properly and taken care of — can help the hair grow in the interim.”
If you do have chemical services performed, make sure they are done professionally, and ask your hairdresser for the right products.
There are certain ingredients that help promote healthy hair growth, such as sesame oil, shea butter, rosemary and cloves.
“Any ingredient with a soy protein can help stimulate the scalp,” says Christo.
Removing product buildup also is critical to the growth of healthy hair. Products with a lot of waxes, gums and heavy oils can suffocate the scalp and can inhibit hair growth.
There are drugs that can help stop hair loss and promote regrowth in those with thinning hair. Rogaine and Minoxidil are the only over-the-counter drug recognized to promote hair growth and stop hair loss. And Propecia (finasteride”> is a FDA-approved pill proven to treat male pattern hair loss. But these are serious drugs. They aren’t designed to make hair grow faster.
Patience, says “Curly Girl” author Lorraine Massey, is essential for hair growth.
“Just zen out of your regularly scheduled program,” Massey says. “Just live through it, don’t poo it, extra One Condition it, extra Angell it, enjoy it, and most importantly love it. As long as you’re alive, your hair will grow. Trust me.”
Yanai Van has spent the past two decades styling the hair of clients around the globe, working with a diversity of hair textures in a variety of climates.
These experiences, along with his own head of ringlets, have given him a passion for curly hair.
Van was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. He says his passion for beauty and hair is genetic since his mother was a well-known hair stylist in Jerusalem, and her brother was one of the biggest hair designers in Tel Aviv. Van remembers growing up in that beauty shop, looking at every move, cut and style. He knew that was the life for him.
He traveled to Europe to study hair styling. For 13 years, Van and his mother owned one of the largest salons in Jerusalem. When his mother died, he traveled to the United States and decided to settle in California.
These days, Van coifs the curls of Hollywood’s most demanding clientele in the heart of Beverly Hills. In a town where image is everything, some of Los Angeles’ curly trendsetters rely on Van to make them shine.
Van says his mission is to provide his clients with an effective, easy regimen to care for their curls.
To help with that task, he has created his expansive and growing line of curl-care products, which include shampoos, conditioners and styling products for all curl types, as well as the KiddyCurls line for kids.This month, Yanai is launching a new Color Retention System. The line includes a sulfate-free shampoo, leave-in protectant, daily conditioner and intensive treatment hair mask. All Yanai products are available in CurlMart.
Yanai’s How-To Guide for Mastering Your Curls
Step 1
Shampoo your hair.
Step 2
Condition your hair and brush it thoroughly. Don’t rinse the conditioner out 100%; leave some on.
Step 3
Apply some scalp moisturizing liquid and gel. Work it in with your fingers so it covers all your hair. The more hair you have, the more gel you should use.
Step 4
Comb your hair with a wide tooth comb.
Step 5
Take small sections of your hair one at a time and corkscrew them around your finger toward your face. The thicker your hair is, the more you can wrap around your finger.
Step 6
Work from the bottom of your hair up to your part.
Step 7
Turn your hair down and shake it out. With a dry towel, cup the ends of your hair and gently press in toward your scalp. Do this across all your hair.
Step 8
Let it air dry if possible. However, if you must blow dry, use a diffuser to minimize frizz. While your hair is down, dry it from all sides from the bottom of your hair up.
Step 9
When nearly dry, apply no more than three drops of Shine (depending how thick your hair is”>. Spread your fingers and lift hair upward to attain lift.
Step 10
Be proud.
The child of a white French Canadian mom and a Black Guyanese dad, Stacey Canfield was born with a head full of tight ringlets.
When she was young, Canfield was routinely turned away from several salons because nobody knew what to do with her hair. With no resources available to her and no experience with this hair type, Canfield’s mother cut her daughter’s hair short.
‘My mother had such hardships with my hair,’ said Canfield, who resides in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. ‘I don’t think either one of us realized just what this was doing to me inside. I felt that my hair was ugly, and that it made me ugly too.’After years of texturizers, braids and extensions, she decided to cut off all the damaged hair.
‘I felt like I was meeting my hair for the first time — completely natural in both texture and color,’ Canfield said ‘I couldn’t believe I used to think I had ugly hair!’Now the challenge was to find products that worked with her natural hair texture — a challenging endeavor that eventually led her to create Blended Beauty, a line of natural haircare products for curly and kinky hair.
‘After realizing which ingredients gave me the effects I needed, I tried to find these ingredients on their own to make my own concoction,’ Canfield recalled. ‘But I never thought I would make my own hair product line. I thought only large companies do these things.’
It wasn’t until a neighbor introduced the stay-at-home mom to some natural handmade body products that ‘it hit me like a ton of bricks!’
‘I already knew what I wanted in a product and I realized that I had everything in me to create my own line of products,’ Canfield said.
Once she decided to embark on the venture, she researched ingredients for months, searching for the perfect mix of moisture, definition, frizz-fighting and soft hold. She found her education and background in chemistry and biology were well-suited for this kind of work. Her favorite ingredients are aloe, soy and murumuru butter.
The line, which has been an overnight success, includes cleansers, conditioners, spritzes, lotions, butters, masks and puddings. Canfield designed it with her own moderately textured hair. but after sharing the products with others, she found they also work on finer wavier hair as well as the kinkiest Type 4 hair types.
All Blended-Beauty products are made in small batches for freshness. They contain no heavy greases, irritating chemicals, silicones or alcohol. They are almost 100 percent natural.
‘My cream shampoo is so unique and perfect for all hair types,’ Canfield said. ‘I’ve been told it’s addictive.Stay tuned for more new Blended Beauty products in the coming months, including a light lotion for fine hair and a pure butter — shea butter softened with avocado and sunflower oils — product for Type 4 curls called ‘Butter Me Up!’
She plans to launch a body care line with the same ‘SBlended’ scent — short for splendidly blended — as well as a facial line. She also wants to create a clothing line for curlies.
‘I believe that everyone should be fully comfortable and content with their hair and the total ‘package’ they were born in,’ Canfield said. ‘I know know there is no such thing as ugly hair! Blended is beautiful.’Canfield’s products are available at CurlMart and www.blended-beauty.com
‘I whisper, then sometimes I’m loud
I always stand out in a crowd
I come in naps, curls, locs and waves
Shaming sad tries best left in caves
My myriad styles are ever up to date
Yet I am the subject of intense debate
The critics gather to envy me
For I am woven with her story
Wear me out and flaunt me if you dare!
Who am I?
I am a Black woman’s hair.’ — From ‘Natural Woman/Natural Hair: A Hair Journey’
T’Keyah Crystal Keymah, like many black women, grew up believing that she had to press and perm her hair to look her best. ‘It was all I knew,’ says the actress, writer, producer, director, dancer, singer . ‘I learned without anyone telling me that looking my best was something other than what actually came out of my head. I started having a problem with that.’
Through her struggle and acceptance of her texture, natural hair has become her passion, inspiring her to write ‘Natural Woman/Natural Hair: A Hair Journey.’ In an industry where image is everything, Keymah serves as a positive role model, proudly flaunting her braids, twists and kinks.
Keymah’s has been a regular on the stage and screen. Her long list of credits include ‘That’s So Raven,’ ‘On Our Own,’ ‘Cosby,’ ‘Jackie Brown,’ Politically Incorrect,’ ‘Soul Train,’ and ‘The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show.’ During her five seasons on Emmy-award winning ‘In Living Color,’ she earned an NAACP Image Award nomination and a Soul Train Comedy Award nomination.
‘The mail I’ve gotten as an actress with natural hair has been overwhelmingly positive,’ she says. But it has been a long journey for Keymah, who spent half her life fighting her hair’s natural texture. While modeling in Chicago, she did a commercial for a product that was supposed to perm and curl your hair. ‘I thought ‘How bad could it be?’ she says. ‘It was pretty bad.’ With her hair badly broken, it gave her the incentive she needed to go natural. ‘Fortunately for me and my natural hair, my first big job on television was ‘In Living Color,” Keymah says. ‘How you wore your hair, makeup and clothes could reflect your own personality.’ Initially she wore her hair braided flat to her head. Then she went straight to the barber shop and cut off ‘everything that wasn’t marching.’ She wore her hair in a little afro and then twists.
This atmosphere of individuality and acceptance wasn’t necessarily the norm.
‘At every other show, my hair was met with shock, curiosity, disbelief,’ she says. ‘I had a casting director say ‘You’re great and pretty, but I just can’t hire you with that hair.’ I said, ‘Thanks for the honesty, but the hair does come with me. I’m very fortunate I keep getting jobs despite the fact I’m a big, big troublemaker.’These days, she wears her hair braided and twisted in a variety of styles, depending on her schedule and mood. ‘I’m never tempted to go back to permed hair,’ she says.
She decided to write her book because there was a lack of information about natural hair. By the time it was published in 2003, there were a number of books on the market — a positive sign that attitudes about natural hair are changing.
Despite major strides made in recent years, she still thinks there’s a ways to go.
‘The images you see of women wearing their hair naturally are images of a woman biting into a sandwich or buying insurance,’ she says. ‘She’s not the lead in the film or the star of the television show. When you think about the female lead, more likely than not, her hair is straight.’
Keymah stresses that she’s not advocating that all women wear their hair natural. But they shouldn’t feel pressure to do so. ‘If you straighten your hair because you believe that your own nappy, curly, wavy, frizzy, fuzzy hair is ugly or bad, I have a problem with that.’
T’Keyah Crystal Keyman’s tips
Sleep on a satin pillowcase to prevent hair breakage
A healthy diet is essential
Trim your hair in a new moon
Condition your hair with rosemary oil the day before you wash it (mix in some tea tree oil if you have dandruff”>
NaturallyCurly member Gladys has beautiful silver hair.
As more silver strands popped up, that task became more difficult. But after hair color turned her natural dark brown hair a shade of orange ginger, she decided to stop dying it. She has been dye-free for more than a year and couldn’t be happier.
“I consider myself a pretty low-maintenance kind of woman, and was really unhappy with the time, expense and ‘ick’ factor of dying my hair,” says Madonna of Sandy Hook, Va. Madonna is one of a growing number of women who are opting to go silver, white and gray.
Curl guru Lorraine Massey calls women like this silver sirens, and she’s seeing more of them at her Devachan Soho salon these days. She said they typically are women who found themselves returning to the salon every three weeks for color. “We have a load of silver sirens, and some of them are young,” Massey says. Women decide to let their hair go gray for variety of reasons, at different points in their lives.
“It’s by default that I’m growing out my gray because I can’t afford color,” says 36-year-old Beth Murschell of Bradenton, Florida, who has about two inches of gray at the scalp. But she says she’s conflicted. “I love the idea of healthy, natural hair but don’t want people to assume I’m older,” she says. “I’m trying to think of my gray hair as a positive thing.”
For most people who make the decision, it’s because of they are fed up with the demarcation line of their gray hair and the colored hair, and the time and effort it takes to color it. “They get regrowth so quickly, and it’s a pain in the neck to color so often,” said Jonathan Torch of the Curly Hair Institute. Going gray shouldn’t be viewed as throwing in the towel. For many women, silver curls can be flattering. “Gray hair is absolutely beautiful,” Torch says. “There are some people I would never suggest color their hair because I can’t think of a color that could look better.”
Going gray gracefully takes some preparation — mentally and physically. For many, the “two-tone” phase — usually the first three months — is especially intimidating.
Some stylists recommend switching from a permanent to a semi- or demi-permanent haircolor to make the process easier as it grows out because it can blend the gray and provide some variation in tone.
Ben Stewart, color director at Cutler Salons in New York, said he likes to do some low lighting when the gray has grown in around two inches. These would be streaks of color as close to the natural haircolor as possible.
Torch uses a similar technique that breaks up the gray demarcation line by weaving in some hair color through the roots. He weaves the color through only 35 percent of the hair — just enough to break up the line. As the gray regrowth gets longer, he might do the same technique again, this time on only 10 percent of the hair. At some point, he’ll recommend a shorter cut to remove the remaining artificial color. “Sooner or later, it has to be cut off,” he says. “But you don’t have to jump in and cut it right away.”
When a client is considering going gray, Massey initially likes to leave a section of hair in the front gray so the customer can adjust to the look. Or she may let the part underneath grow out while coloring the rest. “If you’re really up for it, cut it off,” Massey says.
Gray hair tends to be dryer, and may have a life of its own. Moisture is especially important to keep the curls bouncy. Use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. But you might need less conditioner than you used to use because gray hair tends to be less damaged than colored hair.
Shine is key for gray hair because it tends to be transparent. It can look thinner and frizzier if it’s dull. Torch likes to use Curl Keeper on his gray clients to enhance their shine.
It can also be challenging to find hair products that won’t yellow the hair. Many stylists recommend violet-toned shampoos to brighten up the hair and remove yellow tones.
The texture may change when you go gray. Judi Kramer of San Francisco says her silver hair is curlier and dry, while her brown hair was oily and wavy. “The gray hair has taken on a life of its own,” Kramer says. “I had to change everything.”
Madonna had a similar experience when she began going gray. “My grays happen to be a beautiful shade of shiny, silvery-gray, but they are much more wiry and kinky than the rest of my hair,” she says. “They have minds of their own! They also have a tendency to boing out from the rest of the pack in a most uncontrollable fashion.”
“As I learn more about caring for my waves and curls in general, the grays are beginning to play a bit more nicely with the browns. But I’ve also learned to accept the grays as they are. If they really want to boing, I just let them boing.” The best advice she has it to “embrace your gray hair in all of its glory, just as it is.”
“Experiment with techniques and products, and learn how to work with the gray rather than trying to conquer it and make it behave a certain way.” For some, the decision to go gray may be gradual taking several decades. Kramer says she began getting her first gray hairs when she was 16. She colored it through her 20s and early 30s, going blonde, then red. By her late 30s, her hair was salt and pepper. Now in her 50s, Kramer’s hair is a beautiful silver. With her fair skin, she said it “all works.”
“If you allow it to happen in a gradual way, it’s a much easier transition,” Kramer says. “You can learn to love it.”When she broaches the subject of coloring her hair now with colorists, they all say “Don’t touch your hair.”
“I always get compliments on my hair color,” Kramer says.
Products for Silver Sirens
Shampoos:
Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream
Clairol Shimmering Lights
Matrix So Silver
Conditioners
Rachel Malkin, before she cut off her hair.
“My hair looked fabulous,” said Malkin (aka RylandCurl on CurlTalk“> of Bethesda, Md. “People always wanted to touch it. Men went crazy over my hair.”
But early last year, she discovered that the lump in her breast was cancer.
“The surgeon looked at me with these sad, soft eyes and this gentle face,” Malkin recalled. “He put his arm around me and said ‘I’m sorry Rachel. It’s cancer.’ So life changes.”
‘All I wanted was to live.’After her mastectomy in March, she started chemotherapy — a potent blend of chemicals she would receive every two weeks for four months. In addition to eradicating her cancer, she would lose the curls she had finally come to peace with.
‘When I took a shower, there was some hair there,’ she recalled. ‘When I combed it, a little bit more hair came out. A few days later, I was doing my hair and pieces were hanging off. By that night, it was horrific. Not only was it falling out, but it felt horrific.’ ‘I always thought I’d be the one person who wouldn’t lose their hair,’ Malkin said. ‘I had so much hair.’Chemotherapy hair loss is an unfortunate, and emotionally devastating, reality that many cancer patients face. It occurs over a period of days or weeks and may include hair loss on the entire body, including eyebrows and eyelashes. There is little that can be done to prevent the hair loss.
‘This is a very difficult stage,’ said Curl Queen Ouidad, who went through cancer treatment herself. ‘I work with my clients to gradually cut their hair to the shortest length they can handle. This has a tendency to let them see themselves with a clear shape of their scalp and makes the initial shock of losing their hair easier.’
Cutting off her curls because of chemotherapy-induced hair loss was one of the hardest things Rachel Malkin has had to do. But she loves her new short, easy-to-care-for ‘do.
Then she sat outside on a freezing April day as her boyfriend took a pair of clippers and shaved her head. The inch-long style resembled GI Jane, Malkin said.
Those who choose to shave their heads should use a guard to make sure it’s not too short because the scalp can be especially sensitive.
‘When I put my head on the pillow, it felt like a bunch of needles were sticking me,’ recalled Carol Galland, founder of Headcovers.com, which sells more than 150 hats, turbans, scarves and other headcoverings for people who lose their hair. ‘I couldn’t rest my head on the pillow for three or four days.’Those thinking of getting a wig should get fitted before they start treatment so the stylist can get the best match possible. But for those who find wigs uncomfortable, there are other options.
In 1990, Galland was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. The cancer diagnosis, combined with the loss of her hair from treatments, was devastating. Galland, a professional hairstylist, searched for attractive head coverings, but found few options.
So when Galland’s cancer went into remission, she scoured the country looking for head coverings that were stylish, comfortable and affordable. The result of her search is Headcovers.com, which has many styles especially made for the site.
‘We try to keep up with the latest trends to offer things with flair and fashion,’ Galland said.Malkin initially thought she wanted to wear a wig, and she even toyed with the idea of getting a straight style.
‘I thought ‘I can finally get the straight hair of my dreams,” she said. ‘I tried on all these straight-haired wigs and I looked ridiculous. I looked really ordinary. I looked like everyone else. I grew up hating my curly hair, but it’s really very special.’She ended up wearing scarves instead.
‘I never really let it stop me,’ Malkin said. ‘I remember going to a wedding, putting on a snazzy scarf, some nice earrings and a little blush and I looked damned good. I could have died and this was a wedding and it was about life.’
Rachel Malkin
While going through the experience, a crucial thing to remember is that the hair will grow back.
‘I’ve never met a woman who had chemo and didn’t have her hair grow back,’ Ouidad saidRegrowth, which usually occurs six to eight weeks after treatment ends, can pose its own challenges. In many cases, the hair that grows back may be dramatically different in texture and color than the hair that was lost — at least in the short term.
In many cases, women with straight hair may have hair that comes back curly. Although not much is known about why this happens, Dr. Jennifer Griggs said the chemo affects rapidly growing cells more than slowly growing ones. Hair follicles in the scalp grow rapidly, and they are jolted by the chemo.
‘When the follicles get back to work, the shock may be enough to change their job description,’ Griggs said.Some women with curly hair may find that the new hair is straight. Over time, without further treatment, the hair follicle usually settles back into its old habits.
‘Before treatment, my hair was long, blonde and straight,’ recalled a woman on a cancer message board. ‘When it grew back, it was very curly. So I dyed it dark and it looked very similar to Betty Boop! People used to stop me in the street in amazement at how great my hair was. But after several cuts and colors, I’m back to blonde and straight. It was fun while it lasted!’When the hair returns, it is important to handle it with a great deal of TLC, said Ouidad. She recommends using a deep conditioner such as her Ouidad Deep Treatment every two weeks. This month, Ouidad is giving 50 percent of the proceeds from every sale of a specially designed pink Ouidad Deep Treatment to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
It is also important to get a trim every 10 to 12 weeks to keeping the new growth looking its best.
As for color, it’s better to wait a while.
‘I discourage clients from color for at least six months after their chemo treatments are over to allow the hair roots to strengthen,’ Ouidad said.By July, Malkin was done with treatment and her hair began to return.
‘At the beach, the sun glinted off my head like peach fuzz,’ she said.She was going out without a scarf by the end of August. When it began to grow back, it was white blonde and totally straight for the first time in her life. She wore it in a little pixie, which she loved.,
Then the downy straight hair turned curly. And the whitish blonde turned steely gray and then dark brown. Although curly again, her hair’s texture and color both are different than they were before chemo, she said. By last December, she was wearing it in a short, curly style.
Nine months later, she has decided to keep it short. Although she misses the attention her long curls garnered her — ‘the way men turned around and stared’ — her shorter locks are much lower maintenance. She no longer obsesses about products and now buys whatever is on sale.
‘It’s soft and wonderful,’ she said of her healthy, virgin hair. ‘It turns out I don’t look ugly in short hair. I think I look good in short hair.’For those going through chemo, Malkin said it’s important to mourn the loss of their hair. But she believes the experience has also given her a renewed appreciation for her hair.
‘I’m so delighted to have hair, any hair,’ she said. ‘I would never have cut my hair without chemo. I couldn’t have imagined it. But after I was bald, I got used to my little head. So the short hair is, for me, lots of hair. An abundance of hair. A blessing of hair.’Tips for managing hair loss due to chemotherapy
Short Hair: Cut your hair short if you are expecting hair loss during chemotherapy. Since hair often does not fall out evenly, some find losing short hair is less distressing.
Wigs: If you are interested in purchasing a wig, the best time to do is before you lose any hair. This helps the stylist create the best match. Many insurance companies will pay for a wig, so be sure you have it written as a prescription from your doctor. There are wig stylists who specialize in wigs for cancer patients.
Caps and scarves: Some people find that the easiest and most comfortable options are caps and scarves. These range from those you may already own to custom items made expressly for people who are undergoing chemo. Check out www.headcovers.com.
You might also want to check with your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. They sponsor a program called ‘Look Good, Feel Better.’ the program addresses ways to tie scarves and ways to make yourself look and feel better while experiencing hair loss.
Other Hair Tips During Treatment
Use a mild, unperfumed shampoo and conditioner
Try not to wash your hair more than twice a week
Pat your hair dry rather than rubbing it.
Brush or comb your hair gently with a soft hairbrush or wide-toothed plastic comb. If you have long hair, avoid plaiting it as this may damage it.
Avoid using elastic bands to tie back long hair.
Avoid dyes, perms and other products containing strong chemicals.
Avoid products containing alcohol, such as hair spray, which can irritate the scalp.
Avoid excessive heat from heated rollers, hair dryers and hot brushes.
You may want to wear a soft hat or turban in bed to collect loose hairs.
If you decide not to cover your head, use a high protection factor sunscreen at all times because the scalp may be very sensitive.
If your scalp is dry, flaky or itchy, you can use unperfumed moisturizer or natural oils such as almond or olive oil. You may prefer to use aromatherapy oils, but it is best to consult with a trained aromatherapist.
Avoid perfumed deodorants if you have lost hair under your arms from chemotherapy because it can irritate the skin. Baby powder can be used instead.
Source: www.chemocare.com, www.breastcancercare.org.uk, and www.cancer.org
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This month, Ouidad is giving 50 percent of the proceeds from every sale of a specially designed pink Ouidad Deep Treatment to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.2005 marks more than 20 years that National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has educated women about early breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. Mammographies are a woman’s best chance for detecting breast cancer early. When coupled with new treatment options, mammography screenings can significantly improve a woman’s chance of survival. Oct. 21 is National Mammography Day.Women who have lost their hair can choose from a variety of headwear options, available at Headcovers.com.
Growing up in Haiti, Fayola Nicaisse-Hethorn was surrounded by nature. Her mother and father turned the herbs and plants from their garden into natural remedies for their skin and hair.
‘It wasn’t unusual for my mother to grab an egg, go out into the garden to get some watercress and then mix in some different oils to create a hair mask for us,’ recalls Nicaisse-Hethorn.
These childhood experiences have served as the inspiration for her two lines of natural hair and skin products — Ebene Naturals and Akiva Naturals.
Nicaisse-Hethorn has been intrigued by hair textures since she was a young child. While working as a model, she often whipped up her own concoctions to help her overprocessed, chemically straightened, heat-damaged locks with ingredients such as shea butter and natural oils. At the request of friends, she began selling her mixtures for friends, making them one bottle at a time. At the time, she never thought it would turn into a full-time vocation.
But in 1999, her baby daughter, Gabriella, developed a terrible skin condition that covered her from head to toe. She rushed her to the hospital and discovered she had chronic exzema. The doctor told her it would be a life-long condition, and they sent her home with steroid cream. ‘I tossed it,’ Nicaisse-Hethorn says. ‘I didn’t like the idea of using steroids on a six-month-old.
Back in Haiti, my mother would have gone into the yard and picked some herbs to cure it.’ So that’s what she did. She did some research and created a mixture of shea butter, almond, jojoba, avocado and olive oils and Vitamin E and applied it to her daughter several times a day. Soon the excema was gone. And her Shea Butter Baby Balm was born. She continued to develop products, naming her line Ebene, which is French for ebony. Her motto was ‘harmony between nature and humanity.’
Nicaisse-Hethorne decided to approach a Dallas-area Whole Foods Market about selling her growing product line, and the store’s buyer ‘flipped over it.’ Then her story made its way to a reporter at the Dallas Morning News, who wrote an article about her and her line, which now included several haircare and skincare products. ‘It took off from there,’ she says. ‘Once it came out, people from around the country were calling me to buy the Shea Butter Baby Balm. This is something I made in my kitchen and people from around the country were calling me to tell me how it had changed their lives. It was overwhelming.’
The Whole Foods store couldn’t keep it in stock, and soon other Whole Foods locations were ordering it. In early 2000, she launched the Ebene Naturals Web site. The Ebene line now has close to 75 hand-made hair and body products, ranging from Essential Hair Butter to Shea Butter Regenerating Hair Treatment Oil. She also has Ebene Kids, which sells such products as Gabby’s Ding Dang Doo Hair Cream and Little Princess Hair Styling Lotion. All the products are 100 percent natural, cruelty free and do not contain synthetic oils, mineral oils, petrochemicals, articial bi-products, alcohol or artificial colors.
‘I didn’t realize how much of a need there was for these types of natural products,’ Nicaisse-Hethorn said. She moved to Miami and opened a store, getting regular feedback from customers about her products. She recalled one mother who came in with a son with severe exzema. The mother bought some of her creams and returned to show off her exzema-free baby. ‘Now she buys it by the gallon,’ Nicaisse-Hethorns says.Over the past 18 months, Nicaisse-Hethorn made the decision to expand into products with other ingredients, including fragranced oils and beeswax. But she felt her Ebene customers, who tend to be ‘ultra naturalists,’ might not respond well to these types of products. In February, she officially launched Akiva Naturals, a sister company. She describes the Akiva customer as someone who wants ‘natural with a flair.’ The Akiva line includes raw materials such as shea, cocoa and mango butters, olive oil, vitamins and herbal infusions. All the products, such as Healthy Hair Honey, Healthy Hair Jam, Shea Hair Smoothie and Secret Potion, are free of synthetic preservatives, mineral oil, petro-chemicals, sulfates and artificial colors.
‘People really embraced the products right away,’ Nicaisse-Hethorn said. Both the Ebene and the Akiva lines will continue to expand their offerings, thanks to Nicaisse-Hethorn’s endless curiosity. She said she regularly educates herself about raw materials and experiments with new products. ‘Otherwise I’d get bored,’ she said. Nicaisse-Hethorn stresses that her products are designed for men, women and children of all ages and ethnicities. ‘My vision is to have products everyone can use,’ she said.
