In my opinion, no hairstyle is more regal, more awe inspiring, more spiritual or more misunderstood than locs. For some, they aren't a hairstyle as much as a religious expression -- the Rastafarian movement is still strong all around the world, particularly in Caribbean culture.

For many others, this strong and beautiful hair has nothing to do with religion at all; it can be more of an expression of self, and pride in one's roots.

Thanks to Twitter, I've had the pleasure of getting to know some of the web's most admired loc experts. The three women featured in this post are all absolutely beautiful, and offer proof that there's nothing "dreadful" about locs!

Toshia Shaw-Lacey is a writer extraordinare. Besides having written a book - her debut novel, High Stakes, drops in April! - she is also a well respected blogger who shares information about locs at On The Road to Queendom. I reached out to ask her about his locs, what led her to the style and what they mean to her.

Just about every product on the market makes the same promise to deliver stronger, healthy hair. But what most scientists know, is the whole premise is based on a myth. Because your hair is actually dead.

Don't believe me? Believe the Beauty Brains. In a post titled What Does Your Hair Really Need? they break the whole thing down for laypeople like you and me.

"It's a common misconception that hair can be healthy. Hair can be no more healthy than a shoe lace, a cotton blouse, or any other non-living fiber. The hair on your head is not living tissue. It is dead, keratinized protein. Hair cannot be healthy. Of course, it can look healthy or not-healthy, but that's not the same thing."

Yes indeed, just like the top layer of our skin and our fingernails, hair is made up of dead cells. So why are there so many products out there promising to improve the health of your hair? Because the marketing geniuses know that we're quick to buy into this myth, in the hopes of improving our appearance.

If you think back to being a little kid, I'm sure the ritual of hair braiding was a regular part of your upbringing. It definitely was in mine. I remember sitting between my mother's knees -- bottle of "grease" and rat-tail comb at the ready, while she painstakingly parted my hair and deftly styled it into neat plaits. And at a certain time in my life, I always wore my hair in that loving, intricate style.

But it didn't stop at just two plaits for most of us. If you grew up in America, I think you probably wore "corn rows." In the Caribbean we called them "cane rows," as in sugar cane. Regardless of the name, the style spoke to our shared ancestry - hair-braiding techniques were passed down from Africa, survived the intentional cultural separation of slavery and remains part of our legacy today. And the techniques have become even more intricate, complex and beautiful with time and with practice.

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.

It's hard to think of a celebrity more brave, more beautiful and more delightfully comfortable in her own skin than Jill Scott.

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.