Solange Knowles: Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God Almighty I am Free At Last

(solange twitter page, click to enlarge)

So I finally peeped Solanges twitter page... and can I just say again, that I heart her. Like really really heart her. I feeeeeeeeel this girl, like she doesn't even know. The reactions of people, the negative energy is just horrible and we must ask ourselves as people of color in America- when will we finally free ourselves from bondage.

Now I'm not preaching to say "everyone should wear natural hair, and weave and perm is the enemy" NO that is NOT what I am saying.... but we shouldn't be a slave to our hair and we should learn to love our hair in a way that's most conducive to our pockets and lifestyle.

Solange better WERK that cut!

Solanges New Hair Cut: "I Am Not My Hair" (Now if her sister would just follow in her footsteps, our world would be a better place :-)

Hey Guys... so as big topic today has been Solange's new do. I give two snaps for it- cuz I love it. Why you may ask? Well as I said earlier, "I applaud Solange. Her hair cut is daring, cute, and will inspire many girls- girls of color around the world. Most importantly these hairstyles push our men (and women) to re-think their "slave-mentality brain-washed" version of what beauty is and it will allow them to really embrace one of God's greatest gifts on earth- black women"

I checked around to see what some people had to say, and what a Takiya said from Fact, Fats, and Fries caught my attention:


"Yeah she cut off her "hair", I put hair in quotations bc nowadays that's a bit questionable. How long was hair to begin with???

What celebrity have you seen rocking their natural hair????

Even kim kardashian laces that ish up, and she's Armenian!!! That tells you this is is global!!! LOL!

I can't count one, can you???

Some peoples claim to fame is just what they can do with their do. A$$IE
What crazy design they can shave into their scalp. LA LA
What punk rock Mohawk they can rock with their ill fitting clothes. Rihanna

OKAY, we get it.

You're different....

I however, as of late, cut my lush locs short and their was much reason behind the end result.

To each is their own. Ya kno, and to each person they have their own reasons for a hairdo. Whether it's because it's the newest fad or because it's time to restart again.

We all have our own selfish reasons for styling ourselves which ever way that we do.

But the reason for the mid week break, seeing that I post like every other week is in regards to ignorance begetting ignorance.

Today would be the second time in 2009 when the blogsphere have missed the mark. (The first was with the Rihanna incident. See my other post for that one.)

Matter of fact, not the blogs but the comments that have been given.

It cuts real deep when women of African descent refer to Solange's new do as a field nigger effect.

Comments that insult natural beauty outside of weaves, fronts, and wigs.

This comes from a one time relaxer, twice a natural sister, neva rocking a weave working woman type gal, if you get my drift.

I have and will continue to pose the notion that African American women will always be a slave to their hair.

Will neva let their hair breathe without chemically altering it. Or find themselves looking in the mirror to look at the natural beauty without the lush extention they bought at Hair Stop on Washington St.

I'm assuming that most women who do weave up the hair is because their natural hair is to short to be considered beautiful, in their eyes as well as others.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the excuse you have for my previous statement is probably that, nah, my hair is long enough, it's just that I like to add a bit of thickness to my already "long" straggly hair.

Okay, now that we've established that your in denial, lets move on to the next excuse you conjured up.

It's easier to manage and it's more office appropriate.

Okay, much like the movie Bolier Room, I got a load of rebuttals for the wack a$$ excuses that you can give me.

I did not say you must come to work rocking a fro and an afro pick with tribal paint slathered on your face.

It does not make you look uncivilized or non-American. And as much as you like to continue to lie to your self, trust me your co-workers and human resource could care less. Those heffas are trying to keep their job and you're certainly not on their radar.

Well Miss X, you seem to have all the answers, we can't be as brave as you and machete our hair off.

Okay I didn't ask you to!!! All I want to get through that thick weave cap, is that YOU don't have the right or privileg to comment/ critique on a woman following the route less traveled.

I applaud anybody who goes a drift simply bc they've had enough with what society says we should be.

Don't you see it folks.

We're a country of money hungry consumers and where pumped with we aren't beautiful enough without long straight hair.

While we're chasing straight hair other countries chase curly texturized hair.

Nobody is perfect and we all have our own perception of perfection.

Just 'cause you're drinking the koolaid don't hate because I'm drink running water from a well.

And yes, I (heart) Solange's new hair buzz."

The American Parlor Store: The Best Hair and Skin Products

Introducing the American Parlor Store! After so many request we decided to create a store for our GREAT American Parlor Readers. Now you'll be able to get the best products... check it out here. We just added the basics for now, and we'll be adding to it as time goes on.

The American Parlor Store
The American Parlor Store

The store features all the best products for people of color:
healthy hair regimen,
healthy skin regimen,
oils, and more.

Hairspiration: Teyanna Taylor

Go big or go home.... that's the motto of TT's hair. I looooove curls like these, so cute, so lovely. These are some of my favorite Teyanna photos:

Photo of the Day: Vanessa and Angela Simmons

They always try new hair styles, whether its rocking their own hair in a bob or rocking long wavy weaves. Here's a cute picture I came across today:

Power: President Obama Has Hair Like Me

A young black boy was invited to the White House and asked President Obama if he could touch his hair to see if it was like his...


via black girl with long hair

L'Oreal is Racist.

Word on the street is mega beauty Giant- L'Oreal is blatantly racist. They consider black, Arab and Asian women unworthy of selling its shampoo, and are being sued in a French High Court.

Check out the article posted on Black Girl w/ Long Hair:

L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, whose advertising campaigns proclaim “because you’re worth it,” was found guilty of racial discrimination for considering black, Arab and Asian women unworthy of selling its shampoo.

France’s highest court was told that the group had sought an all-white team of sales staff to promote Fructis Style, a haircare product made by Garnier, L’Oréal’s beauty division.

The word went out that Garnier’s hostesses should be BBR — “bleu, blanc, rouge” — the colours of the French flag. The expression is widely recognised in the French recruitment world as a code for white French people born to white French parents, a court was told, in effect excluding the four million or so members of ethnic minorities in France.

La Cour de Cassation, the equivalent of the US Supreme Court, said that the policy was illegal under French employment law, upholding a ruling given by the Paris Appeal Court in 2007.

The judgment was a significant blow to the image of the world’s biggest cosmetics group, which has spent millions of dollars in global advertising campaigns featuring stars such as Andie MacDowell, Eva Longoria, Penélope Cruz and Claudia Schiffer.

(L'Oreal's) image already suffered a battering when L’Oréal executives were forced to deny claims that they had lightened the singer Beyoncé Knowles’s skin for a campaign last year.


The ruling also hinted at widespread prejudice among French shoppers since L’Oréal believed that they were more likely to buy shampoo from white sales staff, the court was told.

The ruling will fuel anger among black and Arab French people, who complain that they face widespread discrimination when seeking employment.
source: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/consumer_goods/article6572173.ece

When will women of color — and especially black women — achieve "beauty equality"? Why are we considered less attractive and, in the "beauty" industry, less marketable than other women? This shit really really BOTHERS me!
What do you guys think of all this?

via Black Girl with Long Hair

5 Secrets to a Great Weave: Treat it Like Your Own Hair

1. Choose the Right Texture

Buying quality hair is absolutely essential, but it's not enough. Selecting a believable texture is critical. "Superstraight hair with nappy roots looks crazy," says celebrity stylist Porsche Waldo of Ebony Design in New York City (Faith Evans, Mya, JoJo). "I've coined the term 'Kunta meets Becky,' " says stylist Nelson Vercher of the Rita Hazan salon in New York City (Tamia, Phylicia Rashad, Britney Spears), who also wove our opening look. If the weave is bone straight and your visible hair is tightly coiled, or if the purchased hair looks like it would never have grown out of your scalp, it's wrong. Most important, the texture should be one that complements your complexion and features. It's not that you shouldn't rock straight styles; just choose hair that looks the way your own hair looks when straightened.

* Do show some scalp or your hairline so the look is more realistic. The weave and your hair should blend together beautifully. Buying human hair by the ounce, as opposed to in a pack, is the preference of top stylists. Eight to ten ounces of human hair can cost from $200 to $600.

2. Buy Human Hair

Most celebrity stylists say no to using synthetic hair. The consensus is that it looks like plastic. It also melts under heat, so forget about curling or straightening. "It just doesn't move like human hair," says Vercher. "Too many people are allergic to it," adds celeb stylist Yusef of Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa in New York City (Solange), who created the weaves on this page and the following two. But stylist to the stars Ursula Stephen (Rihanna, Keisha Cole) has a different point of view. "It really depends on what look you're going after. Sometimes synthetic hair can work, if you know how to flip it," she says. "I have some synthetic Afro-kinky hair that I put in often. I get tons of compliments when I wear it."

* Don't choose a weave that doesn't mesh with your lifestyle. If you work out a lot, try a texture and cut that needs little heat or manipulation.

3. Cut It Into Shape

What you do with your weave after it's in is just as crucial as choosing the right hair texture. Too much hair will look like a wig. "Every weave needs to be shaped according to head size and face shape," says Stephen. Yusef adds, "Razor-cut that weave; you've got to take some of the weight out of it." Natural, thinned ends are also much more believable than blunt, baby-doll ends. "If you don't have the weave shaped correctly, it won't fall naturally," says Vercher. Weavers who can cut are few and far between. Get your weave done by the best, then have it cut and thinned only by a stylist who's a whiz with the scissors.

* Do give your weave a full brush-through daily, in order to prevent tangling and matting.

* Don't flip your head upside down in the shower when washing your weave. This creates tangling.

4. Customize The Weft

Custom-blending the color and texture of each weft, also called a track, ensures a realistic weave. Top stylists swear by customized tracks, like the ones used to create every weave featured in this story. Since a variety of textures can make up a single head of hair, one secret to achieving a look that's close to what nature gave us is to blend wavy and curly or wavy and straight textures. Not only can the texture and color be varied, but the length as well. "By placing various lengths throughout the hair, I reduce bulk," says Vercher. "I still have to cut it, but I prefer to place shorter pieces on the top and longer ones on the bottom."

* Do try an alcohol-free mousse. Apply to wet hair before you blow-dry. This will hold the style in place without weighing the hair down.

5. Handle With Care

Treat your weave like you would your real hair. Don't be afraid of it. Wash it weekly and "Give it a good comb through, daily," says celebrity stylist Lawrence Davis (Tyra), who just won an Emmy for Outstanding Hair for The Tyra Banks Show. If you don't detangle daily, the hair sheds and gets tangled in the braid, causing unnecessary hair loss when you remove the track. Human hair wefts can last almost a year if you take care of them. Deep-condition like you would your own hair. Hot oil treatments and steam treatments maintain manageability. Also make sure your own hair dries properly after you wash and condition. If not, you could encourage mildew-not a healthy or pleasant-smelling scalp condition. Invest in a hooded dryer. Clip varying sections up so that the heat can get to your hair underneath. Once your hair is dry, style as usual.

* Don't forget your brows. Black brows and blond or red hair don't mix. Have your stylist lift your brow color to better coordinate with your hair color.

written by. Pamela Edwards for Essence.com

Your Best Produts Are in the Kitchen

Did you know that most of the best beauty beauty products... are in your kitchen. Yeah, that's right. I've always heard about the kitchen being one of the best places to get beauty supplies, but I never really considered it- until recently.


1. Olive Oil
2. Eggs
3. Mayo
4. Plastic Bag

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Yes this Is the same kind that you cook with.
This one of the best things for your hair because it gives it moisture. It's great to put in your hair by itself or to add to your favorite products. If your hair is extra dry and in need of moisture- do a hot oil treatment with olive oil.

Eggs
Your hair needs protein. Most protein treatments have a bit of egg in them. If your hair is brittle and damaged and breaking, crack an egg whip it up and place it throughout your hair- focusing on damage parts. For best results add olive oil, olive oil will make sure that the yolk doesn't make the hair too hard once it dries (its actually important that you add some oil). Leave on hair for 30 minutes or longer.

Mayo
This is a great thing to add to the eggs for moisture.

Plastic Bag
This isn't a product, but you can use these if you don't have a plastic cap to deep condition.