TheTools The Goods

BLUSH
The
New
The Goods
G Miss Jessie’s Super Slip Sudsy
Shampoo ($14; missjessies.com)
cleans,conditions and detangles
all in one.
The Tools
G Wide-tooth comb.Use it to
detangle your hair while it’s wet or
during the conditioning process.
G Paddle brush with rubber bristles
that are spaced far apart—also helpful
for detangling wet hair.
G Blow dryer with ceramic,ionic or
tourmaline features.The air from
these types is not as drying,so hair
maintains some moisture.
G Diffuser blow dryer attachment.
It reduces frizz and locks in curl pattern
as hair is being dried.
G Wide-tooth pick.Use it to give hair
some lift from the roots.(Refrain from
picking hair out entirely,however,or
you lose curl definition.)
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HEARTANDSOUL.COM • JUNE/JULY 2010
G Kinky-Curly Spiral Spritz ($12,
kinkycurly.com) is excellent for
refreshing styles and combating frizz.
G Hair Rules Curly Whip ($9.50,
beauty.com) is ideal for thick,course
and wiry hair textures.
G Mixed Chicks Leave-in
Conditioner/Styling Cream
($19,mixedchicks.net ) keeps hair
moisturized and texture well defined.
G Curls Coconut Sublime
Moisturizing Conditioner ($16,
curls.biz) hydrates and softens tresses
and leaves them smelling wonderful.
G Mizani True Textures Moisture
Stretch Curl Extending Cream ($20,
beauty supply stores) helps to loosen
and define tightly textured hair.
For more on products for textured
styles, visit heartandsoul.com.
Natural
G by julia chance
PHOTO: Masterfile
C
omedienne Wanda Sykes does it.
Actress Tracee Ellis Ross and
“Extra” co-host Tanika Ray have
made it their signature. It’s always been a part of Jill Scott’s style
repertoire. Even Beyoncé’s little sister,
Solange, is flirting with it. What’s the
“it” that these beauties share? They’ve
embraced their textured tresses and are
taking the look to stylish new heights.
And according to top stylists we spoke
to, they’re not the only ones.
A major reason for this style shift,
says Anu Prestonia of Khamit Kinks
natural hair care salon in New York City,
is “a generation of young women who
feel freer to experiment with natural hair.
Rather than wearing braids, locs or
twists, they’re going for freer styles” that
emphasize the waves, curls or coils that
come naturally for a lot of us.
In addition, says Craig Carter of
Carlos Lobo salon in New York City,
“There are a lot of new hair products on
the market made to enhance texture.
These innovative styling gels, creams, lotions and serums are moisture enriched,
define texture like never before and have
softening agents to make hair more
manageable.”
Convenience is another draw toward
textured ’dos, says Anthony Dickey, who’s
been at the forefront of this trend with
his New York-based Hair Rules salon
and product line. “These styles are easier
to maintain and require less work,” he
says. “It’s the closest many black women
have been to having fuss-free hair.”
Since a lot of the ways we’ve styled
our hair over the decades have involved
straightening, many of us have lost touch
with our true texture. We don’t know
how to style or care for it.The traditional
Afro, in all its picked-out glory, was an
earlier attempt toward our acceptance of
natural hair, but “it involved pulling the
hair out for length and volume,” Dickey
says. “We pulled the curl detail out so we
never saw what it could do.”
And stylistically it had its limitations.
“Whether it was short, medium or a big
old Jackson 5 type of ’fro, it had a certain
precision and structure to it,” Prestonia
recalls. “Today it’s more about free-flowing ’fros and not being so uptight about
what the shape looks like.”
Another factor that prevented many
of us from knowing our hair was the lack
of products on the market formulated to
bring out its best characteristics. A lot of
the shampoos we used to get our hair
squeaky clean were actually robbing it of
the moisture that tighter textures need.
And then there was hair grease. “We
used pomades to control our hair, but
many of them were petroleum based and
not good for the health of our hair and
scalp,” Prestonia says. Now, says Dickey,
“We understand a whole lot more about
hair, so it’s about choosing products that
are texture rather than ethnic specific.”
The beauty of this new way of rocking
natural hair is the individuality it offers,
he continues. “It’s brought about more
diversity and uniqueness to the ways in
which black women style their hair.”
There’s never been a better time to
discover the beauty of your hair’s own
texture. The best way to determine it,
says Carter, is to observe your hair when
it’s wet. “That will indicate how tight or
loose your natural curl pattern is.” From
there it’s all about researching products
and techniques to help you maintain and
style it. Here are some product recommendations and informational resources
to help get you started:
Sites to See
The textured hair movement has sparked
several Web sites and blogs dedicated to
all things curly and coily. For styling
tips, product and salon recommendations and forums on the topic, here are
five of our faves:
1
2
3
4
5
CurlyNikki.com Psychotherapist Nikki
Walton’s blog promotes the beauty and
healthy benefits of natural hair; featured
testimonials and photos submitted by readers are style inspiring!
NaturallyCurly.com This comprehensive site,dedicated to wavy,curly and
kinky-curly hair,is a virtual celebration
of texture.
Nappturality.com What began as a
Yahoo! forum by founder Patricia
Gaines nine years ago has evolved
into a full-fledged Web site and popular information exchange for natural hair wearers.
Hairrules.com Stylist Anthony
Dickey’s site features product application videos and a practical photo-illustrated“Kinky,Curly,Wavy”hair guide.
Nappyhairaffair.com Writer Linda
Jones’hair affirmations site grew out
of informal“hairepy”sessions with
friends who preferred natural styles.
Julia Chance is Heart & Soul’s senior editor, beauty and fashion.
JUNE/JULY 2010 • HEARTANDSOUL.COM
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