KISFORKINKY

mommy that hurts!: how to make combing and styling little one’s natural hair more fun

Autumn — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:15:07 +0000

“My daughter is 4 and very tender-headed (although not sure she is any more difficult than any other 4 year old). Through the years I have taught myself how to braid and twist but now since she is older she won’t sit. I wash her hair once a month and co wash it usually every other week. I use water and conditioner as a detangler and it helps a little. The braids stay in for a couple of weeks. During hair care, I try to make it into a game, watch movies, let her play in hair stuff, come her barbie head, give her lots of breaks. Any tips are very much appreciated? Also, know of any how to sites to learn more easy styles for her?” – Sharla

Hey girl, I feel your pain! And speaking of pain, don’t fret about your daughter being tender-headed. Turns out, a tender head is a common issue and it typically sticks with a person into adulthood. It sounds like you are doing your best to be gentle, which is the best thing you can do (short of giving her a shot of local anesthesia during hair styling sessions)! Also, it sounds like your problem may be more of a restless 4-yr old (very typical), rather than a child in pain from hair combing. All of the things you’ve listed to try and make those sessions easier are really great, so keep doing them! Here are a few more things you can try out, a few I currently do with my own toddler girl and a few I’ve heard about.

First, let’s address making combing your little one’s natural hair easier:

Pre-Poo:

The importance of this step is to minimize tangles from the moment you start on the hair. Using olive oil or a thick conditioner on her dry hair as you take it down will make the strands pliable and hopefully not pull as much on her scalp. Using your fingers, gently detangle the hair by pulling the strands apart. By doing this, you can release shed hairs that would normally get in the way later and make detangling difficult.

Washing/Conditioning:

Try doing this with her hair in 4-8 twisted sections. Never pile up the hair in order to create lather. Use your finger pads to rub against the scalp to cleanse it, and run your fingers down the sections to cleanse them.

Detangling:

Detangle out of the tub, after the bath, and sitting somewhere comfy, so you’re not rushing to comb through her hair. Split the hair into smaller sections so you’re not trying to comb through a lot of hair at once. Make sure you are using a SEAMLESS, RUBBER TIPPED wide tooth comb. The little plastic seams that stick out of regular combs pull on single strands without you realizing it, pulling on the scalp and sharp tips can scratch her scalp. Make sure you are combing from the ends of the section up to the root. Keep a water bottle and the leave in conditioner handy to re-wet sections that may have dried.

Styling:

Try banding or braiding the detangled hair in sections and then allow to air dry. This way, the hair is detangled and doesn’t tangle back up when you try to style the next day. Of course, make sure she sleeps with a satin cap or on a satin pillowcase. If time does not allow this, pick a hairstyle that can do double duty. That means you can do half the style, and ponytail the rest, and it looks cute that way. The next day, you can finish the other half of the style, in order for it to last until the next wash day.

Now, click through to page two to see how to cut down on the restlessness and create a successful hair styling session for you and your preschooler:

locked and loaded: rock and republic for kohl’s full line launch

Kurly Bella — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:35:31 +0000

it’s true and zoe is right, the alliance has been formed and televised and today is the kickoff of the full collection being available online. as mentioned, the new rock and republic kohl’s aesthetic does not stray from from the original line – long, fit-to-flare leg jeans – one of their original staples back as far as 10 yeas ago when they started, cropped, colorful skinnies and lot of studs. what’s lable based on rock without studs?

the line makes everything affordable but not cheap – because there is a difference – and with that, you can slip into a pair of heels, dresses or tops starting at around an affordable $40. many women know that the main key to many an outfit – no matter how many skirts and dresses you wear – are great fitting jeans. they go with everything: tees, silk shirts, heels and blazers. there is the little black dress – which rock and republic also offers – and then there is that great fitting pair of jeans that makes your butt look awesome from every angel. i think what kohl’s affords with the newly revamped rock and republic brand is access to quality without feeling like you overpaid while also giving you the feeling of being right on-trend and not lost in a black hole of “so two seasons ago.” the pieces come together to form a melange of high and low and it just works.

“[Rock and Republic] formed a beautiful alliance with Kohl’s and now they are making their brand more accessible.” – Zoe Saldana

the spring 2012 rock & republic line will launches in-store at Kohl’s TODAY, february 15th! look out for the line at kohl’s department stores in select locations.

[Disclosure] Kohl’s provided compensation to me as an incentive to blog about the Rock & Republic launch event. The opinions expressed herein are those of this author, and they have not been reviewed or approved by Kohl’s in advance.

new product scoop | aveda invati™ scalp revitalizer [VIDEO]

Kurly Bella — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:44:32 +0000

Invati is 97% naturally derived and reduces hair loss by 33% in trails. It is specifically for women who are concerned with hair loss, thinning, loss of volume, lack of density and a tight or dry scalp.

recently while flipping through glossies while cruising at 30K feet to somewhere…who knows where i was going; i’m loosing track because it seems i’m living on planes these days (lot less fun than it sounds, trust me), i ran across an ad for a new product from aveda, specifically their invati scalp revitalizer. it caught my attention because i love scalp care. there is just something about a healthy scalp that gets me going. perhaps it was because my parents and i struggled with my dandruff as a child, but i always get bright-eyed and intensely interested with scalp products are in my vicinity.

i love aveda products as well as their hair color so i’m not surprised to read that this new invati™ scalp revitalizer is already causing a stir with women who are deep into scalp care as well as ayurvedic care. for some ayurvedic instantly means stan.

Description

Contains densiplexTM-an invigorating blend of Ayurvedic herbs, including turmeric and ginseng. Helps energize and rehabilitate the scalp around the follicles when massaged in. A blend of vitamin E ingredients is proven to help accelerate microcirculation with therapeutic massage. Creates the optimum environment for healthy hair.

the invati™ scalp revitalizer is not the only product on the invanti line. the full line consists of the: invati™ exfoliating shampoo, invati™ thickening conditioner and the invati™ scalp revitalizer.

the newly launched line is getting tons of rave reviews from women with fine, thin hair as ayurvedic herbs have been hailed as products that clean the scalp and hair as well as helping to restore pH balance to the scalp and help stimulate hair growth. what that means in laymans terms is that it does a really good job of creating a scalp environment that fosters hair growth. as always, i my eyes usually glaze over at shampoo because most strip my hair terribly and can be easily substituted, instead i focus on the other part of cleansing and conditioning that puts the icing on the cake – the conditioner. aveda farms their ayurveda organic turmeric from an indian farm called nisarga (which mean “nature” in sanskrit). in invati, turmeric helps to give you thicker, fuller-looking hair.

according to aveda, the invati™ thickening conditioner restores strength and improves hair elasticity, reducing breakage, with arginine derived from sugar beets and soy protein. hmmm, you don’t say? arginine has been proven highly effective in many cases of restoring hair growth. being a medium to thin haired natural (think zoe saldana thickness when straight), this definitely has my interested piqued and i will be picking up some of this aveda invati scalp revitalizer and invati™ thickening conditioner to see if these bold claims really are the business.

What say you? Are you interested in trying out the Aveda Invati™ Scalp Revitalizer and accompanying shampoo and conditioner? Are you a fan of AVEDA hair proudcts?

kohl’s rock & republic 2012 fashon week #winning show recap

Kurly Bella — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:17:48 +0000

on friday, i spent my evening, ok well, not the entire evening, but a little time with zoe saldana, heidi klum, ashley simpson and molly sims plus fabulous baby in utero in the blacked out, runway ready hammersham ballroom in manhattan. and what would you know? we all had one thing in common – yes, all of us. we were sitting front and center at the kohl’s rock and republic fashion show getting ready to give our eyes a fashion party.

was the show amazing? okay, nutella waffels are amazing, sunsets in the french rivera are amazing, fresh matte tea in south america is amazing, but i will say that this show did not disappoint and i definitely didn’t leave the ballroom feeling let down. my anticipation was fulfilled; so much so that i was hoping that a few more models would run out when it was over and that a do over was coming up shortly after. after staring at the stage for five minutes after the lights were down, i realized that i’d have to come back next year just to get a taste.

the aesthetics that graced the runway were not surprising, as i wasn’t expecting the brand to go and redo what wasn’t broke in the first place. there were lots of cropped skinny jeans, flowy tops made with thin cotton just in time for the summer and fun pieces like studded hoodies and a few pair of “don’t sneeze too hard in these” booty shorts. once the show stared, one of the fist things i thought was, “man, why didn’t they sell things like this when i was in college?” kohl’s has taken its once upscale label and brought it to the masses accordingly. some major department stores reply on big couture collaborations to bring excitement to their shelves which sell out in a matter of minutes leaving the majority of their customers empty handed, however, kohl’s has hit a sweet spot with rock and republic line by providing a label that creates a stir and will be in endless supply. i think they call this #WINNING on twitter! (and we all know twitter is important)

i have tons of pictures and even walked away with some free swag in the form of fly clothes. once i’m able to wrap my head around all of the night that was the kohl’s rock and republic show, i’ll post even more as well as show you what was in my goodie bag – um how about TWO oufits?!

What say you? Are you a fan of Rock&Republic? Are you excited about this brand coming to a Kohl’s near you? Do tell!

happy hair thoughts and ‘good hair day’ psychology: why it matters more than you think

Kurly Bella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:46:49 +0000

i have not had a bad hair day in a while. okay, wow, even typing that out is surprising. now that i think about it, mid last year they were happening every other day it seemed. i just could.not. get my hair to do what i wanted it to do. i’m pretty sure you’ve been there too, let down tremendously after a braid or twist out, tried a style that you thought would look good on you but instead made you look overly frumpy. hey, it happens and what does it matter in the long term anyway? it’s just hair, right? well, not if you ask dr. diller.

a new article on the huffington post looks at the relation between good hair days and how we feel about ourselves. being natural, this may come as no surprise, as we all are well aware that how we feel about our hair can affect more than just our day, it can in many cases, seriously affect our lives and our children’s lives. in her article, “the psychology behind a “good hair day”, dr. vivian diller, Ph.D details how, how we handle our good and bad hair days can affect our overall well-being. she points out that:

“Our sense of attractiveness is strongly connected to confidence and positive self-esteem. Many men and women associate confidence with feeling in control, and hair is one way most of us can be in charge. For example, hair can be altered through cutting, coloring and highlighting, but controlled through straightening, curling and styling. Styled, well-kept hair gives us the external appearance of being well managed and it can contribute to feeling that way internally.”

i find this article interesting not because i don’t agree, but because i know someone like me, with what can and often is considered socially to be “wild, unkempt” hair, throws a wrench into all of this. a good hair day for me can be multifaceted. knowing this, as naturals, we have to define within OURSELVES what, as the dr. points out, exactly is “styled and well-kept” hair. as for myself, it’s my big, over-sized twist out and high buns. i know that many would disagree as nivea recently called my hair type “uncivilized” and glamour magazine once laid their feelings all out on the table about black women’s hair saying, “black [women] should avoid wearing political” hairstyles like dreadlocks or afros, because these hairstyles are seen as unattractive and unprofessional.” dr. diller does include in her piece on hair and esteem a historical tie too, but one that falls outside of my experience as a black women in america.

“Keep in mind that the role hair has played in people’s self-image goes way back to ancient history. As long ago as Greek and Roman times, elaborate wigs were signs of status and wealth. Beautiful hair was associated with royalty, worn like a crown. Cleopatra was famous for her thick, black locks. Samson’s long hair symbolized supernatural strength. During American Colonial times, upper class men and women wore white, curly wigs. Political figures and judges also adorned them as a sign of wisdom and sophistication. With decorative, attractive hair being highly valued throughout history, it’s likely it will continue to impact how we view ourselves today.”

again, this is all historically true, but falls far outside of my scope of applicability of being a black american. there are no mention of say, afros being banned at disney land or that afros were a symbol of perceived “overbearing blackness.” i understand the point of the article but i know first hand how the history behind my type of hair is much different. it’s amazing to think that just by wearing an afro in the 50′s and 60′s solidified a perceived stance of political anger and hate. i think for black women who decide to go natural, we are already very well aware of how our hair is tied deeply into our self-esteem. our hair is the hair worn by many of the men, women and children who were water-hosed down and chased by police dogs. many women with natural hair, to this day, struggle with looking “too black” with their natural afro as they are asked to change their hair to something “more suitable” in the workplace, for example.

i agree with dr. diller that how we feel about our hair makes a world of difference and i would also add that how others feel about your hair impacts the overall psychology behind these feelings too. a good hair day for a natural can often mean much more than just my hair is sitting right, curled right, looking right, in many cases it means i’m proud to be a woman and i’m proud to be black no matter what anyone else thinks about me or my afro.

being natural takes “happy hair thought” psychology to an entirely new level.

show off your natural swagger: be the next motions “naturally you” it girl

Kurly Bella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:57:57 +0000

motions is keeping the excitement rolling with their new natural hair product line by making the launch even more appealing. so amped to off show how effective and affordable their new line of products are, motions is having a “naturally fabulous” model search and are eager to hook up three – yes, the three that comes after two, fly naturals to introduce their new line of natural hair products.

to make this promotion even more thrilling, the winners will be flown to the big apple for a full makeover – we’re talking fly shoes, bags, fetch makeup – the whole shebang!; be featured in hair styling how-to-videos with a celebrity hair stylist – and you know, videos go VIRAL with sharing and embedding and all that good stuff, so your face will be everywhere! but that’s not all folks – the three boss chicks that are chosen will also have their faces appear in a spread in essence magazine in addition to other possible “naturally you” campaigns. can you imaging walking into walgreens and seeing your face on a poster?! i’d be geeked if i were you!

so what are you thinking? does all the fabulousness sound like you? are you that fly natural that motions is looking for? if you have no problem picking your fro and popping your collar, then hurry up and click HERE to enter to be the next motions it girl!

Let’s go over all that LOOT again, shall we:
All expenses paid trip to NYC for a makeover weekend
Featured in a hair style how-to-video
Appear in an Essence Magazine Spread

sounds like a winner to me! i can’t enter to win to be the “naturally you” motions girl, but YOU can. this blog is full of fab and fly readers so pull out your best flicks, videos and turn on your natural hair swag, rock that hair like it ain’t nothing but a thang and enter to be the next “naturally you” motions girls so i can see your pretty faces in an upcoming issue of essence magazine! click HERE to enter!

Motions wants you to know:

Whether you’re wearing your natural hair in tightly-coiled curls, loose ringlets, flowing waves or super straight, new Motions Naturally You products are specially-formulated to moisturize your hair with essential natural oils. Embrace the incredible beauty of your natural hair with Motions Naturally You. For more information visit Motions at http://bit.ly/zxbd4g.

What say you? Are you going to submit your information to be the next Motions It Girl?

[Disclosure] Compensation was provided by Motions via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Motions.

that ish cray!: four of the most expensive hair products on the market

Kurly Bella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:30:30 +0000

there are some products that we all splurge on – like deep treatments and that one cream that does what no other can do, and then there are those products that leave us clutching our wallets. with prices over a hundred dollars for standard bottle of shampoo and a hair brush that would make a pair of prada’s look cheap and piss peta off, these four expensive hair products are leaving us scratching our heads at their hype, expectations and price.

Philip B. White Truffle Ultra-Rich Moisturizing Shampoo $76

Description:
Fortify, hydrate and cleanse hair with this unique shampoo. Contains Italian white truffle oil, soy protein, vitamin B5 and 19 pure plant extracts. Leaves hair feeling silky and the scalp feeling fresh. Great for color-treated, dry or damaged hair! Safe for Colored and Chemically Treated Hair. 23.2% Pure Plant Extracts, with Extracts of Nettle and Thyme.

Side Eye:
right…so, let me get this straight, i’m supposed to pay almost $80 to put some fungus on my hair so i can walk around smelling like a mushroom? i’ll pass. (side note: most truffle oils are not made from actual truffles, but are a synthetic product that combines one of numerous organic aromas or odorants found in real truffles, with an olive oil or grapeseed oil base. source)

i’m not sure if this shampoo has real truffle oil or not, which is besides the point anyway, the idea that this shampoo is worth $80 is not only a bit much, but at this price, this company should be producing proof of the fact that this shampoo is doing something more than a $3 bottle of garnier. where’s my sock at? a couple of heads need to be hit because i’m not falling for the hype. homie don’t play that!

if you don’t fall for the hype too easily either, then check out this next hair product that will make you say, “they are charging WHAT for wheat germ oil?!”

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rock this!: stripe ruffle peplum blouse + shopaholic dreamed bag

Kurly Bella — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:22:43 +0000

getting dressed every day is really a labor of love. you have to pick what to wear, analyze how it’s going to make you appear and feel confident walking out of the house. to make the transition a bit easier, think peplum – and not from your 80′s nightmares. think peplum like this stripe ruffle peplum blouse, with yellow, blue and white vertical stripes featuring large plaid ruffle details down the front, long sleeves with puffed shoulders and a frilled peplum. this shirt is a non-scary way to wear peplum. no sequins no overbearing ruffles. peplum just right – and it can’t any righter at $44 marked down 69% from $141!

when you start with one ruffle it makes you want to keep going by adding complimentary details without overdoing it. i think the perfect piece to pull this off is with this bow tie cuff bracelet. loose that stuffy image that comes to mind when you think of bow ties and add some pizazz to you ensemble with this bow tie cuff bracelet. the wide gold plated cuff is ornamented by a black resin bow tie. it dresses up your peplum look with out being overly dressy.

and speaking of not too dressy, you’ve got to get the bag right with a look like this and the shopaholic dreamed bag delivers. this infinitely elegant bag will make your girlfriends green with envy. its under-the-radar opulence is equally on par with its sophisticated shape, quilted texture, and unfussily deluxe demeanor. if a consummate shopaholic dreamed any bag, it would be this one and at only $78 for real leather, this purchase would be a score!

What say you? Are you digging this cute stripe ruffle peplum blouse and shopaholic dreamed bag? Would you rock this look?

vibrantly viola!: viola davis’ natural hair chic for l.a. times mag

Kurly Bella — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:59:36 +0000

viola davis recently pulled out all the fashion and hair stops to show off her bawse side for l.a. times magazine. wearing black on black on black in her jason wu stunners, viola is vibrantly beautiful – her dark skin glowing and her natural hair creating a frame to her face that is endlessly beautiful.

who would have thought that underneath she was keeping such a fabulous treasure? i’m loving her twa and the way that her hair has a very glowy chestnut hue around the edges. the touches of color add to the delight that she exudes from her face and her timeless smile.

“Human life is about a culmination of moments, and 99 percent of those are quiet but powerful,” she insists. “I am always interested and intrigued with watching that.” She likes to cite an acting tip credited to David Mamet: “If you’re looking at an actor onstage with a cat, who are you going to look at, the actor or the cat? The cat, because the cat is just being a cat.”

these photos and the accompanying interview made me smile and cemented in me why i’ve always loved viola as an actress. she embodies a loudly silent whisper of genuine womanhood that is too bold to be confined yet too humble to not be quietly sincere. she is vibrantly viola without speaking a word. and when she does, she proves to be even much more of the woman that i’ve always felt she was.

be sure to check out her full interview with l.a. times magazine here.

Are you loving Viola’s natural hair chic?

[photos]

omg becky, look at her bun!: how to use pony tail hooks/hair bungees for ‘over-sized’ styling

Kurly Bella — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:58:50 +0000

my natural hair is not naturally thick but when my hair is freshly washed boy is it “thick” – that’s because my strands are shrunken down, compacted and plumped full of water – and in this state, trying to get my hair in a ponytail is laughable. i’ve broken so many rubber bands it’s crazy! if i lightly blow out my hair, making sure i don’t get it anywhere near bone straight, my hair keeps a lot of that “thickness” as i’m not pulling my kinky, curly texture out straight. even still though, getting a smooth high ponytail or bun was often a lot of vigorous work, until now. a hairstylist insider staple for when you want a smooth, over-sized hair style void of lumps and bumps or snags, hair bungees or pony tail hooks are where it’s at. having passed these styling hooks to the back of my mind, they were forgotten until i was tapped for some advice:

“KB, I ran across this video and love this high bun! I’ve never seen these kind of pony holders before. My natural hair is really thick and these seem like they would work. Where can I get these?” – Kennedy

ambrosia is the queen of rocking a chic bun, and this time is rocking her high bun with a hair bungee or ponytail hook. hair bungees work by allowing you to adjust the tension of the band to suit your needs unlike regular bands that can be limited in scope. the best thing about it is that you’ll get no uneven pulls – don’t you just hate that when you are trying to ponytail your hair and you get random lumps? the hair bungee is simply wrapped around the pony and held in place with the other hook. if you want to try these, the easiest ones to find in store and online are these metagrip ponytail hooks. they firmly secure thick, heavy, and hard to hold hair when compared to traditional ponytail holders.

to get a smooth, high and fat bun like ambrosia, start on three or four day old twist or braid out hair. mist your hair with a watery leave-in mix if needed and smooth your edges with a non-greasy product like carol’s daughter macadamia hold & control smoother. pin your hair into place with some fun, print bobbi pins like these animal print bobbies.

Have you tried these new hair bungees or pony tail hooks when bunning or styling your natural hair? Do you think they’d be helpful in getting all of your hair in one pony?