Good Hair

Sometimes you watch something that compels you to keep on watching.....it’s often a strange You Tube video like the one of the little person miming to Rihanna's Only Girl - I'm not sure if car crash TV is the right expression but essentially you find yourself mesmerised, glued to the images even though every fibre in your body tells you there is something so wrong going on and that your time would be better spent reading a book or rewriting that CV.

Chris Rock's documentary 'Good Hair' however, compels you in a more positive way; it should be a must for every black person and for every person who has a child with afro hair. The comedian's depiction of the black hair industry as documented in this film left me at a loss for words. I get the hair thing of course; I grew up with a clear idea of what was considered 'good hair' and 'bad hair'. Like most little girls, regardless of colour, I dreamt of having long flowing hair à la Rapunzel. I also had my hair relaxed in my teens as a special treat after pestering my mum for years on end. Therefore I get the issues relating to black hair; however I had no concept of the complexities of the black hair industry. For instance, I know about weaves but never imagined for a second that women spent that much money on them or that they came from hindu temples in India. Chris Rock opened my eyes to a world that I was relieved to note, I no longer inhabit.

He interviewed a lot of black celebrities from Rev. Al Sharpton and his permed hair to Maya Angelou who confessed to relaxing her hair for the first time at the age of 70. It was quite refreshing to see Stars like Nia Long, Salt n Pepa and Meagan Good being honest about their weaves and opening up about the all important but rather delicate subject of black women and their hair. In a superficial world where the thin, long haired, beautiful Hollywood Stars all like to pretend that they look as good as they do with little or no effort, it was nice to see Raven Symone demonstrate that she was wearing a weave (which she loves) by giving it a playful tug. Likewise it was brave of Nia Long to admit that getting her hair wet whether in a pool or the shower was a no-no.

I doubt Good Hair will change people's habits but it may make them think a little bit more about what they do especially where children are concerned. Although I largely believe that the hairstyles people choose do not necessarily reflect who they are, I do think knowing the composition of what you put on your two year child's head should play some part in your quest for her to have manageable hair.

Whilst hair can be fun and playful and about changing your appearance, it can also have some pretty serious health consequences. Good Hair is an eye opener of a documentary that had me strangely captivated.
Good Hair

Who is Jimmy Choo?

I have read so much about the amazing Ms Tamara Mellon, the genius behind Jimmy Choo that I was convinced that Jimmy Choo was a made up name rather than infact the name of the Malaysian designer who should be credited for these amazingly sexy shoes that have helped many women rediscover their inner goddess.
Imagine my surprise after reading countless articles about Tamara Mellon and her unshakeable confidence and style, the former shopgirl who founded Jimmy Choo 14 years ago to come across an article in my local magazine, Le -Limited Edition about the real albeit small in size Mr Jimmy Choo.
I must have read dozens of article which give absolutely no credit to the man whose name we so love to wear. Jimmy Choo OBE is of Chinese descent, he made his first pair of shoes aged 11 and graduated from Cordwainers Technical College in London Borough of Hackney. He co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with Tamara Mellon in 1983 although we'd never know this reading the glossies. Apparently the two fell out in 2001 and he later sold his 50% share of the ready to wear company but still works on the couture range.
Whilst I appreciate the appeal of a sexy feisty businesswoman who seems to have been the brains and certainly finance behind the brand, we still have to give credit and kudos to the man whose creativity and name has left so many of us in awe of this smokingly sexy brand.
Here's to you Mr Choo and your fabulous shoes!

ACQUA di PARMA

As I walk through any beauty counter, I am always drawn to the Acqua Di Parma concession, and proceed to do what I "always do" give myself a couple of squirts of any fragrance...usually the closest. I absolutely adore the classic cologne, but can't get myself out of my Jo Malone Fragrance Block to actually purchase any (5 years and counting.) Except for the used bottle of Violet a friend passed on. Ok, so scarf and body adequately doused in Acqua di Parma, I loved it! It was light, fresh tangy lemon with hints of lavender...all my favourite scents and for £46 pounds a steal for such a large 180ml bottle...if only I'd paid attention to the small(ish) print..It was their Room Fragrance! In hindsight, you could see how I got confused it is called COLONIA, same as the classic Eau de Cologne but half the price. So, the verdict, the scent evaporated off me by the time I turned the corner, BUT..my scarf still has a beautiful citrus scent, and I have been asked on 2 occasions what fragrance it is..I'll leave you to guess what I said....

St. Tropez

I must admit that when first introduced to this product I was suspicious...Mind you, I do like siting out in the sun on a beach and turn from my natural raw almond shade to a nice roasted almond. However, I wasn't so sure that a product normally associated with WAGs and, well, St. Tropez, was the way forward.

...I was very pleasantly surprised. There are several products in St. Tropez's Perfect Radiance range: the pebbles, the blush and my personal fave, the mousse. Designed to help "enhance your St. Tropez tan", you apply a small amount to the face and décolletage area to provide a subtle soft sheen (their words, not mine).

I could almost eat this stuff, it's so lurvely and fluffy and the packaging is very stylish, indeed. I need only use it sparingly as a blusher on the cheek bones but come summer will definitely venture down towards my décolletage (don't you just love that word? The French, they think of everything...baguettes...macaroons...I digress).

One of the mothers on the school run even commented on how I glowed. Result.

Dark & Lovely Beautiful Beginnings Hair Products for children

Hair Conditioner and Scalp Soother: This is great for afro hair – inexpensive at around £2 per tube and because it comes in a tube it means I can squeeze out every last drop.
I use this on my daughter’s hair and scalp, applying every other day when her hair is usually in plaits.
It’s moisturises brilliantly and prevents her scalp from becoming dry and flaky. It also softens the hair making braiding much simpler and smells nice too.
I’ve tried other products and found that they can react badly to her scalp, causing dry flaky scalp. Another bonus is that it doesn’t leave oily residue on her clothes or pillows.
2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner: No fuss shampoo and conditioner in one. It’s always tough washing little girls’ hair especially when there’s lots of it. This 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, part of Dark & Lovely’s Beautiful Beginnings range is a great buy. It does what it says on the bottle, a couple of washes and rinse and I find combing through my daughter’s wet hair is a breeze. For hair that is a little more difficult to manage, there’s also a detangler and softening oil moisturizer in this range. Available in most Black Hair Stores.

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment

Four months after the birth of my son and what do you know..not just content with being 3 stone heavier but now my hair is falling out! I could swear it was coming out in clumps, and however much my hairdresser tries to reassure me by telling me how lucky I was that I still had the front of my hair! Others apparently loose at the front....roll on 2 months later and my hair is stronger, thicker and this is all thanks to the Hair Restorative programme....From the Miskito Indians in South America, to Oprah, from Estee Lauder to QVC everyone's talking about the secret to beautiful hair is wildcrafted Ojon, a rich oil extracted from the tropical Ojon tree. This oil will coat your hair in the harsh winter months and repair it in process.
It smells great and simply rubbing a tiny amount, and yes really a tiny amount will leave your hair sleek and glossy all week! They do recommend you wash it out after a day or two, but for extra conditioning (i like to think, it works better) I leave it in all week!