Macy Gray flaunts her Gravity Defying Hair @ Umbria Jazz Festival

Macy Gray, whose personality is larger than life, performed at the Umbria Jazz Festival on July 8th, 2012 in Perugia, Italy. The American R&B singer-songwriter wore a blown out afro with golden brown highlights.

Photos courtesy of Shesomajor.com. The hottest celebrity and fashion blog around! 

Do you like Macy's look? 

The Afro: The Emancipation of Black Hair

The Afro: Mid 1900's

During the 1960's and 1970's the afro was a symbol of political liberation. Radical activist of the Black Panther, Angela Davis (pictured above) led the movement by refusing to straighten her natural locks. Today, the afro is seen as a high fashion statement from the pages of Italian Vogue to the red carpet.

What is responsible for the rebirth of the afro?

Many would argue that it all started after the release of Chris Rock's "Good Hair" movie in 2009. In his documentary, Chris Rock explored the ins and outs of the black hair care industry. He shed light on the amount of money black women spend on extensions, the number of non-black owned company's that dominate the industry and the dangers of chemical relaxers. The findings revealed in this documentary were riveting to non-black viewers but what really caught the eyes of most black women were the chemicals in relaxers. During a clip, Chris Rock highlighted the dangers of Sodium Hydroxide which is a harmful ingredient found in most relaxers. This ingredient is strong enough to burn through a Coke can or a raw piece of chicken.

The Afro: Late 2000's

Secondly, the neo-soul movement, a style of music that combines soul and contemporary R&B, presents a strong argument for being the pioneers behind the rebirth of the Transitioning Movement. In the late 1990's to early 2000's, artists like Maxwell, India Arie, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and Jill Scott embraced their natural hair by wearing afros, braids and bantu knots. These artists combined a smooth melodic sound with a cool earthy natural look. Today, artist like Janelle Monae, Solange Knowles and Corinne Bailey Rae, are carrying the torch.

Lastly, Americans along with the rest of the world are becoming more health and environmentally conscious. This can be seen through the creation of the hybrid car, nutritional guides at fast food restaurants and the increasing number of natural and organic brands. Consumers have become more cognizant of what they put on or in their bodies by reading product labels and not putting their well being in the hands of corporate brands. In an effort to live a healthy lifestyle, many have opted to only use natural beauty products such as: deodorants, shampoos and hair dyes. According to Mintel, a consumer spending and market research firm, sales of relaxer kits declined by 17% from 2006 to 2011.

Nearly fifty years after Angela Davis graced platforms across the USA with her outspoken voluminous hair, the Transitioning Movement has taken the world by storm. Whatever the reason may be behind the rebirth of the afro, women in the USA, UK, Europe, Africa, South America and the Caribbean are all celebrating their natural hair.

What influenced your decision to go natural?

Happy Independence Day America! 

Interracial Dating & Natural Hair

One of the great things about being natural is it's versatility. About a week ago, I straightened my hair for an "oh so needed" trim. At the time, it didn't cross my mind that my new hair do would be met with mixed emotions. Everyone from the cashier at the grocery store to the janitor had an opinion on my new straight look. The most surprising reaction was the difference in opinion of my caucasian male friends vs. black male friends. 


Many of my black male friends erred on the side of straight. One actually said to me "The natural look was starting to grow on me but I think straight looks better." (I'm thinking--But who asked your opinion tho?) My white male friends were Pro Fro. Many of them asked "Terri--what did you do to your hair?" "The curls are more you." Surprising huh? 


All along I thought that white men preferred straight hair--well because that's what grows out of their head but to my surprise I was wrong. Even my Asian male friend said to me " Terri--I wish I could grow an afro. It looks so cool. Can I touch it?" My response--"Dave- This ain't no petting zoo."


In a Facebook post by Alex Barnett- Comedian and regular contributor to The Coil Review he described his son's (interracial baby) reaction to the fact that he got his dad's (Alex's--white hair) hair instead of his Mom's (Alex's wife--black hair) hair. 


"You ignoramus. I want an Afro like Mommy. And, it's all your fault, you dumb White guy, that I'm never gonna have one. You and your straight hair, and your melanin-free skin, and your pointy nose, and your socio-economic advantages, and your colonialism. All your fault. Now, I'm just gonna have that weird, 'what kind of hair is that?' hair! I hope you're happy. Now go make yourself useful. Go get us a taxi, 'cause God knows, cabbies won't stop for Mommy and me. Nooooo, because we're people of color. And, we might be trying to do something subversive like, oh, I don't know, get where we're going!"


*Please check out his page. He has the cutest family and funny material*


It is truly surprising to me that a lot of black men still can't get down with natural hair. I mean its the same thing that grows out of their head. If you are in an interracial relationship, what does your partner think about your hair? I'm interested to see if my hypothesis that white men are more Pro Fro than black men is true. 

Skincare Line Nivea's opinion on Natural Hair: Re-civilize Yourself

Don't mess with the power of the tweet---that is my advice to Nivea after Wednesday's battle over an ad featuring a clean cut black man holding a picture of a guy with an Afro. The ad read "Re-civilize Yourself" leading viewers to believe that Nivea's opinion of an afro or natural hair is less than acceptable.

What are your thoughts on this "hot mess" of an ad? I for one think it's marketing suicide---along with other thoughts that I cannot state on this blog. First of all---Does this mean that Nivea does not have African American or Blacks on their Marketing staff? I mean someone should have told them this is a No No. Second of all-----Do they even have a marketing research team? I think someone needs to be fired if they haven't heard about the increasing number of African Americans and Blacks who are embracing their natural hair texture. This ad must have been for publicity only.

As a person with natural hair, would you buy Nivea's products?

Natural Hair "Down Under": Marie Claire Australia September 2011 Issue

Just Fabulous.........I am literally drooling over the scenery, the colors, the HAIR! 

DIY: Natural Hair and Button Earrings

Studded earrings and short natural hair are a perfect combination! Nothing says elegant and classy like an updo and FAB earrings. Ever pictured a certain kind/type of earring but couldn't find it anywhere? Well here is your chance to create your masterpiece. Below is a Do-It-Yourself guide to creating personalized earrings. 

What do you need:

1. Superglue
2. Earring backs (Purchase online at : www.Hancockfabrics.com or any Fabric store near you.)
3. Buttons, bottle caps or anything with a flat back surface that you think would make a cute pair of earrings. 

How To: 

1. Superglue flat part of earring back to reverse side of flat button, and let dry for 3 minutes.
2. Repeat on second button to make a pair of earrings and viola!!! 

*I'm sure you have some old jackets that have fabulous buttons. If not visit a thrift store and go button shopping. You can even get creative by spraying, painting or decorating your button earrings.*

*WARNING: This can be an extremely fun project if girlfriends are added.*

For more hair tips, trends and tricks follow us on Twitter or Facebook. 

The Natural Hair Care Regimen

Natural or Relaxed! Straight or Curly! Hair is Hair and It needs love and care. Ever wonder why some women have beautiful long hair? What is it that they are doing? Maybe it's genetics or maybe it's their hair care routine. 

You can't lose weight without working out and eating healthy. The same applies to growing healthy hair. In order to get long beautiful healthy hair you need a hair care regimen (and like exercising you must stick to it for it to work). "Yea I know some people can eat crap and stay thin...and some don't take care of their and it's still grows." Life isn't fair right? :) 

Someone once told me "Treat your hair like a million bucks and it will treat you back". 

For decades we've had varying hair care practices like: only washing our hair every two weeks or greasing our scalp. These habits were passed down from generations. Just how some things get better with time some things DON'T.......and that includes our outdated hair care regimens. 

I want hair like hers...so here is what you should do: 

#1 Cleansing

Weekly cleansing is very important to get rid of product buildup, bacteria, dead skin cells and dirt that clog our pores. Cleansing the hair and scalp allows our hair to breathe and in turn grow. If you use products that contain mineral oils or petroleum then you may need to use a sulfate shampoo to rinse away the synthetic ingredients. If you use products with natural ingredients then a sulfate-free shampoo is recommended. 

Just so you know....Shampoos containing sulfates can strip the hair of its natural oils leaving it dry and dull looking therefore it is not recommended for weekly use... A sulfate-free shampoo can be used weekly.

How do I know if my shampoo has sulfates? Look for words that are a variation of the following:  sulfate, -fate, laurel, lauryl, and sulfite. 

#2 Protective Styling

The key to growing long and strong hair is protecting it especially the ends. Pay special attention to your ends by trimming them and being extra careful when detangling. Protective styles like bantu knots, braids or the occasional sew-in are good ways to give your hair a break. The ends are the oldest part of the hair and therefore the most fragile. Sebum produced by the hair follicles have a harder time reaching the ends of curly hair because of its spiral like pattern. This means that the ends are more suspetible to dryness. 

Given the hot and humid temperatures of this summer, protecting your hair against UV rays is a must. The less time you spend in the sun the better your hair and skin. Wear a hat, scarf or UV protection products on days when you expect to get extended sun exposure. 

#3 Deep Conditioning

Deep conditioning is important because it allows the conditioner to penetrate the hair shaft. It's also a great way to have a "Pamper Me Party" where you can treat yourself to your favorite magazine or catch up on reading. When purchasing deep conditioners look for products that contain natural ingredients like avocado, honey, vegetable glycerin or olive oil. Stay away from mineral oil or petroleum because these ingredients do not penetrate the hair follicles only build up on them. A good practice is to deep condition at least once a week, wet hair, apply deep conditioner and sit under a hooded dryer for at least 15 minutes. The results should be soft, shiny and manageable hair. 

#4 Daily Moisturizing

Our hair texture requires more moisture than any other hair texture because of its kinks and spirals. Therefore, daily moisture is key to keeping our tresses happy. Since water is the only substance that can penetrate the hair follicle it is important to seek water based moisturizers. Moisturizes make the hair more elastic, soft and manageable. As a result the hair is less dry, brittle and does not break easily. Spray the hair with 100% H20 nightly or before styling to get your daily moisture fix. 

#5 Night time Protective Wraps

Protecting our hair at night time is key to our hair care routine. Since our hair is susceptible to dryness it is important to cover it up while we sleep. Sleeping without a scarf on a cotton pillowcase causes friction between the hair and the fabric. This friction results in the moisture being removed from our strands and sometimes breakage. Have you ever looked at your pillowcase and wondered why so many hairs had shedded during the night? It's because of friction. At night, wrap your hair with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet. These fabrics reduce friction and allow your hair to retain moisture while you get your beauty rest. 

Start your journey to long, beautiful, healthy, natural hair...Let me know how it goes. 

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New Feathered Earrings and Hair Extensions Trend: Have you tried it?

In case you have been living under a rock for the past year there is a new trend brewing in the fashion industry. Celebrities and just about everyone has started to wear colored feathered earrings or feathered hair extensions. As a women with natural textured hair the latter doesn't really suit my style but I love the feathered earrings. If you've tried it, how does this new trend accentuate your natural style? Feel free to post pics of your natural hair with feathered jewelry to our Facebook page!

Peacock Feathers

Blue Feathered Earrings I wore at a party in London (October 2010)

Peacock Earrings Price: $8 at Aldo Accessories

Blue Feathered Earrings Price: $20 Found at Alikat Cuture