Hair of the day: Nicole Sherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger with elegant braids at the Industry Music Trust's Awards.

More braid styles in our Braidzillas hair gallery on Facebook.

As I Am launch a new TV commercial

As I Am, the hair care brand dedicated to natural hair, is launching a new television advertising campaign in the United States. The ads will be streamed on BET & Centric. View the advert here.

As I Am was founded by Dr Ali N.Syed, chemist, creator of Avlon industries (1984). Before that, Avlon industries mainly focused on chemically treated hair care with brands such as Affirm and KeraCare.

We haven't tested the products ourselves but they have received good reviews on Youtube (see below). Have you tried As I Am products? What are your thoughts?

If you live in the UK, As I Am products are available on gidore.com. 

Style of the week: The Apple Tree

A very original creation by hair stylist Adeola Sbd

Model: Nana Afua Antwi

Hair gallery: Afros

 A fewcouple of ideas to help you wear your afro in style, whether it's short, medium or long.

Trend: The turban

We saw them at the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring fashion show this week, Eva Mendes was wearing one at the Toronto film festival and they are all over the place in streets of London. The vintage turbans... this is an old school revival trend not to be missed.

Turbans can be very handy when you need to hide your hair while deep conditioning with a under a plastic cap. You can also use it in the winter for protective styles. 

How will you wear yours? Will you go for the vintage model in one colour or the current designs with fluorescent prints?

Street Hair: Kemi

Name: Kemi
City: London, UK
Hair type: Natural hair, never relaxed
Styling: Braids, buns, straighten with blow dryer/flat iron on very rare occasions, threading.

Meet Cherish Angula, founder of Cherished Hair

On Saturday, Cherish Angula hosted a Hair Party in South London. The founder of the London-based hair shop specialised in Remy & Virgin extension and lace wigs gave a warm welcome to her guests, among which model Alisha White, with a hair styling stand, make up, free manicures, champagne and cupcakes. 

View all pictures of the event on our Facebook page.

We asked her a few questions about her brand, her haircare habits and tips for extensions/weaves lovers.

Why did you decide to create Cherished Hair? 

I was buying hair like most people are now from random vendors, I had been ripped off, I've had wrong things sent to me under misguided information etc. I noticed a clear gap in the market for a reputable and accountable virgin hair brand  that delivered a quality hair at a competitive price and with clear brand identity. So I decided to bridge that gap and hence the birth of Cherished Hair.

What do you feel you bring to the market?

I feel Cherished Hair brings affordable luxury to the market. We're professional and reputable are main ethos is to make the women that use our hair to have a pleasurable experience and ultimately feel good, taken care of and cherished! This is something that is lacking with a lot of other Virgin hair brands.

How do you select the hair? 

We have partners internationally that we have sourced with due diligence to ensure that we are supplied with some of the finest hairs on the market. We also have a periodic quality control check so we have a through process in place.

Model Alisha White at the Cherished Hair Party

What types of products do you sell? 

We sell extensions (machine weft), closures and lace wigs. We will soon be expanding the range with our own custom exclusive pieces but you'll have to stay tuned for that (laughs).

In your opinion, what are the advantages of wearing a weave? 

Weaves equal versatility, that’s their main advantage. You can have it short, long coloured and bleached. In addition they are great protective styles. You can have the versatility you want. Change up your looks regularly without damaging your own hair.

What is the best way to take care of human hair, particularly at
night? 

Best way is to wrap it with a silk scarf or if not sleep on a silk pillow.

How is the best way to take care of your own hair when wearing a
weave? 

Moisturise. Keeping your hair moisturised is a big part of having healthy hair. So don’t forget about your natural hair be sure to moisturise it every other day or two days and the same should go for your virgin hair weave although depending on the hair you may only need to use a light serum on it a couple of times a week and that would be sufficient. Try to wash it every two to three weeks and don’t keep a weave in longer than eight weeks.

Cherished Hair Party, manicure

Your slogan is "where fabulous hair is all that matters" Do you think
that we as women have got so busy that we can almost neglect our hair? 

Definitely everyone is into life in the fast lane so as get up and go as possible is most womens ideal hair style. However I think with being educated on different hair styles, techniques and hair pieces you can achieve fabulous style without compromising the health of your natural hair and that's what Cherished Hair is primarily about.

Cherished Hair party, make up session

            Are you natural or relaxed?

I'm relaxed. I relax my hair probably three or four times a year.

How do you style your own hair? Do you prefer tracks, weaves, wigs? 

I use pretty much everything. It just depends on how I'm feeling at that time, how im dressed, the climate, activity etc. On a low key day I may wear my natural hair in a bun or add pieces to make a big ninja bun or jumbo braid. I don’t wear tracks/sew-ins too often because I like to get to my scalp (lol) plus I like to wash my hair at least once a week so wigs are great alternative.

Are you a salon or DIY person?  

I'm more of a DIY person! Due to my passion for hair I'm constantly experimenting I've done it all, chopped it off, bleached it, shaved it and carved in designs but I get bored easily so I love to change my style regularly so being able to do hair and my hair myself was an advantage not mention allowing more change for the shoe fund.

Cherished Hair party - Cupcakes!!

Visit http://www.cherishedhair.com/

Hairstyle of the week: Alicia Keys' big cut

Singer Alicia Keys debuted her career with the hairstyle that made her famous: cornrows. She then moved on to a more traditional look with long, silky locks. 

Her hair stylist, Tippi Shorter told Essence magazine that she's been considering a new and shorter look for five years. She apparently decided to make the big cut to coincide with the launch of her latest opus: "This seemed like the perfect time [for a cut] with the release of a new song appropriately titled ‘New Day."

Summer 2012

 Alicia in the early days of her career with her trademark cornrows

Straight styles 

Cornrows styles

 

 
 

Event: Beautiful Textures UK launch

A demonstration by Felicia Leatherwood

The UK launch of Beautiful Textures took place at Soho Bar, London, on Thursday 31 May. The event was was co-hosted by celebrity hair stylist Felicia Leatherwood who performed a twist-out demonstration. Beautiful Textures products were designed for curly, tightly curly and kinky hair and will be available at affordable prices (ie around £5).

More pictures on Afromag's Facebook page

Visit www.beautifultextures.com/

Afromag meets... Julie Oli from Healthy Afro Hair

Julie Oli, UK-based hair specialist, author and speaker is the Founder of Healthy Afro Hair. She teaches her knowledge and expertise to women in search of solutions to their hair growth problems.

When we first bumped into her Youtube channel a few months ago, we loved the fact that it was clear and exhaustive. It contains videos detailing the key steps of a healthy hair regime (ie: “How I wash my hair”, “How I condition my hair”, “How I detangle my hair” etc).

We were delighted to hear that she would be holding a seminar at the Afro Hair & Beauty Live Show in London this weekend (stand 25) and wanted to catch with her before the event to let you know her hair secrets. 

First of all thank you for accepting our interview. At Afromag, we support every initiative promoting the beauty of afro women and inspiring them to love themselves more. Healthy Afro Hair is definitely one of those. Our first question is the following: how long is you hair now?
Well, I decided to cut my hair back in December 2011, due to the ends becoming thin and I wanted to bring it back to a nice manageable length with more thickness. So I am currently between Armpit length (APL) and back bra-strap length (BSL).

You started your healthy hair journey in September 2007. What happened? Who inspired you?

The turning point was that I was sick and tired of my hair always breaking. I was determined to find a solution so I went on hair care forums, blogs. I researched for about a month and Ultra Black Hair Growth by Cathy Howse made me decide to implement my own hair care journey.

Who is you hair inspiration?

Cathy Howse because Ultra Black Hair Growth is the first book I read on black hair care. When I saw her pictures online and how she grew her hair I thought: wow! Let’s read her book and see what she has to offer.

In your opinion, what’s the biggest mistake black women make with their hair?
I would say heat appliances, because constant usage causes damage to our hair. Another point is moisturising the hair. Our hair texture is naturally dry, so we need to be moisturising twice a day to prevent breakage and this is not done often enough.

How do you wear your hair on a daily basis?
Before I began my hair journey, I imagined I would wear my hair out on a daily basis. However, due to the hard work and effort I put into growing it over the years, I realised that it needed to be handled with care, so now I wear many protective hair styles to prevent my hair from rubbing against my clothes and causing breakage (which is a common problem).

What protective styles do you recommend for people with short hair?
I would recommend them trying half wigs to help assist in growing and maintaining their hair on a daily basis. This way, they do not have a weave directly sewn into the hair and can therefore continue their hair care regime daily.

Doesn’t it create a lot of product build-up to moisturise so often?
Not really, because I wash and condition my hair on a weekly basis to help remove the product build up on my hair and scalp, so that helps.

You said on your website that the secret to hair growth is learning to understand what your hair wants and being patient. Can you be more specific?
Yes, I recommend doing thorough research and listening to proven, tried and tested methods that actually work; using myself as an example. It's also about trial and error, in terms of trying various hair products on your hair. For example, if a moisturiser makes your hair feel dry, then you know it’s not for you. Everyone’s hair is different. But it's important to read the ingredients on the packaging and avoiding ingredients such as Petroleum/Mineral oils (which prevent moisture from penetrating the hair) and Short chain Alcohols (which dry out the hair).

You provide one to one consultations and a 12 week coaching programme. What does it entail?

It’s basically checking on the clients every week (by Skype or over the phone). On Week  1, we sit down and identify the problem, examine their diet, the  products they’re using and create a regimen. Then on Week 2, they give feedback and we try to find solutions. The programme lasts 12 weeks because that’s the time it took me to start noticing some results. I believe people are more successful when they’re watched.

Do you have natural clients?

Yes. It’s not about having natural or relaxed hair but more about finding the regime we need.

Wash day can be quite challenging for naturals, especially when it comes to drying the hair out without heat (air drying). What do you recommend?

If you have natural hair, you need to be moisturing while you’re air drying otherwise it will tangle. You can tie it down or twist it to keep it flat while it dries. Then take it down and moisturize again every couple of hours until it’s fully dry. 

I believe that spray moisturisers are better than lotions because they allow to get between the strands. They are water based, quicker and more convenient.

Tell us a bit more about your seminar at the London Afro Hair & Beauty Live Show.
Well, it's only for 45mins, so I’ll be going back to the basics and sharing my hair growth story and how it all started, as well as the MYTHS that have prevented us from growing longer, stronger, healthier hair.

Just to add that I have set up a Facebook group specifically for women (both relaxed and natural) to come together to discuss their hair problems, solutions and work together to successfully grow their hair. It's a private group for anyone to join. Details are below.

Website:  www.julieoli.com/

Facebook : www.facebook.com/HealthyAfroHair

Youtube: www.youtube.com/HealthyAfroHair

Twitter @healthyafrohair

Fro of the day: Inna Modja

Name: Inna Modja (real name: Inna Bocoum)
Job: Singer
From: Mali
Date of birth: 19 May 1984
Favourite hair products: Mizani, shea butter, natural oils

Celebrity hairstyle: Leela James

Leela James is a singer born in 1983 in California. She is also known as a natural hair inspiration. She's never relaxed her hair thanks to her mother's influence and hasn't felt any pressure from the music industry to do so. However, she's not an afro activist and believes that one shouldn't give too much importance to somoene's hair style:


"Hair politics are so stupid. I wish somebody would say that if I straighten my hair, I'm not as "Black" as someone with a natural. A hairstyle doesn't have anything to do with how conscious you are. India Arie said it best with her song "I'm Not My Hair." And listen, some people wear afros and loc their hair, but they're just as Uncle Tom as they can be. Everybody knows somebody that's like, "I burn my incense, I'm so righteous, I'm so spiritual..." Give me a break!" (source: essence magazine)

She maintains her hair with a very simple hair regimen including shampoo and braids as a protective style: "I usually wash and condition in the shower, but I've been known to flip my hair over into the kitchen sink too... old school style, LOL! It all depends on my mood. I deep condition and apply hot oil treatments regularly. I recommend everyone do this, at least once a month."

Here's how she creates the mega afro above: "On wash day, I apply a leave-in conditioner and create 5 or 6 braids or plaits. I braid on damp hair and allow it to air-dry. Once it's fully dry, I take the braids down, comb them, and then tease it out using a pick or a wide tooth comb. Sometimes I'll lightly blow it out with a dryer, but that's really it! In between styling sessions, I dampen the hair, re-braid and repeat." (source: curlinikki.com)

Read her interview in Essence magazine

First posted on 28 July 2010.

Celebrity Hairstyle: Cassie vs Jada Pinkett-Smith

 The shaved head is still in. When Cassie did it first in 2009, we thought it would be a craze but she hasn't gone back since then. Jada Pinkett-Smith also adopted that extreme style on a regular basis and her daughter Willow is following the path.

The challenge with shaved hair is maintenance and options. Having long straight hair makes it easier for Cassie and Jada to hide the shaved part and switch back to a conventional look for work or formal events.


Cassie, the young hipster, and Jada, the mature woman, have two very different approaches. So who wears the shaved head better? Cast your vote below:

Jada tends to leave more hair and often hides the shaved side for a classic look. She revealed her shaved side last night at Sean Penn's fundraising for Haïti in Cannes with bare make-up, a sparkling dress and elegant earrings (see above).

Cassie's hair is shaved very low which gives her a more drastic look. She is not afraid to look edgy and goes all the way with large hipster glasses, high ponytails and gigantic accessories.

Hair of the day: Halle Berry or Tia Mowry?

Today's battle is between two curly actresses. It looks like Halle Berry is going natural and letting her light brown curls out. Meanwhile, Tia Mowry is doing the dramatic look with long, straight, dark locks and a bang.

10 ways to wear natural hair

A selection of natural hairstyles for your inspiration.

How to - Flat Twisted Chignon

The flat twisted bun or chignon is a perfect look for special events. Our model is natural and wanted to achieve a relaxed look so we decided to flat iron. This style can be done on natural hair.

We used kanekalon (Expressions) hair extensions for the bun part.  If you do this style on natural unstraightened hair, make sure that you use natural-looking extensions for the bun.

1. Apply a heat protectant. We used Fantasia IC Hair Polisher.

2. Blow dry and flat iron OR roller set and sit under a hooded dryer.

3. Create a side part with a small comb.

4. Flat twist each side of the hair. You will end up with two small twists coming out from each side on the back of the head.

5. Smooth the edges with a tooth brush and a combination of Cantu Sheer Butter/Organic Roots Edge Control.

6. Tie a scarf around your edges for at least 15 minutes.

7. Braid the hair extensions on the small twists (obtained in step 4). You will get two long ponytails.

8. Twists each ponytail.

9. Roll them up to create a bun.

10. Pin them up with bobby pins.

Top 10 straight hairstyles of the week

1. Sanaa Lathan with a middle part and curled ends
2. Ashanti with 'rainbow' ends
3. Michelle Obama and her classic cut


More pictures in the picture gallery below. And go to Afromag's straight hairstyles board on Pinterest for more inspiration.

Hair gallery: Short Hair Styles

Don't know what to do with your short hair? Are you convinced that it's not feminine enough? Are about to give up leaving your hair out and resort to braids, extensions or wigs instead?

Here are a few ideas to help you look feminine with short natural hair.

1. Use make up - if you like wearing make up, use a kohl pencil and mascara to accentuate and deepen your look.

2. Look after your eyebrows - shaping your eyebrows will also contribute to a more feminine look. If you want to darken them, black is not necessarily the smartest option as it can look artificial. Prefer greys and light browns.

3. Don't forget the accessories - large colourful earrings will help frame your face and make you stand out.