Search Results: NaturallyCurly
It was with surprise and disappointment that members of our community at NaturallyCurly.com alerted us to Oprah’s Great American Haircut Makeovers. In case after case, beautiful waves, curls and kinks were beaten into submission with blow dryers, flatirons and extensions.
Oprah is well loved the world over, due in no small part to her uplifting gospel of self-acceptance. Yet, in the eyes of curlies, these makeovers suggest that in order to be beautiful, one must completely alter one’s appearance into something not at all natural.
Our web site has worked for 10 years to help change perceptions about curls and kinks. In the past few years, recognizing a trend toward self-acceptance and natural beauty, almost every hair-care company has created products that enhance texture — many with the guidance of NaturallyCurly.com. Countless examples exist of celebrities, including you, and of everyday women working with and embracing their curls, rather than fighting them. We are proud to espouse the message that curly hair, like eye and skin color, is always in style. After all, curlies make up more than 50% of the world’s population — we need to rock our curls!
We would love to work with Oprah to find stylists who aren’t afraid of a few curls and kinks – people who have a passion for them – to collectively show millions of women that textured hair is beautiful and sexy.
If you want to join NaturallyCurly in our appeal to Oprah, you can! To align our efforts and create one underscored voice, we would ask that you submit the following message here:
As a member of the NaturallyCurly community, we would love to see a redux of the Great American Haircut Makeovers that showcases textured hair being embraced in its natural way. See how Gretchen and Michelle have helped make a difference for all us curlies!
By Carolivia Herron
Illustrated by Joe
Cepeda
Published 1999
Random House Childrens Books
African Americans
/ Fiction32 pages
ISBN 0679894454
“Nappy Hair” by Carolivia Herron
“Nappy Hair” is a lively, empowering story about Brenda’s knotted-up, twisted, nappy hair and how it got to be that way! Told in the African-American “call and response” tradition, this story leaps off the page, along with vibrant illustrations by Joe Cepeda. Winner of a Parenting Reading Magic Award.
* * *
PreSchool-Grade 3. The title leaves no doubt about the focus of this picture book. At a family picnic, everyone pokes fun at the youngest girl’s nappy hair. Devised as a call-and-response dialogue, the interchanges offer explanations and comments on why Brenda’s hair is the nappiest, the curliest, the twistiest hair in the family. The answers involve African origins, God’s intent, and pride in one’s self; e.g., the Lord “looked down on this cute little brown baby girl” and said, “One nap of her hair is the only perfect circle in nature.” The slightly exaggerated, colorful illustrations depict hair as wild and woolly as Don King’s, and they comically embellish the message. The device of the multi-voiced dialogue, characterized in different type styles and sizes, rhythmically carries an ethnic flavor, but what’s missing here is story. It’s nice to see such familial unity but there’s no strong narrative to reinforce that theme. Because the message is the entire point, the effect is akin to a one-joke book. — Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Curls are like cashmere
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is a global effort that is intended to serve as a starting point for societal change, and act as a catalyst for widening the definition and discussion of beauty. Instead of images of long locks, longer legs and incredibly lean bodies, Unilever’s Dove promotes its products by encouraging women and girls to celebrate themselves as they are.
“I will never straighten my hair to impress a guy ever again,” says country star Taylor Swift.
“He’ll take an hour to get ready,” says ‘N SYNC bandmate Lance Bass. “Everything has to be perfect, especially his hair.” Ah, The Hair. Since achieving stardom, Timberlake ‘s blond curls — now shorn — have been more closely scrutinized than his ex-girlfriend’s navel. “When he had curly hair, we’d joke around with him, like, ‘Uh-oh! Curl No. 66 is out of place!’ ” says Bass. “He wants to make sure he looks good.”
— From People magazine in an article about Justin Timberlake
“Curly hair is like a forest. It’s very dense. You have to cut paths in it.”
— Howard McLaren, creative vice president, technical director of Bumble and bumble
“Don’t remove the kinks from your hair. Remove them from your brain.”
Marcus Garvey
Activist (1887-1940″>
“These are the products I use.”
FREDERICK FEKKAI – Shea Butter Shampoo
FREDERICK FEKKAI – Shea Butter Conditioner
REDKEN – Blonde Glam Shampoo
AQUAGE – Detangling cream
KUSCO MURPHY – Conditioner spray
— Actress Mary Louise Parker
(courtesy StarStyle.com“>
Let’s Talk Hair: Every Black Woman’s Personal Consultation for Healthy Growing Hair
By Pamela Ferrell and Lurma Rackley
Pamela Ferrell’s natural hair care system has helped thousands of women grow healthy hair. You will feel like you have her one-on-one personal consultation to talk about your hair … its unique qualities and how you can care of it without chemicals. Learn beauty industry secrets and answers to all the questions you wanted to ask but didn’t know who to ask.
I have a confession to make. It took me 38 years to admit that I have curly hair.
As they say, the grass is always greener. So I spent most of my life trying to keeping my hair straight. I spent so many hours as a teenager blowdrying my hair and then re-blowdrying my hair!
There was a brief period of relief in the 80s when perms were in. But even then, straight bangs were the style. Fast forward to 2004. I am a very busy working mother that realized that I just don’t have enough hours in a day to spend doing my hair.
I saw the light. WOW! Not only did I start wearing my hair curly, but I embraced my curls and now actually prefer my curls. People say I look younger and happier with curly hair.
I’m in a unique position to work with curly children everyday, and to have curly hair myself. So I am blessed with the education of a lifetime with curls. I’m happy to share my knowledge with you!
Q: I am 14 years old. I have extremely curly hair that is very frustrating. I really need help learning how to loosen my curls so that my hair is longer and thinner, but still curly. However, I swim everyday, so I need something that I can swim with without damaging my hair. Please help me ASAP!
Cozy: Swimming every day is great exercise, but can be damaging to your hair. It is especially important for you to cut your hair regularly to remove the damaged ends. But that doesn’t mean you have to take off a lot of hair or have short hair. Frequent trimming is what is needed. Definitely use a swimmer’s shampoo that will remove the impurities and chlorine from your hair. So Cozy Green Apple Swimmers Shampoo has orange extract, which is a natural antiseptic that will purify and invigorate the skin. It also contains aloe, which soothes skin.
To help loosen your curls, try this after bathing: Instead of brushing or combing your hair, squeeze out excess water as much as possible. Get an alcohol-free gel (like So Cozy Groovy Grape”> and scrunch into wet hair with your head upside down. Work through your hair one section at a time to distribute as evenly as possible. Let dry naturally or use a blow dryer with a diffuser.
Q: How do I begin to get my daughter to care about her curls? She hates fixing her hair in the mornings. I have a fairly simple routine for her: wet her curls (they were washed and conditioned the night before”>, comb through them with a wide-tooth comb, and use mousse or gel. When she goes through this routine, it takes her less than 10 minutes. She still doesn’t want to take the time. Is there any advice you would offer a mother to give to her daughter regarding her curl care?
Cozy: You are smart for wanting your young daughter to have an awareness about proper grooming. Good grooming leads to healthy self-esteem, for which no one is ever too young! Simplifying the routine as much as possible is what is needed. When bathing at night, comb your daughter’s hair in the bath with conditioner in her hair. Use a wide-tooth comb to get rid of any knots. Do NOT rinse out all the conditioner. Leave in a little (mostly on the ends”>, and then ring out excess water after her bath. Scrunch in gel or styling cream (we like So Cozy Kooky Kiwi Styling Cream”>. Here’s the time saver: In the morning when she is brushing her teeth, wet your hands and scrunch her hair. That will re-activate the conditioner and styling cream from the night before and soften the hair. There is no need to start all over again. And if she is busy while you are doing it, she won’t even notice!
Q: My 2-year-old dear daughter has kinky hair. It’s so thick and coarse. I’ve tried different types of products in her hair. One I think was called Pink Oil. I have no idea of what to do with it. Right now, I just keep braiding it. I would like to be able to find a product that will let me keep it down without tangling too much. I don’t like the pain she goes through when I try to comb it out. Can you give me any help on what to do to keep her hair healthy and would also enable me to let down? When I used the Pink Oil, it was too thick and made combing though her hair almost impossible.
Cozy: It sounds like you desperately need to learn how to deal with your daughter’s tangles! Here is how to properly comb her hair: You take about an inch of hair and work steadily around the head, one inch at a time. We recommend doing this in the tub with conditioner in her hair (So Cozy Sweet Strawberry Conditioner is thick and creamy”> with a wide-tooth comb. With the hair in one hand, start at the bottom of the strand, working your way up slowly but surely, holding the hair at the bottom to prevent from tugging on the scalp.
For detangling at other times of the day, always use a detangler and use the same combing method described above. A great detangler is So Cozy Fruity Delight Detangler & Leave-In Conditoner. It’s like a magical potion! It contains hydrolized wheat protein and wheat starch to condition, protect and smooth the hair shaft. This makes it possible for you to comb through the tangles. Now to prevent tangles, try putting her hair back in loose styles during active times and at night for bed. She can wear her hair down for less physical activities and special occasions.
We all remember the Farrah Fawcett feathers, the Dorothy Hamill wedge and The Rachel (Jennifer Aniston’s famed look”> — the hairstyles us curlies wanted but couldn’t have.
Now add the “Pob” to that list.
Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, aka soccer stud David Beckham’s wife, recently cut off her extensions and is sporting a funky bob that now is named after her — the Posh Bob, or Pob for short. The Pob, a simple, sleek bob, is taking the country by storm.
While a bob is by no means a new hairstyle, Beckham reinvented it and gave it instant fashion status. Even best friend Katie Holmes is following the trend.
“We figure it’s probably going to be the next big one,” says Franco Peta, owner of Vancouver’s Alta Moda Hair. “Not everyone can wear it. You’ve got to have the hair and you’ve got to have the face for it. It’s courageous.”
Stylists believe almost anyone can wear the Pob — anybody except those with extremely curly hair. One stylist said curly hair forced into a Pob would wind up looking more “abstract.”
- Debra Messing
- Michelle Pfieffer
- Rebecca Romjin
- Jane Krakowski
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Sandra Oh
There were plenty of “fake bobs,” with hair pinned up to give the illusion of a shorter cut. And there were plenty of loose, glamourous waves. But many of our favorite curly actresses, including Kyra Sedgwick, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Minnie Driver and Debra Messing, opted to straighten their locks rather than to play up texture.
From a Wall Street Journal article about Whole Foods’ founder John Mackey:
“He was a six-time college dropout, curly haired and casually dressed.”
Because being sloppy and unable to finish college go right along with curly hair. Grrrr.
The Estee Lauder Companies, a manufacturer and marketer of skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, has agreed to acquire the Ojon Corp., a privately held prestige hair care company based in Canada.
The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur in this month. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Ojon markets and sells products made with ingredients collected by the Tawira, an indigenous community living in the Central American rain forest. Ojon, incorporated in 2003, markets its naturally-derived shampoos, conditioners, styling products and treatments through QVC; specialty retailers, including Sephora, Ulta and Nordstrom; and approximately 300 high-end salons. CurlMart also retails the line. The Ojon products also are available in limited distribution overseas.
Ojon products are made with palm nut oil produced by the Tawira people and help improve hair’s strength, moisture, shine and reduce breakage. In late 2006, Ojon also launched Rare Harvest Tawaka Collection, a three-product skin and hair care treatment line based on a wild-crafted blend of anti-oxidant rich cacao harvested in the Honduran rain forest.
To source its ingredients, Ojon has partnered with the Mosquitia Pawisa Agency for the Development of the Honduras Mosquitia (MOPAWI Organization”>, a local nonprofit group that works on behalf of indigenous communities in the region. Through its contract with the MOPAWI, Ojon purchases wild-crafted palm nut oil and other ingredients from thousands of Tawira producers. The ingredients, largely palm oil and cacao, are then sent to Originitalia, a plant in northern Italy, where they are purified and blended into Ojon products.
Ojon has earmarked a portion of profits from the sale of Ojon products to help the Tawira preserve its traditional lifestyle and protect and sustain the rain forest. It has established safety standards, scholarship funds and environmental protection measures.
Founder Denis Simioni will remain as president of Ojon, reporting to Philip Shearer. The Estee Lauder Cos. will appoint a general manager to the brand and plans to keep the company’s existing management team and headquarters in Canada and continue to operate Ojon as a stand-alone business. Ojon is expected to maintain its relationship with its current manufacturer, Originitalia.
The Estee Lauder products are sold in more than 130 countries and territories under such brand names as Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Lab Series, Origins, M.A.C, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, La Mer, Donna Karan, Aveda, Jo Malone, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Michael Kors, American Beauty, Flirt!, Good Skin, Grassroots, Sean John, Missoni, Daisy Fuentes and Tom Ford Beauty.
Hair Rules
By Anthony Dickey
Villard, $16
Hair-care and style expert Anthony Dickey has written Hair Rules! to end the frustration faced by women with curly hair every day. Hair Rules! is chock-full of simple tips for all types of curly hair and covers everything from the best shampoos and conditioners to use, to damage-free hair-drying (dust off that hood dryer!”>, the use of natural oils, and the safest coloring, styling, and chemical relaxing techniques—as well as guidelines for maintaining healthy, gorgeous hair. Learn more!
