BREAKING NEWS: Whitney Houston dies at 48.

What shocking news! USA Today confirms that the legendary Whitney Houston died today. It is sad and my condolences to her family. May she RIP. 

Beyonce & Jay-Z share photos of Baby Blue Ivy

Friday just got better. Beyonce and Jay-Z released photos of their bundle of joy view Tumblr. Who does she look like in your opinion? She is the cutest little thing.

Rosemary Oil: Hair growth in a bottle.....

I have this girlfriend who is obsessed with her hair and all things natural. Which is actually pretty funny because she isn't natural at all. Well every time I talk to her she is either washing her hair, treating her hair, drying her hair, thinking about her hair or talking about her hair....real talk---and her hair is beautiful. So during one of our predictable phone conversations where there are several moments of silence because she is watching "Project Runway" and I'm reading some random business school article she slips in her recent knowledge about rosemary oil.

Our conversation:

Friend: "Girl I have to go to the health food store because I've been researching hair growth oils and rosemary oil seems to be the best."

Me: "Oh really tell me more..... (I am now googling 'rosemary oil' benefits)".....

>>>>>Long pause--because my girlfriend is watching tv...and I'm trying to read the last sentence of an article online<<<<<<<

Friend: "Yea, rosemary oil has all types of benefits. It stimulates hair growth, has a refreshing scent and is good for the senses. I'm thinking about doing a deep treatment and including it in my regimen this weekend."

Me: "Oh wow! Sounds good to me. You know I love to try need things...let me know how it works."

Turns out my friend was on to something and rosemary oil does have a ton of benefits. Here is what I found from my research:

• Stimulate hair growth
• Increases thickness of hair
• Reduce dandruff
• Boost mental activity
• Relieve respiratory problems 
• Reduce pain

How you can use rosemary oil to improve your hair health and growth.

Regular use of rosemary oil helps with stimulating follicles as a result hair grows longer and stronger. It is believed that rosemary oil slows down premature hair loss and graying. It helps reduce dandruff of dry and flaky scalp by regularly massaging the scalp with the oil. It can also be mixed with almond oil, jojoba oil, tea tree oil and basil oil for a great scalp treatment.

The Hair Growth Potion

In a glass jar add a cup of rosemary leaves (bruise leaves with a pin or needle) and cover with almond oil, jojoba oil or tea tree oil. Add a few basil leaves as a further hair growth stimulant.

Shake mixture.

Put the jar in a sunny spot and give a shake every day for a week.

Strain the leaves out of liquid/oil mixture.

Apply to dry hair from root to tip. Massage into scalp.

Apply shower cap.

Sit under dryer for 30 mins. Your hair should be gloriously conditioned and fragrant.

Rinse with shampoo. Treat your hair as often as you like.

If you don't have the patience to make your own rosemary oil feel free to purchase.

Valentine's Day Hair Inspiration!

The 14th of February can be sweet or sour. It's the time of year when you are so excited that you have someone to share your love with or dread because that special someone turned out to be less than special. Whatever your situation, your hair still has to be fly. Here are a few sweet style ideas for Valentine's Day. 

Mad Hair Monday Model: Marie Milfort

Hello Kurlees! It's Mad Hair Monday and a start to a fabulous week. This week's model is Marie Milfort. She has been natural for 10 years and is a contestant on Miss Nappturality 2012:  http://going-natural.com/the-kynx-challenge/carlie-i-am-natural.html

Marie says:

"I've kept my hair moisturized with glycerin spray, and doublebutter cream from As I Am.  My hair is usually in twists.  I would encourage anyone considering going natural to do it.  I have 4c hair and I think it looks fabulous."

Send your photos to info@kurleebelle.com if your interested in being our Mad Hair Monday model!

The skinny on maintaining a healthy scalp: 5 easy tips

#1 Cleansing- Wash hair on a regular basis. Alternate between clarifying and moisturizing shampoos. Natural hair tends to be dryer than straight hair so using one type of shampoo maybe drying or over moisturizing. To keep a balance alternate as often as possible. 

Clarifying shampoos gives your hair a fresh start by removing deposits (hard water, cremes, hairspray, gels, chlorine, etc) and restoring shine. 

Moisturizing shampoos gently cleanse the hair while replenishing hydration.  

#2 Conditioning- After your wash, avoid applying conditioners and cremes to your scalp. Conditioners/cremes are only made for the hair shaft and can clog the hair follicles which results in stunted growth. 

#3 Nutrition- What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it.  Anti-oxidant rich foods like fresh fruit and green vegetables help to keep your body and scalp healthy. Products such as fish, nuts, , milk, peas and beans promote hair growth. 

#4 Massage- One of my favorite things to do. Massaging the scalp with your finger tips stimulates blood flow, nourishes your hair and relaxes your muscles. 

#5 Avoid Heat- The same way sunlight can burn your skin so can excessive heat from hair dryers. Hold blow dryers a good distance away from hair/scalp. If you experience any discomfort from drying your hair then the dryer is too close to your hair/scalp. 

What's more important? What's IN our Head or On our Head?

If something is bad for a sewage system you have to think of what it is doing to the rest of your body~ Comment about relaxer from "In Our Heads About Hair"~ No wonder sales of relaxer kits declined by 36% last year. 

I am really excited to see the premiere of "In Our Heads About Hair". A lot of people may think that we are obsessed about our hair and can't get enough of talking about it, reading about it or listening to videos about it but honestly hair is a women's glory. We see the obsession with hair in all cultures and somewhat trace it to the fact that hair is a major feature that makes a woman more appealing. White culture- Golden Blonde hair is sought after because everyone knows that blondes have more fun (just kidding- had to throw that cliche in there). Indian culture many sacrifice the hair as an offering to God because of its sacredness---which is then used in black/western culture to make black women look more culturally acceptable. In Asian culture the straighter the better. 

The issue of hair in african american and black culture is very complex. Why? Because unlike other races, we have been wearing our hair in a way that is unnatural to us. I frequent Yahoo! Answers, and a user posted " What is all this talk about going natural? What are they doing? Not combing their hair or using any chemicals?" The thought of "going natural" was foreign to this individual because they'd never heard of such a thing where hair wasn't worn in its natural state.  

For years the beauty industry has defined what being a beautiful woman is and every aspect seemed to be the opposite of black women. Skinny, white skin, and straight hair which is everything that the average black woman is not. I am very proud of productions like "Good Hair", "Dark Girls" and "In Our Heads About Hair" because it sheds light on who we are and our beauty. Being a dark skin girl, with a little junk in the trunk and less than straight hair my reflection is anything but the status quo. Am I not  beautiful because I don't look like Angelina Jolie or Audrey Hepburn? Many in Hollywood and in the land of everything superficial may tend to agree…a women is truly beautiful when she is confident enough to show the world her unadulterated self. 

"In Our Heads About Hair" premieres February 20th, 2012 at the BAMcinematel New Voices in Black Cinema film festival in Brooklyn, New York. 

Watch Video Here

At the end of the day, what should really matter is what is IN our head rather than ON our head.