Spring is in full bloom! April Showers brought May Flowers and its time to add some tender loving flair to those curly tresses. Here are some tips & inspiration to accentuate your blooming curls with moisture-filled products, hair accessories and good MANEtenance practices! Let’s get those coils in full effect! Download your May Natural Hair Calendar Printable here! Hairs to you!

Have you all read the debut issue of Naturally Happy Hair? I received a hard copy of this magazine recently and I must say that it was AWE-inspiring! To see a FULL magazine featuring Natural hairstyles,  natural hair products, natural hair business and more, almost brought a tear to my eye! It’s such a beautiful magazine and we’re honored to participate in the upcoming issue. Be sure to subscribe to get a full color, glossy spread of your Summer Natural Hair Calendar Printable. Every Natural should have a copy in their hair space!

We loved it so much, that we’ve partnered up with Naturally Happy Hair Magazine to offer our readers a 1 year subscription to the magazine. To Enter, all you have to do is follow the instructions below! Good Luck and Hairs to you!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring is in the hair! A time for renewal, growth & change. While you’re gearing up for the season by putting away your winter clothes, getting your home in order & revamping your wardrobe, don’t forget to add a ‘lil change to your hair as well. Whether that be in the form of using new products, trying out new hairstyles, adding a new color, or rockin’ new accessories-enhance your look & reaffirm a new you! Hair are some tips & motivation to get you started! Download your April Natural Natural Hair Calendar printable here! Please feel free to print, share & enjoy! Hairs to you!

Janelle Monae is giving flawless natural hair & beauty in Essence Magazine’s May ’13 issue! I see that this month is going to be a magazine buying month! Who else is picking up a copy? Hits Newstands April 5, 2013!

Greetings Natural Hair Lovers,

It is my honor to introduce to you what we’ve been working on for years!!!

Everybody is busy and if you’re like us, on occasion you may forget to pack your favorite natural hair conditioner or natural hair moisturizer before leaving home. That’s why we’re introducing the 1st Ever Natural Hair Love Affair Vending Machines!

Coming soon to to a mall or airport near you.

Click here to be notified of our launch date!

If you want to rock your natural tresses, it’s important to moisturize it just as you do your skin. If your hair is prone to tangles, frizz and dryness, you might want to consider trying some additional or different hair care products, namely a leave-in detangler with super slip.

Unlike conditioners that you wash out, these natural hair care products are applied afterward and left in. Typically conditioners can be fairly thick, where as a leave-in conditioner is more of your dream detangler — your moisturizer — and it can pack an extra punch of SLIP!!!!!

Naturalistas, now is the time to rejoice — here are some of the best leave in detanglers on this list that will be your new BFFs (Best Follicular Friends).

Koils byNature Shealoe Leave In Conditioner

CLAIMS: Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In Conditioner is an excellent creamy herbal infused creamy conditioner and detangler intended to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls, and tangles from thick kinky textured hair.

INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Distilled Water) infused with *Organic Calendula officinalis (Calendula Flower Whole), *Organic Arctium lappa (Burdock Root), *Organic Equisetum arvense(Horsetail Shaved Grass), & *Organic Urtica dioica (Nettle Leaf), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Leaf Juice), cetyl alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, *Organic Althaea officinalis(Marshmallow Root Powder), *Organic Arctium lappa (Burdock Root Powder), *Organic Calendula officinalis (Calendula Flower Powder),*Organic Ulmus rubra (Slippery Elm Bark Powder), Matricaria recutita (Chamomile Flower Powder), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea oil), Oryza Sativa (Rice Bran Oil), *Organic Olea Europaea (Olive Oil), Macadamia integrifolia(Macadamia Nut Oil), Ricinus Communis (Jamaican Black Castor Seed Oil), Cocos Nucifera Oil / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Butter), Vitis vinifera (Grape Seed Oil), Mangifera Indica (Mango Alphonso Powder Fruit Extract), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Salix Nigra (Willow Bark Extract) Tocopherol (Vitamin E), D-Panthenol(Pro-Vitamin B5), Essential Oil & Fragrance, Citric Acid.

CUSTOMER RAVES: Best Leave-In Ever!

This Leave-in condtioner is everything! It’s very moisturising. It has great slip which makes detangling a breeze. The ingredients are awesome. My 3c/4a/4b hair can’t get enough of this leave-in. Thank you for creating such an amazing product.

Qhemet Biologics  Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee

CLAIMS: Restores manageability, softness and elasticity to normal to very dry hair. Smooths cuticles, improves combing ability and reduces breakage.

INGREDIENTS: Aqueous Botanical Infusion of Urtica dioica (Nettle Leaf) Extract, Hordeum vulgare (Barley) Extract, Equisetum arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Pure Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Butter, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, MSM (Methylsufonylmethane), Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin (a Paraben-free & Formaldehyde-free Preservative).

CUSTOMER RAVES: Melted away tangles

Words can’t express how impressive the whole Qhemet line is. I absolutely love each and every product. However the cocoa tree detangling ghee detangled my hair with very little effort. I must say that I am a customer for life
I have been natural for over a year now and I have finally found my staple products!! Thanks Qhemet for creating and providing us with products that actually does what they are intended to do!!! God bless

Oyin Handmade Hair Dew

CLAIMS: This creamy, conditioning leave-in is light enough for every day. it’s great on ‘naked’ hair immediately after a cleanse, or as a way to reinvigorate tired hair all the way through your hair care cycle.

INGREDIENTS: Purified water, castor oil, olive oil, organic aloe vera gel, behentrimonium methosulfate (emulsifier), coconut oil, olive squalane, optiphen (preservative), cetyl alcohol, fragrance, and love!

CUSTOMER RAVES: This stuff is tha BOMB DIGGITY! :0)

I kid you NOT! I’m a stickler on my hair products MUST smell good! and they MUST work! This stuff lays my hair down and makes it look like I put my edges down with gel! :0) I can’t go on enough about it. This is my new stapler in my every day hair regimen. Thank you so much! Keep it comin!

Kinky Curly Knot Today

CLAIMS: KNOT TODAY TM is a creamy herbal conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from thick curly textured hair.

INGREDIENTS: Organic mango extract, organic slipper elm, organic marshmallow root, organic lemongrass, cetyl alcohol, *behentrimonium methosulfate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol and natural fragrance.

CUSTOMER RAVES: This stuff is amazing.

It is a great detangler and as soon as I put it on my hair, I feel it working. My hair is instantly softer and smoother. It also does not get flaky when you put a gel on top of it. I’m so glad that I finally decided to buy it.

Soultanicals Knot Sauce

CLAIMS: A Nappilicious Reinvention of A Natural Hair Detangler, Super-Naturally Emphasized with Blue Malva Herb, Brocolli Seed Oil & Coconut Nectar for Excellent Comb-Thru Spreadability & Extra Softness! A lusciously creamy, delish blend of cake batter and butter icing with a hint of vanilla. The Proof is in the Sauce!

NOURISHING, PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS: Distilled Water Botanically Infused with Certified Organic Blue Malva, Nettle, Horsetail, Slippery Elm, Oatstraw, Chamomile, Coltsfoot & Marshmallow Root, Certified Organic Aloe Juice, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flaxseed Gel, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocoa Butter, Brocolli Seed Oil, Crambe Seed Oil, Pro-Vitamin B5, Guar Gum, Algae, Coconut Nectar, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Natural, Fragrant & Essential Oil Blends, Potassium Sorbate, Black Willowbark Extract, Citric Acid, an extra pouring of soulistic flava & LOVE!

CUSTOMER RAVES: Finger detangle….whhhhaaaaattttt

Wow, I thought I’d found my all time fav until I tried this! I was able to FINGER detangle my tight coils with just a couple sprays of Kink Drink and a quarter size of Knot Sauce. This is definitely in my product rotation and I will definitely order again!

Have you tried any of these? What would you add to the list?

This month, in commemoration of  Women’s History Month, we will be honoring the pioneers, trailblazers, and womenpreneurship of our HAIRITAGE. Please enjoy the beautiful poem enclosed to uplift & celebrate our undeniable grace as women. Download, Print, Share your honorary Calendar printable here. Hairs to you!

This month’s Calendar is brought to you by Mahogany Naturals, a Handmade organic haircare range from a British brand

Some of their stockists include:

http://www.lecurlshop.com/ ( France)

http://thekinkyapothecary.blogspot.co.uk/p/apothecary.html ( Nigeria)

http://www.lexies-curls.de/en/hersteller/mahogany-naturals.html ( Germany)

Do you have beloved hair care routine, one that you stick with each & every month? Your natural hair’s condition changes all the time. As each season changes, so should your hair care regimen. At the changing of the seasons, varying up your hair care routine is best. While you might not be able to assess what your natural hair wants and needs all the time, common wisdom suggests that you moisturize more heavily during the cooler months and through early Spring, and then lighten up in the Spring and Summer to get your hair back to a more normal state after months of wind, cold, and drying heat.

To get your hair ready for warmer weather and re-nourish it after the Winter, you can’t go wrong with the following tips:

Get a Trim

Cut off all those damaged & dull split ends from the heat and damage of the winter. While you’re at it, opt for a new hair style. Spring is the perfect time to try something new. Opting for color? Go vibrant but be sure to use a safe coloring product that won’t be too harsh on your strands. Product Recs: Shea Moisture’s Hair Color System and some awesome ayurvedic hair colors by Henna Sooq. Heard so many great things about them, can’t wait to try them out! Alot of naturals are opting for Red Raj this spring! Going for a  blowout? Awesome! Opt for a blow dryer that will cut your drying time significantly while minimizing the amount of heat on your hair. It’d be great to have a Professional dryer. Babyliss products are great. Perfect for home use too. BONUS TIP: Give your hair a blast of cool air using the “cool” setting on your professional hair dryer when you’re almost done blow-drying. Cold air closes the hair cuticle and seals in the moisture.

Moisturize

While the weather is still cool, staying moisturized is key to having healthy and soft hair once warm weather arrives. Product Rec:Ily Beauty Co’s Desire Moisturizer; This product felt so yummy in my hair and provided the necessary hydration that my hair needed. Seal in the moisture with a butter rich hair cream such as Mahogany Naturals Hair and Body Butter. Loved the richness and smoothness of this butter. Sidenote: After applying to my hair and body one night, my bathroom smelled like a tropical paradise.

Detox

As spring shows up, we’ll be outdoors a lot more. Begin to prep your hair for the weather change by taking your hair on a healthy hair journey. Detoxify your strands & drawing impurities out with Soultanicals’ Master Hair Cleanse. This curl detoxifying blend will heal & repair damaged strands, deeply cleanse, leaving you with soft, manageable, enhanced curls.

 

 

Spring Clean your Beauty Routine

Toss out any hair products that have not been used in 4-6 months. Chances are they are less effective and may be a potential breeding ground for mold and other bacteria. Revive your Spring hair regimen.

Jump Start your Hair Growth

 Massage your scalp every day with a good herbal hair oil like Morocco Method’s Euro Natural Oil Conditioner and Moisturizer. This rich oil felt WONDERFUL on my scalp. Not only does it balance the pH of the scalp, it also stimulates sebaceous glands, which produce sebum- the hair’s own natural oil. Loved it! 10 minutes of massaging the scalp per day will aid in healthy hair growth, producing thicker and longer hair.

Are you ready for Spring? Let’s go! Get your Mane Right!

Because of the dress code issued by the execs at CBS, this year’s red carpet was a lil, shall we say dry! Nonetheless, the Natural Hair on the red carpet wowed, inspired and had me giving the sideeye. Without further ado, let’s proceed to see who took home a Natural Hair Grammy!

The award for BEST JAZZY NATURAL DO goes to… Esperenza Spalding

The award for BEST POPPIN’ NATURAL HAIRSTYLE goes to…

The award for BEST R&B (Really Bad) NATURAL LOOK goes to… Lupe Fiasco (Huhn, Lupe?)

The award for BEST ROCKIN’ ROLLIN’ NATURAL HAIRSTYLE goes to… Janelle Monae (am loving the bang)

The award for BEST ALTERNATIVE PROTECTIVE NATURAL HAIRSTYLE goes to… My Gurl Jill Scott

The award for BEST NATURAL ROOTS goes to… Questlove of the Roots (pun intended)

The award for BEST OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP HAIRSTYLE goes to… Nas

The award for BEST ELECTRONICURLS LOOK goes to… Redfoo of LMFAO (lmfao at that one!)

Thank you for checking out the Natural Hair Grammys! See you at the next red carpet!

Which of your favorite stars did or did not make the list? feel free to chime in below!

This month, in commemoration of Black History Month, we will be honoring the innovation, creativity, legacy and trailblazers of our Afro-centric HAIRitage. While we’re celebrating, we must not forget about showing ourselves some love as well. Akua Wood from SHEA BUTTER COTTAGE tells us to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple & Short) with this Beauty Regimen to treat our Crowning Glory, included. Download your free printable copy here. Feel free to print, share & enjoy! Hairs to you!