OK, I admit it - ever since I went natural I've become a product snob. I read ingredients now. When I see Sodium Laureth Sulfate, mineral oil, or petrolatum as key components of a hair product, I typically look the other way. But there's a valid reason why so many of us stay in the hair care aisles at Walgreens, CVS, Duane Reade, Target, and Walmart...affordability. For many of us, a $50 deep conditioning treatment just isn't within our means. And that's OK - because luckily there ARE some good products to be found at the drugstore. Here are my top picks.

Pantene Breakage Defense Deep Conditioning Mask

Pantene's Relaxed and Natural and Breakage Defense lines are specifically meant for women of color, and this natural head found herself quite pleasantly surprised at the results. A deliciously scented, rich deep conditioner, this product left my hair light, fluffy, and had enough slip for me to comb out my tangles easily. Good stuff, and this usually retails for $6 or thereabouts.

From the moment her first song dropped -- the unforgettable 'Getting in the Way' -- she set a new standard. Here was a sista who remained classy but wasn't afraid to be sassy. For the most part, Jill has worn her hair in a curly, natural style -- the video for My Love was a notable exception.

This weekend at the NAACP Awards, she made her glorious return to the red carpet -- and to the stage. I personally loved her cornrows paired with a flowing mane of kinky hair. I thought she looked stunning on the red carpet in that sexy, slinky navy Tadashi Shoji dress.

Most shampoo and conditioner come in liquid form, but for traveling purposes, environmental friendliness, and all around convenience, it's hard to beat a shampoo bar.

For the unfamiliar, shampoo or conditioner in bar form can seem strange. But just like bar soap, all you gotta do is rub it into a thick lather and work it into your hair. Super sudsy, super easy. Here are some of our current favorites.

Lush has an amazing range of shampoo and conditioner bars, but their Godiva Solid Shampoo is my absolute favorite. $9.25, and it makes my hair super soft, clean without being stripped of all life, and potently scented of jasmine.

Times are tough, and pennies are being pinched all over. For many of us, that means cutting back on life's little luxuries and learning to DIY. Body scrubs, manicures, and pedicures are one thing -- but what about at-home hair relaxers? There are three basic things you should consider.

1 -- Know your brand. Relaxers range from the expensive (Phytorelaxer retails at $60) to the super cheap. I've seen off brand relaxers retail for less than $5. In the age of the internet, there's no excuse for taking a gamble on a product you've never heard of before. This is your crowning glory we're talking about here. Look up the top relaxer brands online, check out message boards, know what you're buying before you hit the store. As seen in the previous post, picking up a bargain can leave you bald. Popular drugstore brands with mostly positive reviews include Dark and Lovely Moisture Seal, Affirm, Soft & Beautiful, Profectiv Anti-Damage No-Lye Relaxer, and Dr. Miracle Thermalceutical Intensive No-Lye relaxer.

There are books upon books, amazing posters, photos, and DVDs dedicated to celebrating so many of Hollywood's lauded beauty icons. But when it comes to finding information about some of the most famous celebrities of color, it seems the same care and attention wasn't paid to cherishing their legacies. Allow us to present an online tribute to one of the most beautiful black celebrities in entertainment history and who has largely been forgotten by the annals of time: Miss Nina Mae McKinney.

In her heyday, McKinney was featured in more than 30 movies -- more than many of her peers, whose names are more recognized as influential black celebrity icons today. She was called The Black Garbo, likening her wide-eyed, mysterious, demure beauty to that of Greta Garbo.

Thanks to one of my favorite hair blogs, Black Girl With Long Hair -- I caught wind of this story.

Check it. A black woman in Chicago used a drugstore relaxer that caused her hair to "come sliding off my head."

Peep the video, via World Star Hip Hop.

Having watched that, I have more questions than answers.