Good friends, AND Stylists, are hard to come by

A few days ago I had a going away dinner in Chicago with my friends. We went to a great Mexican restaurant ate very well, had a couple of drinks and a few tears for dessert.  Afterwards I left feeling very blessed and loved so I started thinking about friendships. I looked up the word friend in the dictionary and here is what I found:

1.   1. Friend: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

2.     2.  Friend: a person who acts as a supporter of a cause, organization, or country by giving financial help or other help.

After reading the 2 definitions above I can honestly apply those definitions to all my girls. Good friends are hard to come by. Period.  Not everyone has your best interest at heart and it takes a long time to figure that out in some cases. Therefore; I believe it’s very rare for a group of 10 girls to genuinely like each other and not have drama between the bunch.   

After further assessment of this topic I started to think…good stylists, like friends, are hard to come by too! In my opinion a stylist should not only be your professional consult but your friend as well.  The same care and love I receive from my friends, I need to receive from my stylist when she’s handling my Crown & Glory.

Have I lost you yet? Ok, I’ll break it down…

Per definition #1, a friend is a person with whom one has a bond or mutual affection.  I need to have a bond with my stylist as well. If a stylist or friend rubs me he wrong way or I’m not feeling their energy then the relationship is not going to work.  If I think you are genuinely a nice person, and I see your positive interactions with others, then we can make something happen. There’s nothing worse than a negative stylist with a snappy attitude just waiting to take their anger and frustration out your hair. Thanks but no thanks, I’ll pass!

Per definition #2, a friend is a person who acts as supporter.  Whether it is from a friend, boyfriend, parent, sister or stylist who doesn’t need support?  If I decide to chop my hair off or grow my relaxer out, I need for my stylist to support my decision. Support just doesn’t mean you agree with me. You are there for me throughout the process ensuring my hair stays healthy and giving me tips along the way.  Some stylists will do whatever to get your dollar. Afterwards, you leave the salon feeling cheated. A friend and supportive stylist will consult you along the way of your different hairstyles, telling you what works and what doesn’t work.  A supportive stylist will console you when you make the “big chop” and decide to go natural.  And afterwards not only do you feel great about the choices you’ve made but, the stylist feels great too because she knows she’s helped you! Friends, just like stylists, make you feel good about yourself, even when you are self-conscious.

At the end of my going away dinner, each friend went around the table to say what they would miss about me and I recipricated when it was my turn. There's no doubt that I will miss all my great friends in Chicago, but I will also miss another friend that wasn’t at the going away dinner - my stylist, Nikkole Willis owner of Bhava Hair Studio.

  My love for Chicago will forever run deep....

Today was a good day...

So for some reason, in the past two days I've been in a very good mood. Maybe it's because I'm about to close one chapter of my life and start another. Maybe it's because Chicago finally has some decent Spring weather...finally! I'm not sure and I can't quite put my finger on it but I know for sure, when my hair looks good, I feel good!

And today was one of those days. Yes, I said it. I (as well as my hair) looked good today.

And what woman doesn't feel good when her Crown & Glory is looking nice, honestly? Have you ever been trying to get ready to go out with your girls and you spend 30 minutes trying on 3o different outfits but nothing seems to work? Then you notice your hair is still wrapped or pin-curled so you can't get a complete "feel" for the whole look so you try it again after your hair is finished. Well maybe it's just me, but I feel MUCH better when my hair is popped! (That means it looks really nice for you slow people).

Call it vain, arrogance or confidence but for me, my hair is a direct reflection of my personality and I think it is the most important first impression one can have on people - even more than clothes. Now some would disagree with me on this. People take a lot of pride in their clothes, which is a great thing. I'm not knocking you if you do! However, I believe keeping your hair healthy and well groomed is a direct reflection of your personal hygiene, which in my opinion is way more important than clothing.

So yeah, today was a good day. The sun was out (80 degrees in Chicago), my shades were on and my perfectly feathered light brown hair, parted down the middle was flowing in the wind!!! What's better than that?

Miss Jessie's Products Now Available at Target!!!

How many times have you walked into your local Target, Walmart or CVS and noticed the small "African American" hair section at the end of the hair care aisle? After rows and rows of Pantene Pro-V, Garnier Fructis and Herbal Essence there is a small section of Luster's, Organic Root Stimulator, and B&B products. Don't get me wrong, I love all products despite manufacturer but I became well aware of this fact a long time ago around the age of 13. So when my friend told me Miss Jessie's products were now being sold at Target I couldn't believe it, I was shocked! Could it be...finally, more hair care products made by us and sold by us in a national retailing corporation...yes it is!

Miss Jessie's hair care products hit Target stores March 28th, 2010 and when I went yesterday, April 10th, with a friend to pick up some items all but two products were sold out! To make it even better, Miss Jessie's products owned a clearly visible display of 3 rows at the beginning of the hair care aisle - the front facing rows all customers can see as they walk through the store.

If you aren't familiar with Miss Jessie's products, the brand is famous for creating styling products for natural hair and naturally curly hair, most of which my friends use faithfully. I have yet to use her products but I hear Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding and Curly Meringue work best, but of course this depends on hair texture. My advice is to try out different types to see what works best for you.

Founded by two sisters Miko and Titi in Brooklyn, the women named Miss Jessie's products after their grandmother. Not only are they the founders of these products, they also own the Miss Jessie's Salon, which provides expertise in natural hair and naturally curly hair. (I must make a trip to NY just for this reason!)

So the biggest question is, why are there so many limited African American hair care products in national retailing corporations? The fact that Miss Jessie's was sold out in Target is a clear indicator there is a demand for these products. For as long as I can remember, my outlet was the local beauty supply store in my neighborhood, which are also owned and dominated by the Asian culture. There have been several times I needed advice about something in the store, however; the owner had no idea of what products could possibly work best with my hair. Instead they were more interested in selling me the most expensive product. But what I can I expect they ARE running a business. Right?

No! I won't settle for that. Business or no business, if I'm spending my hard earned money shouldn't I deserve a decent hair consultation for my Crown & Glory? I guess until then I'll continue to rely on my trail and error test to find what products work best for me.

Or maybe I should take matters into my own hands? Create a place that specializes in selling hair care products for African American women, while providing hair consultations and become an outlet for the under represented black hair care producers who can't afford to make it to national retailers like Target. Hmm...sounds like a lot...but anything is possible.

Find a Target near you for Miss Jessie's products and let me know what you think! (Personal review to follow) http://www.missjessies.com/09_storelocator/storelocator.htm