Hair Clippings to Clean up Oil Spills

Eco Tip: Recycle your hair!

Did you know that hair clippings can protect the environment? Matter of Trust, a national hair recycling system uses hair to aid in oil spill cleanups. Donate your hair clippings and ask your salon to join in this amazing initiative. To learn more: http://www.matteroftrust.org/

**Eco Tip via L'Oreal Professionals**

Doobie Moisturization

I recently had my hair roller set and the roots blown out.  With this style I cannot moisturize and seal the same way as when I'm wearing buns or my style would be ruined, so I've been turning to Garnier's Triple Nutrition Nutrient Spray.

Product Description: Garnier’s FIRST two-in-one dual-action treatment spray transforms dry, damaged hair into well-nourished, healthy looking hair with an incredible shine. Perfect for that midday refresher and “pick-me-up” or use on wet hair for leave-in conditioning.

My Thoughts:  This spray adds just enough moisture and shine to my freshly blown out hair without weighing it down or making my roots revert back.  Plus, I love how you have to shake it all up to make all the ingredients mesh together because it features shea butter, olive oil, and avocado oil. 

Keep Reading for the Ingredients  

Rock the Look: Kimora Lee Simmons

For the April/May 2010 issue of Los Angeles Confidential Magazine, celebrity hairdresser Marcia Hamilton created soft, romantic waves for cover model Kimora Lee Simmons.  I absolutely LOVE Kimora, her over the top fabulosity is almost sickening but I love it!  When I saw her on Life in the Fab Lane with curly locks (type 3 curls maybe) I was a bit surprised because she always has such sleek fabulous hair, see how they do it! 


1.Start out by spraying a volumizer from foot to ends, then brush product evenly throughout the hair.


2. Take small sections of hair, starting from the bottom of the head. Blow dry each section using a medium round bristle brush.


3. Next set the hair with using the 1.33 Inch White Sands Curling Iron. Pin each curl at the base then spray with a medium hold thermal hairspray for added hold and shine. Let the curls sit for a few minutes.


4. Unpin the curls then brush out while head is suspended upside down. This position creates added volume at the root.
 5. Flip head back and shake the curls into place for a soft tussled look. Finish with a light mist of IT&LY Hairfashion Pure Definition Hairspray.

Hair Therapy Wrap

Remember when I was chatting about BeautyFix?  Well I finally got my package and I have to say the best item is my Hair Therapy Wrap.  Since I gave you guys a discount code so you end up only paying $19.99 for the entire thing, I have to say it was a good deal.  A heat therapy wrap plus a bunch of other sample sized goodies, the wrap itself is about $25.00!  But I also have to say if I paid full price and the heat therapy wrap wasn't available, I would have felt ripped off. 

When I first opened up the Hair Therapy Wrap, I was a bit confused.  The shape of the wrap is a bit strange, I wonder why they didn't make it more round.  I popped it into the microwave for the recommended 10 seconds and I didn't feel any heat.  So I kept heating it over and over at 10 second intervals for about 90 seconds.  Still it didn't feel hot but I slapped it on anyway, I was completely wrong!  It was nice and warm.  I left the Hair Therapy Wrap on for about an hour and then took it off and put my Pretty Wrap on and went to bed.  My hair was super soft in the morning, I rinsed out the Creme of Nature Professional Treatment and my hair was easy to detangle, blowdry, and style.  

So here is how the Hair Therapy Wrap works:
1. Apply your conditioner or deep treatment
2. Cover with a plastic cap
3. Heat up your Hair Therapy Wrap (either microwave or stovetop)
4. Put it on your head and relax!

It's that simple, it's easier than using a bonnet dryer and the results are similar.  I plan on using this all summer instead of the super hot bonnet dryer, plus there's nothing to plug in so I can roam all over my home with it on. 

College Bound Diva's - This is perfect for you guys because it doesn't require cords just a microwave! 

Urbanbella Event: Hair Loss & Hair Thinning

More Info:
141 W. Wieuca Rd NE

Suite 202 A
Atlanta, GA 30342
404.255.5022
www.urbanbella.com

2010 April Length Check

It's been 3 months since my last length check... let's go back here is my hair in January

So over the past few months I've been using the Mega-Tek ($15.00 Amazon.com) and Castor Oil (new fave JBCO $10.00 Amazon.com) mix off and on.  I've been bunning mostly and moisturizing and sealing every few days, nothing hard core but I've been pretty good with it.  Minimal heat, meaning once a week blowdrying on low with flat iron.  Here is my hair now:

I'm well past armpit length, but still not brastrap length.  This in between-ness is killing me, but on another note my nap is improving slightly, the right side is doing better than the left so I'm still working on that.   

So my next length check in will be in July so stay tuned for that!  I've decided to do length updates every 3 months because it gives my hair some time to make a little progress. 

Lifestyle Leak: Spice

Thai food is one of my absolute favorite types of food. I really like spicy and exotic dishes so my boyfriend naturally thought Spice would be the perfect place for a date.

Restaurant description: Spice was first established in 1997 in the upper eastside with the concept to Americanize Thai food in a place with a modern dr. As our popularity grew due to our wonderful and loyal patrons we expanded to locations in Chelsea and University Place (currently relocated to Union Sq.). Both locations are not only cutting edge but also in busy areas with lots of nearby activities.

Thoughts: I can't even remember everything I ate, but I do know the appetitzers were the great! If I were to return I would only order a bunch of different appetitizers and share. I stopped by the University Place location back when that was open and hopefully they moved to a larger location. I wasn't even able to put my coat and purse in a good place, instead I had to leave my coat on and stash my purse on my lap. That typical NYC cramped dining style... again. Apps worth ordering Curry Puffs, Jade Seafood Dumplings and of course you can't eat Thai without a Thai Iced Tea!

Try it for yourself:
Spice (East Village)
104 2nd Avenue New York NY 10003
212.533.8900

Image Credit

Act One: Curlformers

Last weekend I purchased four packs of curlformers along with the wand.  I wanted the small spiral curls so I picked up the long and narrow, good thing I check it out in the car because I found that my hair is too long for long.  I had to hit up a different Sally's Beauty Supply store to pick up the extra long, but of course they didn't have the extra long and narrow so I ended up with extra long and wide.  Bottom line: I had a hard time putting them in, I lost some hair on the wand, and I left them in for about 3 hours got sick of waiting and took them all out (it was getting late and I was sleeply and getting irritated).  Needless to say my hair was a hot mess so I wore a bun all week. 

I plan on trying them out again, so I'll be sure to keep you posted. 

FYI, this box of Curlformers is no longer being carried at the Sally's around my way.  Instead, you have to buy the separate packages and wand.  Each pack is about $11.99 and I used four packs. 

Lifestyle Leak: Brooklyn

Can you believe up until about a month ago, I had never ever stepped a foot in Brooklyn, NY? Don't ask me why, but I had never actually been to check out the sites, but now that I've been I'm dying to return. After my laser hair removal appointment at Beam Laser Spa, my boyfriend and I accidentally ended up in some tunnel that led us to Brooklyn and since we were already there we decided to find somewhere to eat.

I had been craving Korean BBQ, well actually not craving it - instead dying to try it. After a quick search on the beloved iPhone we ended up at Kobeki Korean BBQ & Grill. Amazing, amazing food. The beef is to die for... and you cook it right there at your table yourself so whether you like it well done or rare you get exactly what you want.  When you order the Korean BBQ you can get a double, but since it was our first time and we couldn't decide between the Kalbi (grass fed, Black Angus short ribs off the bone in BBQ marinades) and the Bulgohki (grass fed, Black Angus ribeye, thinly sliced in BBQ marinades) we ordered a single of both and shared.  With your meal comes a side salad and a ton of side dishes, but my favorite thing was the meat. 

Try it for yourself:
Dokebi Korean BBQ & Grill
199 Grand St.
(between Bedford and Driggs)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.782.1424

Next stop, Woodley & Bunny a small store where you can pick up some awesome beauty goodies and/or visit the Beauty Room, which is nestled in the back of Woodley & Bunny, the Beauty Room offers an oasis of relaxation and pampering.  Unfortunately, the staff wasn't as warm and inviting as I thought they would be, no one offered to help me out or even tell me a little bit about the services available.  Regardless, Woodley & Bunny has some great beauty brands available there like Nest candles and W3ll people.  Plus, the salon offers everything from mini-facials to a variety of waxing services to makeup applications.

See for yourself:
Woodley & Bunny
196 N. 10th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.218.6588

Puppy Shampoo

Remember when I asked you if you would try a shampoo based solely on the ingredients?  If not check here!  Well here is the shampoo I was talking about...

The things I try in the name of achieving and maintaining healthy hair as well as provide funny, insightful reviews of The Anti Hair Slave is crazy. Most recently, I used puppy poo to shampoo my hair! Not puppy poop, puppy poo as in shampoo! Introducing, Isle of Dogs Naturaluxury Gloss Shampoo and Naturaluxury Nutrient Masque. Both products are formulated for dogs, but the product descriptions as well as ingredient list (No parabens, no synthetic fragrances, no flavorings, no sulfates, no phthalates, no petroleum-derived chemicals) had me dying to try both products for myself.


Company Background:
Isle of Dogs set a new standard in natural products for dogs with the launch of NaturaLuxury in 2008. Little did we know that we had stumbled upon the hottest secret in human haircare too. Word-of-mouth buzz from customers has boosted sales of NaturaLuxury Intensely Nourishing Gloss Shampoo and Nutrient Masque by 500% in 2009, as women have discovered the extraordinary benefits of these all-natural haircare products on their Stylists, celebrities, and beauty junkies have started to discover this secret. “I was traveling to a shoot and my luggage got lost,” recounts an A-list celebrity. “The only stuff I had was my NaturaLuxury travel set for my dog. It totally blew me away. The stylist on the set could not believe my hair. She’s now turning all her clients onto it.”




Product Descriptions


Naturaluxury Gloss Shampoo: For this unique botanical gloss shampoo, we use only perfectly-colored hibiscus sabdariffa petals gathered during the winter. This harvesting method ensures that our formula offers the highest quality shine enhancement and organic content available. A therapeutic level of calming essential oils, including luxurious Italian Bergamot and Madagascar Rose Geranium, further enhance the bathing experience. The result is incomparable softness and shine.


Naturaluxury Nutrient Masque: Highly concentrated, this exceptional deep conditioning treatment restores body and strength to all types of hair, reduciong breakage and shedding as well as effectively eliminating tangles. Wheat proteins and vitamin-rich botanicals combine to impart natural beauty, promote all-around coat health. Essential nourishment which should be applied as a finishing treatment at each bathing.


AHS Thoughts: The shampoo took a bit longer than normal to develop into a full lather and even once it did, the lather was still weak. It cleanses well and it's SLS free, but I prefer a bit more suds if you know what I mean. The scent of the shampoo is absolutely delightful. The conditioner is thinner than I expected, but then I had to take a step back and think about it. It's thinner because some dogs have a crazy thick coat and tons of underhair so the conditioner needs to be thinner to get all the way down to conditon. Even though the formula is thinner the amount of softness and detangling properties are awesome, plus the scent lingered in my hair and left me catching whiffs of Italian Bergamot and Madagascar Rose Geranium all day long. I love that "the pure essential oils are extracted from fruit, flowers, leaves and bark through the process of steam distillation or by cold pressing citrus fruit zest. Both processes are done naturally, without any chemical additives." The scent that is garnered by using this process is light, crisp and totally refreshing.

Keep Reading to peep the ingredients! 

Spring Hair Regimen - Small Changes

Since the weather begins to warm up in Spring it allows for me to stop heat tools and start airdrying on a more regular basis.  Plus, the rain during the spring months makes wearing super straight styles useless since my hair is not relaxed bone straight, all it takes is a bit of moisture and my hair wants to pouf up.  Why fight it?  I just airdry and bun or damp bun and go about my B.I. 

Another thing I start to do in the Spring is co-washing!  So I co-wash every few days with VO5 Moisture Milk Conditioners (Under $0.75 at your local drugstore).  

Biggest Changes: 

• Way less heat
• More Co-Washing  

Measuring Your Hair

How do you measure your hair?

I was looking back through some hair photos, really I was trying to organize my oversized collection of hair photos but I found some pictures that look like I was almost BSL (bra strap length).  All the photos were taken around the same time only difference was the bra.

I think that actual inches are a better measure for hair length than the use of body parts, so what do you think?

Deep Conditioner Review: Deity America

I'm always on the hunt for new deep conditioners, while cruising the aisles in CVS is no different.  I always look at the large green tub of Deity America Deep Penetrating Conditioner for Damaged Hair and consider purchasing, but never took the plunge until now.  I finally gave in and spent the $10.99 + tax on the conditioner. 


Product Description: Deity of America delivers an incredible penetrating reconstruction treatment. Deity America Deep Penetrating Conditioner penetrates deep into damage hair with natural plant extracts and with a protein-injected formula to help rescue and restore strength, elasticity, shine and condition split ends and breakage.
- Restore dry brittle hair
- Mends split ends
- Stops breakage
- Adds body shine
- Adds moisture
- Strengths hair


AHS Thoughts:  When I opened the tub I couldn't help but think that it looks like a tub of mud.  Usually, my hair feels noticably softer as soon as I apply conditioner, but this time I didn't feel anything different.  The directions say to apply liberally on damp hair, comb through, cover with plastic cap and place under heat for 20 minutes. Allow to dry to a hard shell and then rinse away.  When you keep reading about ingredients, it says 'main' ingredients while to me means there are 'other' ingredients that aren't mentioned.  I wonder why?  Anyway, I applied the conditioner to my hair, put on a plastic shower cap and covered with my scarf.  I ended up falling asleep and leaving the conditioner in overnight.  In the morning my hair felt soft and in a few areas the conditioner was hard, but for the most part it was soft and so was my hair.  I rinsed and my hair felt soft and I noticed a drastic decrease in the amount of hair in my wide tooth comb.  

Keep reading for the ingredients

LifeStyle Leak: Korean Fried Chicken

I guess my favorite type of meat is chicken, there's an endless list of things you can do to chicken and end up with a tasty dish. Yup, chicken is pretty much a no brainer - unless you try to microwave it or something. Once you try Korean Fried Chicken, you'll have a hard time going back to any other kind of fried chicken.

I caught wind of a new place opening in NYC, called Kyochon I forwarded the info to my boyfriend and we made a date to go there. Unfortunately, when we went they were having some type of difficulty and were closed. I was super bummed and I guess my boyfriend noticed because the next weekend, he had found BonChon Chicken a Korean Fried Chicken joint in Jersey and took me there.

Once you set eyes on the Korean Fried Chicken wings the difference is clear. Instead of that crispy delicious skin on Southern Fried Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken has a very thin but crispy fried skin. Korean Fried Chicken is quickly fried not once but twice and each wing is 'painted' with a super tasty soy-garlic sauce that sinks into the skin and doesn't make a mess on your fingers. The method of double frying is done to remove the fat and it results in a moist, delicious chicken wing. We ordered a batch of the Soy Garlic wings and a batch of the Spicy wings. The spicy wings are so spicy our noses were running, lips and mouths burning like crazy, it was too hot for us. My boyfriend even said that he had a small burp and thought his throat was on fire! The only downside was that it took super long for the wings to finally make it to our table, but the owners assured us it was because the wings are fried only after they are ordered. That makes you won't get any wings that are just hanging around waiting. So call in your order to avoid the crazy wait time.

Try it for yourself:
BonChon Chicken
346 Broad Ave
Leonia, NJ 07605
201.944.4112

Beauty Break: BeautyFix

It's time for another mini-break away from hair care with Beauty Break!  If you are a product junkie, BeautyFix.com is for you.  Beautyfix.com is an exclusive beauty club dedicated to matching you with the perfect products. Each season, a panel of beauty experts separates the winners from the losers and then suggests the best product matches based on your profile. Your product matches will be divided into 2 categories: Must-Haves and Panel Faves. Must-Haves are products the panel has picked specifically for you. Panel Faves are more of the panelists' favorites that you pick yourself!

Want to know what I selected?

* 3Lab M Cream
* Bella Bronze Body Exfoliator
* Pur-Lisse Pur-lip comfort
* SpaRitual Instinctual Moisturizing Lotion - Indonesian Ginger
* Frais Hand Sanitizer

* Four Truffles Body Smoother - Earth Apple
* Four Truffles Creamy Body Wash - Earth Apple
* Beautyfix Flat Makeup Bag Duo
& GET THIS (all my hair product and deep conditioning junkies)
****Hair Therapy Wrap YES I REPEAT a  Hair Therapy Wrap! 
 
Want some goodies too? Head on over to BeautyFix.com, sign up and use code BFIX1 with for $30 off the $49.99 price for the Beautyfix Spring 2010 season. Get all these products (or select different goodies) for only $19.99+FREE SHIPPING.

Hair Closet Review: Coconut Oil

Ladies, do I really need to go here? Coconut Oil... I LOVE coconut oil. If you read The Anti Hair Slave then you know I LOVE coconut oil. I can't sing the praises of the oil enough. I use it for everything. Coconut oil is my multi purpose oil. I use it on my body as an oil and in my hair. Our focus here is hair so let's get into the many uses of coconut oil.

1. Coconut Oil as a Pre Shampoo Treatment - The night before 'hair day' I like to sometimes do an overnight treatment where I put coconut oil all over my hair from root to tip and tie it up. I especially like to do this before an Ayurvedic rinse, it makes my hair especially feel good.

2. Coconut Oil as a Hot Oil Treatment - Apply coconut oil to my entire head, cover with a plastic cap and then sit under my bonnet dryer for at least a half an hour.

3. Coconut Oil as a Deep Conditioner Add On - Adding coconut oil into conditioners makes my hair extra shiny. I love this stuff!

I use Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.  I order the two pack from Amazon.com - 1 for the body and 1 for the hair.  Costs about $18.00 

Keri Hilson's Black Bob + Curls

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Miss Keri Baby!  Her style is a unique without being too left and her hair always looks really healthy.  As of late Keri Hilson has been rocking a shiny black Lob (long bob) and it totally suits her, either with some curls or pin straight it looks great! 

Beauty Break: At Home Chemical Peels

I was spending $200 every six weeks on a chemical peel in my dermatologists office and thanks to a reader suggestion over on Beauty Blvd. I decided to try my hand with an at home chemical peel. I asked my dermatologist what type of peel and what strength she was using and set out to find in on the internet. Since, I had previously had a few peels done in the office I was completely confident that I could do it myself, especially since I am a nurse and all. For the record, my dermatologist used 20% Salicylic Acid on my skin. I purchased a 100cc bottle online for only around $35!To find out the rest of the how the At Home Chemical Peel experience went head over to Beauty Blvd.

Mega-Tek Challenge Update

I put a halt on my use of Mega-Tek when I noticed an increase in the amount of shed hairs I was seeing in my brush, plus I did not experience that crazy increase in growth that a lot of other women saw.  So for now, I'm done with Mega-Tek instead I've been using JBCO (Jamaican Black Castor Oil) only every now and then on my scalp.   

Do you have any stories to share about Mega-Tek or JBCO?

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@AntiHairSlave

Rock the Look: Fishtail Braids

Rodney Cutler and his team of stylists did the hair for the Levi’s Fall 2010 Men’s + Women's presentation.  The look featured a fabulous fishtail side-braid which is so cute for Spring 2010

Rock the Look:

1. Spray Cutler Volumizing Spray into damp hair, and blow dry with your hands.
2. Secure a ponytail slightly off-center.
3. Fishtail braid the ponytail: Start by splitting the hair in two sections. On the right hand side, take a small outside section and bring over and under with the left hand side.
4. Repeat with the left hand side, and continue until you get to the bottom of the ponytail. Secure with an elastic, and lightly pull it loose to create a disheveled feel.

Not Quite Following?  Keep Reading for a simple how-to video style!

Lifestyle Leak: Intro to Lifestyle Leak

Hey Ladies & the Occasional Dude!


Let's cut right to the chase, I'm starting another new column here on The Anti Hair Slave.  When I first starting blogging I had no idea that AHS would grow and gain the kind of readership it has now.  So lately, I've been trying to engage you guys with different types of content, you know other than just straight hair talk - example Beauty Break.  Now I'm going to start giving you guys a glimpse into my lifestyle and what I like to do for fun through Lifestyle Leak.  One of my favorite things in life, happens to be food so expect tons of restaurant and food reviews as a part of Lifestyle Leak!


Keep your eyes peeled for the posts and let me know what you think!

LifeStyle Leak: Omaha Steak Sale

I'm a huge fan of cooking!  I love cooking for my friends and family and when I saw the Omaha Steak sale on HauteLook.com I couldn't help but grab up some goodies. 

I purchased the Omaha Steaks Fantastic Family Feast for $49.99 instead of the $142.00 ... That's 65% Off. 

The Omaha Steaks Fantastic Family Feast includes:

2 (5 oz.) Filet Mignons


2 (5 oz.) Top Sirloins

4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers

2 (4.5 oz.) Stuffed Sole with Scallops and Crab

6 (5.75 oz.) Stuffed Baked Potatoes

1 (6 in.) Chocolate Lover's Cake

Plus, if you order you will receive a $20 off gift card from Omaha Steaks for your next order.  For your exclusive invite to HauteLook click here! 

Spring 2010 Hair Regimen Changes

I think Spring has finally Sprung! 

Do you plan on making any changes from your winter regimen to accomodate this change in weather?  I know I do!  My Spring regimen will be complete soon, so stay tuned for that. 

Better Your Denman - Curlies

Attention All Curlies,

I'm sure you've heard about the Denman brush.  I've been a fan of it ever since I caught wind of it and I'm a relaxed head, but the things it can do for a curly are amazing.  The only gripe most curlies have?  The teeth are too close together making it a bit too rough on their curls.  If you happen to thing the same thing, go get that Denman out of hiding and remove a few of the teeth.  That's right!!! This video will show you how to remove some of the teeth from you Denman brush making it even more curl friendly. 



Shouts out to Vivacious1083 for making this video! This can also be pretty helpful when dealing with tender headed little girls, so mama's take note.

AHS Asks: Would you try this?

All my ingredient junkies out there, read this ingredient list and let me know what you think (in the comments section) 

Ingredients for a Shampoo:

water, decyl glucoside, sodium lauroamphocetate, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) extract, wheat amino acids, hydrolyzed wheat protein and linoleic acid and linolenic acid and hyluronic acid and sorbitol and triticum vulgare (wheat germ) oil and simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil and panthenol and tocopherol, yeast extract, di (lauryl dimethyl ammonium hydroxy propyl), decyl glucoside, citric acid, behenamido-propyl hydroxyethyl dimonium chloride, peg-150 pentaery-thrityl tetrastearate, gluconolactone and sodium benzoate, propietary blend of pure essential oils.

Based on the above ingredients would you try this shampoo?  

AG Hair Cosmetics Winners

AHS and AG Hair Cosmetics teamed up to offer two lucky AHS readers a bottle of AG Hair Cosmetics Split End Repair Serum!  Thanks so everyone who entered to win! 

Congratulations to Carmesha & Tabitha! 

Everyone else keep on the look out for more fabulous giveaways!

**forgive me this was supposed to auto-post days ago, but Blogger must be having some issues!