By Chrissi J

I’m sure that many of us know that gray hairs can have a mind of their own. Once they start peeking out and being noticeable, the pieces start flying and tend to have a mind of their own.*shakes head sadly* Here are just a few simple tips for slicking them down and blending them in before they completely take over your look.

1. Flat Twist: Old-school flat twists–you’ve got to love them. Making a tiny flat twist in the front of the hair can help those gray strands stay down by blending them in with the rest of your hair during all that twisting and turning. Whether I’m styling a Silver Fox’s loose gray hair or locks, I incorporate flat twists to make sure the hairs stay in place and don’t stick out too prominently.

2. Styling Strips: This is my secret ingredient and a Silver Fox’s best friend. Once I’m done with a polished style, I’ll wrap on a styling strip around the edges before I put the client under the dryer. When finished, I slide/tear the strip off in a backward motion. NEVER pull the strip straight forward if you’re hoping to prevent a frizzy look.
Styling strips are available at most beauty supplies. I usually recommend that you use the black ones because they seem to be a bit stronger than most, and definitely look better. Put it on before you go to bed, under your silk or satin scarf, and take it off in the morning for your freshest look. Make sure to use a light gloss or sheen in the morning because the strip will soak all the oil from that area.

3. Color- A lot of people like to blend their gray hairs in with the color of their hair. When choosing a natural color to disguise your grays, I strongly recommend using Bigen brand color. It’s water-based and contains no ammonia or peroxide. You can find Bigen Color at most beauty supplies and health food stores. It’s great for black, brown, or deep red colors. The color deposits deeply and lasts a lot longer than the competition.

… And if you’re feeling funky, go blonde! Blonde blends very well with gray. #imjustsayin

Chrissi J is a hair-care specialist currently based in New York City, specializing in creative natural hairstyling and overall hair care. She is the originator of the Keepin’ It Kinky Campaign. Check out her work and videos at Keepin’ It Kinky and through her YouTube page.

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Oh locks! I love them dearly and I don’t even have them! (I’ve even worn fake dreads before because I admire them so much) While I do plan to turn this big, fluffy ‘fro of mine into a locked masterpiece in due time, I click through many galleries and pics of locks and the unique styles they can come to form for inspiration. From the short ones, to the long ones, to the ones that come in a vast array of colors and coils, locks are a great hair choice. I’ve noticed we don’t offer as much love to them as we do all kinds of other forms of hair here on the site, so check out this gallery of fanciful and fly lock styles that I’m sure will get your creative juices flowing when it comes to your own hair.

Depending on what hairstyle she is wearing when you see her, Kandi Burruss can look like a completely different person thanks to some chic and questionable hair moves. We know from watching her on Real Housewives of Atlanta that she loves to change up her color, and if she can’t flip it, curl it, or spike it, then the look won’t last long (reminds me of the game, Bop It!). She’s a beautiful lady with a pretty good and positive spirit, so we’re going to keep that in mind as we go through her hot hair looks and her hot mess hairstyles too. Let us know what you think of her hair game in the comments way down below.

This week, Madame Noire’s resident natural hair care expert Anu Prestonia offers advice on basic hair care for natural black hair that can apply to many curl patterns. Read Anu’s advice and leave your comments below.

Hello Ms. Prestonia,

I was wondering if you’d be willing to address the very basics of hair care–how often to wash it, what to do with your hair after you get out of the shower, what kinds of shampoos, conditioners, and oils are best, etc — and if you know any additional tips for mixed women, I would be eternally grateful. All my mixed-heritage girls and I have struggled with what to do with our hair, especially how to let its natural beauty shine. If your mama isn’t black, it’s a safe bet that you have absolutely no knowledge about what to do with black hair. I’m pretty confused myself, even just when it comes to washing my hair! I have no idea what shampoo to use, and I’ve heard everything from “never wet your hair” (which I assume applies to relaxed/flat ironed hair) to “wet your hair everyday and spritz it if it needs a little moisture.”

Right now, I wet my hair every day and put conditioner in it every day, but I only shampoo it every week and a half. Problem is, I feel like my shampoo strips my hair! What’s the word on good shampoos and conditioners?

My African friend also has me putting Moroccan hair oil and leave-in conditioner in when I get out of the shower. She tells me she even does mayo hair masks at home, but I’ve always been skeptical about that kind of thing.

Also, how often should I comb my hair, since I wear it natural and I’m trying to retain my curl pattern, especially in the front of my head where curl pattern isn’t so great? (And I assume you comb in the shower with your conditioner in?)

This is probably a lot to answer, but at least in my experience, I’ve been surprised to see how impossible it is to just find an article that tells you the basics of black hair care. Please help!

Thank you,

Lina

With the surge of black women sporting natural, kinky and curly styles, several questions have been raised. Of the most are uncertainties in the workplace and corporate environments. Then there are some from society as a whole.

These are just a few of the assumptions people make about girls with curls:

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By Khadija Allen

From endless curls to single strands, these entertainers have blended urban flavors with trendy styles to prove that weaves can get very stale in Hollywood. No pun intended. Let’s bring on the natural-haired sisters, shall we?

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(BlackVoices) – Janet Bello, 23, (pictured above left) says when she applied for a part-time job at Six Flags in Largo, she was told her “locks” hairstyle disqualified her from employment.

She says a supervisor told her management is adhering strictly this year to a years-old corporate grooming policy that considers dreadlocks to be an extreme hairstyle. Bello considers the characterization to be offensive:

“I think it’s outrageous, and I really think it’s sad. … I think Six Flags can literally, excuse my French, go to hell.”

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