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When are they too young for…….? Pt. 1

In my years of doing hair, I have heard plenty stories of when my clients got their first relaxer. I’ve heard stories as early as 4-5 years old (that blows my mind). I also have a lot of new mothers asking me when is the best time to start relaxing their daughter’s hair. So here is my whole take on this subject:

When I was a child my mother use to send us to the neighbor across the alley to get our hair pressed, now Miss Charlotte could press the hell out our hair! My sisters and I all had different hair types: my oldest sis Dianne’s hair was a finer, looser curl (similar to my mother’s), Joan, the middle girl, had an ultra thick, medium curl texture and I had a thick super tight curl. But Miss Charlotte could get us straight with a little grease and a straightening comb. Now mind you, it was only on holidays that my mother would do this, any other time we would have our hair in pony tails, usually 3 or more. At this time my mother was a single parent, my father died when I was 5, who worked during the day and went to school at night; but every day she would comb our hair and put it into pony tails. And once a week she would wash and condition our hair, with a lot of fighting and crying from yours truly. My mother did not relax our hair not once, and she never made us feel as if our hair was “bad hair”. As a matter of fact, I put my own relaxer in for the first time when I was 13. I guess I was destined to be a hair stylist.

When I did become a stylist some 10 years later, I learnt a lot more about our hair and our different textures. One very important thing that I have learned is that our hair does not come into its own until we are about 12 years old. This means, that just like our bodies are developing until we reach a certain age, so is our hair. So if you as a parent who decides to put a chemical in your child’s hair before they are of 12, you are altering the texture of your child’s hair, which in most cases is for the worst! Not a good thing. Also what are you putting in your child’s head at an early age about their hair texture? As well as promoting low self-esteem early on. I am aware that a lot of black children have had their hair chemically altered at a young age, some as adults, don’t even know what their natural hair texture is because they started so young with chemicals; but the cycle has to stop at some point.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not against relaxing your hair as a means to styling or maintaining a look. But I do believe that relaxers are not for every one and first let’s start by knowing and loving our hair before we start the alteration of our texture. And if you are putting chemicals in your child’s hair before it has grown into its own, your starting a pattern of issues that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives, and we all know what that is like.

So I beg all you mothers out there who have yetto  put a relaxer in you childs hair, but have though about it because you feel that you “can’t do anything with this hair”; think about you child and what she will have to deal with growing up. She might learn to hate what GOD has given her and that can cause many, many damaging hair issues down the road. Do you want to be responsable for that?

Hit me up Sweeties and tell me your early hair stories! d

If you have any question, concerns or need advice about your childs hair please feel free to write me at info@danasloft.com , also look for up coming classe on how to manage and take care of your child’s hair.

When Tears turns to Triumph

Although this is normally a blog about hair, beauty and fashion, I feel that when important things about women are brought to my attention, I must write about them.

My long time client and dear friend, Dawn Marie Daniels and her business partner, Candace Sandy (also a friend) have just released their third book: Tears to Triumph Women Learn to Live, Love and Thrive, Kensington Publishing Corp. Like their other two books: Souls of My Sisters and Souls Revealed, Tears to Triumph is a book about women’s personal challenges and their triumph over life’s difficult and unfair hardships.

With the assistance of Dr. Jarralynne Agee, this book will help you learn:

• How to identify the lesson in the moment
• The cause of stressful behaviors-and the solutions
• What to look for, how to react, and where to go for more help
• Specific ways to insure emotional, interpersonal, and career success
• Identify your success pattern based on your unique experience

“You can be happy and live a healthy, fulfilling life while rising to meet today’s difficult challenges”      Tears to Triumph

I have had the honor and pleasure of writing one of the stories in this book, Love it Away p. 164, as well as two of my friends; Roberta Ham Walker, Ph.D, Repositioning p. 51 and Francyne Ellison, Love Really Matters p. 208; and I am sure that we can all agree that writing these stories have been very therapeutic for us!

So, even if you are not in the mood for another self-help book, I feel in this time of uncertainty and transition, we all could use a book of this kind to get us through our bumps in the road.

Check out Tears to  Triumph, I promise you, it will be just what you need, at this moment.

Tears to Triumph is sold at Target, Wal-Mart, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and www.soulsofmysisters.com

Lower East Side Fashion Stop: The LAEL Boutique!

As we all know dana’s loft Hair is located at 96 Orchard street in lower Manhattan.  Dana is an amazing stylist who specializes in color and cuts for all hair types and ethnicities.  Aside from the fact that you will look fabulous when you leave her salon, I have another incentive to come for a visit.  The Lower East Side (LES) is a great neighborhood with lots of wonderful restaurants and shops that offer great eats and must have items to add to your wardrobe.  The first place that I would like to bring to your attention is LAEL.  It is a cute little shop that sells women’s clothing, located at 254 Broome street.  Almost every item in the store is $100 or less and the owner (Angie Cha) is more than helpful and extremely friendly.

In terms of my fashion likes for the season, this summer is all about loosely fitting dresses that are stylish and fuss-free.  I love to be able to get up in the morning and get dressed without too much effort, yet have a look that fashionistas will appreciate.  And for these types of comfortable, hip, and trendy dresses, LAEL is definitely the place to go to.  Another item that seems to be popular in the store is the skinny jean.  I’ve actually wanted a pair of black ones but, I digress.  The skinny jeans have a non discriminating fit and form very well on the body all the while being very comfortable.  I know this first hand because my sister and I tried on a pair a few weeks ago and even though we have totally different body types (hers being curvy and mine stick thin) we were both more than satisfied with what we saw as we checked ourselves out in the mirror.

You can checkout LAEL online at www.laelshop.com however I feel that it’s one of those shops that you just have to go to.  So, after you’ve renewed your spirit with a new wonderful hairdo from Dana, take a few moments to walk a block down the street (go to Broome and make a left, it’s the second shop on your left) to sift through the racks at LAEL.  You never know what goodies you’ll find!

By Amore ~ dana’s loft HAIR Blogger

Finally, A Nail Polish We Can All Appreciate!

M2M

Ladies, it is time to get your feet out of those closed toe shoes and get them into the hottest sandals of the season. But, before sliding those puppies into your new sandals or flip flops, a well deserved pedicure is in order. I’d like to recommend trying a nail polish brand called M2M. This polish was made by Myrdith Leon-McCormack (manicurist to many well known celebrities) and Monica Promsavanh (worked in the fashion industry and is also a celebrity manicurist). This polish comes in several colors and is sure to please everyone’s desire; be it neutrals, brights, or darks. M2M is great because whether you’re spending a weekend on vacation, have your hands in water all the time, or just want a polish that doesn’t chip off a day after applying, it is long lasting, vibrant, and is formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free.

Jasleen from America's Next Top Model

Also both founders have teamed up with the Carma Foundation -which is a non-profit organization that helps under-priveledged families and individuals in Haiti find food, housing assistance, and medical care- so a portion of every bottle of polish purchased goes towards helping Carma Foundation aid those who are less fortunate. You can learn more about M2M and the Carma Foundation if you visit www.m2mdamorejon.com. M2M can be found at a few locations throughout the city, so try it out and let me know what you think. By Amore ~ dana’s loft HAIR Blogger

STAY BEAUTIFUL with Hot Summer Looks!

Hi Sweeties, long time no blog!

So… Since we’ve all been struggling to have a spring here in NYC, and are all, of course, anticipating the break of this weather, I wanted to jump start us to the upcoming season and bring a little sunshine into our lives (and do’s!) by talking about summer hair.

Short crops are still the craze and color comes in all varieties for the season. Since early April all of my clients have been coming in for major transformations which include cuts, color and re-texturing; and most have had all three services! Spring has always been a time for change, and since everyone seems to be in some transitional phase, why not treat yourself to a low maintenance change that will make you feel anew, plus get you through the summer?

So, like I said before, short cuts are still the craze (thanks RiRi) and for these soon-to-be hot days, what could be better than a cropped cut? Asymmetrical, faux hawk, bob or pixie, short is the way to stay cool!

And for you Sweeties who just can’t stomach chopping their locks, why not try a color transformation? Most of my client can’t get enough of the browns and the reds, and I love it! Coffee browns have been the all-time favorite. With colors like mocha, latte and caramels all blended in some form or fashion, these sweet flavors have given my Sweeties a nice touch of swagger. Then we have the daring darlings who opt to go full fledge with some red or copper, and have never looked back: loving you Sweeties!!!!!!!!

But whatever you choose to do with your hair this summer, sit down with your stylist (bring plenty of pictures) and discuss how you can give yourself a new look for the season. It will not only make you feel better, but it will make you look hot, hot, hot for some summer fun!

Stay Beautiful,

d

(I would like to thank my clients: Shannon Washington, Ngina Bowen, Nicole Johnson and Awilda Rivera for letting me use their photos on my site. Thanks Sweeties!)

dana’s loft HAIR Bloggers!

Check out our special dana’s loft HAIR Bloggers Amore & Jada:

For Amore’s bio, click here: http://danasloft.wordpress.com/about/about-danas-loft-hair-blogger-amore/

For Jada’s Bio, click here: http://danasloft.wordpress.com/about-danas-loft-hair-blogger-jada/

The New IT Fashion Item!

It’s time for you to store away those winter coats. No more wool or dark colors either. Why? It’s spring. Yes, you can still wear that black dress, but don’t forget the color. Spring is all about versatility and color. Pink, blue, orange, and yellow are a few colors to get you started. Ok, so you have you’re colors. Now what?

Lately I have been seeing everyone wearing high waisted skirts. What else could put someone in the springtime mood? These skirts come in every color, every design, and every size. Whether you’re a size 2 or a size 16, there is a high wasted skirt out there waiting for you. Flowers, stripes, and other cool designs are out there in colors like lavender, baby blue, and a powdery pink.

Now you’re wondering where to find these skirts. I have made you’re mouth water long enough. My favorite place in the WORLD to shop is Forever 21. With the economy the way it is, you would not like to spend a fortune on one little skirt. That’s where Forever comes into play. Who could go wrong with a place that has the word “sale” printed in a row across the windows? I sure wouldn’t. The skirts are anywhere from $12.95 to $24.95 and they also have a great selection of accessories, tops, and sweaters.

Another important key for a springtime extravaganza is to curl you’re hair. Leaving it straight was for the winter. It’s spring now and what would look better with that high waisted skirt then a few bouncy curls? Don’t forget to be you and express yourself through your fashion, hair, and beauty. By Jada ~ dana’s loft HAIR Blogger

Forever 21's High Waist Denim Pencil Skirt $22.80

Keeping it Stylish with Jazzi!

Jazzi McGilbert

Okay ladies, I have to tell you about a talented and cool young lady I had the pleasure to meet about a week ago: Jazzi McGilbert!  At only 21 years old (as of May 9^th- HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAZZI!!!) this girl has seen and done a lot more than most people her age and she has the talent and drive to make her dreams come true… In style! Passionate about fashion, Jazzi  is a college student, a freelance stylist, and an amazing blogger who’s interned on fantastic photo shoots while meeting big names in the entertainment industry! A bi-coastal fashionista, Jazzi is based in LA and NYC, so with her style tips, you get a great blend of West coast chic with the funky edgy mix of the New York City.

Please, please, please check out Jazzi’s blog and let me know what you think by leaving comments: www.jazzimcg.com/blog

By Amore ~ dana’s loft HAIR Blogger

Hot Shopping Tips: Look Good, Spend Less!

Banana Republic "Racerback dress" - Sale Price: $59.99 (Org. $98)

 

With the current financial crisis, many stores are having sales to attract customers, and well, I can’t say I’m disappointed about that.  Right now, Banana Republic is a great place to shop because the sale section is overflowing with merchandise that has been marked down several times!  I love this store even more now because they have a new designer who is putting more color into the clothing line, improving the cuts so each style has a better fit; and the shoes are far more comfortable while still being fashionable. 

Another hit these days is the Arden B store. This is a store that I use to go to but haven’t been in for quite some time. I have a friend, however, who swears by them.  She told me their sale merchandise is not only heavily marked down but also has another 60%-65% taken off the sale price when you reach the register!  How awesome is that? Unlike most stores, the sale section is filled not only with winter items, but with spring and summer pieces as well.  One can easily walk out of there with $5 belts and $8 tops amongst other things.  With prices like those, you can leave the store with bags full of new clothes and accessories.  What’s better than great, stylish clothes at affordable prices??? ~ By Amore, dana’s loft HAIR blogger