hair products

All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000

I have very thick hair. I don't bother with most barrettes or clasps; they just don't stay in. When I began ballet classes in elementary school, we had to factor in the time it took to wind my hair in a bun, which was covered by a knitted net. It took at least ten pins to hold it in place, often more. Naturally, I'm wary about what I spend my money on when it comes to my hair.

Hard headbands give me headaches. Recently I've taken to soft headbands with rubber surfaces; the rubber helps keep them in place. But, these don't do much to cover up my laziness. The feathered layers around my face will stick out at odd angles, and these thin bands can't hide when I've gone a day too long without washing my hair.

That's where bandannas and handkerchiefs come in. Fold in a triangle, tie around your head, and you're good to go. Unless you're me. Then you'd better remember the bobby pins, or they'll slip and slide, and have to be rearranged (which always requires taking them off completely, and often a good brushing).

The All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband from CoverYourHair.com is a cross between a bandanna and a soft headband. The bottom half is rouched like a scrunchie, with generous elastic and extra fabric. The top half is a wide piece of fabric that is gathered at either end. You can spread this flat, like a bandanna, or bring it together into a thinner, ruffled band.

The headband's first test was grocery shopping on a rainy day. Last minute errands, I hadn't expected to go out that day, so my hair wasn't super-clean. The band stayed in place through the whole outing, and kept my hair dry through the quick runs in the light rain. Point!

Its next outing was on a clean hair day, so my hair was more slippery than usual. The band largely stayed in place, but I felt the need to keep checking it. On the upside, resetting the headband is easy. It pops on and off, and covers any wild stray hairs that might feel the need to make a break for it.

On the whole, the All Around Wide Pre-Tied Headband is a good product that does its job well. The fabric is silky, but holds hair in place, and the manufacturing seems durable, creating a simple solution to some very aggravating problems.

Written by: Richenda Gould, May 14th 2010

Pink Everyday Wool Beret

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 16:01:00 +0000

By CoverYourHair.com

I’ve never been a hat person, but I’ve always admired those individuals who know how to accessorize their look to create a unique fashion statement. Whether through the expert use of scarves, hats, or jewelry, these people seem to have arrived on the planet with the fashionista gene. Maybe that’s why the pink wool beret caught my eye on the list of items for review. At the time I requested the beret to review, we were still in the midst of winter in the Midwest, and the beret looked both practical and inspired all at the same time.

When my beret arrived in the mail, it was packaged in plastic, and the pink color combined with the jaunty beret style seemed to signify that spring couldn’t be far off. I felt a burst of artistic joie de vivre when I tried the hat on since berets have long been associated with artists and artistic endeavors. I was somewhat disappointed to discover that I am still not a hat person (at least when it comes to berets)—the style just didn’t suit my face—but I did check out the website for Cover Your Hair and discovered that they sell a whole range of items ranging from hats to headbands, bandannas to scarves, snoods to turbans, and hair accessories.

This is one of those online shopping sites that are just fun to browse, and if you’re watching your pennies, none of these items will make a big dent in your wallet. Cover Your Hair is also a site to bookmark if you know someone who has experienced hair loss from chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. I remember helping my mom pick out a wig after she lost her hair due to chemo (thankfully it all grew back and thicker than before), but a site like this offers alternative options for dealing with short-term or permanent hair loss.

Written by: Gita Tewari, May 2nd 2010

Studded Stone Pony Holder

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By CoverYourHair.com

One morning, I was getting ready for school. The top of my dresser was cluttered with various hair products: hair ties, rubber bands, barrettes, and one large "jaw" clip. I was attempting to put my thick, naturally curly hair into a pony tail. First, I tried a rubber band. It was only big enough to wrap around my hair once. The hair tie wrapped twice, but it wouldn't be secure enough to hold through the school day. The barrettes couldn't close; they would only shut over a few strands, barely holding anything back. My last resort was the enormous "jaw" clip that looked like a big shark's mouth.

With some struggle, I was able to get my hair into the clip. Suddenly, I felt a looseness on the back of my head. I heard a small cracking noise against the wall behind me. When I felt my head, pieces of the big jaw clip crumbled into my hand. My enormous hair had not only broken the clip, but literally exploded it, throwing a piece against the wall. I'm only telling this story to illustrate the fact that I have very little esteem in hair products. For other people's hair, I'm sure they work just fine. However, I've basically given up.

And so, I was pleasantly surprised by the Studded Stone Pony Holder from CoverYourHair.com. The first thing to catch my eye was the big silver star with multicolored jewels embedded in it. It's big, but thin and light, not heavy like I imagined it would be. I can barely feel it on my head. My favorite thing about this pony holder is that there are two bands on it instead of one. This helps keep my hair back and secure. Also, the bands are big, stretchy, and covered in a fabric material that won't snag your hair. I was relieved that the pony holder stretched wide enough to hold my hair. It's not too loose, nor too tight, but most importantly, it feels secure enough to get through my nine-hour work day.

Once properly fastened, the Studded Stone Pony Holder created a very cute, curved ponytail with a gorgeous star on top. This product is great for creating a last-minute, glamorous ponytail, or very pretty in a more time-consuming, up-do hairstyle.

Written by: Jacquie Piasta, March 31st 2010

Baby Care Gift Set

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:52:00 +0000

By African American Baby Care

Everyone likes good shampoo. Even though I am neither a baby nor an African American, I am delighted to use pure organic hair cleansers with a fragrant blend of rose petal, rosemary, and sage. African American Baby Care offers a full range of infant care products made from pure organics, natural botanicals, and rare herbs. Initial use indicated that the items are indeed as gentle as the labels attest, and the baby hair dress does a good job of keeping my hypercortisol frizz under control.

However, as a dedicated product tester, I must determine an item's fitness to purpose, and this obviously entailed taking care of an African American baby. With none in the immediate vicinity, I considered my options. Jacqueline is two blocks to the north and one to the east, but she and her six-month-old most likely just want to be left alone. Then there's the possibility of taking it to the streets of Chicago. I could suit up in an apron, swim mask, and cover my newly-dressed hair with a lavender bandana left over from a job costume—I have been warned that all babies are prone to leakage from any orifice without warning—and seek an African American infant.

“Excuse me, ma'am,” I'd ask, resplendent in chartreuse-lensed UVA safe goggles, wearing a terrycloth ladybug mitt, and brandishing multiple babycare bottles, “Could I wash your baby with these fine products? It's okay: I'm a feminist.” Guessing what the appropriate response would be, I went online and located the service Rent-a-Negro, but they're headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and appear to only have adults available. After some networking with Manicella, I was graciously provided access to an African American infant to wash, and showed up with the products. However, there were issues.

Nya is a delightful one-year-old child, albeit of occasionally grave demeanor. She is also of African American, European American, and Chinese ancestry. This presented a quandary. Was I to wash only one-third of the baby? And if so, which third? I was reminded of Groucho Marx's response when he was informed that he would not be allowed to go in the swimming pool at a private club because it did not admit Jews. "Well, my son is half Jewish,” Marx replied. “Can he go in up to his waist?"

Gamely, I set about my task, attempting to keep Nya at ease with an off-key rendition of "Itsy-bitsy Spider." Given her varied ethnicity, I suspected that the little girl has what would be described as "good" hair, and the use of that term makes me sad. The recent recreation of the Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark's doll studies indicates how far we have to go. And I hope that I can use 'we' as meaning humans. Sally Kempton said, “It is hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.”

African American Baby Care products went far, sudsing liberally from moderate quantities. They include neither paraben preservatives nor pthalates. The suspicion regarding the carcinogenic or estrogenic effects of these substances has been questioned, but as long as they can be avoided, why put them on your kid? The shampoo rinsed well and the accompanying conditioner went on smoothly. The baby body butter applied evenly, and I believe it will prevent a baby from getting "ashy."

Mom took over at the hair styling stage—just as well, seeing that I don't know a box braid from a twist out—and praised the hair dress. She said she'd get back to me on the milk. Nya said, “Eeeee! Bwah!” as a parting screech of acknowledgment. Funny—the last infant I handled—white, male, blonde, blue-eyed—said almost the exact same thing.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, September 12th 2009

Mandarin Maximum Moisture / Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000

By John Masters Organics

'Orange' is an unrhymable word. Of course, you can get around this by utilizing some poetic license. Willard Espy's “The Unrhymable Word: Orange” jams with enjambment by informing us that: "The four eng-/ineers/Wore orange/brassieres."

I don't own an orange brassiere, but I am fortunate to own both a rhyming dictionary and some fine John Masters Organics products.

Admittedly, I go for orange because I like the scent. The boom in orange-peel-based cleansing products has been a boon to me. John Masters Organics provides a less industrial option for spot removal, presenting a Mandarin Maximum Moisture 'concentrated revitalizer' with glycoproteins. Apparently glycoproteins are instrumental in skin and hormone metabolization, and some varieties function as antifreeze in the plasma of certain coldwater fish. The moisturizer applies light and clear, and reportedly reduces age spots with six weeks of consistent use. I do not have any age spots (yet), but I do find the cream enriching and refreshing. The alcohol-free hair gel likewise has a sweet scent and is not too heavy. John Masters has been running a 'clean air salon'—meaning that no services that require toxins (i.e., perms, manicures, and most coloring) are performed—for a decade and a half. Mr. Masters' products perform well, and I look forward to trying others.

Photo depicts Shine On Leave-In Hair Treatment and Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, August 26th 2009