Around these parts, we watch a LOT of hair videos. And while most are informative, many of them aren't exactly fun to watch. Unless you consider watching someone talk to a camera while standing in their bathroom, fun.

Which is why when I laid eyes on the wonderful webisodes being made by Andrea of art and design blog Fly, I had to share with the world!

Check this out!

I had to grill Andrea about her inspiration.

"My blog is about art and design mainly, and although I'm natural I know there are many great blogs out there covering hair. Still, one of the #1 questions I get is, how do you get your hair like that or what products do you use?
Black women are so hungry for this kind of information. So I wanted to make some videos about my hair. And I wanted to make it fun and really different."

Her stop motion videos make natural haircare look fun, vibrant, and EASY! I'm inspired by her technique.

Andrea's got some more awesome natural hair videos in the works, and she's also a BRILLIANT artist. I want all of her hair paintings. Homegirl is crazy talented! Check out her blog and her YouTube channel.

I stay looking for hair inspiration, how about you? Where are you finding your hair inspiration these days?

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Ah, Halloween. A time to stuff your face with candy and get dressed up in a crazy costume. And every year, the day after Halloween there are celebrity photos that make you wonder -- what the hell were they thinking?

This year's case study, Mel B. These days, the only thing "scary" about this former Spice Girl is what she's done to her little girl's hair. Check out the Spice Girl and her family on Black Celebrity Kids.

Look closely at little Angel Iris' hair. Yes, that's a mohawk. Yes, her hair is completely shaved on the sides. And I am sincerely hoping that her hair is straight because of heat, and not from chemicals.

And please note her haircut has absolutely nothing to do with Elmo. Even if this child was dressed as a punk rocker, I still couldn't condone shaving a 2 year old's head just for the sake of Halloween.

I don't mean to give Mel B the Allison Samuels treatment - I do believe she's being a good mother to her daughter by taking her out to the pony ranch for Halloween. They really do look like a happy family. But when it comes to the hair, I gotta ask. Why?

What are your thoughts on this little girl's hair?

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If you visited Newsweek.com's Human Condition blog today, you may have been greeted by this beautiful photo of two bright eyed, big haired girls. Those adorable little afrobellas are my nieces, Dominique and Isabella! And the article was my response to the latest rebuttal by Allison Samuels.

Hey response to the bloggers, if you will, was titled We Are All Team Zahara, and reignited ire throughout the blogosphere.

One of my favorite bloggers, Latoya Peterson tackled the Baby Z hair police head on in Jezebel. (LOVING all Latoya's work over there, BTW).

Post Bourgie cosigned Latoya's take, and Ta-Nehisi Coates took on the topic for The Atlantic.

Then Newsweek invited some bloggers to respond on their site.

Tami of What Tami Said wrote Natural Hair Is Not Unhealthy.

Author Roslyn Holcolmb who blogs at Stormcrow wrote Hair Don'ts Hold Us Back.

Nichelle of 55 Secret Street wrote Its Time To Fully Embrace Natural Hair.

And now you can click here to read my final thoughts about Zahara's hair. If you could leave a comment on Newsweek's site, it'd mean so much to me!

I hope that puts an end to these shenanigans, at least until the next trip to a toy store, where this little girl will emerge held by her mother, and surrounded by bodyguards, gawking onlookers, and photographers by the dozen.

If you've got a little girl in your life dealing with similar hair issues as Zahara Jolie Pitt and even Chris Rock's little girls - struggling with loving their hair in its unfettered state and appreciating their natural beauty - you might want to get them an inspiring book for Christmas. Of course there's I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, the sometimes controversial Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron, and Happy to Be Nappy by bell hooks. Now you can add I Love My Cotton Candy Hair by Nicole L. Updegraff to the list. The book takes into account the diverse background of a modern interracial family, the hair issues of biracial kids, and ultimately it's "a story about loving yourself just the way you are." A message any kid (and most adults) should be able to get behind.

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If there's one good thing to arise from Chris Rock's 'Good Hair' documentary, its the dialogue that the film has created. Sure, it stemmed mostly from the fact that some of us felt attacked by the filmmakers' perspective. But, still, we're talking about the issues behind our hair choices, and that's a good thing, right?

Some smart, funny, and brutally honest blog posts and comments have been popping up in the wake of 'Good Hair,' and there's so much to be learned from all sides of the discussion. And recently, two of my friends in the blogosphere (and completely unrelated) declared their hair allegiance. I found their divergent perspectives to be fascinating.

In one corner, we've got Brittany of Clumps of Mascara and Loc Rocker, who recently declared her allegiance to Team Natural with a post: 'Who Cares If You Have a Perm? I Don't.'

"...just because a sista takes pride in her natural hair, it does not mean she thinks you too should go natural. I'd rather attempt to bring about world peace than "make all black women go natural." I think it would be fantastic if Black women accepted their natural beauty but if they don't.....life will move on. We have bigger issues to deal with in the black community. I'm more concerned about us owning these hair shops we spend a crap load of dollars in.

I am not "better" because I have natural hair. And you aren't better because you live a lye.

I'm soooo kidding about that one. It's just a joke. But really...lighten up, people. I'm natural and natural I will stay. I love black hair....the history, the stories, the struggle, the ideas, the perception. I love ladies who can rock a mean wrap. I love little brown girls with candy curls. I think it's amazing what a flat iron can do. Creating and maintaining black hair is an art. I'm amazed by it really. But I'm not amazed by weaves. I'm sorry....it just bothers me. But again, that's my prerogative."

Brittany speaks her truth clearly. Click here to read it.

But in the other corner, we've got the equally awesome Andrea of Essence magazine and The Glamazons blog. Andrea is an unabashed fashionista and in her post, titled 'The Truth About Weave: I'm Never Giving It Up,' (which is part II of a weavealicious post), she lets her love for the yaki shine bright.

"...it's not like I'm unhappy with my own hair. It's just that why bother trying to create these glam looks with my own hair, when I can just add in this hair and look amazing?! Weave doesn't have to be a bad thing, and I really think that's it gotten a bad rap for no reason. I don't always wear it (I have a cute, blond, weaveless bob right now); but I don't see anything wrong with adding in a track or two...(or three or four) as I (or my hairstylist, the amazing Tracy Washington!) sees fit.

I'm always down to try new hair looks. From cuts to coloring, I've pretty much done it all. I currently have a cut, color and Brazilian (which I blogged about in previous entry). And there's no way you could be my man and hate on my weave. I will always wear it, and (since it's professionally done) you can run your fingers through it and it won't fall out or bite you. I love the freedom it gives me to change up my look, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Check out the many looks that I've had over the past couple of years with extensions. As long as it looks dope, who cares?!"

All right ladies, let's get ready to RUMBLE!

I kid, I kid.

I know many of my weave- or perm-wearing sisters have felt judged by women like myself, who proudly rock their natural hair. And speaking from personal experience, I've been the recipient of some nasty side eyes by ladies wearing waist-length Beyonce-grade store-purchased hair. For no reason whatsoever!

I think many of our hair issues start with us, and they can end with us. By ceasing the judgment and ill speaking of others, we can grow to embrace and even enjoy each other's differences.

But for the sake of curiosity, I wanna know. What team are you on?

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Maybe it was in the Eighties, when random streaks of color and asymmetrical cuts were the height of fashion. Maybe it was in the Nineties, when everyone was trying to emulate Jennifer Aniston's "Rachel" cut from Friends. You know you've had one, and maybe there's photographic evidence. The worst hairstyle you've ever had.

I'll share mine, if you share yours. Ready?

This was taken in 2000, during a visit back home to Trinidad. That's me and my dad, getting a drink at a roadside bar on the way to the beach. And as you'll notice, my hair is short, bright blonde, and so not the biz.

That was the peak of chemical damage, my hair was literally fried and dyed. I hate photos from my blonde phase, but I'm glad I went through it...because if I hadn't damaged my hair as badly as I did and experienced the breakage and split ends I was causing myself... I may never have decided to transition to natural hair.

I think a month or so after this, I dyed my hair brown again and cut it even shorter. I didn't realize at the time, but that turned out to be my big chop. And I never looked back!

So there's my worst hairstyle ever -- brassy, blonde, and damaged like you wouldn't believe. What's yours?

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Chris' interview (below) was quite intriguing for a number of reasons:

1) He was criticized for saying that Oprah looks like a slave in one of her pictures. He says that he wasn't saying that she looks like a slave (Oprah is one of his wealthy and powerful friends, he wouldn't be that stupid - I learned firsthand about the backlash you can get from criticizing Oprah); he was saying that the picture was so old that it looked like a slave picture.

2) Chris seemed incredibly emotional and highly flustered in the interview. I am not sure if this is an act, but I certainly hope it is. Chris Rock is a vet in the game, and I'd be shocked that he would be so sensitive about criticism for his film. Chris sounds like he needs a hug from his mama. If his mama is not available, he can borrow mine.

3) Chris mentions in film that black men can be portrayed any old way, while people seem very sensitive to any portrayals of black women that are in the least bit critical. I actually agree with Chris when he says that anyone who criticizes his film needs to see it first. Also, being critical of black women is not exactly a popular thing to do - I find it interesting that all the problems of the black family and black relationships mentioned in Essence Magazine tend to be blamed almost entirely on men. The truth is that in a community, it takes two genders to Tango.

4) Chris is a businessman: He mentioned that he would not release a film about black women if black women didn't like it. During survey testing, he claims that 99 out of 100 black women like the film. The lesson here is that most products are not released to the public unless they are fully market tested. Also, the size and scope of the African American market makes room for a small number of films. At the same time, it is my hope that Chris Rock and others will take ownership of the film making process to ensure that more movies are made for black audiences, using appropriate images. Anyone who saw the "ghetto girl" in the cinematic flop "Couples Retreat" knows what I'm talking about.

5) He seems to have a bit of a beef with AOL Black Voices. When asked about critical comments that Chris received in AOL BV, the entertainer went back into "Need-a-hug-from-mama" mode. I have two things to say to Chris: First, AOL Black Voices is PLURAL, implying that there is no one voice, but many who represent a variety of viewpoints. I, for one, think that Chris Rock's work is outstanding, but I don't represent all opinions on this site. Secondly, if Chris has a concern with comments that have been made, he should do what he did today - stand up for himself!

In China, they have a saying, "The fattest pig will always get slaughtered." Chris my man, you're the fat pig - so don't be surprised when the haters come out to turn you into pork chops. But make sure you also remember that everybody doesn't hate Chris, a lot of people think you're pretty cool.

Talk more about How 'Good Hair' Failed on the BV Boards!

Follow BV on Money on Twitter!

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

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The internet is amazing, it truly is. It's the great equalizer. Gone are the days where a song or a book or a movie could come out, and the celebrity creator doesn't know what the general population is thinking. Thanks to the internet, you can speak truth to power.

Case in point, Chris Rock. Apparently he's been alerted to the chatter about his film Good Hair on the BV Message Boards... because he addressed the controversy and dissent today in an interview with Charlamagne Tha God this morning. Click here to listen.

Please note for the record, this hair blogger never said anything about wanting Good Hair to fail. I want black filmmakers to succeed, and continue to make more films that feature our community in a positive and balanced light. If I'm not mistaken, I do believe Chris and Charlamagne are talking about this thread on the BV Hair Talk boards, which was started by readers. So Mr. Rock please understand, this is the voice of the people who read this site. And there's much to be learned from their response.

I've seen Good Hair. And although parts of it made me cringe, I enjoyed Good Hair. Click here to read my review. And in retrospect, not only would watch it again, but if Chris Rock chose to make a sequel, I'd heartily applaud the effort...because there's clearly SO much to examine and discuss about this topic. If he worked with a female comedian on the topic (Wanda Sykes, perhaps?), it could be even more interesting.

What do you think about Mr. Rock's response? Have you SEEN the movie? I'd love to hear your views if you have. Comment away...apparently you never know who's reading!

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In the world of natural hair blogs, there are everyday hair diaries, and there are bloggers who are regarded as gurus. Whose opinions are more widely respected and sought out than others. One of the most highly regarded natural hair bloggers is Nikki Walton, better known as Curly Nikki.

To say that her blog is informative, is an understatement. Nikki takes the time to offer guidance through the kinks and coils, to connect the dots between hair care and self esteem. I was lucky enough to interview her for both Afrobella and Black Voices -- but you can read it here first!

How long have you worn your hair natural? What led you to natural hair?

I've been natural my entire life! I was blessed with parents that didn't believe in relaxers. My dad, who has fine hair, experienced breakage after a Jehri Curl gone wrong (was there ever one 'gone right'?!), and vowed that his children would never be exposed to such harsh chemicals. Although my mother wore a relaxer, she told me that I'd have to wait until 18 to make that decision for myself. I didn't appreciate it then...but wow! I was truly fortunate.

For the first 18 years of my life, I solely wore old school press and curls. My hair was long, and generally healthy since it was straightened with moderate heat (and heavy grease, lol), bi-monthly at a salon. When I moved away for college, everything changed. The rural area I lived in was more than three hours from my home town, and unfortunately didn't have Black stylists. I was left to fend for myself. After two years of frizzy, poofy hair, I purchased an expensive flat iron on-line...this single act, was the beginning of the end, lol. In years past I had to attend parties, Kappa balls, and conferences with hair that wasn't up to my standards (anything less than bone straight). My boyfriend had witnessed (in agony) the rise and fall in my self-esteem and mood as my hair changed (from straight to poofy) throughout the month. It was sad, but true. But the flat iron provided solace, I finally had bone straight hair all the time and I felt FIERCE.

If I only then, what I know now! Flat-ironing dirty hair, repeatedly going over the same section, not deep conditioning, or properly moisturizing...these mistakes led to white dot breakage, splits, and chronic dryness. It was at this point that I put down the flat iron and started exploring my natural/curly options. Fast forward to graduate school, and my natural 'do was in full swing! I had found Naturallycurly.com and I was becoming more and more confident in my big hair. It was a journey (physically and mentally), but here I stand today. I haven't straightened in 2.5 years, and I ONLY feel like me when my hair is as big as I can be!

Your blog is totally dedicated to hair and is so amazingly informational. Do you have a background in hair? Talk to me about what led you to start your blog.

No ma'am, I have no formal training whatsoever. All of my knowledge comes from the countless hours I spent on the web researching all things natural hair. The science of it (people had led me to believe that Black hair was a totally different animal...in a way, hair is hair, it's a material fact, not a social fact), ingredients to avoid, styling options, and nailing down a routine to foster healthy growth. It became a passion -- I was spending more time researching hair than I was studying! I also became intrigued by the reaction I received from family and friends when I first stopped straightening. I was accused of "trying to fix something that wasn't broke", and sacrificing my future career! All because I stopped flat ironing! I received rude comments from peers, and one family member consistently reminded me that I needed to 'comb my hair'. It was hard enough mentally transitioning on my own, let alone dealing with the hang ups of those around me.

I became intrigued by this straight hair standard, and actually began studying it in graduate school. In 2007, I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a masters in psychology. In my practice, I regularly counsel women through depression, low self-esteem, and image development. Hair comes up more than you think!
My mission is to provide balance between physical beauty and personal esteem in a way that defies societal norms--whether I have a client on my couch, or communicating with a CN.com reader via email.

I realized that for most newly natural women, the only safe haven and source of support is on-line in such forums as NaturallyCurly, Nappturality, and LongHairCareForum. I frequented NaturallyCurly -- I loved the friendly atmosphere. The women there quickly embraced me, taught me lots, and soon came to anticipate and respect my advice! I was asked by many so start a blog, and after initial reservations, I took the plunge!

I recently moved from Miami to Chicago, and I'm about to encounter my first winter! Any advice for me re: winterizing my hair routine?

Regimen tweaks are truly something to consider as the seasons change -- your curls, which are already prone to dryness, crave even more moisture the cooler and drier it gets.

It is advised that we avoid humectants in the winter. Common humectants include honey, glycerin, panthenol, hydrolized wheat protein, and propylene glycol. These ingredients are great summer staples--they draw moisture from the humid air into our thirsty strands. But during the winter, they have the opposite effect, potentially drawing out the moisture from our strands into the dryer atmosphere. For this reason, I shelf many of my favorite conditioner stylers until summer rolls back around. I recently wrote an article on Winter Routines, and recommended the following:

TRY THESE:
-Curl Junkie Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment
-DevaCare One Condition
-Jessicurl Aloeba Daily Conditioner
-Jessicurl Too Shea
-Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment
-Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose
-Herbal Essence's Hello Hydration or Totally Twisted (Walmart)
-Generic Value Paul Mitchell the Detangler (Sally's)

SHELF THESE:
-Jane Carter Solution Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner
-Curl Junkie Hibiscus and Banana
-Miss Jessies Creme de la Creme
-Oyin Honey Hemp Conditioner
-Elucence
-Generic Value Matrix Conditioning Balm (Sally's)

Remember to seal in your water-based moisturizer or conditioner with shea buter, castor oil, or other emollients. This will protect your ends from the harsh winds. Weekly deep conditioning treatments won't hurt either! During the winter months, replenishing moisture should be your top priority!

For anyone new to your blog, is there anything they should know? Any particular posts you highly recommend that people should read?

My mission in a nutshell is to educate, inspire, and motivate. I want to help people see that natural hair can be just as beautiful and just as easy to maintain as relaxed hair...it just takes some patience, and some re-learning. CN.com features styling tips, inspirational stories, celeb interviews, and product reviews. I feature all hair types so that every reader has representation and can find a head that looks like theirs -- for styling tips and product suggestions. I do my best to provide information in a fun, yet thorough way. At some point, I've had all the same questions as my readers, so I do my best to answer in a way that would've satisfyied my curiousity back in the day. I feel that I'm successful because I approach topics like a novice, gathering the when, what, whys, and hows, and then synthesizing it for everyone else. I save folks the extra foot work.

One of my favorite posts, is actually not an article, but a compilation of the compliments my readers receive about their natural hair. It's very inspirational, and generally a feel good read. Check it out!

Black hair has been big in the media this year. What do you see in the future for black hair?

It may be a lofty notion, but I see natural hair becoming the standard. Today's natural hair will not go the way of the Fro. Mainly because natural hair today is more of a lifestyle than it is a political statement or movement of some sort. Women are becoming educated on the dangers of relaxers, extensions, and other excessive forms of manipulation, and are consciously striving to learn to care for and maintain their natural textures. Eventually we'll reach a critical mass--natural hair will replace the straight hair standard in the media, in the workplace...everywhere. Our love for our various textures, will spill over into the majority, and they will have no choice but to accept it. Natural hair today, is simply one part of a fulfilling, healthier, fabulous lifestyle! A girl can dream, right?!

What does the future hold for Curly Nikki? Any plans for the site? For yourself? Share!

Haha! The future is bright! I have plans for the website...but they're top secret at the moment. I hope to continue to grow and become one of the primary resources for transitioning and natural women.

As far as my day job, I'm fully licensed as of this month! I've been offered partnership in a practice where I'd counsel plastic surgery patients coping with body image issues, and depression. I'm incredibly excited and can't wait to get started!

What are your favorite products at the moment?

I can't live without DevaCare One Condition, Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment, Herbal Essence's Totally Twisted, henna, and unrefined Shea Butter.

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So there you have it -- product recommendations, hair advice, and the word on natural hair according to Curly Nikki. I've got more great interviews with bloggers of all hair textures coming up, so if this didn't answer some questions for you... hang in there! There's more to come!

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Can I be real with y'all? I'm kinda sick of Chris Rock's Good Hair. Raise your hand if you're with me.

The media tour. The outrage. The trailer, which showed all of the docucomedy's best clips. To paraphrase Chris Rock himself, I'm tired, tired, tired of Good Hair.

So I'm gonna conclude writing about it once and for all with this review.

I hate going into a movie when I already know too much about it. And I already knew WAY too much about Good Hair. And to be honest, I didn't quite understand the controversy and call for boycotting the film. As I said in the Black Voices podcast: it's important to remember who's making this movie. It's Chris Rock, the man who brought us Pootie Tang! The comedian who continually courts controversy. What did you REALLY expect from Chris Rock besides comedy? Social commentary? A historical perspective? Sorry -- wrong filmmaker. Wrong film. For more informed views on black hair, see some of the documentaries I mentioned in my previous post, Before Chris Rock's Good Hair.

As a comedy, Good Hair delivers. There were scenes and one-liners that were laugh out loud funny. Some scenes brought back painful memories of my own burning scalp. And there were scenes that caused my throat to tighten up and tears to well in my eyes. One particular scene, where a three-year-old girl explains that she has her hair relaxed "because we're supposed to," particularly ached to watch.

If there's one thing Rock does well, it's underscore the point that kiddie perm is an unnecessary evil. There are a few points where you can see true concern and consideration on Rock's face as he interviews the subjects in this docucomedy, and whenever he touches on this particular topic -- that little children in our community are taught that their own hair texture isn't beautiful the way it is, and are conditioned to crave chemical relaxers from such a tender age -- you can see the ache in his eyes. It's in moments like that where you can see his genuine motivation in making this film.

I believe the power of scenes like that were undercut by the barbershop scene, where a group of black men cackle wildly while confessing that they feel a level of intimacy with white women because they can run their fingers through their hair. That scene hung in the air like a bad smell.

The audience at my screening of Good Hair wasn't the target demographic. The theater was in a "white" neighborhood, and there were few people present -- I'd estimate 10, tops, and I seemed to be the only woman of color there. So when laughter rang out in the crowd, it was easy to tell who was laughing, and it was interesting to see what the audience laughed at. It sometimes underscored what frustrated women were telling Rock when he appeared on Oprah to promote this film for the second time. When the Caucasian couple sitting behind me burst out laughing at the scene in the relaxer factory, I wondered if this is what the upset black woman in Oprah's audience meant when she admonished Chris Rock for "telling our secrets."

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably have waited to see Good Hair when it makes its inevitable debut on HBO. It was amusing and interesting, but I didn't learn anything I didn't already know. I have to agree with The Hotness Grrrl on this point -- if you must be mad at Good Hair, be mad that Chris Rock's wife, Malaak, didn't appear in the film. I was perplexed by that, especially since so many celebrities gave on-camera interviews about their weaves, and the whole point of the film was that Rock's own daughters had negative feelings about their natural hair texture. That would have made Rock's film a little more interesting, but would have probably made his home life a lot more uncomfortable.

In general, Good Hair is worth seeing. The underlying message of the film, "the stuff on top of your head is not as important as what's inside your head," resonates. Will this film make anyone stop and ask themselves - why do we use sodium hydroxide to alter the texture of our hair? Will we ever truly believe, as Kari Cobham's Daytona Beach news article states, that "good hair is healthy hair, regardless of texture"? That remains to be seen.

Did you see Good Hair? What do you think? Was it worth the price of the movie ticket, or not?

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Before we start accusing anyone of being first in fashion, or anyone biting anyone's style - let's just give credit where credit is due.

Back when Kelis was THAT CHICK in 2006, a gentleman named Anthony Dickey was responsible for the hot hairstyles she was sporting. And that very style has come back big time.

"Everyone talks about the Rihanna cut. Well, that came from me cutting Kelis' hair off. It's been a great look for a lot of women who want something a little more modern," says Dickey.

He's a celebrity stylist who has crafted looks for Minnie Driver, Estelle, Alicia Keys, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna and Michelle Obama. He's got a book, a line of products, and his own salon -- all called Hair Rules. And now A. Dickey is setting out to spread his gospel of hairdressing.

"Right now we're in the process of developing a curriculum for licensed stylists so they can know how to work with a variety of hair textures. [Our presence will] be in contrast to how segregrated the industry is. In beauty school you start out learning the basics, and you find salons segregated by ethnicity and hair texture. There are white salons that don't do kinky hair and black salons that use too many chemicals. And there are women of all textures who want that A-list, high-end experience," he explains.

That's what clients get at Dickey's salon. Hair Rules New York is billed as the "first and only multi-textural salon in the US." Dedicated to offering a healthy approach to hairstyling, the Hair Rules salon exclusively uses -- what else? -- Hair Rules products. I've reviewed Dickey's products in the past, and I gotta tell ya, my hair ADORES the Quench conditioner! In our interview, Dickey gave me an over-the-phone hair consultation that I believe will help to answer questions for me and for many other women with dry hair, or natural hair issues.

"You need the Daily Cleansing Cream. It will change your hair and your scalp. It's much like Cetaphil is -- it's gentle and nourishing and will make your conditioner work more effectively, now the hair hasn't been depleted of all the natural oils that regular shampoos strip away. Those shampoos are such old dinosaur formulations and they destroy natural textured hair. That's the most important product in the line: the daily cleansing creme. The Aloe Grapefruit [clarifying shampoo] should only be used once or twice a month." Good to know -- apparently I was clarifying my hair too often.

Talking to Dickey was like having a lightbulb turned on over my head. The more we discussed hair products and formulas, the more I realized what a vast conspiracy there is in the marketing of mainstream shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. The old mantra of washing your hair with shampoo twice a week is beyond dated -- it works primarily for women born with the kind of straight hair that tends to get limp and appear greasy in between washings. Black hair has different needs, and yet we're being marketed the same kinds of products (that perhaps are repackaged in shiny new bottles, or given a special name so that we think they're formulated to fit our needs). Many of these products are formulated with alcohol, which dries out your hair. And the drier the hair becomes, the more it wants to become frizzy; hence, the need for more products.

"The whole beauty industry, the product market has segregated women based on ethnicity. When you start to look at hair texture and what it needs, you realize it markets to women based on ethnicity rather than hair texture," says Dickey.

I had to ask him about one controversial topic in the natural community -- mineral oil. That particular ingredient is a red flag to women with natural hair who read the ingredients of the products they use, and Dickey readily admitted to using it in some of his styling products, like Hair Rules Finishing Creme.

"Yes, we use mineral oil in our finishing creme and the biggest backlash was from women online. Like, they love Hair Rules but it's got this cheap sh-- in here called mineral oil... we've tried everything to replace mineral oil for its performance, and nothing out there does. It's been a struggle because we want to relate to everyone's needs, but by the time mineral oil has been strained & purified, there's no information that shows that it's bad for you or for your hair. It's 'slippability' is what we use it for. There's no product out there that has that and maintains the performance we're looking for. We're looking for ways to change it before we do our next run. It has zero to do with cost of goods. It's about performance."

In 2010 Hair Rules will expand their product line to focus on those who want straight hair. "We're making blow-dry cream for kinky, curly, wavy textures. That's the beauty of our hair - that versatility without chemicals."

Currently you can buy Hair Rules products on HSN, online, and at the salon. The salon experience is something that Dickey takes very seriously -- he's heard too many horror stories from women who deserve better.

"Hello, hair is SO emotional. And women are coming into a place at such a vulnerable time. To walk into a place where it's intimidating, or where there are small comments, or negativity... you don't need that. Hairdressers can be so complacent sometimes. You're making women beautiful, you're not digging ditches! And you're not gonna lose a woman who you've taken the time, consideration and willingness to show her the possibilities of how beautiful she can look and feel. A lot of it is listening to their needs, and half of what I do is listening. If you can find that balance in doing something they're going to be excited about and listening to their needs, you've made a client for life."

Take a look at the video clips on 55 Secret Street to get an idea of what the Hair Rules salon experience is like, and check out HairRules YouTube channel for more. It isn't cheap, but it's worth it. And who knows -- you may just run into one of Dickey's celebrity clients.

When I asked him who were his favorite celebrities to work with, there was no hesitation.

"Um, it probably is Kelis. For the same reason that everyone talks so much smack about her.She looks at fashion as fun, loves to wind up on the worst-dressed list, she likes to change her hair. [That's] what's great about celebrities -- a celebrity knows how they want their hair to look -- versus in fashion, where it's about what the photographer wants, what the stylist wants, not what the model wants. I love working with Kelis. And Michelle Obama loves a healthy head of hair. It's been nice working with her and knowing it won't be a tore-up head of hair," says Dickey.

I had to ask him what his favorite client is up to these days. Any word of a comeback?

"Kelis is working on her new album, and her new music sounds so refreshing. After having a breakup with her husband, becoming a mother... she's got so much to sing about."

Dickey is charming, compelling, and one heck of a hairstylist. To make an appointment at Hair Rules, visit their official website. And if you have any questions about hair, ask in the comments and I'll do my best to pass them along!

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I've expereienced every style under the sun both good and bad, but now after years of experimenting sport a natural look because it's best for me. When Rock made this movie I don't think his goal was not to explore the stigmas or intricacies of the African-American experience as it relates to hair it was strictly for entertainment value only. He's a comedian, so why would expect something so deep?

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Sometimes when I read posts on gossip blogs about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children, I'm left feeling lost and alone in the universe.

Am I the only one? The only black woman in the world who doesn't feel inflamed with rage when I see baby Zahara's unstyled hair?

When I see this little girl, it makes me flash back to myself at that age. Strong willed, outspoken, and quick to say no when my mom tried to tame my tresses.

Small wonder I got a dose of kiddie hair relaxer at age 7 -- I didn't exactly make myself easy to handle.

When I see Baby Z -- and the same goes for her sister, Shiloh -- I see two happy, loved, very independent-minded little girls, and an indulgent mother who allows them to express their own style.

I don't see what Allison Samuels, the author of Newsweek's latest foray into the oft-thorny world of black hair, describes as "the politics of uncombed hair."

The article takes on a thunderous vitriol at times:

"In recent pictures it's clear Angelina Jolie hasn't taken the time to learn or understand the long and painful history of African American women and hair. If she had, I can't imagine she would continue to allow Zahara to look like she has in the past few months. Photos of Zahara show the 4-year-old girl sporting hair that is wild and unstyled, uncombed and dry. Basically: a "hot mess.''

I can definitely agree that Zahara's hair looks dry at times -- hello, I've written about this myself before -- but if "wild and unstyled" is to be "a hot mess," then I've learned quite a bit today about what some people probably say about me. This is how I generally wear my hair. And usually, I get quite a few compliments on my carefree style.

I think that Angelina Jolie does her best to care for Zahara and all of her children. Is she doing a perfect job of ensuring that her children appear impeccably groomed at all times? No, and she should go the extra mile -- take a hairstyling course, or take the time to master the intricacies of black hair as adopted father Clifton Green did for his own Ethiopian-born adopted child. Teach her adopted daughter the lessons she's not going to be handed down.

I know Brad Pitt has testified to the benefits of Carol's Daughter hair products, but maybe it's time to expand Zahara's product horizons to combat the appearance of dryness. Carol's Daughter has those amazing Princess and the Frog products (complete with hair detangler!) Author Aliya S. King just discovered the wonders of Kinky Curly -- that Knot Today is an incredible detangler. I can testify as to the goodness of Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercreme, Curls Curly Q's for Kids and the incredibly scented Karen's Body Beautiful Baby Beautiful, (I'll be reviewing the adult products for you soon). I also hear amazing things about Oyin's Honey Baby, which promises to give natural hair the moisture it constantly craves.

I disagree with the conclusion of that Newsweek article: "...there will come a day when this beautiful little African girl will understand what it means to be an African American woman in this society and realize unlike her younger sister, hers is not a wash-and-go world." That sentence revealed more about the author than she may have realized. For some African American women, the expectation isn't that hair needs to be tamed into submission. For many natural hair bloggers and our readers, this world is whatever we want it to be. I'm comfortable and happy with a wash-and-go style, and I dare you to look at a natural-hair Web site like Le Coil and tell me those women look unkempt or "a hot mess."

Someday, I'd love to see Baby Z rock a head of two-strand twists, like Malia Obama, or have her hair neatly braided, like Madonna's adopted baby. Maybe that'll be what comes next. Or maybe not. It's up to Jolie's cosmopolitan family, and, honestly, as long as those kids look happy and healthy (which they do), I think it's a beautiful thing.

My question to those who so ardently criticize Brad and Angelina for Zahara's hair -- what would you want to see? What would you like them to do?

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The media blitz for Chris Rock's upcoming docu-comedy Good Hair has been relentless. In the past week and a half he's been on Oprah, Jay Leno, and even Mo'Nique's new show. Not to mention countless mentions online and in print media. According to plan, Good Hair will be opening in selected theaters this weekend...but not if Regina Kimbell has her way.

The filmmaker is suing Chris Rock and several film companies for $5 million, and doing her best to block the release of his heavily hyped film. Kimbell claims that she screened her film My Nappy Roots for Rock in 2007. According to Courthouse News, Kimball claims that Rock refused to sign a nondisclosure afgreement, admitted that he was working on a film for HBO about black hair but "didn't know what to do," and pointed at the screen and yelled "we have to go to India!" during a key point in Kimball's film, which revealed the extent of the hair export business from India.

Well that doesn't sound good for Chris Rock, now does it? This will play out in the courtroom, and for the record Rock has already issued a response.

Regina Kimball might have a case here, but she isn't alone in the black hair documentary biz. Here are some others that you should be aware of.

Both Chris Rock and Regina Kimball's films reveal the source of hair weaves and include scenes filmed at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (or Temple of the Seven Hills) in India. So does Whose Hair Is It, Anyway? a documentary filmed by the BBC that stars British pop singer Jamelia. (I wrote about that right here back in August).

In 2006 I became aware of a documentarian named Aron Ranen, whose film -- Black Hair -- exposed the iron clad control over the black hair industry in America by Korean business owners. If you've never seen Ranen's documentary, you really should. It's an eye opener.

Ranen's documentary is broken down into segments on YouTube, and available for sale on DVD via his website BlackHairDVD.com.

2008 saw the release of Afro-Saxons, Rachel Wang and Mark Currie's documentary that traces the journey of four hairstylists competing against each other in the Black Beauty Hair Awards in London. From all accounts, this is a hilarious and heartwarming film that's worth seeing.

The previously made documentaries about black hair may not have had the financial investment or garnered the attention of Chris Rock's film, but the fact that there are so many explorations of the same topic proves a basic point -- black hair remains a hot topic in the community, and there are issues that go beyond styling techniques. It'll be interesting to see how Chris Rock and Regina Kimbell's lawsuit plays out. Either way, the interest in black hair isn't going anywhere.

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This is the time of year where pink ribbons mysteriously appear on every item at the drugstore, where annual walks are walked and funds are raised, all in the names of the Susan G. Komen fund for breast cancer research.

When most people think of breast cancer, they think of the most obviously affected area. Not everyone addresses the less obvious things that are affected by breast cancer, like self esteem, overall well being, and hair. But for some women, cancer can attack those things are well.

When my Aunty Gemma was diagnosed with breast cancer, I soon learned that breast cancer can go far beyond the chest. My aunt struggled with hair loss, and what to do in the aftermath of cancer therapy. In an effort to answer some of her questions, I reached out to an expert in the field.

Vaso Spirou, the owner of Miami Beach's Salon Vaso is known and widely respected as a master colorist and hairstyling artist who specializes in curly hair and caters to the needs of South Beach's elite. Her salon is sleek, sexy, and captures the exclusivity of the city. But Vaso's hidden passion is in helping and serving the needs of those affected by cancer. As a survivor herself, she knows all too well the effects the disease can have.

"It has a major emotional effect on your beauty. Losing your hair can help you feel even worse," she said in a telephone interview.

For clients of her gorgeous salon, Vaso customizes store-bought human hair wigs -- offering scalp measurement so the wigs fit perfectly, and styling the wigs so they look normal and natural for each customer. "Why would you want to look different, especially when you are going through something as serious as breast cancer?" she asked.

Vaso offered five helpful tips for patients dealing with cancer-related hair loss.

1 -- Find a hairdresser who knows you and knows what you're going through. Tell them you're hunting for wigs that they can customize. It takes personal attention, and if they're unaccustomed or uncomfortable with styling wigs, perhaps they know someone who can help.

2 -- When the hair grows back post-chemotherapy, it will grow back thicker, denser, and more coarse. Definitely different. It's typically more wiry. So be aware that there will most likely be a change in your hair's texture after cancer. Sometimes it even grows back a different color.

3 -- Don't even think about relaxer, chemical treatments, or extensions right away. When your hair grows back thick and healthy enough, you can use extensions and chemical treatments again. If you know you're going to go through chemotherapy, it may be best to consider cutting your hair off and wearing a wig at a certain point -- just to have an easy transition into the hair issues that may result.

4 -- Don't be afraid of looking like you're wearing a wig while you're wearing a wig. There are amazing wigs that kind of adhere to your scalp. I recommend hot-heads.com. If affordability is an issue, educate yourself about local charities that donate wigs to cancer patients.

5 -- Last, and in my opinion, most importantly, Vaso recommends dealing with the psychological effects on self esteem by taking a positive attitude. Speaking from her own experience, she declared "I woke up this morning saying to myself -- I wanna live, I don't want to just survive. They have to make up their minds to live every day."

In addition to being sagacious, sweet, worldly and wonderful, Vaso is charitable. Here's another reason for you to make an appointment at her salon if you're ever in the 305 -- all proceeds earned on Mondays in the month of October will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Salon Vaso also offers bangin' blowouts, incredible manicures, great pedicures, and fabulous body treatments. Visit her website here, and you can also follow Salon Vaso on Twitter.

Are you a breast cancer survivor? Or do you know someone who is? Please feel free to share your experience and advice regarding cancer and hair loss right here -- you could be helping someone who's dealing with this issue right now!

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My favorite part of this week's much-talked-about episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show where Chris Rock and Solange Knowles talked about Good Hair? That one photo of Oprah back in the Eighties. The one Chris Rock referred to as "the mean news." Oprah had the fro that dreams are made of! Round, solid, like the Jackson 5 back in the day. That was a fro with power.

I saw Oprah's Good Hair episode a day late -- by the time I watched it, my friends on Twitter and Facebook had basically recapped the whole thing sentence by sentence online. But still, I watched and was pleasantly surprised. In my opinion, Oprah's hair episode was ten times better than Tyra's -- because she made sure to have balance. Oprah talked about relaxers, she revealed her hairstory (and Chris Rock's!), she was inclusive and featured white women and their own hair struggles (Ali Wentworth's segment on being blonde was HILARIOUS!). Oprah's episode was more well rounded in the sense that she attempted to effectively explain the similarities, while still recognizing the enormous differences between black and white hair.

But there was still some points raised that left me scratching my head.

At one point, Chris Rock declares that "women relax their hair for other women, because men don't care about hair." Then he goes on and on about when he's dates Asian and white women in the past, how his hands have been thirsty, and he's enjoyed running his fingers through their hair. So... which is it? Pick one and stick with it, Chris.

In my experience, men DO care about hair. They just try to convince you that they don't. They may not notice if you subtly change your style. But in general -- and in my experience -- men will express anguish if you start talking about cutting your hair off, or changing the style dramatically.

Forget kids, Chris Rock will say the darndest things. And he got Oprah to laugh at the craziest stuff. "That's when you were a slave, huh?" he said about her childhood photograph. "That's when you were hanging out with Anita Hill!" he said of another. And Oprah laughed and laughed. A little too hard, almost... but I bought it. Hats off to Oprah for befriending a comedian who we all have seen make jokes about her love life. "That lucky Stedman!"

I bet this Oprah episode was a wake up call for women who haven't yet educated themselves about their hair, or who haven't really thought about the reasons they may choose the styles that they do, or question the pain they put themselves through in the name of hair. Certain key points seemed to really resonate with the audience -- the declaration that black hair is a 9 billion dollar industry, that Solange Knowles used to spend more than I make in a year on weaves and extensions alone, and that little kids are suffering from self esteem problems because of this madness.

I absolutely loved the story of the family from Pasadena who Skyped in -- Rolondo, Vanessa, and Raven. The mother cut off her hair to better identify with her three year old daughter, who was already struggling with not feeling as pretty as her classmates because of the texture of her natural hair. I thought that was a lovely story. And maybe it's all in my head, but it seemed a little pointed when Oprah said to the mother "so you cut your hair off. And Chris...made a movie." It made me wish Malaak Compton-Rock was on the set, just to add in her two cents to the whole Good Hair discussion.

Chris Rock's Good Hair has already been getting huge buzz, but Oprah just set this film up for even bigger success when it opens October 9. I look forward to going to the theater on opening night, so I can experience it with the rest of America. How will this movie perform at the box office? Will Good Hair start a revolution? Will it lead women to change the way they look at, and consequently treat their hair? Only time will tell, I suppose.

What did you think?

** all photos from The Oprah Winfrey Show

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Mmmmmm... bop!

If you're an Eighties baby like me, you already have a visual in your mind. No, not teeny bopper boy band Hanson. I'm talking about four beautiful black women, striding towards the screen in silver lame dresses. Two words, people -- En Vogue. How much of an impact did they make on your radar, back in the glory days of music videos?

En Vogue gave me SO much beauty inspiration back in the days when I needed it. From Hold On to Giving Him Something He Can Feel to Free Your Mind... the Funky Divas were so talented, forward thinking and empowering in an era when girl groups and strong females had a place in the music industry. Look around the Billboard charts and ask yourself -- today, who even holds a candle to En Vogue?

I rest my case.

Last weekend three of the original four members visited Chicago for the Rooted in Beauty tour. The iconic group did a live broadcast at the Steve Harvey show, and hosted an in-store meet & greet at a Walgreens in the Bronzeville area of Chicago.

I got to meet my teenage beauty icons!

The first person asking questions in this video is Lennox from Indigo Magazine, and then I come in at around 1:40. Forgive my awful camera work, my hands were literally shaking.

Watch the video to hear Cindy, Terry, and Dawn talk about their reunion, their favorite video, and how they feel about Roots of Nature. They got me psyched to experience the brand myself -- that reconstructing deep treatment looks like what my hair's been craving!

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How many ways have I colored my hair? Many many many. Too many. From failed experiments with kite paper, to rampant abuse of Sun In, to regular appointments with my crazy childhood hairdresser to get semi-permanent streaks in every color from blonde to blue. I have yet to try henna, but advice from a professional colorist has kept me away from that most ancient of dyes.

So what's a bella to do, when the desire for color calls? Hit the drugstore for an at-home color kit.

I've tried some of the kits specifically targeted to African Americans -- Dark & Lovely dye works just fine -- but I wanted something different. More subtle. So I turned to Jason Backe, master colorist at the Ted Gibson salon. Jason's a sweetheart to bloggers and is very accessible on Twitter, so he was quick to respond to my questions. His advice? Get thee to the nearest drugstore and pick up a kit of Clairol Perfect 10.

Normally I feel a bit edgy about using at-home hair color, period. What if I somehow ruin my hair? Well thanks to Jason's guidance via his Daily Makeover blog and his YouTube channel, I felt more secure. And thanks to my friend in beauty blogging - Shannon from A Girl's Gotta Spa! -- I knew the exact pros and cons of Clairol Perfect 10.

My color of choice was medium auburn -- I wanted something red, glossy, and perfect for fall.

Following the step by step instructions was SUPER easy. After parting my hair into four sections, I initially hesitated in using the comb-through applicator... but it really helped apply the color on my mass of kinky coils. That particular applicator tip helped the product apply in larger quantities, so it was a snap to "paint" the exterior of my hair, then to part some more and apply color to the interior. Soon my whole head was saturated with some really strong-smelling hair color. P.U! I forgot how strong the stink of chemicals can be, and so close to my eyes... dios mio. But 10 minutes later and it was over. Time to rinse!

I absolutely LOVE the Colorseal conditioner that comes with the dye kit, and I'm totally getting more from the drugstore, now that I know it's sold separately! That conditioner is divine. Smells like fruity heaven, and made my hair so supremely shiny, soft, and combable. Love!

At the end of my Perfect 10 dye job, I admit - I was a teeny tiny bit disappointed. My hair's dark, so the color turned out really subtle. A little too subtle. So next time I'm going to go for a lighter shade, for more color impact. And I'm going to have some changes to get used to -- the dye did slightly loosen my curl pattern, so now my hair flops into a center part rather than having the upward mobility I was so used to. But all in all, Perfect 10 did deliver. My hair looks glossy, in the sun the color is rich and stunning. Yay! My hair looks very cute, very fall, and this was all done for very cheap!

Thanks to Jason for his hair color advice! Do you do hair color at home? What's your brand of choice?

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From the minute Disney announced the first African American princess movie, 'The Princess and the Frog,' the buzz has been building. And so has the concern.

Disney's history of racial sensitivity in their cartoons caused eyebrows to be raised early on, and with good reason -- having waited this long to produce a film starring an African American princess, the pressure was on Disney to come correct. Every little detail of this particular princess will be analyzed, criticized, and committed to history. The film will open for an advance special engagement in New York and Los Angeles from November 25 to December 13 (click here for those special tickets), and will open nationwide December 11. I'm going to reserve judgment until I've seen the film itself. So in the meantime, allow me to unabashedly gush about what Disney's already done right.

For super special 'The Princess and The Frog' merchandise, Disney's teamed with one of my favorite brands, Carol's Daughter for a truly magical beauty collection.

I was lucky enough to catch up with Carol's Daughter creator Lisa Price to get her feelings about this inspiring awesomeness. It was so inspiring to hear how this came about, and how this little company that could has managed to become part of Disney history. And to find out straight from Lisa herself that her mother's parents were from Trinidad? This island bella felt very proud all around.

How crazy has it been for Price to go from making beauty products in her kitchen, to the shelves at Sephora, and now to doing official products for Disney's first African American princess?

"Well, it was a big deal to hear that there was going to be an African American princess, period. And then to hear we were in the running to create products to go with the film, it's like almost more than you want to think about," she said. "Then there was so much work to do, you're just focused on the work. Coming up with the fragrances and the design and making sure everything's perfect... It wasn't until I saw the labels on a board here at the office that it hit me - Disney and Carol's Daughter. It would have brought tears to my eyes just to see an African American Disney princess, but then to be part of this, it's been amazing."

Lisa was particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity, because Disney had been a part of her life as a child. She knew and understood the significance of Princess Tianna to future generations of little black girls.

"Being someone who grew up with Disney movies, who loved Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, I loved the stories and the animation, but I didn't know how to identify with them. I remember asking Santa to bring me long blonde hair like Cinderella's. It wasn't that I didn't like myself, but I believed that that was what beauty was. That's what a princess looked like. So its nice to know that little girls don't have to feel that way if thy don't look that way," she said.

And Lisa took the time to set me straight on an assumption I'd made from seeing the early sketches -- "Tiana's hair is actually textured - it s not straight. They have to be careful as well, with that particular depiction."

Appropriately, the Carol's Daughter products for The Princess and The Frog are beauty staples Princess Tiana would most likely use. "The Beauty Within" shampoo includes aloe leaf juice, "Inner Shine" conditioner uses sunflower seed, olive, and sweet almond oils. The "Dream Big" hair detangler is my favorite -- glycerine, aloe, and castor oil would give my hair supreme slickability, and the "sharing means caring" bubble bath offers a delicious water lily-scented afternoon of decadence. But I struggled. Do I use this stuff, or do I keep the bottles in tact? The packaging is so adorable!

I shared my struggle with Lisa -- to open or not to open? She didn't make my decision any easier. "Well, its a beautiful bottle you want to keep and save because it's a collectors item, but then when you get past that it's a product that performs. We tested them, not just on kids, but on adults, and these are pediatrician-tested products that don't include harsh detergents. We used a water-lily accord fragrance, not too overpowering. So
if mom wants to feel like a princess along with her daughter, she'll like these products as well."

The Magical Beauty Collection ranges from $8 to $62 and is available on CarolsDaughter.com.

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