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Wassup Hair Lovers!!

As it heats up slowly here in NYC, sistas are unleashing their inner diva via great personal style and even greater--- fun hairdos!

So while taking in the sun and the scene, I took notice of the many ways that sistas were rocking their natural hair.

Outside of her beautifully cropped free curl fro, this young woman's leopard jumpsuit also caught my eye; in between shots I learned that she was an emerging designer who was seeking inspiration among the crowd.

Speaking of "crowd inspiration." Let me just take a moment to dish about the yumminess of Union Square.

FYI: The yummy factor has to be high in order for me to find great subjects to shoot.

For those of you not living in New York City, let me tell you that Union Square is the cool, hip, young, bohemian non-flashy though just as crowded version of Times Square, minus the tourist. Many of the divas that I spotted were hanging out on the "yard" right near the park surrounded by an organic farmers market, a Diesel store and a variety of artists, designers and musicians selling their wares. A lovely epic center, folks..defo get yourself down to the Square the next time you are in NYC.

Back to the hair.

As we all know our hair textures, curl patterns and lengths will vary according to ethnic make-up, genetics, product usage and personal mainatance.

This bride-to-be's naturally, soft abundant curls are proof of the variety of natural textures we share; I'm also diggin' her t-shirt, aren't you?

Sevy, another fabulous emerging designer and a good friend who I wasn't expecting to see, but wasn't surprised to find, was also chillin' in the Square. Her fro features trimmed sides with a higher top; take style note of the mod shades, the layered scarves and the divalicious swagger!

The last natural diva I caught up with, was hanging out with dudes with equally fun hair (but that's another blog post). When I asked her how she maintained her natural hair, she mentioned that she blew it straight-to-wavy on a daily basis alongside using a leave-in conditioner. I love the fullness and the length of her hair alongside the brightness of her cardigan and retro shades.

Until next time...keep it shiny!!!!

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Wassup, hair lovers!

As we shake things up over here at Hair Apparent, we intend to bring you the most innovative, relevant and fun hair blog on the web with industry interviews, stylish hair girls on the streets, celebrity trends, salon reviews and more!

This week I catch up with celebrity hairstylist Dana Gibbs of Danasloft.com.

Her fingers have not only created some of the most rocking celebrity hairstyles, but she double dips as a product innovator and salon owner.

With celebrities like Rihanna and Lauryn Hill under your flatiron, a thriving hair studio and a growing niche beauty line, tell us what a day in your life is like?

Well, I am an early bird, so I get up about 5:30a most days and read my daily prayer to get my day started. Then I make my coffee (a must have) and answer emails. Right now I am working on the press kits for the products, so most mornings I am going over everything that my publicist and graphic artist has sent me for my approval. I'm putting together local newspaper ads and also re-doing my website for the new salon and the launch of the hair products. I get to the salon about 10a.m. and do hair until about 8pm. Unfortunately with this schedule, I've put off the freelancing for a while, in order to focus on getting the salon and products off the ground.

What inspired the creation of your beauty collection and what are the yummy products available?

Being a hairstylist, it just made sense to make my own line of hair care products, which will be officially launched next month. This line is called Make Time for Me and consists of: Restore Me moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, Refresh Me tea tree shampoo and conditioner, Tex Me pomade, Save Me hair spray, Smooth Me leave in conditioner and Gloss Me laminate. These products are amazing (if I do say so myself) and are prefect for all hair types, from super curly to straight hair. At this time they are available for sale at my salon, but will soon be available on my website and hopefully in stores by this summer.

Let's chat celebrities.......How were you able to break into their world and literally get them in your hands?

It took several years to break into this freelancing business. I had to first build a strong portfolio which meant me doing a lot of test shoots (photo shoots you do free of charge for pictures) just to get enough images to take to an agent to rep me. I also had a few very good friends in the business that put me down on jobs to help me get started. I would do anything to be on a job, if someone wanted me to assist; I was there, just to be able to learn all that I could; and trust me no money was being made at those times. Once I had a good portfolio and an agent, it became a little easier, but you always have to hustle just to keep things fresh. Most of the time you get chosen by your work, then it is up to you and your personality to get called back.

Who among the "Red Carpet Famous" always gets it right in terms of their hair? What makes it "right" from your point of view? Who gets it "wrong"?

I love what Rihanna is doing. Her style right now reminds me of my own personal style. She has set whole new trends across the board and I love that! I also love Tracy Ellis Ross' look because she has kept her hair natural and showed us how to make it super stylish. There are some who seem to always be wrong (I won't name names) because they just seem to try too hard. I feel like there are a few out there who look the same and are afraid to buck the system in fear of not being accepted anymore, so a lot of folks are looking very similar. That's why I love Kelis, she always has her own style, but she doesn't always get the credit for starting new trends. She stays ahead of the curve, and that is truly fabulous!

In terms of styling, what are your specialties?

Right now I am doing weaves and extensions all day long. Most of my clients are growing their relaxers out and going natural, so we are doing weaves to get them through the transition. I love the fact that 1/3 of my clients are going natural; their hair looks thick and healthy and they can wear their hair natural or press it straight. I am also known for my hair coloring and love, love, love doing it. I specialize in doing great colors that are healthy and not destroying to the integrity of the hair.

What is the one hair trend that you think pretty much any female can wear? And are there any trends that you are totally not feeling?

I would say that there is a Bob out there for everyone. Be it layered, one length, straight bangs, swooped bang, or asymmetrical, just about everyone can wear this style. And since this is a classic look, it will always be timeless. As far as the no no's, please stay away from orange hair and I'm not talking a pretty copper, I'm talking clown orange! That is the worst! If you want a great color, let a hair color professional do the job for you. Don't go messing in your best friend's kitchen.

Breakdown for us your look right now.

I just colored my hair honey blond with platinum highlights, for the summer, with a few tracks up front for a funky asymmetrical look. Although I have been know to change my hair every other week, LOL, I always seem to go back to this look. They say it's the one that fits me best.

Check out www.danasloft.com to get a deeper peek.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

• Crème of Nature Detangling Shampoo - Awesome cheap shampoo
• ORS Olive oil Replenishing Mask and ORS Mayo - Great strengthening conditioners
• Queen Helene Cholesterol - Add a tablespoon of olive oil and honey for an amazing cheap moisturizing conditioner.
• ORS Olive oil in a jar - Great water based moisturizers
• ORS Carrot Oil - Great moisturizer if you are experiencing breakage
• Razac Perfect for Perms - Excellent cheap leave-in conditioner
• Hot Six Oil - Great oil blend
• Hollywood Beauty Castor oil - Awesome alternative to grease. Great for slicking back ponytails and edges.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Until 10 days ago, I had never worn a full head weave -- much less, silky straight hair -- four colors, full bangs, shoulder length weave. Now, before I go into the screeching BMW's, the Asian dudes with Jungle Fever and the brothers with a silky hair Jones, let me share with you my HAIRSTORY.

I've been natural before it was the "it" thing to be. Through the mid-90's til today, I've done all that can be done with natural hair -- twists, locs, afros, braids, cornrows, you name it -- I've had it. Prior to the return to my state of "happy when nappy," I had what some call a body perm also known as a Jheri Curl with a brief eighteenth month stint as a perm head.

Personally, the best thing about being a black woman (okay second to the booty) are the range of options we have with our hair. In less than a decade I've gone from a platinum baldie, to a Mohawk, to a 24-inch long Rasta fro to a full head silky weave. I absolutely love funky, avant-garde hair!

Being natural was liberating, spiritual, bold, frustrating, fun and many times funky. Two weeks before I was due to get the "mainstream 'do" a few of my clients, colleagues and home girls -- were lovin' my fro....I clearly remember days when responses weren't so positive.

Going back to my weave.

OMG! The reactions are insane.

The "naturals" feel like I've crossed over (trust me I can tell) the "weaves" feel like they have new competition or either they are super happy I've joined their community and rocker, hipster chicks are loving it! (Makes sense, the look is based off their style.) As for the men folk...the attention has amplified beyond belief; some of it I can relish, some of it I can do without...but the response is nuts!

At the end of the day, hair is power...especially BLACK HAIR.

I look forward to a wonderful hair journey with all of you.

Below are a few pictures of me and my various hairstyles over the past few years -- the one up top is my latest look with the full head weave.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Marcia Cole, Special to BlackVoices.com

Bobs are making a serious comeback in various shapes and forms. Our A-list stylists showcase two ways to rock this classic cut.

Hair by Dana Gibbs/The Montgomery Group

Photographed by Paul Brissman/courtesy AMBERmag.com
Styling by Daisy Lewellyn
Model: Georgette/Ikon Models

Hair by Elvonda Kennedy for Mizani

Photographed by Hosea Johnson/courtesy AMBERmag.com
Makeup by Lorena Simpson
Styling by Latisha Daring for Pieces of Silver Spring
piecesofsilverspring.com
Model: Yasmin Hawkins

Check out Ambermag.com to see other hairstyles for every length.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

AMBERmag.com Wants to Know IS YOUR SALON A STAR?

You have styling skills. You know this. Your salon is fly.

This you know - and your clients know as well. And you are truly about your business.

Here's how to get more shine! Enter our Is Your Salon a Star? contest and show us what you've got.

One Grand prize winner will receive an all-expenses paid Simply Sunday Beauty Day that includes:- A V.I.P pamper-me day held at your salon for your clients with free manicures or massages; cocktails and hor dourves; CDs, makeup and beauty giveaways; Mizani products and more!

- A Hair Show produced by AMBERmag.com at your salon where you show off your skills,highlighting the latest trends

- Publicity highlighting your salon and styles to millions!UP WILL RECEIVE:
MIZANI products worth over $100; hair posters and will be featured on AMBERmag.com and Mizani-usa.com!

Deadline: April 11, 2008

Enter the IS YOUR SALON A STAR? contest today!

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Keyshia Cole has a thing for hair. Not just long hair, but fabulous, ever changing, multi-colored tresses. And how very lovely, that a gurl from the ghetto reps the hood to the fullest and makes magnificent art on top her 'haid in an eye-popping palate of crayola colors.

Keyshia Cole has done it all when it comes to her hair. Long, short, weaved, asymmetric, two-toned, highlights, and every shade under the sun. Some of us can relate to this perfectly. Some gals have tons of shoes, some, styles upon styles.

For Keyshia, reds and blondes are surely her best bet given her undertones (though I don't know if anyone else could have done that fabulous orange!). In short, Keyshia's hair STAYS changing. And we love it.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Courtesy Ambermag.com

Are you looking for ways to fatten up fine, thin hair?

Build body by using a volumizing mousse or root lifter as you style. Both can be applied on wet or dry hair to add thickness to limp locks.

For wet sets, apply mousse throughout damp hair and watch tresses thicken up as they go from damp to dry. For straight styles, use a root lifter before blow-drying to add volume from the scalp.

Take your look to the next level with these instant hair pick-ups from your favorite salons and drugstores. .-Mia Stokes

Click here to see which volumizers work best to boost your limp strands

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Shortly after I had my daughter my hair started to fall out. But only the front right side had become as thin as Nicole Richie, circa 2006. The rest was healthy.

A friend of mine suggested a weave until my hair grew out. I agreed a weave could be a good solution, but up until that very moment, my idea of weaves were for women who had had issues with their hair and I guess I had now become one of them.

So with my naive, narcissistic attitude safely stored in my Louis Vuitton Speedy bag, I proceeded to a high profile salon in Brooklyn and there began the tale of my brief addiction to hair weaves.

It all started with glued hair pieces to hide the front of the thinned out spot on my head. Then it quickly turned into a full glued head. When it was time for my next appointment, I pulled the glued pieces out while I sat in the cab, late but quickly heading towards the salon for the 10am appointment. Three weeks later, clumps of hair dramatically fell out.

"You didn't know you should never do that," my friend screamed when I told her how I permed my hair within 30 minutes of pulling the glued weave out.

I immediately went back to the salon and the unanimous decision was a full head of sewn in weave, shoulder length of course. Seven hours later (please feel free to ask any hairstylist why it takes 7 hours to do a weave, unfortunately I cannot answer that question) my hair was a little passed my shoulders, straight, thick and effortless. I loved it! I wrapped it faithfully ever night. I styled it with my trusty flat iron, curled it with steaming hot rollers and roller set it once a week with the Dominicans.

This happened for a year. Until one day I was just exhausted from hiding tracks, excessively combing and brushing hair, and wrapping long locks at night had now become tedious instead of fabulous. With a little help from the 2008 Grammy red carpet. (see February 11th blog http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/02/11/chop-chop-short-hair-looks-at-the-grammys/) I decided to go natural with a short cut and long bang.

So here I am with hair as short as Zac Efron. I love it! For now...

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Gennifer Miller, HealthTextures.com

Get great step-by-step advice on how to wrap your hair. Try these tips, and post your feedback below.

Video tutorial courtesy of HealthyTextures.com

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

What is Stretching?

Keep the New Growth Supple and Strong

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Angela Bronner, Black Voices.com

Surprisingly, and in the lovely land of La La -- where long hair is almost as important as your driver's license -- short hair was the star at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Whether it was razor cuts or something softer, many of our favorite celebs came out with sassy, modern and SHORT hairstyles. Could the full out weave be dead like hip hop, rock and neo-soul?

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By Gennifer Miller, HealthyTextures.com

Ok so now that we talked a little bit about brushes and combs, let's move on to how to properly comb and brush hair. Learning how to comb and brush our hair correctly is very important because brushing too vigorously or too frequently will damage our strands. Here are some Dos and Don'ts!

DOs

-Always Always Always start combing from the bottom of the hair. Then, gradually work your way up to the roots. This ensures minimal breakage.

-When wet combing, do add some form of light product to make the hair more manageable like a serum or leave-in conditioner. This will help the comb glide over the hair more easily.

-When wet combing, do start with a wide tooth comb. This will help detangle the hair overall. Then, follow with a regular comb, if needed.

-Do comb hair in sections. Try separating the hair into two or three sections first and then combing each section separately.

-Do use your wide tooth comb in place of your brush. Brushes can be hard on our hair so you might want to use your wide tooth comb as your every day styling tool, especially if you are wearing straight styles.

-Do "pick" through hair instead of combing. Try to gently "pick" through instead of using the comb as a brush. This will ensure you are as gentle as possible on your hair.

DONT'S

-NEVER brush wet hair. This is when hair is in its most fragile state.

-Never rip through wet hair with a comb or brush. If hair is tangled, either take a breather and come back in a few minutes or re-condition (if wet). Tangled hair could be a sign that the conditioner didn't penetrate or wasn't very good. However, if you are a few weeks post relaxer, your hair might be extra tangly so have patience!

-Don't use just one comb to detangle wet hair. For example, using a rattail comb to detangle and rollerset is asking for breakage! Use a wide tooth comb first and then a rattail comb.

My Typical Brushing and Combing Routine:

Wet Combing

Hop out of the shower, apply a quarter size amount of leave-in and a quarter size amount of serum. Separate hair into 3 section. Use wide tooth comb, starting at the bottom, gently comb each section. Proceed to roller set, using rattail comb on smaller detangled sections. For me, this ensures minimal breakage and hair loss.

Dry Combing

Wrap the hair at night. In the morning, gently comb down wrap with wide tooth comb and go.

Brushing (only used when wrapping)

Comb with wide tooth comb in section. Comb hair around head, using paddle brush to smooth wrap and a boar bristle brush to finish/smooth wrap.

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Gennifer Miller, HealthyTextures.com

Hi guys! I've been getting a few e-mails from ladies who want to start taking better care of their hair but have no idea where to begin. So, I decided to put together a series of posts as a road map for those who want to start the journey to better hair care. In this segment, we will talk about combs and brushes!

WIDE TOOTH COMB
To start taking better care of your hair, you will definitely need some tools. The first item I would get is a large wide tooth comb. Wide tooth combs are used to help detangle the hair after washing. However, I use my wide tooth comb as my everyday comb. It helps detangle my hair very quickly in the morning. If you have thin hair, you want a comb that has medium length "teeth". If they are too long and thin, they might end up poking into your scalp, which is pretty painful.

COMBS FOR ALL HAIR TYPES
Instead, grab a comb with medium length teeth. For fragile hair, select a woodencomb as these tend to be easier on the hair and scalp. For thicker, easily tangled hair, opt for a comb with longer teeth for maximum manageability. You can find these items at your local drugstore or Supercenter (Target, K-Mart, etc). One last thing, always inspect combs for any nicks or imperfections as they can snag and damage the hair.

RATTAIL COMB
Next, if you intend on setting or molding the hair, you might want a nice rattail comb. Rattail are really helpful at aligning the hair strands so that the hair lays nice and smooth on a roller or flexi-rod. However, they can easily cause breakage if the hair is not properly conditioned and thoroughly detangled. So, always make sure to deep condition weekly and detangle the hair well before using the rattail comb.

If you do not intend to set your hair, you can skip this purchase. However, keep in mind that the sharp end of a rattail can also be used to ease out knots from the hair. Therefore, it might be a good tool to have lying around. I, personally, haven't found any difference between a cheaper rattail comb and a more expensive one. So, save your dollars and pick one up at your local drugstore for about a dollar.

PADDLE BRUSH
After rattail combs, let's move on to brushes. I recommend a good quality paddle brush. Paddle brushes are used to brush and detangle hair. However, since I typically use a comb as my everyday styling tool, I use my paddle brush to help wrap my hair at night. I find it to be very effective and gentle as a wrapping tool, particularly after I detangle with my wide tooth comb.

Paddle brushes usually have either a round or square head. I find the square head to be easier to manipulate but its up to you and your personal preference. A good paddle brush can also be found at your local drugstore. Just make sure there are no seams on the balled ends as these will snag the hairs.

BOAR BRISTLE BRUSH
Next, I would pick up a quality boar bristle brush. This is most commonly used to smooth a wrap or as a finishing brush on straight hair. Nothing lays down fly always or unruly strands better. Don't be afraid of its rough texture. The boar bristles help to distribute natural oils from the scalp to the rest of the strands and remove shed hair. Boar bristle brushes also come in different textures. You can buy a soft, medium and hard brush. Soft brushes are ideal for thin or fragile hair. Medium/hard is great for thick hair and coarse hair. But, buy the texture that YOU are most comfortable using on your hair.

When purchasing a brush, look for ones that advertise natural boar bristles. Nylon is ok, but natural boar bristles are best. Remember to use this brush gently. Do not rip through the hair. Instead take small section and gently brush from the root down the shaft. If you feel like you are snagging the hair, comb the section and use the brush again. Lastly, if you are uncomfortable using the brush, throw it out or don't purchase it. Only use what you feel comfortable using on your hair.

ROUND BRUSH
Last on the list is a round brush. While I don't advocate ladies with textured hair blow-drying frequently, if I need to do it, round brushes help control the hair and help it lay smooth and flat. Boar bristle round brushes are supposed to be the best for "our" hair but I find them to be quite harsh when you factor in all the tugging and pulling. I have a regular smooth round brush with balled tips. Its easy to use and the hair should feel as thought it is gliding over the hair. Like all of the other combs and brushes mentioned in this article, round brushes can be purchased at your local drugstore.

Well, that's if for brushes and combs, stay tuned for the next segment: "Brushing and Combing 101: Dos and Dont's"

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Gennifer Miller, HealthyTextures.com

The following is a short tutorial on Beginning Your Hair Journey - Where to Begin, Goal Setting, etc. Happy, Healthy Hair!

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, one of the most prominent, and brilliant (Phi Beta Kappa, concert pianist, college president, board of Chevron, fluent in Russian, U.S. National Security advisor was her last job) women in the world today -- doesn't stray too far from her baseline bob.

As befits her job, TRULY jet setter status, Condi keeps her hair pretty simple -- her accessories include smart suits and her ubiquitous pearls. This Birmingham Alabama native and PK (preacher's kid) also wears her make-up fairly simple, with a hint of eyeliner and some shade of red lip. How many ways to wear the bob? Let us count the ways...

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

By Gennifer Miller, Healthy Textures.com

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.