RELAXED!!

This TIPS are for my Relaxed friends that need to keep their HAIR HEALTHY!!

1) Be careful about cleansing

Relaxers can damage hair, causing it to lose its ability to retain moisture. Especially for black women, shampoos tend to strip away natural oils, so therefore, Hair should be washed at the salon once a week.


2)Reduce your amount of Heat-Intensive styling

Be careful not to over-style your hair through excessive blow-drying and setting hair. This can be done once a week especially after shampooing. For the first three days after getting your blow-set, you can finger comb your hair into place and pull it back for the rest of the week or style curl the ends with a curling iron.


Lots of Moisture

It is important to restore hair moisture, so therefore put a bit of hair grease on your fingertips and massage into scalp. Products that use mineral oil, are usually the best. To keep up the sleek-ness of the hair, it is important to deep condition regularly, using treatments that contain natural oils like avocado or shea butter. A treatment every two weeks is great!

HAIR and POLITICS

(Condellezza rice)


(Hillary Clinton)


(Margaret Thatcher, former U.K prime Minister)


(Michelle Obama, wife of Barack Obama)


One of the reasons I started a Hair blog (besides to promote my business) was to voice and hear opinions about the significance of Hair in our every day life.

It might sound a little far fetched, but how we dress our hair (male or female) often times influence the kind of feedback we get. For example try and give a presentation looking great from head to toe but with crazy unbrushed hair, and see how people respond to you. It's sad to say but our hairstyles convey alot of messages to the observer, stuff like whether we're single or not, bossy or not, wealthy or not, our religion, our sexual preference, our jobs and many more.

I am not a BIG fan of politics, but after watching an interview with Hillary Clinton, I got to thinking about why a majority of women in politics (esp. in the west) have the same hair style. It's so interesting they all seem to have this short, medium volume, hair cut. Someone explain to me why that conveys power? when did having masculine(ish) hair cuts equate NO-NONSENSE HAVING powerful women, isn't that going against "presenting a strong female front"? Meaning that as a woman participating in Politics, should you not be proud that you are a woman, and not work hard to hide it. Not to say that having short hair makes you less of a woman, but my question is why do a majority of female politicians wear their hair in the same style?

Although a majority wear their hair that way, there are those that don't such as the former prime minister of ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko and Cristina fernandez de kirchner of Argentina. I of course am biased because I am a big fan of long hair, but to me these women exemplify strong feminity. Not to say that one is better than the other, but that looking like a woman while running for public office should not be considered wrong, or trashy. I don't know about you but I like my female politicians to look like this:

Yulia Tymoshenko

(With her signature braid)


(Braids undone)



Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Creating Volume

One of the easiest way to create volumes is by rolling it with HOT ROLLERS. Moisturize your hair, and set it on Hot Rollers and then release. The size of your curls depends on the size of the rollers, so if you want tighter curls, use smaller rollers and if you want loose curls use bigger rollers. Hot rollers are quite a time saving investment for $80.

Try this SEXY do and have a SEXY FABULOUS WEEKEND!!

Weave Cleavage??

Well that is what my girl Naomi Campbell has been accused of displaying. According to the Mirror U.K, it seems like Ms. Campbell has been experiencing some hair loss due to Traction Alopecia (see early post for more info). I actually noticed earlier that she had been displaying some interesting receding hairline. Anyways I can't judge, all I can say is STAY AWAY from the tight braids and cool your hair with some lace wigs or regular wigs.



(courtesy of thisislondon.co.uk)


(Excerpt from Mirror.co.uk)
Expert Leonora Doclis believes Naomi may be suffering from hair loss brought on by years of using weaves to make her locks appear straight.
She said: "There is a possibility that Ms Campbell could be experiencing a condition called traction alopecia but, if so, it is a very mild case.
"Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by excessive and long-term pulling on the hair follicles.
"This can be due to hair extensions or weaves and results in deterioration of the hair's thickness."
Leonora, of the Belgravia Centre hair loss clinic in London, added: "It is possible to repair this condition by the use of certain treatments but the results depend on the severity of the condition and extent of the hair loss."

Back with a' BANG!!

Anyone that knows me know that I love BANGS!!! I mean first it is an easy way to look both stylish and sassy, and secondly it is the easiest ( sans plastic surgery) way to take back the years, and look playful and young.

Bangs are a great way to keep your style very versatile. You can make your old hairstyle sassy by adding bangs and if you like you can use it to cover up a problem area. Bangs can be either long or short, depending on the shape of your face. Looking for a way to change your look without doing anything drastic, then Bangs are the way to go!!!

For Bang "How tos" checkout these steps, courtesy of EHOW.com


Things You’ll Need:
• Mirror
• Hair tie

Step1
Use the hair tie to pull back your hair, if necessary, so you can take a good look at the shape of your face. Oftentimes, bad bangs are the result of a cut that doesn’t fit the person’s face.

Step2
Look in the mirror and determine the shape of your face. The six main face shapes are oval, round, oblong, heart, square and diamond.

Step3
Notice a round or heart-shaped face? Then, go with long, wispy bangs. Curving long bangs towards your face will downplay full cheeks.

Step4
Notice a round or heart-shaped face? Then, go with long, wispy bangs. Curving long bangs towards your face will downplay full cheeks.

Step5
Go for a gentler, side-swept bang with some length for a square or diamond-shaped face. The bangs should layer into the jaw line, which will help soften angular faces.

My Hair Experiment

so now I have my real hair, I have decided to go on a break from using chemicals, braiding, and doing anything to my hair. I have decided that I will either leave the mini afro I have or wear wigs, and in order to help resurrect my problematic areas (which is the thin,sensitive, temple region), I have started using Dr. Miracle Temple and Nape. My friends have all recommended and praised this product, I have tried it but have not put their claim of "Hair growth in 30 days" to the test. Apparently if I apply the product twice for 30 days, hair will grow in my problem areas. So yesterday was day four, and so far I have noticed that it seems to help.

I will be sure to let you know if I have experienced any MIRACLE.

Anyways, after doing some research I have to say that this product is not for everyone, especially those that have sensitive scalps.

The one thing I like about it, is the "menthyl" cool feeling that is supposed to stimulate blood fuel and help your hair grow.

Important Information to avoid Hair Loss

(Photo courtesy of skinandaging.com)

1. Do you wrap your hair at night? If you answered yes than you are doing a good job. Apparently wrapping your hair at night with a silk scarf protects your hair from damage and breakage.

2. It is good to wait between 6 to 8 weeks before getting a touch up. Relaxers were created for virgin hair, so relaxing hair that was previously relaxed weakens the hair thus causing it to thin out.

3. It is important to comb your hair especially if its weave from the bottom up, in order to avoid tugging on your hair.

4. *There is a hair disease caused Traction alopecia that is mostly suffered by black women.

Traction Alopecia.

According to Wikipedia…

Traction alopecia is a form of alopecia, or gradual hair loss, caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair. This commonly results from the sufferer frequently wearing his or her hair in a particularly tight ponytail, pigtails, or braids.
Traction alopecia is a substantial risk in hair weaves, which can be worn either to conceal hair loss, or purely for cosmetic purposes. The tight braiding and snug hairpiece cause tension on the hair that is already at risk for falling out.

More information on Traction Alopecia:
Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia is hair loss that occurs as a result of continuous pulling of the hair. Pulling may occur from hairstyles such as tight cornrows or braids, weaves, ponytails or even hair rollers or curlers. Traction alopecia may also be due to excessive weight from long extensions or locks. Signs that the hair is being pulled too tightly are difficulty moving your forehead or temples, headache, and scalp soreness. Side effects of pulling too hard are breakage of hair strands and hair loss from the follicle. An even more serious side effect of chronically pulling the hair is an inflammation of the follicle and the appearance of small bumps (folliculitis). Inflammation can lead to destruction of the hair follicle and permanent hair loss. Over time, bald spots may develop along the hairline and in the area above the ears. Since the hair loss happens gradually, you may not even notice it until the bald spot develops or your hairline recedes significantly. If traction alopecia continues for a prolonged period of time, the follicles may become destroyed and hair loss permanent.

Treatment
It may seem obvious but it’s time to stop pulling your hair out. To save your hair, you may need to switch hairstyles altogether. However, if your hair loss is minimal and you want to continue to braid your hair or plait your child’s hair, for instance, you can make adjustments, such as wearing looser braids, plaiting the hair loosely and wearing shorter weaves or locks. Women of color often pull tightly on hair to make it look smooth or straighter in a ponytail or bun. A better solution might be to apply a hair gel or a dab of conditioner to the hair to help it to lie flatter and straighter. More manageable hair will look smooth and neat without all that pulling, so wash and deep condition regularly. To camouflage bald spots or a receding hairline you might consider brushing your hair towards the hairline or coloring the scalp with a scalp pencil. You can find scalp pencils at a local beauty supply store; apply as you would an eyebrow pencil, with short strokes in the direction of hair growth.

Once the pulling and tension have been eliminated, if there is active folliculitis, your dermatologist may prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic to reduce the inflammation. In addition, potent cortisone containing creams or cortisone injections may reduce inflammation. If severe scarring is present, hair transplantation may be an effective treatment


For more information check out www.traction-alopecia.com


**So please in order to avoid major bald spots in the future, avoid tight braids at all cause and loosen up that ponytail.

Hair-Cess-Orize!!

So you are tired of the same look and want to tweak it up a bit, what do you do? you ACCESSORIZE!!!

Nothing is chic-er (is dat a word) than adding a hat, Beret, or just a nice cute hair pin like the one above.

Add a flower to bring out the earth goddess in you, or rock a sexy hat to unleash ur inner diva.

Accessories are good for all occasions, remember to be appropriate with it, i.e: don't wear a flower to a business meeting.

Need help deciding, here are some of my favorite looks:

FLOWER POWER








Sassy Clip




Casual Berets






Playful Hair Bands







Soul-ful Scarfs






CAUTIONARY TALE!!!! TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING!


(your flower should not be growing out of your head)



(Hair-net outside when the sun is out is never a good look)

REMEMBER:

1. Be a little bit playful with the band and scarf by adding bright exotic colors and patterns.

2. with a Beret, it is always cute to leave a bit of your hair out in front.

3. Add cute sparkly clips for a "kept" look, dont OVERDO it with this look

4. and more importantly...HAVE FUN WITH YOUR LOOK!!

D-WHAT??

HELLO BLOGGERS!!!! hope your weekend has been great like mINE :D, I can't believe its monday already. is it me or has days been going by really fast?

Anyways, am excited because I get to do my hair this week!! YAY!! I don't know about you but having my hair done is like a mini-Baptism (lol...lord don't punish me lol) but u know u just feel cleansed whenever u get rid of that garbage that was once beautiful, but now its irritating and you are tired of patting ur head. My goodness, the difficulty of finding a good hair stylist has resulted in me carrying crap on my head. You don't even want to know how many hats I have. I think my co-workers are beginning to think I don't have hair.

Anyways speaking of Garbage, I was minding my business one day watching T.V when I saw the commercial for the new Danity Kane album. I forgot the name of the album because I was starring at one of the members'head, you know who am talking about......D-WOODS!!

Now I don't know who to be mad at, DIDDY or D-WOODS, but both D's need a heavy slap with fingers full of rings, I mean seriously WHAT DA CRAP?

WHAT you could not decided between a short hair do and a long one so you did both???? are you serious??? like really you have been carrying that crap on ur head for a month now.

Better yet why aren't her band members saying 'ish? how can you let ur band member look like a REJECT? but then again maybe those hefas are to busy trying to outshine each other. or member D-WOODS just did not get the memo that you are supposed to be sexy not gender/sexuality confused.

Anyways I just had to vent, don't shot the messager, slap D-WOODS and DIDDY.

but I still like the band (actually somewhat because this girls hair just minus-ed my like)

PARDON ME!!

I think I just spent a great deal of my life catching on Naija events thanks to Linda Ikeji and Bella Naija!! lol.. and approximately 1 day and (1/2) of my life researching where to order my 2nd lace wig, (the first one was the wrong size, I put it up online incase someone wants to buy it).


so please can someone help me understand how to upload a video in this blog thing? where do I go to upload a youtube video???


HELP PLEASE!!!


P.S if you have amazing hair-do's you will like to be featured in "Expand ur Hair-izon" please send me a picture with hairbyazara@gmail.com.

Thanks!

are YOU a RISK-TAKER??

Are you bored of your hair? are you tired of being known with this same hairstyle? are you looking for a change? want to unleash ur inner sexy diva? then you might be looking for one of these new sexy asymmetric hair cuts.

Bring out your sexy wild risk-taking edgy self with either a bob, or a sharp cut.

Ciara's cute "Girl next door" bob.

Est'elle's Hair style is a definate watch this year! Love it. Cute evening do'

Keisha's sassy BOB.

Cute Hair cutes defy all body types, as shown by Toccara

I can't get enough of Rihanna's sexy edgy cut.

From the back.

Remember the rules are simple. Study your face, figure out what works with your angle, see ur hair stylist and take that risk if u dare!!! lol.

HUH???? Braids SHORTEN Hair's Lifespan???

How can something so PRETTY be BAD??

I saw this article on Exquiste magazine online and had to blog about it. Correct me if am wrong but I thought braids were healthy for your hair because it made your hair grow (except for the micro ones) , isn't that why we were required to carry it like that in primary school?

Exquisite Beauty: Braids Shortens Your Hair's Lifespan. By Ugo Igbokwe

The lifespan of an individual hair is on average, between 2 and 6 years.
This life span is divided into three stages, which are:

ANAGEN: this is the first stage, when the new hairs grow, from the base of the hair follicle.
CATAGEN: this is the second stage, when the hair has now ceased to grow, the root shrinks and follicle breaks down, allowing the hair to move upward.
TELOGEN: the mature hair is loosely anchored to the hair root, and after the couple of months, the hair will fall out. Hair overly stressed during braiding, can encourage the hair to fall out shortening it lifespan.

Scalp Problems Caused By Braids

This is caused by stylist being too harsh when holding the hair to braid. This pulls the hair thereby stretching it to its fullest potential, and this will of course depend on the condition and elasticity of the hair. Then has the hair try to return to its previous length causing great stress on the hair follicle. This can cause severe headache a day or so after braiding. It can also cause sores to appear on the hair scalp, which in turn can become infected and very painful.
Hair Breakage Caused By Braids
Braiding your hair immediately after a chemical service is not acceptable because the hair after a chemical service does not get to an optimum moisture level of 8%, is overly porous and most importantly has poor elasticity. Even if the hair does not break at the turn of service it could break within days or week after the services.

Caring For Your Braids

For all of the above reasons it is vital that once you have your braids done, that you take good care of them. Follow the stylist instructions. However due to the lack of conditioning once your hair is braided, (it is often recommended that you do not condition for fear of the conditioner making the hair too soft and loosening the braid, loosening curls if curled or be tangled) it is vital that a month prior and past your appointment, you should spend time giving your hair a lot of TLC. This means pampering your hair with shampoo that will restore your hair’s moisture level to it optimum 8%, treatment conditioner that contains vegetable proteins, improving elasticity. Try and give your hair a treatment at least once a week. Because you can shampoo and condition your braids even half braids ask me how?

Author Note: There is no reason why you should not enjoy the experience of hair braids & weaves, as long as you take the proper precaution. Go to well-respected specialist; use good professional hair products and ALWAYS GET A CONSULTATION.

If you have any question on this article or other hair care consultation, please feel free to mail me at ugo@makemebeauty.com

**Article courtesy of http://www.exquisitemag.com/

What do you THINK?

Who's dat HAIR??!!! 2

hEY bloggers, men this week was crzy I don't know how other people keep up with their blog because this is like work!! lol...am trying but I didn't think I would go like a couple of days without checking in...Anyways in today's episode of who's dat hair (lol sounds like a T.V show) we will feature Naija's very own "beyonce" (or so I heard she's been called).

Ashionye!!!

I love this girl, she is talented, creative and just seems like a fun girl following her dreams. Ashionye if you're reading I think you are AWESOME!!!

I just love my naija entertainers, they just seem like so much fun and all have this crzy ENERGY!!!

Anyways, Ashionye is from Utagba Uno, Kwale in Delta state and is well known as a singer/songwriter, and actress. A former member of the group "ELLE", the girls created their own brand of music called "Afro pop" and later changed their name to "Emete". The group dis-banded in 2005 and Ashionye stroke out on her own. Since then she's gone on to release her CD titled "A piece of me".

Ashionye is that singer that understands what it means to be entertainer, she has done an excellent job branding her look and sound. Everyone knows her signature hair color (that electric #30 or #33, it varies) and she keeps coming up with beautiful hair styles that sets trends!!

Entertainment in Naija has always been considered a boy's club affair, but singers like Ashionye and many others are changing that, and doing it with unstoppable charisma and energy.

Thanks to her Talent and beauty, Ashionye got an amazing gig acting as the brand ambassador for pepsi Light. Way to go gurl!!!

Whether it is braids or weaves, Ashionye knows how to rock them and sticks with what works with her beautiful complexion. So, Hair Azara is honoring Ashionye for knowing her look and branding her image.

Braided Elegance!

Sexy casual look.

(This one is probably my Favorite :)

Diva!!

Which Ashionye look is your favorite?

*All pictures courtesy of true love west africa, purefoto.com, and Ashionye.com