ESSENCE Magazine Interview with Leela James

Don't you just love Leela James hair and her music. In case you guys missed it... Essence Interviewed The Soul Singer Leela James on her Beautifully Huge Afro. I posted it for you to read.

ESSENCE.COM: We're obsessed with your hair, Leela. What's your daily hair regimen?Leela James: I'm actually very lazy when it comes to my hair. If I'm not performing, I'm usually in braids. I do old school Jamaican dookie braids and sometimes cornrows...or, I'll add in some twisty, locked hair so I can get a dreadlocked look. The texture makes the braids last longer. I don't know, my hair does it's own thing!

ESSENCE.COM: It certainly does, and we love it! What are your favorite hair products?
JAMES: I love Carol's Daughter..especially the shampoos, conditioners, and the Mimosa Hair Honey. It makes my hair smell so sweet. I also love Dr. Miracle Healing Leave-in Treatment and Conditioner and the Dr. Miracle Feel It Formula Temple & Nape Balm...it's great for thinning hair along the hairline. Plus, I always take women's multi-vitamins, which keeps my hair strong and healthy.

ESSENCE.COM: Your 'fro is such a part of your image. Have you ever had a relaxer?
JAMES: Never. Growing up, I had a press and curl situation, but my mom didn't believe in perming. But she would press my hair hard, though, right there in the kitchen, my hair just frying!

ESSENCE.COM: Did you ever feel any pressure to straighten your hair, as an artist?
JAMES: No, but you know, I'm not against straightening hair. I just march to my own beat. I feel like whatever you want to do with your hair is fine, as long as you're not offending anyone. I wouldn't get "I hate you if you don't like soul music" shaved in my head. It's all about freedom of expression.

ESSENCE.COM: So you don't get involved in the whole natural vs. relaxed hair politics thing...
JAMES: Hair politics are so stupid. I wish somebody would say that if I straighten my hair, I'm not as "Black" as someone with a natural. A hairstyle doesn't have anything to do with how conscious you are. India Arie said it best with her song "I'm Not My Hair." And listen, some people wear afros and loc their hair, but they're just as Uncle Tom as they can be. Everybody knows somebody that's like, "I burn my incense, I'm so righteous, I'm so spiritual..." Give me a break!

ESSENCE.COM: Preach!
Read more: http://www.essence.com/hair/celebrity_style/tress_talk_leela_james_on_her_signature.php#ixzz0pFfJciSw

Off the topic of Hair...

So the long awaited Sex in The City 2 has come out today, and I have reserved my ticket for Monday. I so wish I could see it today, because the excitement is killing me right now and frankly between that and the fact that all my facebook friends putting it all in there FB status I FREAKIN' CAN NOT WAIT! but the worst thing about it all is that I don't know how they are going to top the first one and there are no absolutely no spoilers (Dang*snapping fingers*) well like I said I will be going to see it on Monday and I will be dragging my Husband with me LOL well he did say he want to go, I was going to go with the girls but me a my hubby don't get much time to ourselves with four children in the house. I will most def tell you guys how I enjoyed the move I promise I won't spoil it for those who did not see it yet. Until Monday.....

From TWA's , BAA's, and Loc's

This Video I love to watch to get some creative styling ideas or inspiration....We are a beautiful and diverse people, Watch and enjoy!

Balding???

I think Naomi Campbell is one of the most beautiful classic models, so I was sad to see this picture the other day. Her hair line is gone, so messed up it looks like she is going Bald. Is this the out come of years and years of wigs, weaves, and lace fronts? I truly hope this can be fixed, maybe it is time for here to give her hair a rest from all that. It is pictures like this that keep me motivated sometimes "thank god I'm natural." I am not saying that all people that use chemicals in there hair or wear wigs, weaves, and lace front will end up like this (cause sometimes I wear them too), but you got to care for your hair. Naomi Lots of love going out to you

Tell me what do you guys think about this?

OH WHAT HAIR!

How gorgeous is Corinne Bailey Rae? I feel in love with it as soon as she was introduce on Vh1. The short curly cut she rocked was simply beautiful, but now she is wearing it longer with more volume and she is working it. Grown and sexy is how I view it. I hope that this one sicks around for a while. What do you think?

One Fav Product of mine

Featured:

I'm an Aveda girl 360, I love, love, love there products skin care and all, so you will most likely be hearing about more products =). One of my favorites is the Aveda be curly line. I use to use the whole line (shampoo,conditioner,and the curl enhancer) but now I as just sicking to the curl enhancer that is really all I need. It has my curls looking there best, I don't even have to do my wash and go anymore. It keeps my curls in place and when I wake-up in the morning all I have to do is run my fingers through my TWA and go.... little to no Fizz, isn't that great! Aveda has some tips on how to use this product as well, get flawless curls.



Aveda's Tip: Generously apply Be Curly from ends to scalp, keeping most of the product at tips.
Twist large sections of hair into tight coils and secure ends to your head using large butterfly clips. Cover with a fine hair net to avoid fly aways and frizzies. Blow dry with high heat using a diffuser.

Thinking about buying? Here is a little more info:

Ingredients: Aqueous Extracts: Linum Usitatissimum Extract, Althea Officianalis Extract (marshmallow-natural hold), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Fragrance, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol, Amly Cinnamal, Limonene, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium 11, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol (reformulated late 2006)

To Purshase go to Aveda.com or your local Aveda Experience Centers or Aveda Salons

Another Inpiration to be natural

I have a two year old daughter and I have watched hair grow from the time she was born, cradle cap and all, until now and it is beautiful. One day I was putting a perm in my mother in-law's hair and my daughter said "mommy put it in my hair". I responded "No I will never be putting this in your hair it is beautiful just the way it is. At the same time I had to check my self, how will I be able to explain to my little girl why she can't get a perm if mommy has one, it just would not be fare. I realized that my daughter will be emulating me and so I have to be an example all the way around even when it comes to my hair. So I am getting off the creamy crack to show my little girl that she does not have to look like the pictures in hair magazines or on TV our hair is beautiful in it's natural state. I am liberated through my daughter so I am thanking her for making mommy realize how amazing my own hair was and give the drive to go ahead a do this thing.

New Beginnings

I decided to go natural after bringing my forth child home from the hospital on Feb 26, 2010, right after we settled in at home I went into the bathroom a cut my hair off, my BC. I'm FREE! =). This is not my first natural experience though, when I was in school and prego with my daughter in 2007 I was all natural for about 1 year and 3 months. What made me go back to relaxers? Well I saw this cute cut that I just had to have, so I thought... That was a big mistake perming my hair for a haircut? What was I thinking? Well anyway here I am now new baby, new hair and I am feeling pretty good. I LOVE my Curls always have and always will just had to learn to appreciate and take care of them. Now after all the studying, reading, and classes I've done on natural hair I am on a roll and excited about this journey once again.

New Beginnings

The cut I have to have *me in the middle*

The BC Inspration

Bringing Baby Home

My BC... YAY!