Where to Find Popular Ethnic Cuts

No matter where you look, there is always an abundance of haircutting ideas. You can find cut ideas in hairstyle magazines like Celebrity Hairstyles and on style idea websites. But in many cases, searches in these places will come up empty when you are looking for popular black hair styles. So, where can you find an abundance of black hair cutting ideas?

One of the best places to look is in leading black hair magazines like Hype Hair. This magazine is loaded with information and tips for creating and maintaining popular ethnic styles. Here you won't have to sort through hundreds of Caucasian styles to find one or two black hairstyles that will work with your type and texture of hair. It's all geared toward you and right there at your fingertips.

There are also many websites that are dedicated to black hairstyles only. To find these sites try refining your search. Instead of using generic keywords like hairstyles or haircuts, perform a more defined search by typing in lack hair cuts or lack hairstyle photos.

Once you have found a great source for style ideas, you need to choose a cut that is perfect for you. When choosing the right cut for you, it is important to pay special attention to your facial features and bone structure.

With the help of your stylist, choose cuts that compliment your individual look. Stylists should take into account your build. For example, close cropped styles would not suit a person with a large frame, nor would a full-bodied style compliment a person with a small frame. Making sure that your style and frame balance is the key here.

Stylists also should look at your face shape when choosing the best ethnic cut for you. There are five basic face shapes: oval, heart, round, square and triangular. All of these shapes can be beautiful, but one is ideal: oval. No matter what shaped face you have, achieving the perfect look involves picking the right cut that will make your face appear more oval.

You can also keep these guidelines in mind when searching for a popular ethnic cut. Look at models that are similar in build and have the same facial structure as you do. Doing so will help you weed out the cuts that might not look so great on you and narrow in on the ones that will look fabulous.

About the Author

Jenny is a hair expert, and the author of an incredible free minicourse, that explains how to find your unique style, how long or short you should have your hair, how to find the right hair color for you, how to find the right salon, and a lot more.

Go to http://www.hairstylevillage.com/ now and get this amazing hair minicourse - absolutely free.

Read More

African American ArtThe Depiction of a Unique Perspective!

African American art is a broad term which can be used to describe the visual arts of the African American community. It was influenced by many diverse cultural traditions, including those of Africa, Europe and the Americas. Traditional African American art forms include basket weaving, pottery and quilting to woodcarving and painting. Many slaves arrived from Africa as skilled artisans. The earliest recorded African American artists were actually slaves who worked as potters, blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, quilters, basket makers and silversmiths.

With the passing of the Civil War, it became more acceptable for African American created works to be exhibited in museums, thus artists steadily produced works for this purpose. Such works mostly followed the trend of European romantic and classical traditions of landscapes and portraits. Of this time, the most popular were: Edward Mitchell Bannister, Henry Ossawa Tanner and Edmonia Lewis. However within the states of America, African American art was subject to discriminatory limitations. However, overseas the artworks of African Americans were much better received. In Europe, especially in Paris, these artists could express much more freedom in experimentation and education concerning techniques that stretched beyond traditional western art. Freedom of expression was much more prevalent in Paris as well as Munich and Rome to a lesser extent.

Perhaps The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most notable movements in African American art. Concepts of freedom and liberty ideas that were already widespread in many parts of the world had begun to seep into the artistic communities of the United States during the 1920s. Famous artists at this time period included photographer James Van Der Zee, painter Palmer Hayden, Aaron Douglas, Richmond Barth?, Archibald Motley, William H. Johnson, Sargent Johnson, Malvin Gray Johnson, and Hale Woodruff.

With the advent of African American Art and Postmodernism by the mid to late 1980s earlier definitions of African American art would be replaced with postmodernist concepts of cultural relativity, art-as-performance, critical inquiries of art and society through one?s work, and interrogations of identity, geography, and history.

For more interesting tidbits on African American issues visit African American a website offering views and resources on issues such as African American hairstyles, African poetry and even about African American art and poetry.

Read More

How To Look After Black Hair

The typical hair and hair follicles of those of African descent are tightly curled, thus producing hair that spirals. Black hair also typically has a larger diameter than Caucasian hair and retains less water, thus its relative ?kinkiness. The many styling methods utilized on Black hair cause concern with hair loss. Black hair is very strong, fortunately so because Black hair styles cause a great deal of Stress on the hair and scalp.

For example, using a hair pick to pick the hair up to a bushy style is a very damaging process due to the constant pulling causing stress on the hair shaft as well as the follicle. In fact, combing Black hair in general can create high stress on Black hair and cause breakage, which perpetuates dryness. Conrowing and braiding are methods of hairstyling that pull the hair tight, and this can cause a great deal of stress on the hair and scalp resulting in hair loss. Braiding that results in the hair being pulled very tight can cause traumatic alopecia, a hair loss that is caused by trauma to the hair and scalp. Traumatic alopecia is usually reversible with proper hair care.

Hot combs and relaxers used to straighten hair can cause a great deal of heat and chemical damage to hair and scalp, which can also cause traumatic alopecia, and over time can cause permanent hair loss. This becomes especially true when the heat or chemically processed hair is pulled tight by rollers or a hot curling iron.

Hot oil conditioners are excellent for Black hair, as hot oil treatments contain proteins and polymers vital to repairing the hair cuticles. Hot oil treatments involve heating the oil and putting it into the hair and scalp, then covering the hair with a plastic cap to allow the oil to soak in. Follow the recommendations on the treatment you are using for the amount of time you should leave the treatment on the hair. This process can heal breakages and shinier stronger hair will be the result.

Consider that hair relaxers commonly used on Black hair contain lye or similar chemicals that break down the hair shaft. Left on beyond the recommended time, these chemicals would eat right through the hair and cause it to fall out in clumps. This is why these same products are used in products like Drano? to clean clogged drains which often are clogged by hair. No-lye relaxers are very popular today, mainly because it leads people to believe that the product is not caustic. This is far from the truth. The combination of calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate are combined to form guanidine hydroxide, which could just as easily clean a sink. Repeated use of such products can cause some degree of hair loss, and if scarring occurs while using these chemicals, the hair loss can be permanent in that area of the scalp. One must ask themselves is it wise to place such caustic chemicals in the hair on a regular basis for the sake of desired appearance? The question must be answered by each individual, however the facts should be known.

There is little that can be done to alleviate this syndrome without changing the typical hairstyles of African Americans. There is a catch-22 concerning relaxing Black hair, since combing natural Black hair causes so much stress and breakage of hair, while chemicals cause so much harm to the hair and scalp as well. There are a few hair-relaxing products on the market that use chemicals and are somewhat less harsh than sodium hydroxide (lye) or its popular equivalent in ?no-lye relaxers: calcium hydroxide (quicklime) mixed with guanidine carbonate. One such product is called Natural-Laxer? and Sahara Clay? by Baka ProductsTM that has been on the market since 1990. This product is all natural and because it does not contain many of the harsh chemicals of commercial relaxers and actually contains only a finely ground plant called Daphne Gnidium and clay from Africa it is figured to be relatively safe. Of course this product does not straighten hair in most instances the same way as commercial relaxers, however it does tend to make Black hair more manageable. There is yet another product on the market that is reported to be 92-96% natural which is called Naturalaxer Kit In A Jar? that does not require the applicant to comb through the hair during the application, which results in a lot less damage.

Of course the bottom line is once again, if you can leave your hair in its natural state then you will experience less stress and damage to the hair and thus prevent at least one cause of hair loss. There is a growing segment of the Black population that is becoming comfortable with wearing their hair in natural styles. One such style is dreadlocks. There are many rumors and myths concerning dreadlocks, as there is little proper information available concerning this style, and as with anything that is misunderstood many myths arise around it. Dreadlocks can and must be washed; otherwise they will smell badly like any other dirty hair. The best process to use to wash dreadlocks is to use a residue-free shampoo. Most commercially made shampoos leave residue and can cause hair not to lock, lending fuel to the rumor that hair had to be dirty to form dreadlocks. Clean hair actually locks much better than dirty hair, as dirt is a residue in itself that will inhibit hair from locking. For best results one should use a fragrance free, conditioner free shampoo. Dreadlocks do not react well to oily and greasy substances, yet there are many good substances that are on the market today that will assist you in forming dreadlocks.

Dreadlocks are formed through a process, not simply by not combing or brushing the hair. Generally, one should start with hair about two inches in length, and the hair should be separated into even squares of hair and twisted gently together using a bonding or gel substance. Many use natural beeswax containing no petroleum, while others use loc and twist gels specifically formulated for locks. Once the hair is separated and twisted into small locks, it is important that they are left alone and allowed to bond naturally. The length of time it will take to lock will depend on the coarseness of your hair, but one can normally expect to wait several months before locks begin to form. While the hair is locking, it will need to be washed. Here is where washing should be extended for a while if possible, so that the hair can be allowed to lock for two weeks to about a month without manipulation. When you do wash your hair, use a stocking cap or ?do-rag, and low-pressure water to make sure that the newly forming locks do not come loose. It will be necessary to rinse for a much longer time than you normally do, because of the lower pressure of the water and the lack of direct manipulation of your hair with your hands. The water is good for your hair and locking process, so this is not a problem. It is also imperative as indicated before that you use a shampoo that does not contain a conditioner and leaves as little residue as possible. A little research on your part will be necessary here; your health food store should contain a variety of natural shampoos. Have a skilled professional or a friend re-twist the hair gently, reapplying the twist gel or beeswax that you used previously. Repeat this process every two weeks to a month, the longer you are able to wait the better, and within a few months your hair will begin to lock.

Again, if you have a fine grade of hair rather than a kinky grade of hair, a beautician skilled at forming locks (?locktitian) or a friend who is very familiar with the hairstyle should be consulted. Even though dreadlocks are mainly a hairstyle for Blacks, there are other races that have people that enjoy the hairstyle. In general, it tends to be a style of hair that in the long run will give the hair and scalp needed rest from the rigors of chemical and heat treatments and rigorous combing and brushing, and therefore can contribute to longer life for your hair.

WWW.THEWESTMINSTERPRACTICE.COM

Read More

The Latest Hairstyle Fashion and Beauty Trends of the Stars of the Red Carpet

The red carpet stars have all the latest hairstyles and fashion trends from sexy curls and sheer beauty to bold dominance. Here are the top hairstyles and fashion trends and who wears them.

As Jonathon of the hit new series Blowout says your hair will make you or break you. No where is this more true then on the red carpet. Sport a great dress or outfit and hair and you will be on the cover of nearly every magazine. Sport a bad hairstyle and be on People?s magazine list of worst dressed and red carpet tragedies. This is why most celebrities have celebrity hairstylists and pay thousands for a cut and style. Some even fly their stylist with them everywhere they go as part of their entourage. A great hairstyle and beauty treatment has become as important, if not more so than the elegant and very expensive designer dresses and outfits. The question is what are the current hot hairstyle and beauty trends being sported on the red carpet? Some are old time favorites, and others are quite surprising.

1) The summer classic up-do is a hot item as it shows off sexy necks and jewelry (like necklaces and earrings) well. Demi Moore wore it well in the hit movie An officer and a Gentleman. Gweneth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz are almost always seen with this hairstyle. It is classy and elegant when done right. It works best with normal, medium length hair and light makeup and jewelry. Heavy, big jewelry is out, sheek, pure elegance and beauty are in with this style.

2) The shaggy and layered hairstyle. According to Allure magazine, this is the one hairstyle and fashion trend that can make anyone look good and it will work on just about everyone, regardless of face shape. Basically this hairstyle will add volume to your hair and creates a frame for your face. Heidi Klum wore it well during an episode of her hit show Runway. Several stars like Drew Barrymore and Kate Winslet have been seen sporting this do. This is yet another low makeup and easy maintenance hairstyle. Simplicity is key here so light jewelry works best. A simple leather strap necklace and pendant will work wonders. This hairstyle has been also referred to as sexy bed head, or the after sex do.

3) Long, sexy waves. Perms are out, but the secret fashion trend in the hottest salons is salt spraying. Don?t wash the hair everyday as dirty hair is easier to manage. Get the hair damp and use salt water in a spray to bring out the wavy curls. According to the salons, everyone?s hair has some natural waves and patterns and this will bring this out and magnify it. Don?t think its hot, just look at the sexiest vixens of the red carpet like Jessica Alba and Shakira. They wear this style very well. Again, simplicity is key, no heavy makeup and light jewelry work best. Again a simple black or brown leather strap necklace with a simple locket or amulet adds mystery and will make it that much hotter. So skip the perm and first try spritzing sea salt on damp hair, scrunching hair & letting air dry. Since most hair has some sort of natural wave, the sea salt will bring it out.

4) The bullet. This is the latest fashion trend transformed offspring of the 80?s mullet and fullet with a dominant and forceful business touch. It?s the short female business do and is popular with very dominant women. It?s a short hairstyle that shows the world you are a female and are in control. You will find it on Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Ellen Degeneres, and Rosie O?Donnell. It is believed to have been first worn by Prince back in the early 80?s on his Purple Rain tour.

These hairstyles fashion trends are all easy do?s and don?t require heavy makeup or jewelry. Simplicity is key and heavy or big gaudy jewelry is out. A simple leather strap on a sexy, thin neck like Jessica Alba is all that is needed with these fashion trends. These hairstyles and fashion trends will remain big for the rest of 2006 and into 2007.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. For more information on great haircare, beauty and anti-aging products and tips guaranteed to make you look your best please visit http://www.bestskinpeel.com .

Read More

Sedu Hairstyles Under Fire: What?s The Real Score?

 



Sedu Hairstyles Under Fire: What?s The Real Score?Submitted By: Tania Glover  

Lies have a sinister way on people: they are believed faster than the truth.

Sedu hairstyles were not spared as the rumor mills kept on churning the ?latest myths? and ?half-way truths? about Sedu, according to its endorsers. Since the day Jennifer Aniston sported her now famous hairdo, the first time on ?Friends,? years ago, Sedu acquired its own ?star-status?, which in Hollywood parlance, meant intrigues.

Times have changed, ?Friends? gone, Jennifer has moved on from Brad to her latest beau but not the myths told about Sedu. Could there be a grain of truth to all the rumors?

Perhaps, what caused so much uproar about Sedu was the fact, it became the ?hairstyle of the stars?. Who can forget seduction with the body and face like Halle Berry?s? Suddenly, anywhere you looked, everyone was sporting the hands-down favorite Halle Berry Sedu hairstyles. And long before Britney took fancy on a really nice clean-cut, literally and figuratively, she too was sporting a Sedu!

Britney Spears Sedu Hairstyles became instant hit, most especially among women who were following Britney?s every groove, as if on cue. Unluckily, the shaver got on the wrong hands one day, too.

Apparently, Sedu?s success came as a natural result of its association with the ?stars?. For is it not that when stars shine their brightest, those in the shadows bask under the light, too?

Who can go wrong with Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, and Halle Berry? Anybody who had Sedu hairdo surely felt they belong to good company. But what?s real, and what?s not? Is Sedu hairstyle more good, than bad? Or, vice versa?

Split Ends. There are many factors affecting the hair strand, which can cause it to break: harsh chemicals applied on the hair, too much use of the blow dryer, and hair processes that when brought to excess cause damage. Sedu?s Flat Iron, on the other hand, emits heat that smoothens and clamps hair strands.

The best remedy for split ends is to cut them. Regularly every two months, give your hair a good trim at the ends, until its condition improves.

Hair Fall. Just like split ends, hair fall is a condition, which may be caused by more than hormonal change. Chemicals applied on the scalp during color treatment and other hair processes may be harsh on the hair follicles causing the hair to fall out. If such condition persists, a doctor should be consulted. The use of Flat Iron when acquiring a Sedu Hairstyle can only damage the hair when it is used not in accordance with specific instructions or if heat is applied when the hair is still damp or wet. In most cases, hair fall is not attributed to Sedu, which is merely performed on the hair while chemicals are directly applied on the scalp.

Knots and tangles.

The use of Flat Iron to create Sedu hairstyles does not cause knots and tangles; the flat iron smoothens and straightens hair.

Blonde Rules.

Halle Berry?s hair is definitely not blonde! Yet, she rules.

Sedu hairstyles work just as well with any color of hair as it does with blondes; in fact, nowadays, Sedu has slacken off from the sedu meaning of straight hair - some Sedu hairstyles now acquire light curves on ends of hair to show a little character. Sedu is also achieved with just any length of hair.

Sedu for Sedu.

Sedu hairstyle is achieved with the use of a hair flat iron, not necessarily a sedu flat iron. The media hype that a sedu can only be achieved with another sedu, is nothing else but, just that, a media hype.

However, there are many kinds of hair flat irons in the market that an informed choice is necessary in order to select the best flat iron for your hair. Sedu Hair flat Irons, specifically manufactured to provide even heat on hair to deliver good results, still remain the best choice. The internet offers a wealth of information about Sedu -where to get and for how much- that the most logical thing to do before an impulsive buy, which you may just regret, is to hop online and do your search.

Now that we?ve ironed and straightened the myths and got the facts out, you probably want to check your hair in the mirror again.

From ugly ducklings to pretty swans, there?s got to be a Sedu hairdo for everyone. Get yours, now!

Article Tags: flat, hair, sedu

Read More

Ultratress For The Ultimate Hair Extensions

 



Ultratress For The Ultimate Hair ExtensionsSubmitted By: Hair Restoration Centers  

What kind of hair loss do you have?

On women, there is no standard pattern of baldness as there is with men. Also unlike men, the causes of woman's hair loss are more varied, diet and childbirth among them, in addition to the hormonal dysfunction more closely associated with men's hair loss. It only follows then, that woman's hair loss can vary greatly from individual to individual.

Some women have a general diffused hair loss on the top of their heads; others have lost hair in more specific areas; such as the crown, the anterior mid-scalp area, or the hairline; some have lost their hair through a condition called alopecia.

Obviously, if you've lost all or most of your hair, you need total coverage of your scalp. But what if your hair loss is diffused or confined to a specific area? You certainly don't want more hair than you need- why cover up existing hair that's healthy and growing?

What probably makes the most sense for women with partial hair loss is to augment the existing hair in an attractive, unobtrusive manner. That's the key to a more natural-looking and more effective solution.

Ultratress Hair Extensions

Just like standard hair extensions, Ultratress can lengthen hair. But Ultratress is a different type of hair extension. Because of the unique way it?s accomplished, Ultratress can also be used to add volume or highlights or lowlights to achieve almost any look you desire. Even when used for hair lengthening; Ultratress works differently than today?s hair extensions.

Ultratress places less stress on your hair and on you.

The Ultartress process is simpler and easier to perform than today?s hair extension procedures. It causes no damage to your existing hair; and it can be removed quickly and easily. Unlike standard hair extensions which can take up eight hours to apply, Ultratress can be performed in as little as two hours. As you might expect that time savings translates into cost savings.

What makes Ultratress different is how it?s applied to your hair.

Which makes Ultratress the ultimate system for augmenting your hair? Ultratress isn?t tied on instead a modern day polymer is used to meld the Ultratress hair to your existing hair. In addition to taking less time and being less traumatic to your existing hair, the nature of the Ultratress process gives it greater flexibility and versatility.

What makes Ultratress fabulous is what it does for your hair.

What could a little extra length or a little more volume or highlights or lowlights do for your hair? What could they do for your appearance? With Ultratress it?s easy to find out because the process takes so little time.

Just contact HRC and you?ll be able to explore all the various hairstyles that were not possible with your existing hair. Whether it?s for a special occasion or to look on every occasion. And if you grow weary of your new look, don?t worry. It?s easy to reverse the procedure because the process is a model of simplicity.

Glamour awaits.

Maybe you?ve always been a little disappointed with the results that you?ve obtained with your hair; or perhaps you love your hair but are just looking for a change. Whatever you?re seeking your expectations will be met and exceed by the exciting possibilities offered by Ultratress hair progression at HRC.

Article Tags: hair, loss, ultratress

Read More