This was supposed to be a "Happy New Year" post, but each click of the keyboard was met with angry rain and screaming thunderclaps.  Yep - one of those days.  I'd intended to wear my hair down - even slept in rollers  Dominican Blowout style - but it could all be for nothing.

I ran for the remote to turn on the weather.  The humidity around here is always high (I live on the coast), but today it was UP there.  Am I doomed to frizzes?  NOPE!

We've always been taught that high humidity = bad hair, but that's not the whole truth.  Sometimes humidity could be at 80% and you still have a good hair day.  Why?  Well....I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that if I only look at humidity I'm missing out on good hair days by wrongly preparing for bad ones. 

A few years ago I was taught to instead look at dew points, NOT humidity. The dew point is the point at which water condenses.  Why does this matter to you?  Well...

dew point below 50 = non frizzy curls or straight hair days and

dew point above 50 = frizzy and/or kinky curls, fly aways etc.

So this explains why sometimes when its cold, but the humidity is high, you can still have a good hair day. You can make it better by remembering this rule:

dew point below 50 = add moisturizer

dew point above 50 = CO wash with humectants 

If you can't remember this, or can't find the dew point online, may I introduce you to a brilliant site HairForecast.com.

Inspired by a then meteorology student for his then girlfriend (now wife) who always called for a hair day report, the site tells you what kind of hair you can expect in your town.  Just plug in your zip code and fight the frizz.

This guy, already a legend in my eyes, is also part of a group donating wells to poor communites - each time you click for your Hair Forecast, he takes money out of his own pocket for the cause. Check out the website and let me know what you think.

Posted by theworldsdresser at 7:10 AM EST

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I had an interesting experience this week and since I'm not quite sure what I think of it, I thought I'd share it with my readers.

I have insanely kinky, natural hair that I flat iron straight once a week. When I come out of the shower its an afro - I roller set it wet, let it air dry then spend ages to flat iron it to shoulder length. To do this over and over again would not only be 1) damaging but also 2) time consuming.  Note: Before you email “well why don't you just rock your afro?!” A lot of people look beautiful with afros – I am not among them. That's it. Don't read something into it that's not there. So to preserve the flat ironing, I usually just pull my hair back in a bun and go about my way until the next straightening session seven days later. Have I set the scene for ya?

Ok, so the other day I meet a dear friend of mine out for breakfast and I wear my hair totally down. Remember, this is an odd thing for me – I'm always seen with a pony tail, bun or Heidi buns (think lowly goatherd Heidi, not Heidi Klum Heidi). So this guy walks right past me, turns around and freaks out. He goes on and on about how good I look and blah, blah, blah. At the moment, it was an awesome ego stroke but then – at least in my head – it took another turn. Dude keeps talking and talking and talking about how I should always wear my hair down and then tries to touch my hair (at this point you should have figured that we're of different ethnic backgrounds). I'm a little weirded out, but let it go. I mean whatever right?

WELL – that same day, I meet another friend for lunch. Same spiel: “why don't you wear your hair down all the time...you look so good this way...” Really? What was I before? Some cave dwelling troll or something? Nothing else had changed, I always wear my (dare I say fabulous) makeup, I'm regularly in jeans and a tshirt – the only difference was the hair. I asked him point blank, “is it [hair] that big of a deal for guys” and tell me point blank, “yes.”

I have known both of these men forever and know them to be good, decent human beings. So what just happened? Was it an issue of shallowness or American ideals of beauty? Could it simply have been that my hair was just different and I should take compliments at face value? Curious indeed. Thoughts?

Posted by theworldsdresser at 7:29 PM EST

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Sorry for the brief hiatus. I've been in the process of moving for a bit and I'm now just settling back into things. Thanks for all the lovely emails – I'm going though them as quickly as I can!

For just now, I'd like to let you in on something I've been trying for the last two weeks. The latest Marie Claire issue had a listing of the best conditioners (commercially available) and I was shocked to see an old drug store cheapie – Pantene Pro V – on the list. Never one to shirk away from a challenge, I dropped my $3.49 and decided to give their much touted Pro Lengths version a test.

The results? Well, it was actually pretty good. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that its the SECOND best drug/grocery store product around (if you'll scroll down a bit, you'll find my #1). To be honest, its a far distant second, but when you combine price with product, its a pretty good deal for the money. The smell was good, my hair was soft and yes, after two weeks, it feels strong. If you're wondering if I've tried the Pro Lengths shampoo, the answer is no. I'm sticking with Carol's Daughter Tui (click on the side bar for that review as well) since I know that it won't leave my natural-yet-heat-abused hair feeling like jacked up straw.  My advice? Get it...its cheaper than a latte!

Posted by theworldsdresser at 7:05 PM EST

Updated: Wednesday, 25 November 2009 7:09 PM EST

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I was recently out of town and used the trip to try some sample products I've had around the house for a bit.  Two were from the John Frieda Brilliant Ultimate Shine Series - the Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and the Brilliant Conditioner.

This duo comes in three shades: brunette, blonde and redhead and are intended to lift your natural color to the surface without adding any additional color.

I don't stray to often from my Carol's Daughter's hair products, but after just one use of this my hair looked healthier, was softer, had more bounce and had a shine that I've never seen without having to add in products after my wash.   All of my natural highlights arrived for duty.It was simply amazing - I couldn't stop touching or looking at it.

The conditioner is heavy duty...extra heavy duty and I'm tempted to only recommend it for folks who have naturally dry hair.  On the other hand, if your hair soaks up moisture like a sponge, then you HAVE to buy this duo.

At the end of the day, this product is so good that I'm changing my hair routine.  Yep. me.  Instead of using Carol's Daughter every week, I'm going to interject the John Frieda Brillaint Brunette line every other week.

Carol's Daughter + John Frieda + GHD FlatIron = Awesomeness.  That's math you can use.

Posted by theworldsdresser at 7:36 AM EDT

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Made for thick hair, Jonathan's No Frizz Hydrating Balm was JUST what I needed after a day at the theme park!  When my naturally tightly coiled hair combines with chlorinated water, the results can be heartbreaking.  I tried a bit of this after my regular 'poo and conditioner and found it to add a great amount of moisture while controlling the frizz.  It was so good that I didn't even bother flat ironing my hair afterwards - something I always do.  The "no frizz" doesn't last long - by the next morning, I DID have to bust out the GHD, but still, I was pretty excited about the results.

Going forward, I'll keep a bottle of this in all my travel bags for days when I need to do a quick wash and don't have time for flatironing!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Posted by theworldsdresser at 3:07 PM EDT

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Good thing this was a sample because this product is so not worth it! 

The insert claims that it restores the hair and scalp moisture balance, but I found it no different than the old school pink oil used in the 1980s.  For the first hour after use, hair looks great.  A bit after that though, things go downhill rather suddenly.  Instead of looking shiny, my hair took on a greasy appearance.  Instead of being "supple and managable," my hair felt like a poor matted dog's coat!

Looking at the ingredients, I should have never tried it - its full of alcohols and parabens, both big no-nos in hair care.

Sorry Roots of Nature, but this product will never enter my home again!

Posted by theworldsdresser at 1:50 PM EDT

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Two out of three ain't bad...and one of these products definately sucks.

I started using Carol's Daughter several months ago and while I love most of her products, not everything is a winner.

Tui Hair Oil ($8.500 This is a product with two glorious uses.  If you're in a pinch and need to add a bit of shine to your hair, just rub a small amount through your head and you're good to go.  The Tui Hair Oil is also a hot oil treatment that can be used to deep condition damaged hair.  This is a must have.

Tui Herbal Shampoo ($12.50) I loved this when I first got it, but perhaps only because I was using it in tandem with the other products.  When used alone, I find that this strips hair over time, leaving it frayed and dry. After going through the ingredients, I really can't figure out what in it is causing me so much trouble.  At any rate, it has been removed from my "must buy again" list.  So long! 

Tui Hair Smoothie ($19) This is the intense conditioning treament and it.is.amazing.  The Hair Smoothie is one of the best conditioners that I've used in a long time - it smells delicious, detangles and leaves hair soft and managable.  The one thing I hate about it is the container.  There's nothing fun about digging into a jar of goo when you're in a shower.  I also find that the jar doesn't last too long.  Maybe I'm over using, but I slather on conditioner like nobody's business and I only got a few uses out of it.  Still, it's a small price to pay for awesomness. 

I ordered my CD products from Sephora, but I've seen better deals for it at HSN, so you may want to check there first.  Happy Shopping!

Posted by theworldsdresser at 12:01 AM EDT

Updated: Thursday, 14 May 2009 6:08 PM EDT

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I can't believe they still make this stuff. I am shocked that it is on the market and even more shocked that a close friend, who ought to have known better, had this out on her counter.

Ok, I'm a rebel - I like to think I live on the edge.  I took a tiiiiiiiiny bit of this and a small (SMALL!) section of my hair near the ear.  I figured that if it withered away, I could tuck under the dying bits.  Taking her CHI flat iron (which I have to admit, was REALLY good), I slowly ran it though my hair.

Ok, within 2 seconds a few things became clear. It smelled like my grandmother's kitchen in 1985.  Also, my hair felt heavy and it didn't move.  Hair should move... That chick paid 10 bucks to be blasted back the past.  Now, I know this isn't a real review, but I had to let you know my experience.  I also have to let you know that before going out, I made her buy the Special Effects Flat Iron Spray I reviewed earlier.

Do not buy this. I took it from her and I'll from take it from you too.  This will kill your hair.  Sorry, it will - of this I am very certain.  3 of the top 4 ingredients in this are known destroyers of hair and souls: Petrolatum, Paraffin, Mineral Oil...and for the record, paraffin IS basically mineral oil. Ladies, I implore you, if you listen to nothing else I say, listen to this.

Posted by theworldsdresser at 12:01 AM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, 6 May 2009 12:14 PM EDT

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It's not too often that I use drugstore items on my hair.  To be perfectly honest, I just don't trust them anymore.   I however, am a big enough girl to admit when I'm wrong.  This is one of those times.

I use a heavy duty GHD flat iron which produces a lot of heat.  My hair is natural and without chemical processing so heat damage is something that I really need to be careful of. In a lurch, I picked up Special Effects Flat Iron Spary from Rite Aid and was shocked at just how awesome it was.

It soothed my hair, kept it soft, shiny and movable without leaving a waxy or stickly film that can sometimes happen with heat protectants.   I let my hair airdry for one full day, then used this the next day with my flatiron, separating and spraying my hair as I went along.  At $4.66, I will definately be rebuying this.

Posted by theworldsdresser at 4:40 PM EDT

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My hair is natural, but I flat iron it weekly to keep it straight. I'm not too often impressed by hair care products and usually prefer the basics: olive oil and coconut oil for conditioning/shine and Carol's Daughter products for washing.  Here recently, I've heard a lot of buzz about a new line of products by Hydroveil Bio-Botanical.  After reading the ingredients of all the items, I was only willing to try one: The Hair Strengthening Creme with Wheat Protein + Vitamins F.

What it claims to do:

Essentially it claims to reduce breakage by adding protein and keratin to make the hair more elastic. The label notes that "wheat proteins strengthen the hair strands from the inside out, while Vitamin F helps restore hydration balance."

My results:

I have a full head of unruly hair, but I only need a nickle sized amount to give me what the box claims. With just the smallest bit of product, my hair is softer and feels more conditioned.  If I use too much my hair takes on a weird texture that's best avoided.  Along those same lines, I can only use this once every four or five days because it is so packed with protein. Just as too little protein is damaging, too much can also cause breakage.  Finally, it seemed to dull my hair  - while it soft and lightweight, it did lose some of the shine that I'm used to.

Cost and Conclusions:

I found this at my local beauty supply store in a 4oz tub for $8 and for the most part its a pretty good buy. This seems to be a product that can work wonders, but can go very badly if overused.  I wish the box would do a better (well any) job of explaining that this probably shouldn't be used everyday. I strongly suggest you see your stylist to get the full state of your hair before buying it.  Only if your hair is protein deficient would you want to pick this up.  FYI - Petrolatum shows up 26th in the list of ingredients - not to bad, but I still don't like that its there! 

Posted by theworldsdresser at 12:01 AM EDT

Updated: Monday, 6 April 2009 12:01 PM EDT

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