Being Afrobella means being on a constant mission to find the new, next, best hair products on the market so I can tell all of my bellas near and far what works and what doesn’t. I’ve tried some exciting stuff lately, so let me tell you alllll about what you should buy and what you should leave on the shelf — because if you’re like me, you’re always on the hunt for the new, next, and best.

First stop, GBS in Fort Lauderdale. Yup, I got Larramy to help me answer that Ask Afrobella question, but I also got a curl cut! This little, very shaky video clip is of Larramy styling the hell out of my hair — apologies for the video quality. Notes on this video before you watch:

1. That isn’t a booger, it’s hair product on the mirror. But you can’t tell, because the video is blurry. That worked out in my favor.

2. GBS is a store at the front and salon in back — there are SO many great products in that store. It’s like Sally’s and Sephora had a baby.

3. Like I said in the video, I didn’t know what I was going to do with it because the quality is not the best… still trying to figure out this filming myself business. But more YouTube fun is in store for sure!

4. It ends with a shaky shot of my shoes, because when Larramy cuts and styles hair, it involves bending over, flipping to the side, and all sorts of mayhem and foolishness for him to get the look he envisions.

5. Larramy loves Madonna. Every time I’ve seen him, he’s got her on.

Without further ado, here’s 51 blurry seconds of me getting my hair did.

Even though the clip is super pixelated, you can still see that my hair has waaay more movement and joie de vivre than it typically does. Why is that? I’ll tell you — Larramy did an absolutely incredible deep conditioning pre-shampoo treatment on me, then stuck me under the dryer for a while to let it truly penetrate.

He used two products I hadn’t tried before — DevaCurl’s new deep conditioner, Heaven In Hair — smells so delicious, and is super hydrating. And he combined that with Phytonectar Ultra Nourishing Pre-Shampoo Oil treatment. I had heard about this stuff over at 55 Secret Street, and Nichelle wasn’t lying — it is AMAZING. Big, big Phyto review coming soon — this bella is very impressed, but there’s more to break down than I have time for at the moment. Brief summary, Phyto rules.

After the pre-shampoo deep conditioner, he washed it and used the following styling products — Set It Free moisture lock frizz spray, Set Me Up pomade, and he finished with a dab of Moroccan Oil, which I spotted on the shelf and absolutely insisted on. I had heard that Jill Scott uses it for moisture, so you know I had to try it, and then I had to buy it! It smells like an incense-lovers dream — subtle but warm and smoky and sultry. And although it kind of feels like IC or any other silicone-laced hair shine product, it didn’t leave my hair greasy.

I left Larramy’s chair with the happiest of curls, and the style and softness lasted for a week, I swear. Here’s the fresh curl cut in my good ol’ backyard (the before photo is terrible, trust me). Oh! And I am rocking an oil black Star 50 Alaskan Trapper purse and proudly wearing a Madame CJ Walker teeshirt by Kindred Gear, purveyor of Afrocentric garb.

Click here to peep his Black History women’s shirts, which include wearable homages to Queen Nanny, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Shirley Chisholm (but the Madame CJ Walker one is my favorite)!

During my session with Larramy, he explained that the truly excellent hair care products simply aren’t in the drugstore. “Honey, you might as well wash your hair with Dawn,” he said about some of the products I admitted to using. Love ya, Larramy — but you’re Mr. DevaCurl. I gotta throw in my two cents here. Yes there are SO many great natural hair products on the market now — more and more by the day, and so many are sold online… but there are so many bellas who can’t afford a $30 bottle of hair serum, and don’t shop online. There are so many beautiful women who do their hair and makeup on a daily basis with products found at the drugstore on the corner. And more and more, big mainstream brands are recognizing that by producing stuff that gasp — actually works on a range of hair textures. So let me end this product review by telling you about Motions’ new line of products. Yup, Motions in the classic gold and purple container. You know you’ve used this stuff before!

I used to adore Motions leave in conditioner, but when I transitioned from relaxed to natural, I left that product behind. Now Motions is back with Marula Natural Therapy, three products made to moisturize and condition relaxed and natural-textured hair. Relaxed bellas might adore the Hair Strengthening Moisturizer, but to this afrobella, twern’t nothing but some Pink Oil in a different bottle (minus the pink coloring). It just sat on my hair and left me with whitish streaks, didn’t truly penetrate and nourish my curls at all. The Hair and Scalp oil spray was a’ight dog, as Randy Jackson would say. I like the scent, but the product didn’t really bowl me over like the Natural Therapy Hair Treatment Balm did. This balm is the bomb! I seriously didn’t expect to like this as much as I did.

The product is a clear, yellow-tinged jelly… somewhat reminiscent of Kinky Curly Curling Custard, or aloe gel. After slicking it on apres-shower, I noticed how sproingy my curls became. Most importantly, my hair not only FELT moist, it LOOKED moist. Not in a Soul Glo way, mind you. The hair treatment balm managed to give my hair internal moisture, and yes — it did leave my hair a bit greasy to the touch. But that’s a small price to pay for a drugstore product that made my hair look and feel as great as it did. Shiny, coily, pretty hair, and it costs less than $10? Get outta here! If you’ve got perpetually thirsty, thick naturally curly hair, and shallow pockets — I definitely think this is worth a try.

I’ve gotten overwhelmed with products to review and stuff to write, bellas. I’ll be back with a special Throwback Thursday this evening, and there’s more in store next week — for now I’m just super psyched to sleep in tomorrow!

Every day I come home from work to an inbox overflowing with e mails, most of which are comments about the most recent post. But sprinkled in between, I get comments from classic posts — stuff I’ve written a while ago and totally forgotten about. Just last week I got a comment about Excuse Me Mo, an irreverent open letter to Monique that I wrote in 2006. I figure my post ranks high up in a Google search for Monique or hairy legs or something — either way, wow did that prove to be a divisive topic! What a difference two years has made. Now I completely see where it’s apparently hypocritical of me to be so pro-natural hair growing out of my head, and so anti-hair growing out of the rest of my body.

We’ve become an overplucked society, obsessed with manscaping and accepting of hair removal on children who are too young to even grow pubes. I don’t mean to add to the insistent hair removal drumbeats that grow louder every summer. Apologies to those of you I may have offended, that certainly wasn’t my intent. I’ve always loved the look of endlessly smooth, sexy legs a la Tina Turner, but I respect your right to remain hirsute.

I’ve been mulling over my reasons for being a proud afrobella and simultaneously an avowed body hair remover — both things definitely go back to my childhood. I remember a family friend who unabashedly sported a wild tangle of armpit hair. She was definitely an object of ridicule, and that negative connotation lingered with me. It was reinforced tenfold in high school. Back in the day I had a teacher who had extremely hairy legs and a penchant for knee-length skirts. Add to the fact that her last name contained the word “ram” — it didn’t take long for high school comediennes to dub her “ram goat,” “goat legs,” and assorted nicknames to that effect.

We wore knee-length skirts as part of our school uniform, so I got into shaving my legs from back then. I came to realize that waxing was preferable to bleaching when it came to dealing with facial hair. That came after a classmate was informed bluntly that her growing-out bleached mustache made her “look like a bumblebee.” Ouch! We had some sharp tongues back then!

It was from that point that I started paying closer attention to my own body hair situation, and I’ve never looked back. It’s a beauty regimen I don’t particularly relish — I don’t know any woman who actually is like, “yay, shaving!” I do sometimes get lazy and let things lapse for a week or sometimes more. The upkeep can be a PITA. But IMO, it’s worth it. Here’s why. Keeping my eyebrows neat and upper lip waxed definitely makes my face look cleaner and brighter, and my features more defined. It really does make a notable difference to my overall look. Waxing my armpits helps to keep my skin uni-toned — years of shaving left my armpits discolored, and waxing helps to alleviate that. And I choose to shave my legs for three simple reasons.

1. Personal preference — I think a smooth, stubble-free leg is beautiful. Give me a gam-revealing skirt, a pair of kitten heels, and freshly shaven legs, and I feel oh-so-ladylike. And sexy.

2. Shaving makes my legs feel touchable and smooth. I absolutely adore how soft my legs feel post-shave.

Which brings me to 3 — So does my husband. Bonus.

If you’re not down with shaving, waxing, or other forms of hair removal, that’s cool. You do you, I’ma do me. For me, that means stepping out into summertime with a big, crazy fro on the top of my head, paired with smooth, hairless legs. Call me crazy. Either way, there are some newish products on the market that are helping me keep my situation as smooth as possible.

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I always like to tell myself, if I were rich, I would live in a relatively modern and plush home, but instead of cars and http://bestongooglevideo.blogspot.com/2008/06/daily-show-wyatt-jon-discuss-obama-and.html">Hummercopters, I’d spend my money on traveling and donating to charity. As it is right now in my check-to-check state of this-ain’t-livin’, I wish I could donate to charities more. But I can’t afford to give a lot, or to promise a regular donation to any organization right now. So I try my best to do what I can when I can by donating small amounts (hello, Barack Obama car magnet!), and by buying products that I yearn for that also support organizations I can get behind. Here’s a few I’ve been checking out.

For product junkie bellas like myself who are always looking for the most amazing hair stuff on the market, but also want that feeling of self-satisfaction that comes from making a donation, I definitely recommend investing in some Ojon. I’m a new believer, bellas. If you’ve been on a hunt for THE product that will nourish and strengthen your thirsty curls, and you’ve been wondering, is this stuff worth shelling out $55 for a tub of Restorative Hair Treatment? I’d say yes, it’s worth it. Especially when you consider that the purchase of items from this incredible hair product line directly supports the Tawira tribe in Honduras.

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment absorbed easily and made my hair super strong — this may have been the toughest comb-through hair conditioning product I’ve tried yet. But by the end of the Ojon ritual — restorative treatment, ultra moisturizing shampoo, and ultra hydrating conditioner — I was ready to preach the gospel. Ojon left my hair shiny, defined, and strong. If your hair is breaking or damaged, I think this could definitely make a difference — but click here to read The Beauty Brains breakdown first, if you don’t have deep pockets. Ojon rocks, but it ain’t cheap. If you want to wade into the brand without shelling out $100 for a full size range of products, I recommend the Try Me Kit. It comes with everything you need to figure out whether or not the line is for you or not, and knowing that you’re simultaneously donating to the scholarship fund of underprivileged youths is definitely a reassuring incentive.

After you’ve pampered and nourished your tresses, you can continue the charity supporting trend when you style your hair. Bellas, allow me to introduce you to Kudu Klips, a collection of gorgeous, beaded hair clips that are produced in South Africa, mostly by single mothers.

I was lucky enough to meet the owner of the company last week at the super fun Shop Miami event, and I was very impressed by the quality and beauty of these clips. I was pretty damn skeptical about them though — the sweetheart of a lady at the booth was white with long, straight hair, like the women used in the online demos. The clip looked gorgeous on her, but I instantly assumed the Kudu Klip wouldn’t work as neatly or easily in my thick, short mop of kinks and coils that only touches the top of the back of my neck. “Of course it will!” she assured me, before slipping the long metal spikes through my hair, close to the scalp. “Because of the way it clips in, it’ll actually make your hair look longer,” she said. And lo and behold, she was right. I wish I had a photo — I was already sipping cocktails at this crowded social event at this point, so that didn’t occur to me. But the illusion of an updo with a few escaping tendrils around the clip at the back, did indeed make it appear as though my hair was longer than it actually is. This will work even better for you bellas with hair that touches the middle of your neck, or longer. Kudu Klips retail for $35, and these are some of the poor and physically disabled folks who proudly make them.

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I never met him, never knew him, but I miss him. Luther Vandross was a rare artist, a man with a golden voice, and from all appearances, a golden personality. Having grown up on his music — raise your hand if you had a copy of The Best of Luther Vandross at your crib! — I associate Luther Vandross songs with key moments in my life.

Here and Now will forever remind me of my brother Clint’s wedding — that was the song he and his wife danced to. A House Is Not A Home takes me back to Sunday mornings at my home in Trinidad, when my father would enlist all of us to help with the housecleaning. Loud music was a must to complete the task, and Luther was often in the mix. I knew Luther’s version of Superstar long before I knew who The Carpenters were (and long, LONG before I heard Sonic Youth’s version which is so different from Luther’s. Proof that that song is timeless). But Luther’s like Aretha Franklin in that sense — once he covered your song, it was HIS. Forever. His voice is so often imitated, but there will never, ever be another Luther Vandross.

We’re rapidly approaching the anniversary of his passing — I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news. The news left me so sad and so shocked — especially when I realized he was only 54 years old. On July 1, 2005, Luther Vandross passed away from causes that were never publicly released, although it was well known that he dealt with weight loss and food issues. Luther’s weight vacillated greatly throughout his career, and he was known for moments of tremendous indulgence. All of the reports about Luther’s death addressed his health issues — he suffered with hereditary diabetes and hypertension, and had a stroke in 2003 days before his 52nd birthday. He never fully recovered from the effects of that, although he went on to release the poignant Dance With My Father shortly afterwards. He won four Grammys, but he was unable to celebrate the victory. Luther won song of the year for the song, Dance With My Father — the video for which, like Aaliyah’s Miss You, brings me practically to tears every time I watch it. Luther described that song as his “Piano Man,” and it’s heartbreaking that he isn’t around to perform it today.

Luther’s life and music inspire me creatively, his music stirs my soul and can bring prickly tears to the back of my eyes. But the circumstances of his passing inspire me in another way — Luther Vandross succumbed too young, to health conditions that are too common in America. Especially in the African American community. These are health conditions that plague my own family. If you’re like me, you’ve probably got some diabetes somewhere in the fam, and in my case, high blood pressure definitely runs close in the blood. I am doing everything I can now, while I can, to keep the health issues that simmer in my bloodstream at bay. It’s a daily struggle, one that I’m going to be writing about more often.

Luther Vandross left this world too soon, but he left us with such a glorious gift. So much great music, so many wonderful songs. What’s my favorite Luther song? That’s easy. Never Too Much! Oh, how I love that song. It showcases his voice’s incredible range and ability so perfectly, IMO.

Here’s Luther LIVE on The Early Show in 2000.

Look at how rapt that audience is. Listen to how flawless his voice is. Wow. I wish I could have been there.

Do you have a favorite Luther song? Did you love Luther’s spirit? Tell me how he made you feel. And happy Thursday — it’s almost the weekend!

This is a little product review follow-up to yesterday’s post… so many of you had such great suggestions for young C. One thing that kept coming up is towel use on curly natural hair…. and I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned this product before. I use it on the daily!

My curls absolutely despise heavy terry towels — I inevitably wind up with more shedding than I want. Which led me on a wild goose chase for the perfect hair towel. Currently I’m using CurlEase, a super thin, super absorbent “towel” that soaks up the water from my thirsty hair in no time at all. If I knew exactly what kind of cloth this was, I’d tell ya to go to Joann’s and by yourself some… but I honestly have not a clue. It’s as thin and light as linen or cheesecloth, but definitely way more absorbent.

I got my Curlease towel at Bed, Bath, and Beyond — gotta love those 20% off discount coupons you get in the mail! But you can also get yours from the sistas at Sistas Place, or Canadian bellas can try Honey Fig.

Some bellas find that Curlease isn’t quite absorbent enough, and a microfiber towel is also a great investment — get one here on Amazon — some bellas love them, others say that they feel like velcro on their hair and actually create more frizz. I don’t know, because I’ve never tried one. Have you?

What kind of towel do you dry your natural tresses with?