Verizon -__-

Although my mom paid the bill, my Internet was off for a few days and just now got back. Therefore, you will have to wait for this week's post. Sorry!

Tommie & Tiffany's Healthy Hair Journeys

Those interested in growing long, healthy hair may have heard of the blogs Hair De La Crème and Diva Locks. The bloggers, Tommie and Tiffany respectively, are both African American women who challenge the belief that African American women cannot grow long, healthy hair. They have joined a healthy hair journey many other African Americans have partaken. In their interviews they explain how starting their journeys changed themselves, how they view African American women, and how they view their own hair.

         Tiffany started the blog Diva Locks, in which she showcases her various hairstyles for her daughter, who she refers to as “the diva”, as well as their regimes and their hair journeys.

Why did you decide to start your hair journey?

I decided to start my journey because I wanted to see how long I could grow my natural hair. I have always gotten bored easily with my hair, so I would often cut or dye it every few months.

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of your journey?

The advantage is I have healthier, shiner hair that is retaining length. The disadvantage of my journey is probably cost, and I find myself buying more expensive products than I did in the past.

 How did you first go about gathering information about how to take care of your hair?

I first started searching for children's hairstyles for my daughter and that opened a whole new world with tons of websites and blogs dedicated to natural hair.

Have starting your hair journey change previous views you had on African American woman and long hair?

I would say that is has. I now know and realize that African American woman can have long healthy waist and hip length hair without the use of weaves, extensions, or wigs.

If you have any, what are your inspirations and motivations to continue your hair journey?

My inspirations for continuing my hair journey are all the wonderful natural women out there as well as my daughter. I want to show her that our hair in its natural state is beautiful no matter what others think or say.

What is your regime?

My regime:

Daily:

·         I moisturize my hair with my homemade Leave-In Conditioner Mix (distilled water, VO5 conditioner, EVOO) and I seal with Darcy's Botanical Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Natural Hair Conditioning Oil or African Royale Hot Six Oil during the summer months and during the winter months I seal with a heavy butter

·         I sleep with a satin bonnet

Weekly:

·         I wash my hair once a week with Proclaim Olive Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner 

·         I finger detangle, then detangle with a wide tooth comb while the conditioner is still in then smooth with my Conair Brush

·         Apply Giovanni Direct Leave In Conditioner after wash & conditioning

·         I co-wash twice a week using VO5 Moisture Milks and EVOO mixed in or Suave Almond Shea Butter

Monthly:

·         Hot Oil Treatment using African Royale Hot Six Oil

·         Clarify  my hair once a month using Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo

·         Deep Condition using Komaza Care Olive Moisture Mask with a plastic cap for one hour

My daughter’s regime:

Daily:

·         I moisturize the diva's hair with my homemade Leave-In Conditioner Mix (distilled water, VO5 conditioner, EVOO) or with Komaza Care Califia Moisturizing Spray and I seal with Darcy's Botanical Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Natural Hair Conditioning Oil or African Royale Hot Six Oil

·         She sleeps with a satin bonnet

Weekly:

·         I wash the diva's hair once a week using Proclaim Olive Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner

·         I finger detangle, then detangle her hair while the conditioner is in using a wide tooth comb, then smooth with my Conair Brush

·         Apply Giovanni Direct Leave In Conditioner after washing & conditioning

·         I band her hair after every wash in 4-6 sections

Monthly:

·         I clarify her hair once a month using Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo

·         Deep Condition using Komaza Care Olive Moisture Mask with a plastic cap for an hour

·         Hot Oil Treatment using African Royale Hot Six Oil

·         I dust her ends very 8 weeks

Styling Aids:

Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter
Le Tolanoil Hair Care Creme
Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel
ORS Lock & Twist Gel

Have your regime changed over the course of your journey and if so how come?

The only thing that changes is what products I use; I sometimes switch things up and try new products.

How can someone who is interested in having healthy, long hair go about gathering information on taking care of their hair? What are the best resources?  

I would say do your research, there are various books and websites that can help you on your journey, also if having long hair is not your goal you can still strive to have healthy hair :)

I would say the best resources for me are YouTube and Long Hair Care Forum.

Why did you start your blog? 

I started my blog as a way to document our hair journey and styles, and it sort of evolved to include my other interests such as fashion, beauty, and DIY crafts.

How did starting your hair journey affect how you viewed your daughter and her hair? How does she feel about the hair journey? 

Our hair journey has allowed us to bond more, we enjoy hair time, from picking out and discussing what styles she wants next in her hair to just catching up on our daily lives while I am styling her hair. She loves it! She gets so excited when she thinks of a new style or I surprise her with one I thought of. Don't forget to check out my blog for more information and tips & tricks www.divalocks10.com 

 Pictured Above: "The Diva"  

Pictured Below: Tiffany

The blogger behind the blog and YouTube channel called Hair De La Crème, Tommie, also gave insight into her hair journey and the reason behind it.

Why did you decide to start your hair journey?  

In December 2008. Growing up, I've always had short neck length hair. Everything I tried to do to make it grow didn't seem to work. My hair kept breaking. After I ended a 4 year relationship in 2007 I decided to try something different and go short. After I saw her cut I made my mind up and decided that since I couldn't grow my hair that I was going to keep it short. One day a co-worker of mine asked me about my cut and asked if I co-washed. I was so confused. I asked what co-washing was and she then put me on to Lonhaircareforum.com. Let me tell you...as soon as I go to my desk I looked up the site and that's where my journey began. I decided that I would follow the tips these girls are sharing, see how long my hair can grow and never looked back

What are the advantages and disadvantages of your journey?  

Advantage is seeing the fruits of your labor. I remember having a weave in my hair for a few months. I haven't seen my hair in a while. A few weeks later I relaxed my hair and when I looked in the mirror cried because (at that time) my hair got so long. It grew past neck length. I was so excited to see that my hair can and is growing. The disadvantage is that I spent sooo much money testing out products to see what works and what doesn't.

How did you first go about gathering information about how to take care of your hair? 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com. This site is beneficial (in my opinion) to anyone who has tried their best to grow their hair and needs support, help and tips from ladies that has once been in your seat. I've learned things from protein overload, stretching your relaxers, moisturizing and sealing, etc.

Have starting your hair journey change previous views you had on African American woman and long hair?  

Heck yea! People believe that the only way an African American woman can have long hair is 1.) It's a weave or 2.) She's mixed. NOT TRUE! It's all about how you take care of the hair on your head. Because I now understand the science of growing healthy hair, I get upset at AA (African American) women that say "My hair isn’t growing or can't grow" This is a crazy myth that has been embedded into our heads.

If you have any, what are your inspirations and motivations to continue your hair journey? 

 My inspiration is Ediese. She's a fellow member on Longhaircareforum.com. She started off like me, consistently wearing weaves to hide the damage underneath. The beginning of her journey looks like the beginning of mine. Ediese is now natural and her hair is full waist length. What has helped her throughout her journey was weaves. Just like me. Check out Ediese's hair journey here: http://public.fotki.com/Ediese/comparison-shots-1/comparison-shots/20071128181140comparison.html

What is your regime (if you are comfortable with sharing it)? Have your regime changed over the course of your journey and if so how come? 

 My new regimen is

·          Apply Amla Oil to hair for 1 hr with 2 wool hats

·          Rinse and Shampoo with a moisturizing shampoo

·          Rinse and Deep Condition (under heat) with ORS Replenishing Conditioner for 45 minutes

·          Rinse and apply a moisturizing conditioner like Aussie Moist Conditioner or VO5's Moisture Milks

·         Moisturize with Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Moisturizer, seal with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and oil my scalp with Jamaican Black Castor Oil

·         Take my Nioxin Intensive Therapy Recharging Complex Vitamins daily

·         Drink at least 4 glasses of water daily.

·         I rarely apply heat to my hair

·         Weave my hair for 2 months, take one for two weeks, keep my hair in a bun until i weave again

·         Apply a hardcore protein treatment to my hair every 8 weeks

·         Relax twice a year.

·         Trim after every relaxer process

My regimen used to be so intense. I put too much products in my hair and just went crazy following everyone's regimen. This method did not work for my hair. So i kept it simple. Continued to use the products that works with my hair and listened to my hair when it told me when some products I used was garbage. 

How can someone who is interested in having healthy, long hair go about gathering information on taking care of their hair? What are the best resources? 

 I would suggest checking out Longhaircareforum for health and growth, Blackhairmedia.com for weave tips and hair growth and YouTube for ideas.

 I have a YouTube page you guys can check out!

http://www.youtube.com/user/HairDeLaCreme?feature=mhee

You can also check out Tommie’s blog at 

 http://hairdelacreme.com/ 

Check out Tommie's Progress! 

Click to make picture bigger.

Online Entrepreneurs: Rakhee Newton and Tricia Oertel

 Entrepreneurs and customers alike have turned to the internet. The outcome? Many successful online stores that offer quality goods and customer service to clients looking for a convenient way of purchasing items from the comfort of their homes.  Rakhee Newton and Tricia Oertel are entrepreneurs who own online stores on the website http://www.etsy.com. Their online stores help them reach clientele far from their home bases of Baltimore, Maryland and Chicago, Illinois.  Newton, from Chicago, is also a florist, a musician, and a paralegal. Oertel has been a licensed hairdresser for twenty five years. 

Newton talks about her online store, which specializes in hair accessories, and describes how she went about creating it.

What is your online store?

My design label is Hair Jewels by R. Newton. I am Rakhee Newton, the creator and artist. My online store can be found by going to newtonhairjewels.etsy.com I custom design hair ornaments, feather fascinators, bachelorette hats, feather extensions, fantasy extensions, millinery creations and a variety of other hair accessories. My hair accessories are designed to make the everyday a special occasion!
Why did you decide to create your online store?

It has been a lifelong crusade of mine to find absolutely fabulous looks at affordable prices. I created newtonhairjewels.etsy.com to showcase my custom pieces with timeless style and to further the movement to bring fashion back to ingenuity, affordability, and boldness!
What inspires you?

I often use my city life and urban experiences as the inspiration for my works. There are stories behind all of my creations at newtonhairjewels.etsy.com and I am always happy to share them with those who ask!
How did you go about creating your store?

I researched possible host sites for newtonhairjewels and found that Etsy was the most agreeable, fair, seller/buyer friendly platform to set up shop. After that point, it was just a matter of organizing pictures and descriptions in a way that best showcased my works.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of owning an online store?
There are so many advantages to owning an online store. The most significant advantage is being able to reach potential clients all over the world! As for disadvantages, there are none. The only powerful tool online stores cannot utilize is the face-to-face interaction of the seller and potential client. Technology will never harness or replace the bonding power of humanity.

Where do you get the resources needed for the items you create?
I obtain the materials for my works from many different sources.

What do you look for when you get the supplies?
I always search and buy local first, mostly from independent sellers like myself. As for feathers, I always seek cruelty free sources first.

What are your future plans for your store?

Expansion and collaboration are my two main goals for newtonhairjewels.etsy.com and I am constantly on the look out for creative ways to achieve them!

What is your background and experience?
I have been creating hair works for others and myself for about 10 years. This year I added online selling with newtonhairjewels.etsy.com to the list! My works are on display year round at Philip James Salon in Chicago (philipjamessalon.com), where I have been selling my items for the last 2 years. In addition to my direct experience, I am also a local Chicago musician (myspace.com/predictionsfor1974 and myspace.com/thebuzzerds), a florist, and a Paralegal. I really appreciate you extending this opportunity to share newtonhairjewels.etsy.com with your readers and would like to give your readers a 10% discount on anything in my store when they mention this blog interview! 

Oertel also talks about her own online store, which can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/sellstuff101

    
 My store name is sellstuff101 and I create feather extensions using rooster feathers. They are all the rage right now. However supply cannot meet demand and prices are skyrocketing daily. I am a cosmetology instructor. Around Christmas time some of my students asked me if I would go on a professional hair website and purchase them some feather extensions.

        They paid me and I did. When the extensions were delivered I took them in. In less than two days they asked me to make another order that was larger. They sold out basically over night. The students sold to their friends. When I saw how fast they could sell them and how much the website was charging I thought to myself, “I can supply my students with these” and the adventure began.
    The advantages are that it’s not over your head, you  work at your own pace, and you can work around your children’s schedules. You can also work on the go 24/7. A disadvantage is that I need a phone with internet so I can ship within 24 hours of payment and answer most emails 24/7 in order to not lose a sale. Another disadvantage is that wholesale distributors’ rooster farms will not sell to hairdressers. It does not matter if you have a business license and tax ID number they only want to sell to the fly fish shops because we are taking the feathers away from them. 
      As for where to purchase the items needed, I had a good resource to get my feathers and have done very well. However now they are on back order so she says. I think she found out the on Ebay rooster saddles that cost $55 sell for as much as $1000.00. Crazy right? But a saddle has 400 feathers and we sell them $15 installed. You do the math: it is a money maker either way because of the high demand and low supply. My future plans are to stay ahead of the hair accessory trend to keep my store alive.  

Sorry!

I was writing the new entry at 8pm but before I finished, something went wrong with my computer and it's just now coming back on. It'll be up asap(: 

-K.R.

Check Out The New Pages

Check out the two new pages! In them talk about myself and my other interests besides journalism and I show how to contact me. 


Thanks! 
-K.R.

Dania Denise on Modeling

Dania Denise  

Model,  TV/Film/Commercial Act

Voice-Over Actor & Model Consultant Extraordinaire 

Dania Denise, a model for over a decade, is one of the best sources for breaking into the modeling world. Her blog "Modeling 101: A Model's Diary" effectively portrays the ins and outs in becoming a model. Her tips and posts are insightful and detailed. Anyone can email her a question for one-on-one help. She offers mentoring, coaching, and consultation services for any aspiring model. In this interview, Dania explains the highs and lows of the modeling world, plus how she became a model and the tips she has for anyone pursuing the industry.

Why and when did you decide to model?  

Honestly, I never grew up wanting to be a model...it was the last thing on my mind. When I was 15 I got a flyer in the mail for an open call for new models and actors in San Francisco. It just seemed like something fun to try so I asked my parents to take me. They did, I submitted a snapshot, got called back and got signed to my first agency a few weeks later. It ended up being something I grew to love and was good at so I figured, why not keep it going? I'm glad I did!

How did you go about becoming a model?

Getting an agent was the most important step, especially since I was underage and had no knowledge of the industry before then. Through the open call I attended in SF, I was introduced to agencies in the area and chose the one that I felt most comfortable with at the time. That agent helped set up my first portfolio shoot and that's where I got my first headshots and other images. The approach to how I got in was a bit different than now because back then modeling wasn't as mainstream as it is today...agencies didn't have fancy websites, electronic forms where you could upload your pictures, etc. 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of modeling? 

Advantages: 

- Creating amazing images/pictures that I will be able to look back on years from now.

- Meeting/working with the most creatively talented designers, photographers, makeup artists, hair and wardrobe stylists. 

- Meeting and making friends with other models who know exactly what I go through on the job.

- Making money (of course, lol).

- Getting free clothes, products and discounts.

- Having the chance to travel not only within the San Francisco Bay Area but Los Angeles and other places as needed for work.

- Getting my hair and makeup done professionally (so much fun!).

Disadvantages:

- Constant rejection.

- Coming so close to being chosen for a project but getting passed over for someone else.

- Intense competition.

- Not being able to submit to a modeling gig because I meet all of the requirements EXCEPT the height.

- The work isn't always constant...there are dry spells where I won't book anything for weeks.

Why did you decide to create a blog on modeling? 

I created my modeling blog because not only was I so tired of seeing the wrong information being put out there to aspiring models about how to get started and what it takes, I wanted to correct the critics who kept saying that if you're short, you simply can't make it in the industry. I wanted to use my years of knowledge and experiences to inspire others to keep reaching for their goals the right way (without getting scammed) and show myself as an example of someone who may not be supermodel status but has established a professional modeling career.

What is your background and your experiences? 

I've been a model and actor for 13+ years. I went to San Francisco State University, where I graduated with a B.A. in Radio/TV with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Journalism. In addition to my entertainment career, I am self employed and run 4 home-based businesses: writing/editing services, art business (DDM Creations), modeling/acting coaching/consulting/mentoring and I'm also a licensed dealer for telecommunication services. I love to keep busy and when I'm not in front of the camera or on stage, I'm writing articles, illustrating children's books or painting murals, among many other projects! As far as modeling experiences go, it's mainly just print work for magazines, I got my first magazine cover back in 2009, I did a calendar back in 2007, fashion shows, stuff like that. (She has done  print modeling and has been in pageants. She has also been on television and had roles in films, such as a supporting role in "A Night to Remember". She also has done commercials, music videos, fashion shows, and was in theater among other things. She provided voice-overs for companies such as Wal-Mart and Virgin Mobile. She also had special appearances on several different radio stations.)

What are your future goals in modeling? 

I would love to be on a billboard or in a store display poster...something big that I can point to and say, "That's me!" While I'm popular online, I would love to be a household name and appear in all forms of media for modeling. Eventually, I'd like to be able to travel to other markets to model, especially New York and Miami. Being the face of a well known brand would also be amazing.

Do you have any tips for aspiring models? 

Do your homework and research, research, research the modeling industry! Never get into anything without knowing fully what to expect. Getting agency representation should be your priority. Being signed to a legit agency dramatically reduces your chances of getting scammed or taken advantage of. Also know that it is a business--I can't stress enough that you have to have thick skin to deal with criticism, competition and constant rejection. The industry isn't about making model's dreams come true, it's about selling products, clothes and making money. If you know that going in and see it from a business standpoint, it'll be less of a shock. You have to accept both the good and the bad that comes with wanting to become a model. And if it doesn't work out for you, IT'S OKAY! There is nothing wrong with seeing how far you can go and even if you don't make it, at least you can walk away saying that you gave it your best instead of thinking "what if." 

Dania Denise has a website, Facebook, and blog with contact information for anyone to e-mail her, especially if they wish to break into the modeling industry. 

Website:www.DaniaDenise.com

Blog:amodelsdiary.blogspot.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dania.denise1 

How NODT Will Work

Each post will be on a different topic and have interviews with people dealing with that topic. I'll post new topics every Friday, starting next Friday. Right now I'm setting up interviews. Come back September 9 for your first news article (:
Have a nice weekend.
-K.R.