Are you looking to change up your style and try a new hair color but are worried about how the dye may affect your hair? This may be the perfect product for you! Clairol Professional Jazzing contains no-ammonia and no-peroxide formulas—so you can apply it immediately after relaxing treatments. Since you can use it as a temporary color, you can try out different hairstyles for “wild weekend hair” or do a simple touch up for special occasions!

Young Black Starz is kicking off the new year right with our first giveaway of 2010! Two (2) random readers will be chosen to receive Clairol Professional Jazzing temporary hair coloring! The two colors that we will be giving away are Spiced Cognac (a goldish color) and Cherry Cola (a reddish color). If you would like to try for a chance to win, enter your name into the drawing and winners will be randomly selected and contacted through email to find out how to receive your prize.

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• (Optional) Once you’ve received and used your prize please contact us and let us know what you think of the product for a chance to have your review posted in our Beauty and Fashion section.

Don’t forget to join Clairol Professional Jazzing Facebook Fan Page or follow them on Twitter @FierceFridays for your chance to win other great prizes through their Fierce Friday contests!

Do you like Kortney Nash’s crinkly hair? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this look for yourself, and it’s really easy!

STEP 1:
Shampoo and Condition the hair.

STEP 2:
Put hair in two strand twists (see “The Twists” on the banner for example) using either Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue (8 oz $22.00) or Curls Milkshake (8 oz $18.00). Both will give pretty much the same results, so use whichever one you prefer. The products are a bit pricey, but they’re worth it!

STEP 3:
Let twists sit in hair for a day or two; the longer, the better.

STEP 4:
Untwist the hair and you will have Kortney’s crinkly look!

This style is especially cute on little girls. With the crinkles you can style your hair as you’d like. Above you can see that Kortney’s hair is styled in one and in two ponytails. Have fun with it!

TIP: The smaller the twists are, the more crinkly the hair will come out.

Special Thanks to Kortney’s mom!

Celebrity stylist Eugene Smith has worked with actresses such as Beyonce and Zoe Saldana.

One of the things Eugene says is the reason why our hair breaks is because of chemical processing like relaxers that are done incorrectly. He says ‚ÄúRelaxers and hair color should be handled by professionals only,” and that hair breakage occurs because of over-processing and overlapping the relaxing, as well as not neutralizing properly.

I definitely agree with that, because when I was younger and used to have relaxers done at home, my hair was breaking a whole lot and there was a time when my hair was so damaged it was hard to even style it into a ponytail! My hair became so damaged and thin around the edges, I didn’t know what to do. I would agree that you should be careful whenever using chemical treatments and to always get a professional who knows what they are doing to handle it. Also, not getting my hair chemically processed as often has also helped a lot with my growth!

Another tip Eugene gave was using protein treatments to prevent hair breakage, but only once a month, because they can also make your hair weaker if used to much. I needed to hear this because sometimes when I use protein treatments too much I do see a lot of shedding.

The article also lists several products that are good for keeping the hair healthy. Here are some of the ones I’ve used and really like:

1. ApHOGEE Protein Treatment ($20.99, sallybeauty.com) – This treatment helps stop hair breakage. In the article, Eugene says “Perfect for relaxed hair, this unique treatment is formulated with magnesium and modified proteins which fuse into the hair with the application of heat. The result is stronger hair strands and breakage is drastically reduced.‚Äù

2. Another one I like is Doo Gro Stimulating Growth Oil ($5.99, walgreens.com). Not only does it have natural oils that help soothe an itchy scalp, it also smells pretty good too.

3. I’ve also used the Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural Hair Care Line, ($6.02, amazon.com and also at your local Wal-mart or beauty supply store.) I’ve used the strengthening conditioner and have noticed it leaves my hair softer.

Check out the entire article on Essence.com and look out for the part 2 that they mentioned would be coming in the future. Here’s to healthy, beautiful hair!

Here are a few of my favorite products for natural hair or just about any type of hair. These selections will keep your hair looking shiny, bouncy, and they smell great too!

1. Lisa’s Hair Elixir by Carol’s Daughter ($19) – A little goes a long way with this hair oil that helps to moisturize your hair and scalp. According to the website it’s also a favorite of Jada Pinkett Smith.

2. Creme of Nature Kiwi and Citrus Shampoo ($4.99) – This shampoo creates a nice lather and my hair is really soft after using it.

3. Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue ($7) – This hair styler helps define my natural curls and makes it feel soft.

4. Miss Jessie’s Baby Buttercreme ($7) I love the sweet smell of this light conditioning hairdress!

5. Elasta QP Mango Buttter ($6) – This mango butter is really rich and helps to protect your hair from damage during heat styling.

Stylin’ Natural Hair
Here’s a quick hair styling tip for natural hair: After you wash your hair and while its is still wet, apply a setting lotion or cream moisturizer all over your hair. Section off the hair into small pieces and either braid, twist or spiral twist the sections (this might take a little while, so pop in a good movie while you’re at it!). Sit under a bonnet hair-dryer on a medium setting for about 20-30 minutes, then let your hair air-dry if it’s still wet. When it’s completely dry, untwist/unbraid your hair. It should have a nice curly pattern to it when you’re done. Style it however you like, or just fluff it out and go!

By Julene F. October 22, 2008

It’s been it said that our hair is our crown and glory. The way we take care of our hair can reflect our confidence and show the world that we want to present our best selves. Here are some tips to help keep your crowning tresses healthy and beautiful.

Eden's Body Works products are made from natural ingredients.

Obey Your Thirst – Moisturizing can start from the inside out too. Health professionals have said that drinking more water can have positive effects for your body and even your hair. So drink up!

Use Natural Products – Try to find products with natural ingredients and oils that are more kind to your hair and will nourish it with vitamins. You can try natural oils like jojoba oil, shea butter and carrot oil.

One line of natural hair products is Eden’s Body Works, (www.edenbodyworks.com) created by sixteen-year-old Jasmine Lawrence (who created the line when she was only 13 and later appeared on Oprah and the Montel Williams Show!). Jasmine created these natural products after her hair became damaged by chemicals, and she wanted to nurture her hair back to healthier condition.

The extra time you spend making sure your hair is not only beautifully styled, but also in top condition will reflect not only in the mirror but also in the poise you’ll have when you step out each day and tell the world ‚Äì ‘”Hair” I come!’