CheapThrills

Beyoncé's washed-out L'Oreal ad and role models

Beyoncé’s L’Oreal print ad (shown to the right, in which she appears totally whitewashed) has been sparking discussion all over the blogosphere. I was reading some thoughts presented by one of my daily reads, The Black Snob, and came across a comment to her post that went something like this:

"…who cares how light or dark Beyonce is? She is an incredibly talented singer and she has done well for herself. She doesn't go out and get trashed or forget to wear important articles of clothing under short skirts, like certain other celebrities. Actually, she is one of the few celebrities I would actually call a good role model. It's really none of my business what shade her skin is.”

This really got me to thinking. Does the commenter have a point? Is Beyoncé a good role model? Why do we all seem to care so much about her complexion?

I had to travel back in time to find my answers to these questions. Back to when I was about 10.  Even though my mom wore her hair natural, I seriously believed that light skin and straight hair were the norm.

Why? Well, ever notice that there are virtually no ads on TV or in mainstream fashion magazines for Black beauty products?

Truth be told, advertising lied to me on a daily basis.  Ads for hair dyes, foundations, lip sticks – all of it. I’d watch a Pantene TV spot and then save up my allowance for a bottle shampoo because I thought it’d make my thick curly hair flow in the wind.

Notice, you'll never find a disclaimer on a Pantene ad that says, "Our advanced Pro-V Formula will not work for Black hair. No matter how many times you use it." After many failed attempts, months of savings spent and a few tears shed, I realized that Pantene would never do for me what it claimed it could do for everyone.

So finally, at the age of 11, I got my hair chemically relaxed. When I walked out of the beauty parlor, I had straight hair down to my waist that the wind could carry effortlessly.

I’d never felt such joy.

Now, we see beautiful high-profile Black women taking the Pro-V standard of beauty (the White standard, really) and emulating it. Women like Tyra Banks (shown), sporting fake hair every day. Claiming she’s a “slave to her weave.” Women like Beyoncé, who is becoming lighter and lighter right before our very eyes.

But in reality, they are projecting the ultimate lie. They’re celebrating this phony ideal that little Black girls will try to achieve. That little Black girls have been trying to achieve for years.

And lying does not a good role model make.

Beyoncé's L’Oreal ad? That’s not African-American beauty. That’s someone else’s beauty. I'd like to see a little more of ours.

Related:
Jezebel: Photoshop of Horrors
Guardian: Mighty White
Afrobella: Whitewash and Photoshop
Racialicious: Feria Can Lighten Anything You Want
E! Online: We Didn't Lighten Beyonce. Honest.

Stuff Black People Hear

I’ve talked a little on this blog about all the ridiculous things I’ve been asked/heard people say regarding my race over the years, and just yesterday I got into a funny comment convo on the topic over at Jezebel. So I thought I’d put together a funny/tragic Friday post with a few of the "best hits" -

• “You have all the best Black features. Just like Beyoncé.”
• One person to another, with me standing there: “Go ahead, touch her hair! She doesn’t mind at all.” [YES I DO]
• Person: “Where are you from?” Me: “Philly.” Person: “No, like, originally?” Me: “Philly.”
•  “Do you need a pillow when you sleep? Because your hair is so poofy!”
• Little girl: “You have crazy hair.” Me: “It’s not crazy. It’s just curly.” Little Girl: “Noooo, it’s CRAZY.”
• “You look just like [insert any light-skinned Black actress’ name here]!”

The one that floored a bunch of commenters (which I included in the post linked to above): “You’re Black, but you aren’t really Black.”

What does that even mean? Funny thing is, the person who said this is actually really nice, and I think he meant it as a compliment. Which is so unbelievably sad.

But this is just my modest list of particularly shocking comments. I’m sure others can add on with equally eyebrow-raising ‘ish.

Related: Black People Love Us

The Interracial Chronicals: A question from Grandpop

Now that an Interracial man is on the path to becoming the Dem nominee, I thought it would be fun to post short excerpts and insights from the life of an Interracial American (me).

So here’s one. I went home last weekend for an Italian family celebration, wearing my hair out. Like, big and curly and festive. (Sidenote: As you may or may not know, my hair garners perpetual curiosity and unabashed amazement wherever it goes - but this is the topic of a separate post.)

I got to talking with my grandfather about dress code at my office. He asked me if I am ever asked to pull my hair back or wear it straight/in a bun. I smiled, thinking that the question was entirely timely considering the recent blowup at Glamour.

I told him no, that in fact my co-workers delight in my curls.

He nodded. And smiled to himself. My Grandpop, a Sicilian man of 84, seemed pleased and impressed that my work allows me to wear my hair as natural as it wants to be.

Hair product tip for “dry and rebellious hair”

So I’ve had these Kerastase samples sitting in my bathroom for over a year, and I only just realized that the entire package is worth over a hundred bucks. Which means that the products have got to be good for something, right?

And just my luck, the particular product line gathering dust is exactly on point for my hair type—Kerastase Oleo-Relax, a product line designed to tame, soften, and actually loosen tight crazy curls like mine. I’m often wary of products that are mainly targeted to the Caucasian market, but I suppose curly is curly because this stuff is the bomb.

I haven’t tried the whole product regiment (shampoo, conditioning “masque”, holding product), but I did test out the Serum Oleo-Relax. I used a fair amount before I towel-dried my hair, and then put a little Garnier Soft Curl goop over top just to ensure that my curls held.

And let me tell you, my hair has never felt softer. Like, I can’t stop touching it.

Downside:  I used half the bottle in one use, which will happen if you have very thick hair. But G20 Spa and Salon on Newbury Street (my favorite spa and salon in Boston) sells the product line for less than it's priced online ($25 at the salon, vs. $34 online).

If you’re in the market for a new product, try out the Kerastase Oleo-Relax line and let me know what you think! And just FYI - if you've got relatively thick hair, I'd recommend the Serum over the Mist or the Elixir in the product line, just because they are a bit more watery and will not hold in your hair as well.

And, as always, I’m always open to new product recommendations (check out some great ones from commenters here).

Celebrating Black History Month: Pippi Longstocking braids in all their glory

Yesterday, in honor of Black History Month, Jezebel posted this great piece showcasing retro Black hairstyle photos submitted by their readers. Clicking through these pictures of little girls adorned with barrettes and beads galore really brought me back to the days of 15-hour blowdrying and hair-braiding sessions. Oh, how I dreaded those Saturdays. My mom and I would watch Baywatch or I’d play rented Nintendo games as she systematically parted, blow-dryed, hot-combed and rebraided my frighteningly think hair. In fact, the whole ordeal was so remarkably unforgettable that I recounted it in one of my college application essays.

Judging from these photos, it looks like my hair story is not unique. Also looks like a lot of moms, just like mine, spent countless hours making their babies look beautiful. So it all worked out in the end.

Can you guess which photo is mine? The hint’s in the title of this post.

Jessy Lockward, G20 Salon: fab Bostonian Black hair stylist, fab Newbury Street salon and spa

Haven’t put a hair post up in awhile! I think it’s time. But don’t fret, my straight-haired friends, this one might appeal to you as well (well... maybe).

I wore my hair chemically relaxed for over a decade, from the age of 11 to about 23. And it really put a strain my hair, causing it to be very brittle and dry. Consequently, I couldn’t really play with color. But now that I’m finished with burning relaxers and all the complications they bring (like jagged split ends and an abnormal fear of chlorine), I’m free to color my hair however I want without having to worry about entire locks breaking off (ok, that really happens).

Having said that, I had always gone to Black hair salons to get my hair relaxed and straightened. And they did a bang-up job. But I had a slightly different experience once I began coloring my hair. Not that they did a bad job per se, but time after time and salon after salon the stylists just didn’t get the color quite right. Now I’m just speculating, but I think it might be because not many Black women permanently color and/or highlight their hair. Many use over-the-counter boxed hair dye, rinses, or semi-permanent dyes on relaxed hair (they are less harsh).

But White women… they seem to highlight their hair a ton. Like, for keeps. And then it occurred to me - why not try a Black stylist at a White salon?

And so I did. And I found the best stylist in the world: Jesse Lockward. She’s the queen of color (no pun intended) at the hippest salon in Boston, G20 Salon located at the bottom of Newbury Street by Mass Ave. Before my first appointment, I sat down with Jesse for a “color consultation” and we picked out the best highlights and lowlights for my hair. She then went into another room and mixed small amounts of the bleach and dye that we’d need. I had never seen a stylist mix his or her own colors before – apparently G20 is famous for their hand-mixed dyes.

Not only is Jesse amazing with color, but she’s also a sensational blow-dryer and all-around stylist—for any type of hair. Most of her clients have straight or wavy hair, in fact. But as the word gets out among Black women, she’s also getting more and more Black clients—which is wonderful. 

I’ve been seeing Jesse for about a year now, and I’m never disappointed. Whenever I leave G20 and strut onto Newbury Street, I'm feeling beautiful and confident. Sometimes she leaves my hair curly, and sometimes I ask her to press it straight (just to mix it up a little). I never thought I’d see my hair as straight as it was when I was relaxing it, but Jesse proved me wrong. Anyone who can accomplish this kind of transformation in 2 hours deserves a medal (I know, silliest photos ever).

Jesse Lockward, Stylist
G20 Salon and Spa
338 Newbury Street
(617) 262-2220

Holiday hairstyles, from Ryan to you!

For me, when I think of the holidays the first thing that comes to mind is always (yep, you guessed it) hair! I spend Christmas with my cousins, who are interracial as well, and the default topic of conversation is always our hair… what products we’re using on it, how we’re wearing it, whether we should go natural, put a texturizer in, or just throw in the cards and relax it. It’s always fun to compare notes.

So with hair on the brain (sounds gross!), here are a few holiday hairstyle recommendations for women with thick, curly hair or natural black/interracial hair like mine (I’d say 3b-4b hair textures). These are styles that you can do on your own that don’t take a ton of time. Pull these out when you’re glamming up for your holiday or New Years parties :)

WARNING: These styles will make your hair look and feel soft like a pillow, and therefore people will try to touch it. Strangers even. They think it’s okay to touch your hair. They think you like it. So if you don’t like it (and I’m sure you don’t), tell them that you are not a Chia Pet. Tell them to back off the 'do.

1. Pretty Poof
Requirements:
- Hair tie(s)
-Comb
- Light moisturizing cream and styling mousse/gel (nothing that leaves your hair crunchy)
I love puffs and poofs—they’re both adorable and sophisticated at the same time. For an exceptionally regal look, put the poof high on your head.

Nadia Turner from American Idol (left) leaves her curly-cues intact, while Kathleen from ANTM Cycle 8 (top right) picks her hair out a bit. Both looks are fly, in my opinion. To add some color or sparkle, I think a very thin headband would look nice as well (nothing too chunky or clunky, and NOTHING plastic).

If you’re in more of a puff mood, try jazzing it up with a zig zag part (another fave of mine).  

2. Side ‘Fro
Requirements:
-Bobby pins galore
-Comb
- Light moisturizing cream and styling mousse/gel (nothing that leaves your hair crunchy)
A fun and flirty style. Be sure to pin down one whole side of hair and pick out the hair on the other side. I recommend wetting the side your pinning down and smoothing it with styling gel. The style should come out looking something like this (Jill Scott didn't pick her's out):
   
 

3. Faux Hawk
Requirements:
-Bobby pins galore
-Hair clips
-Comb
-Shellac! Thick hair gel to keep things in place

Nadia Turner… man she ROCKS this 'do.

To be honest, I haven’t yet discovered how to achieve this kind of faux hawk greatness. I’ve been separating a chunk of hair out in the front and pinning it higher on my head, bouffant style. But I’m going to try to mimic Nedia’s style for New Years… might be a little too “cutting edge” for company holiday parties.

4. Braid-lined ‘Fro
Requirements:
-    French braiding/cornrowing abilities
-    Hair tie
-    Light moisturizing cream
-    Bobby pins

Cornrow around your hairline to create a headband effect. Then pin the back down and up off of your neck. And then tease/pick out your hair as much as you’d like. This is a favorite style of mine—one that works great for any kind of party or night on the town.

Do anything special with your hair for the holiday (party) season? Or got and special style tips? Let's hear 'em!

Opinions on Glamour's ex-editor Ashley Baker and Racism

Since I write about African-American natural hair all the time, I figured I should post something about the Glamour hair debacle. For those of you who don’t know what’s been going down, (former) Glamour magazine editor Ashley Baker gave a slide show to some NYC lawyers on the “Do’s and Don’t of Corporate Fashion.” Here are some notes from the show (from Jezebel):

First slide up: an African American woman sporting an Afro. A real no-no, announced the 'Glamour' editor to the 40 or so lawyers in the room. As for dreadlocks: How truly dreadful! The style maven said it was 'shocking' that some people st ill think it 'appropriate' to wear those hairstyles at the office. 'No offense,' she sniffed, but those 'political' hairstyles really have to go.

Here's more information on what actually went down: http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1188161099761

My take: I do what I want!

No but seriously, this is the curly beautiful hair we were born with and we can wear it in however style we please. I say, as long as you take care of your hair (in whatever style you fancy), you’ll look great. And if your company has a problem with that, well maybe you’re just too good for them. In fact, you definitely are, so kick 'em to the curb.

I sent an article on the issue around to some friends and family, and wanted to post two responses.

My mother’s take (an African-American professor of linguistics):

I was unaware of this issue, but it's come up at various times in the past, since the "black-is-beautiful" era. What I remember about those times is that the "majority" society was pretty freaked out by afros, especially the really really big ones.  Then more recently, the braids seemed to freak people out -- they were deemed inappropriate at the workplace.  I don't know what people say about dreads these days -- probably the same.

But here's what I think (and not surprisingly):

Are these "inappropriate at the workplace" type comments racist?  Of course they are.  Such comments reveal an indirect racism.  But it's racist nonetheless.  The people who say such things are not going to come right out and say something really stupid, so instead they attack peripheral attributes -- note these attributes involve CHOOSING something to enhance a nearly inalienable attribute -- "natural" hair; language.

Reminds me of dialect stuff.  People say African-American english is inappropriate in the workplace.    No one, as far as I know, castigated Clinton or Carter for their southern dialects, i.e. that it is/was inappropriate for the workplace.  They chose to speak the way they speak while in office. Big deal.  But let an African American say something like "he be late," and everybody gets bent out of shape assigning all sorts of negativity to the speaker.  Remember the whole Oakland school board controversy a few years back?

With hair, I think what's going on is that some people are freaked out when African-Americans choose NOT to adopt "majority" ways.  So speaking AA (African-American) English, or wearing dreads, or dashikis appear to them to be political, i.e. threatening.

What an odd locution -- "political." What could it possibly mean?  In other words, to say that dreads/breads are "political" seems to me to mask something deeper, something insidious and ugly that the person who says it really doesn't want to expose, at least not publicly.

Also when did "racially insensitive" replace "racist?"

My boyfriend’s take (a white male):

I like afros and dreads when worn with dignity.  It’s a black pride thing, in my opinion.

Other interesting opinions:
Afrobella
Jezebel
Ask This Black Woman

What do you think, readers? Racist or not? Does natural hair = Black pride?

Ryan's Fall Fashion Recommendations

We all know that the weather in Boston throws a huge tantrum from December to June. But, it does a pretty good job of making Bostonians smile in autumn. The foliage is gorgeous; the Sam Oktoberfest is flowing, and the fashion options are pretty dope. In October, it’s generally still warm enough to play around with your style without having to worry about freezing your butt off.

This fall, I decided to overhaul my old look at do it up autumn style. Here are a few things I’m trying:

1. I’m all about the boots—but not played out Uggs (why were these ever popular?! I’m happy to say I never owned a pair) or spike heels and pointy toes. No no no, this fall it’s cowboy boots. Authentic cowboy boots! No fancy pantsy designer cowboy boots that wear out in a year. I’m talkin’ real deal boots with leather soles that you gotta break in. Boots that you’ll hand down to your kids. Boots that were handmade and hand- stitched and hand-nailed.

Got these bad boys from Rick Walkers on Newbury Street (they just moved from their Downtown Crossing location), one of the oldest Western apparel stores in Boston. They have the perfect selection and the staff is extremely helpful without being overwhelming. I’m a fan.

2. Skinny, washed-out jeans (not so into dark-wash). To fit inside the boots! The skinny-jean fad has been brewing for a couple years now, but I think this season it'll be an urban staple.

Okay straight-haired friends who keep givin’ me lip about my hair posts, I’m sneaking a hair style/product recommendation in here and I don’t care what you say!

3. Faux-hawk-esq ponytails/afros. I haven’t gotten too extreme with this yet (aka ANTM Kathleen’s do, pictured), but we’ll see where the season takes me. For now, I’ve just been pulling my hair back, slicking the sides, and bobby pinning a little poof on the top of my head (for a visual accompaniment, check these Flickr photos).

I’ve been using a great product that I stumbled upon (thanks Slava!)—Garnier Soft Curl Cream. While it looks like green slime, the stuff works wonders for curl definition and hold. Also, it leaves barely any residue while keeping my hair feeling soft. LOL, that was so sales-y… Garnier should be paying me for these posts.

Got any fashion tips or store recommendations for the fall? Send them my way! I’m always down for a style enhancement.

The Boston scene is showing some edge. Finally!

Seems like Boston is pretty keen on glamming it up these days… all spawning from the South End’s miraculous recreation, in my opinion. The air in the city seems to be changing as the South End - which used to be one of Boston's “scary” spots (whatever that means) - transforms itself.

What's old:

• The Back Bay and all that old, boring money that went along with it
• Newbury Street and Lamborghini show-offs
• Prada-suit wearing self-proclaimed bigshots who spend $500 at Sonsie on a bottle of Champaign to entice pretty passer-bys
• Clubs that make you wait in the cold just so it looks like they have a long line

What’s new… and better

• The South End in all of its diverse glory
• Walking from point A to point B
• Inconspicuous restaurant owners who make a point of getting to know all of their regulars
• The sexy, sleek, and stylish bar scene

The past couple evenings have really glued the pieces together for me. I attended the MAP Boston Launch Party at The Other Side Cafe. This planner highlights non-chain, slightly off-the-radar venues in Boston. And as the DJ blasted old Ol' Dirty Bastard tracks, the party felt very non-chain. I like it.

I dined at Rocca on Harrison Ave. for the first time, and I love the spot. I wasn’t expecting such lively design and funky colors, and also Rocca seemed to attract non-South-Enders. That really makes me believe that this neighborhood can and will become the standard “it” location. And though people often criticize Rocca for the small portions, I think offering half-size plates is a smart move. Personally, I lose my appetite when a waiter shoves a huge hunk of beef or towering salad in front of me. Even Presidential hopefuls are pointing out that Americans fatter than ever… so maybe smaller portions is the wave of the future.

And who knew Boston had a Fashion Week? I partied at a Fashion Event co-hosted by LIT (a little Boston-based boutique). A cool and confident scene… and an excuse for me to bust out the tube top and do something interesting with my hair.

When it comes to different, diverse, funky, and fab, I'm taking cues from Boston and making bold moves. I mean, why not?

Review! 3 Curls Hair Products and Ryan's Hair

I tried out Curls Coconut Sublime Conditioner, Curls Soufflé, and Curls Goddess Glaze. Here’s my two-sense on each of them.

My hair type = 3c-4a (very curly, thick, kinky in some spots)

Curls Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Conditioner: When I first held the bottle up to my nose, I got a craving for cake batter. In all honesty, this product smells like the yummiest, fluffiest frosting imaginable. Oh the agony... it’s not edible :)

However, though the conditioner is marketed as being able to “soften the kinkiest curl,” I think it’s too light for my hair type. After shampooing, hair like mine is usually in need of a nice smooth condition, but this product just didn’t deliver. It actually felt like cake batter in my hair – smelled good, but left my hair kinda brittle and tangled.

I tried the recommended “mid week rinse” – conditioning and detangling without shampooing – and the result was a little better but still not great. I still couldn’t run my fingers through my hair after combing it in the shower.

Bottom Line: Not recommended for 3c-4a hair. Would work better for wavier hair textures and looser curls.

Curls Soufflé: Again, smells like heaven. Amazing. 

This styling cream is designed to “defrizz, define, and hold curls while locking in moisture.” Also marketed as “great for thicker hair textures, 3c – 4b.”

After finger styling my hair with Curls Souffle, I really didn’t see any hold. My hair felt very well moisturized (and smelled hunger-inspiring), but looked kinda frizzy and messy. And tangled. Yuck.

The next day (which would be today), however, my hair feels very soft and moisturized, but a tad greasy. It feels like the product soaked into my hair 75%, but left 25% on the surface. I don’t like my hair feeling greasy.

Bottom Line: A little too greasy if your hair is well moisturized – perhaps the product would be best for super dry hair (everyone’s hair has been there). Good styling cream to have on your shelf for emergencies and/or if you are dying for a “your hair smells SOOO good” compliment.

Curls Goddess Glaze: Designed to “provide all day curl definition.” This is a styling gel, not cream. No smell at all, which is good if you like the smell of your conditioner.

I like this one. It’s heavy enough to actually define the curls but light enough to not leave your hair limp and greasy. Also leaves a pretty sheen if you’re putting you’re hair up in a puff. I actually used it over top of the Curls Soufflé once I realized that the cream would never hold/defrizz my hair. The Glaze worked like a charm. I haven’t tried it out over my full head of hair, but just from past experience I suspect it would define the curls wonderfully without drying it out and leaving that hard gel feeling (I hate that!).

Bottom Line: Good product for curly hair, and especially works well with thicker textures. Recommended for 3c – 4a hair types.

Here's a scary photo of my hair today, after using these products last night. Kinda curly, but frizzier than I would have liked. It needed to be pulled back - I would have been the Bride of Frankenstein had I worn it out.

Hope this helps! I’m very interested in hearing your experiences with the Curls products if you’ve tried them. Different from mine? The same? Let me know!

Putting products for natural hair to the TEST! Curls Souffle, Curls Goddess Glaze, Coconut Conditioner

Now that I’m on my little natural-hair-product-reviewing kick, I’ve been doing a lot of research and talking to a bunch of people with hair similar to mine. It’s so nice to feel a sense of community—bonded by our passion for natural hair products!

I have perused several sites, and found myself spending a lot of time on Curls. Their line seems to cater to multiracial women like me… though I’m always wary of multiracial products; I fear they won't adequately hold my thick hair (seeing as many interracial women have wavier curls than I do).

But these products intrigued me. Maybe because the Curls Milkshake had been suggested to me by a fellow product-lover, maybe because I like the thought of my hair smelling like coconuts, or maybe just because the site is SO thorough (it contains hair-type charts, suggestions for taking care of children’s natural hair, even 5-minute video product demos!)—Whatever it was, I had to try the products out for myself.

So I settled on three -
1)    Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Conditioner: “The conditioner your curls have been dreaming of! The most moisturizing instant rinse off conditioner on the market!” $16 for a 16 oz bottle.
2)    Curl Soufflé (Medium Curl Cream): “This soufflé textured cream defrizzes, defines and holds curls while locking in moisture. Great for thicker hair textures, 3c -4b.” (I think I’m a 3c/4a?) $16 for an 8oz jar. (Originally, I wanted to order the Whipped Cream, but the smaller container was sold out).
3)    Curls Goddess Glaze (Curl Gel): “This frizz fighting, curl enhancing, shine promoting botanical gel is fragrance free therefore is great for layering over or under your favorite styler. It works great as a stand alone gel also.” $14 for an 8oz jar.

Added bonus: they aren’t too expensive! I’m not breaking the bank to take care of my hair!

Also, these are some great names. They make my stomach rumble.

So for my little trial run, I plan on conditioning with the coconut yumminess, and then applying the curl soufflé to my wet hair. We’ll see how that holds. Next time around, I’ll do the Curls Goddess Glaze.

I’ll post a review as soon as the products are delivered—probably sometime next week.

REVIEW! Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue and Ryan's Hair

I’ve been away on vacation for 10 days, but now I’m back! There’s TONS to write about, but since I’ve been getting a lot of feedback on my hair product posts, I thought it best to post my review of Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue first thing.

My Hair Type:
Before I start, just want to give a little overview of what we're working with. I'm interracial (half African-American, half Italian). I wear my hair natural (not chemically treated at all except for some color). My hair is extremely thick and curly. The curls are looser in the front, but are quite tight at the back of my head.

Process:
I bought the medium sized jar of Curly Meringue online. It’s not very big – for a thick head of hair like mine it only lasted about 2 ½ wash and styles.

I used the Fingerstyling method described on Miss Jessie’s website. Quick recap: I washed and conditioned, and then applied a very generous amount of the Curly Meringue all through every inch of my soaking wet hair. Do not towel dry before applying the product, use it while your hair is soaking to keep your just out of shower curlies.

Also, I think you get the best results if you use right after a deep conditioning (I deep condition every week with Mizani Kerafuse Deep Strengthening Treatment).

After applying the product, I actually let it air dry – though I prefer to blow dry just a little bit to take out some of the moisture. I just didn’t have time!

Results:
(This photo was taken about 4 hours after the one above). The curls held quite well, which actually surprised me because I originally assumed that only gel could hold my ringlets. I was mistaken! Curly Meringue feels like on my hair and doesn’t harden it like many gels and sprays usually do. There’s no residue, the product totally soaks in and just leaves your hair feeling thick and luscious. My curls held for about 3 days.

Couple Observations:
1)    Okay, the smell is REALLY intense. Felt like I was dowsing my hair with a lemon meringue pie, no joke. But after my hair dried, the smell faded away. I was happy about that.
2)    If you’ve got lots of hair, get the largest jar they offer. It’s well worth it.
3)    The product doesn’t weigh your hair down, which is nice if you like to wear your hair in an airy fro.
4)    One of my commenters, Raquel, noted that it’s easy to straighten your hair if you’d like (not chemically, with a flat iron) after using the product. I haven’t tried this yet, but it’s good to know.

Reviews to come:
Thank you to everyone who has sent me recommendations on natural hair products. I plan to try them all and write up reviews. So next on this list are:
-Carol’s Daughter
-Curls Milkshake
-Deva Curl
-Mixed Chicks
We’ll see how these products take on my crazy curls!

If you’ve got any more products I should add to the list (or fun product/hair stories), please let me know.
.,,experimenting with natural hair is TOO FUN, isn’t it?

Will Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue help me own my 'fro?

After the unfortunate discontinuation of my favorite hair product, Garnier Pure Fix Extra Strong Gel (tear), I’ve taken the plunge and shelled out $35 for an 8oz. jar of Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue.  I’m hoping that it provides the ability to:

1. Define and hold my immediately-out-of-shower ringlets
2. Soften the tight texture (I hate to say it, but nappy) section in the back of my head
3. Provide a natural, NON-CRUNCHY hold (crunchy = dry!)
4. Make my hair smell nice ☺

In all honesty, I don’t need the super controlled hold that my Garnier product provided. I’ve been reading natural hair blogs (Afrobella, I luv ya) and playing around with my thick head of hair, and I’ve discovered that it looks kinda fly with less definition and more body. More oomph. Yes, I’ve decided to own my ‘fro.

For Interracial sisters out there with hair as wild as mine, look for a complete review of the Curly Meringue in a few weeks. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that we’ve found a winner!

Angelina Jolie lives in race la-la land

When I first saw the trailer for A Mighty Heart, I have to say that I was a little weirded out. I mean, c’mon, it’s kind of strange that Angelina Jolie is playing ½ Haitian ½ Dutch Mariane Pearl. Even though Jolie is always photographed wandering around the globe with her Ice Cream shop of babies, I am guessing that she doesn’t have a drop of Haitian blood in her skinny little body. And it’s not that I’m offended so much by her decision to take the part. In fact, I know that the casting choice delights Mariane Pearl. (WHY???)

I’m more, well, confused. And a little disappointed. Here’s why:

1. The bronzer and wig that they’re using to blacken up Jolie doesn’t really work. For one, she just doesn’t have Black hair. No way. And that means something to Black viewers. Ms. Jolie, you may think that your buoyant curls do the job. Newsflash: They don’t. You look more like a poodle. A scary one.
2. There’s something special about the interracial-ness of the relationship between Mariane and Daniel Pearl. Or just interracial relationships in general. A certain depth, a stronger level of understanding and compassion that can only be attained in a “star-crossed lovers” relationship situation. And as much as I can try to pretend like Jolie is interracial, SHE’S NOT. She’s a white woman married to blondie Brad Pitt. And so the on-screen relationship between Mariane and Daniel loses its real-life splendid race intricacies.
3. A Mighty Heart tells an important story. Angelina Jolie should know that. So if she wanted to screw around and self tan for a role, couldn’t she have found a less important film to do so for? Something National Lampoon? Because now many people, myself included, are more angry at Jolie’s audacity than interested in the events that the film portrays.

Bottom Line: I’m going to give A Might Heart the benefit of the doubt, for the story’s sake. But if Jolie screws it up and misrepresents us interracial women in any way (and we should really be representing ourselves on the big screen, wouldn’t you say??), she’s on my shit list forever.

Keep your eyes out for a follow-up post/discussion.