The Sofn’free GroHealty Sulfate-free Moisturizing Shampoo was gentle and lather easily.  Usually I have to use quite a bit of sulfate-free products for my long and thick natural hair.  This was not the case with GroHealty’s formula.  The product left my hair soft and moisturized.   The hair shaft was smooth and not ruffled.  It had a light fragrance.

I immediately applied the Really Deep Conditioner while still in the shower, separating my  hair into 3 large section and rubbed product from root to tip.  After applying evenly, I comb the sections for tips to root to ensure even distribution of product.  The deep conditioner also left my hair soft and feeling moisturized.  One of the ingredients is menthol  leaves the scalp with a cool tingling sensation but the fragrance can be a little intense.  The Really Deep Conditioner has multiple uses in addition to Deep Conditioner.  It can serve as a Co-wash, Instant  and Leave-In which is always a plus in my book.

Both of these products will moisturize and nuture your curls for less than $10.  They are FREE of sulfates and petrolatum.  The GroHealthy Shampoo is now avaliable in a store near you.

*This is a sponsored post.

I asked the NHR Natural Mommys: What hair products do you use in your baby’s hair?

Many said that they use different variations of a shea butter mixture and/or oils combined with water.  The second most common answers were both SheaMoisture or Dax products that can be found at Target and Wal-mart respectively.  See the complete list below.

• Shea Butter Mix My personal recipe here
• SheaMoisture
• Grape Seed Oil
• Olive Oil
• Dr. Bonner’s Baby Products
• Dax Products
• Mixed Chicks Kid’s Line

 Comment below with you favorite baby hair product.

I saw this commercial for the first time during the season premier of  The Game.  I was so impressed. I loved it.  I had to rewind it a couple times.  I was very appreciative.  Natural hair and texture hair women have been in  advertisements more and more in recent years but this is the first ad that make such a bold statement about the natural look.  The  narrator who I believe is Wanda Sykes says “[Gain ]Inspired  by all who challenge the same old thing comes…” in reference to model Tomiko Fraser Hine short coils in contrast to the other ladies wearing  the same hair style. Gain is applauding those who “challenge the same old thing”. Relaxed vs Natural…

See entire commercial and comment your thoughts.

Transcript Courtesy of Natural Hair in the Media:

Would you ever pick your style off a salon wall? Not in a million years. Inspired by all who challenge the same old thing comes Gain Icy Fresh Fizz, in other scents that are like you, anything but ordinary.

The Gain commercial has a theme similar to Coil Review Commercial

My statement to Essence magazine in response to the “Essence Magazine Disses Vloggers Discussion”.  What would you add?

Dear Editors of Essence:

Natural Hair Vloggers and Bloggers are not one and the same.

As a member of the natural hair community, I appreciate the abundance of information that Essence magazine provides. I was rather surprised to read that some of my associates felt that their work as vloggers and bloggers was not being appreciated. In fact, they were belittled as valuable resources for those transitioning to natural hair. In your January 2012 issue, Atlanta based hair texture specialist Key Martin was quoted saying “A lot of time YouTubers are speaking about their texture, which may not be yours.” This may be true in some cases, but it is unfair to make this generalization for vloggers/bloggers that have large followings. It is nearly impossible for vloggers such as Kimmay and Natural Chica or bloggers such as Curly Nikki and Natural Hair Rules to remain relevant by only sharing information about our individual textures. Natural hair vloggers and bloggers are not one and the same.

Many natural hair vloggers/bloggers spend countless hours researching and experimenting in natural hair care. We have worked with renowned texture specialists and natural hair product creators. Regardless of our texture, there are many commonalities in natural hair care. Sharing from this point of view of our hair texture is how many of us got our start, but through countless hours of research and experimenting, we have become experts in the niche of natural hair care. Our expertise makes us invaluable in the billion-dollar hair care industry.
Essence magazine has acknowledged the validity of natural hair vloggers/bloggers by featuring them in natural hair interviews and Q & A posts written from their perspectives. Your publication has utilized Street Style to highlight these key natural hair players. Natural hair care is more than just our business; it is a lifestyle for many of us. From the latest print issue, we are lead to question whether or not Essence magazine truly understands what a driving force the online hair community is. There is no doubt that we influence readership of Essence print and online publication. It is for this reason that I encourage your editors to really get to know us, our followers and our natural hair themes. I would like to continue to nurture our existing relationship.

What would you add? Do feel Essence should issue a statement in response?

Tips from Will William of Sofn’free GroHealthy Products

Why Shampoo Regularly and How Often?

Buildup of sebum, styling products and everyday dirt could hinder hair growth and manageability.  To ensure hair is clean but not stripped of moisture, Williams recommends upgrading the shampoo experience by alternating three cleansing formulas throughout the month:  1) sulfate-free shampoo, 2) clarifying shampoo and 3) conditioner.

Every hair type, relaxed or natural, requires at least monthly clarifying washes, even dry hair, as long as deep conditioning follows to replace the conditioners.  A deep cleanse removes product buildup, heavy minerals and salts, medications and chlorine.   Curls worn with true curl definition that require multiple layers of holding, molding or curly-enhancing products could require up to bi-weekly clarifying.  Just as with a moisturizing shampoo, avoid shampoo formulas containing sulfates that could strip natural hair oils and affect color.  Always follow clarifying with a deep conditioner.

How to shampoo & What to use?

Use lukewarm to warm water at the start and finish. Using the balls of fingertips, massage in circular motions onto thoroughly wet hair for 1-3 minutes to enable the shampoo to work its way throughout the strands and scalp.  Afterward, towel-blot the hair by laying the towel on the hair and pressing to remove water.  Do not rub, because rubbing can cause frizzies by splitting the cuticle and disrupting the complexion of the strand.  Next, untangle the hair with a wide-tooth comb, starting at the back of the head and working up to top making small partings.  At each section, start at the ends and work toward the scalp. At the temples, work inward to the crown.  At the front hairline, comb hair forward and work back to crown.  Rub a dollop of conditioner between the palms to warm it before apply it to the hair.  Start from the roots and finger-comb it to the ends of detangled hair.  Slip on a cap or baggy for the duration of the shower.  Rinse well, towel-blot, and comb again gently.

Use Sulfate-free Shampoo. Why?

At the microscopic level, one end of a surfactant molecule draws to water, the other repels it and attaches itself to oils in dirt.  These opposing forces create a back and forth motion that loosens dirt and suspends it in the suds, ready to rinse away with warm water.

Why Co-Wash?

Condition after each shampoo, but also consider conditioner washing, also known as co-washing or no-poo, on days hair is relatively clean but needs refreshing or taming.  This involves no shampoo, just a conditioner that acts as a light cleanser while it coats the hair cuticle.

 Each strand has a light negative electric charge called an anion. That anion requires a neutralizing conditioner to decrease static electricity and to smooth down the outer layer hair cuticle.  Even after a rinse of water, some conditioner remains on the hair due to the strong positive-negative charge attraction.   The cleaning part comes into play when the conditioner’s surfactants surround dirt, dislodge it, and rinse away. 

On the heels of “Stuff White Girls Say…to Black Girls,” by YouTube comedian Francesca Ramsey, which stirred both anger and hilarity as the video went viral, Sony Music has been ordered to pay $1.2 million for a song about natural hair they released in 1997 by Brazilian singer and comedian Tiririca  under the assertion that it is racist.

The song, titled “Look at Her Hair (Veja os Cabelos Dela),” compares natural hair to “a scouring pad for pots and pans” and says that it “smells worse than a skunk.”

Ten non-governmental organizations in Brazil, which fight against racism, brought the lawsuit forward. According to the Huffington Post, Humberto Adami, defense attorney of the NGOs, argued that natural haired women were offended, ridiculed and felt violated by the lyrics in the song.

The lawsuit is the largest monetary punishment for racism in Brazil and, according to Adami, the damages will be paid to the Diffused Rights Fund of the Ministry of Justice.

As for Sony Music, a representative stated that the lyrics were not intended to offend anyone and that the song was alluding to Tiririca’s wife. In addition, Sony called upon language differentiations saying that the language used in the song applies to both black and white women in Brazil, whereas in the English it seems to only refer to one race.

As for us, we aren’t so sure that is true. In fact, one lyric in the song states, “This black woman stinks,” which in English or Portuguese seems to be talking about just one race. Besides, if this song was really for his wife, why aren’t we including an “ex” in front of that marital status?

No matter what culture you come from, I’m pretty sure this song is offensive – merely for the fact that it exists at all!

Take a look at the lyrics for yourself:

Veja veja veja veja veja os cabelos dela (4x)

(Look look look look look at her hair (4x)

Parece bom-bril*, de ariá panela

(It looks like a scouring pad for pots and pans)

Parece bom-bril, de ariá panela

(It looks like a scouring pad for pots and pans)

Quando ela passa, me chama atenção

(When she goes by, she catches my attention)

Mas os seus cabelos, não tem jeito não

(But her hair just isn’t right)

A sua catinga quase me desmaiou

(Her stench almost made me faint)

Olha eu não aguento, é grande o seu fedor

(Look, I can’t take it, her smell is so bad)

Veja veja veja veja veja os cabelos dela

(Look look look look look at her hair)

Parece bom-bril, de ariá panela (2x)

(It looks like a scouring pad for pots and pans) (2x)

Eu já mandei, ela se lavar

(I told her to take a bath)

Mas ela teimo, e não quis me escutar

(But she’s stubborn and doesn’t listen to me)

Essa nega fede, fede de lascar

(This black woman stinks, she stinks horribly)

Bicha fedorenta, fede mais que gambá

(Stinking beast, smells worse than a skunk)

Did you find this song racist? Is it offensive?

What’s your favorite line?

Members of the natural hair community are questioning if Essence Magazine is dissing Vlogger/bloggers in their latest issue. Read here for more. Weigh in on the discussion.

Essence Magazine January 2012 Issue “Disses” Natural Hair Vloggers -or- Was it Self Promotion?! Weigh in! This was the subject of an email I received from NaturalSunshine.com.  Immediately I was intrigued.  The last few years Essence and their advertisers have shown the natural hair community love with features in print as well as online.  I decided to research further.  I’m a huge support of the publication and encourage my following to support the magazine.  Could it be true that they were not giving the same love back?

What the Essence “article” said in Transiting Do’s article. Tips given by Key Martin, Atlanta based texture specialist.
3. Be selective about using the information you get from the Internet. “A lot of times YouTubers are speaking about their texture, which may not be yours”, says Martin. Instead, join natural hair communities like those at ESSENCE.com and naturallycurly.com, which are designed to help you learn your hair type and texture. A plus: You can connect with other women who are transitioning.

I personally did take the time to express my thoughts on the matter.  It is unfair to belittle the online natural hair community by assume that we ONLY sharing from the point of view of our hair texture.  I have sent a written statement and hope to hear from a representative.  I will share this statement with NHR.com shortly.

Here what AfricanExport had to say

Do you think Essence “dissed” Natural Hair Vloggers by writing this? Or is it just self promotion? Does Essence.com offer the same support and information on natural hair care that Natural Hair Vloggers have? Does Essence owe these Natural Hair Vloggers an apology? What do you think about what Essence Magazine said?

The staff at Natural Resources Salon are passionate about raising awareness about hair loss prevention, particularly among children and practicing good habits from the start. The key is to start by simply knowing how to properly comb out your hair.

Register and sign up for reminders at www.livestream.com/naturalresourcessalon. Natural Resources is on Facebook at Facebook.com/NaturalResourcesSalon  and on Twitter at @Natural_Mecca. The series Twitter hashtag is #Naturallylive.

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