Style File: Elle South Africa. May 2010.

Rox.Rocks.Naturally.

Rox: British singer,songwriter.

(Photo Credit: thisisrox.com via coconutandcream.blogspot.com)

Covered.Bun.

(Photo Credit: Jess93 via TFS)

Accessory Love: Colorful.Spring.Scarves.

Anthropologie.com:(Top Left,Right) Ephemenra Forever Scarf, $38. Shadowed Vine Scarf, $28.
(Bottom Left, Right)Moments Pause Scarf, $42. Whispering Breeeze Scarf, $48.


(Photo Credit: Anthropologie.com)

Young. Bold. Beautiful.

(Photo Credit: Photographer Anna Fayemi)

Style File: Saks Fifth Avenue.Spring 2010.

(Photo Credit: Saks.com)

Coiffure Creatives Feature: Illustrator.Wynter Cherry.

Wynter Cherry is a young artist who enjoys working in various mediums but particularly loves to illustrate with pencil. She was kind enough to share her work, the ideas behind their creation and embracing her natural hair as a teen:

Art imitates Life
"After making the decision to go natural, I've noticed that my art has changed. I often find myself drawing more about freedom, individuality, and the beauty of nature. It's important to me to draw girls with natural hair to encourage others that natural hair is beautiful. It gets on my nerves when people think about natural hair and think only negative comments, saying its 'nappy', that 'it needs to be permed', or that it 'looks like a Brillo pad'. I don't think they dislike natural hair, they just don't understand it. Honestly, my goal is to make them change the way they think about natural hair. If they find at least one natural hairstyle they like, it could change the way they think about it."


Dare to be Different
"This piece,'Dare to be Different', depicts a girl who is proud to be so different from the 'main(stream) image of beauty'. This picture is based on a positive reaction I personally had to photo of a natural with a fro. I'm the girl in the background amazed by how gorgeous this girl and her hair is. The other girl in the back does not have a face because she still can't see how great it is to be different(representing my friends who don't understand why I'm going natural)."


I Understand
"This piece, 'I Understand', shows a girl who is transitioning. After I decided to go natural, I cut my hair until it was about 2 inches short. I felt so free. The subject of this piece feels as though she is emerging out of her own mental 'hair cocoon' and is now a free butterfly, as I was, no longer a slave to the common image of beauty. That's why the girl's jewelry and the butterfly are so uniquely patterned."


Curly Suu
"'Suu' has many different types of curls and in a way represents the way I feel about natural hair. Natural hair isn't just 'nappy', there are curls and kinks, wonder and love.

Drawing girls with natural hair is my way of giving back to the natural hair community. I've always loved natural hair, I just never knew I could go natural myself (laughs). I was searching hairstyles on Google and saw a girl with an afro clipped to the side. I fell in love with her hair and IMMEDIATELY decided to go natural. I hope that one of my pictures might have the same effect on another girl." - Wynter Cherry




I would like the thank Wynter for sharing her works and words--I am sure the best is yet to come for you!

Find more of Wynter's art here.
Are you a creative curly that would like to share your art/craft/creative talent here on BC? Feel free to email me (Danyelle) at coiffuredesign@gmail.com

Diversity in Curls: Lakshimi.India.

Lakshimi on her hair care: “I do a hot oil massage on my hair with coconut oil. That always helps.(My mother) taught me to use organic coconut oil as a treatment. It makes my hair feel luxurious. I shampoo and condition with Dr Hauschka products because they're mild and have the least amount of chemicals and alcohol." (Elle.com)

(Photo credit: Elle.com and Asian models blog)

My.Natural.Hairstory.

I decided to go natural in October of 2006. My choice was made purely out of wanting to try something different and seeing if it would yield a different (and hopefully better) result. My relaxed hair had always been around shoulder length (sometimes slightly longer,but never at/past APL) and I never had any BIG problems out of it. I've always taken great care with my hair--I probably picked up that habit from the way my mother cared for it when I was a child. Though I had a relaxer, used heat, and other things that are not the best--it always looked fine--not perfect but not bad. Most of the time while relaxed I did have breakage in the front and around 2004 I start experiencing breakage in the middle of the back (the front breakage has changed, but the back is still a problem even with me being relaxer free--still figuring that out).

I transitioned for a year by slowly cutting my hair of every few months. By the end 2007 I was totally relaxer free. 2008 was spent somewhat experimenting (nothing too crazy, I can't say I was a total product junkie lol) but I also stuck to a few oldies but goodies I used on my relaxed hair such as Aphogee protein treatments. Through curlynikki.com I also discovered Henna, of which enjoy the whole process of mixing and applying (i'm a bit weird like that). It added thickness(I have thin strands)and of course color to my hair. By 2009 I stopped using Aphogee and went strictly to Henna because I read online that is was a protein treatment in it self. So I figured I didn't need the Aphogee protein any longer.... this is where I think I went wrong. From about mid-2009 to the beginning of 2010 I've experienced ridculous spilt ends/breakage setbacks so I've recently (2 months ago) cut off about 2 inches and started up my Aphogee Treatments again. What can I say, may hair must love protein?

Currently I love playing with Indian/Ayurvedic powders to cleanse my hair and aid in keeping it strong between Aphogee treatments (every 6 weeks). I finally found a deep conditioner that works well and is moisturizing for me (Aussie 3 minute miracle deep moisture). I've raved about my favorite oil on this blog already(coconut)--it really helps added sheen on my dry hair. This year also, I don't feel the need to wash my hair as often as I've done in the past (personal preference), so I cleanse & deep condition every 2 weeks. My current regimen is as follows:


Week 2
Cleanse with no-sulfate Ayurvedic shampoo bar
Deep condition,rinse
Leave-in conditoner
Seal with oil
Braid & air dry, or roller set

Week 4
Cleanse w/ no-sulfate Ayurvedic shampoo bar, OR make a mask with powders (w/Henna if I'm in the mood)
Deep condition, rinse
Leave-in conditioner
Seal with oil
Braid & air dry, or roller set

Week 6
Cleanse w/ non-sulfate Ayurvedic shampoo bar, OR Aphogee Shampoo if there is build up
Aphogee Protien treatment
Deep condition, rinse
Leave-in conditioner
Roller set

So on year 3 of being natural I think I'm finally getting to what works for me, and finding products that I love.I in no way am here to push products or say what I use/do to my hair is perfect. I will however do updates on my progress every once in a while. My hair goals as of right now are maintaining its health and hopefully the growth will be the benefit of that throughout this next year(My "dream" hair/inspiration). We shall see... :)

enjoy.your.journey.
Danyelle

Accessory Love: Hot.Hats.

As the weather gets warmer and we're in the sun longer, we have to remember to protect our hair from sun damage. One good way is with a great closely weaved hat:





(Photo credit: Forever21.com, Urbanoufitters.com)

Rose Cordero. Bergdorf Goodman. Spring 2010.

(Photo credit: Sofia Sanchez & Mauro Mongiello via TFS)

Take.Shape.

(Photo Credit: The Fashion Spot)

Sleek.Bun.

(Photo Credit: Chantal Nadeau)

Bold.

Inspired by the lighting colors used here, I created this new painting over the weekend:






(Photo Credit: Danyelle, BleuCoiffure Blog. 24"x36" Oil Painting)

Style File: Julia Sarrs. D Magazine.

(Photo credit: Paul Smith, D Magazine via Alltheprettybirds Blog)

Accessory Love: Turbans

Shamayim.com




Foever 21, Paisley Turban $5.20



Yigal Azrouel Cruise 2010 Collection


In 2007 Western culture once again embraced middle eastern culture with the popularization of turbans in fashion, in 2010 the trend is still here and is something to look out for. It would also be a great way to protect curls, or hide hair on a bad (or even good) hair day.

If you have a large scarf, here are simple steps to create your own turban style, from Vogue intern Lara Piras:

1) Double the scarf in a triangle shape.

2) Flip your head forward and throw your hair over.

3) Position the scarf overhead with ends forward. Tie one knot with the ends coming together underneath the hair at your forehead, leaving the triangle top free. Then, pull the hair forward and through and fold the rest of the scarf over the loose hair.

4) Tuck in the free part of the scarf into the first knot. Pull all the hair and scarf ends atop your head and finish by knotting the two leftover ends at the crown.




So, wearing a turban simply for fashion--yay or nay?

Jewelry.Ads.India.

(Photo credit: Suresh Natarajan for Tanishq)

Big. Dreams.

I posted photos of the piece before it was finished--and I said I would be entering it to be displayed in a show. I'm happy to say it was accepted for the show and will be hanging in a college library in Downtown Chicago from mid-April to October 2010. :)

(Photo credit: Danyelle, Bleu Coiffure Blog. 30"x40" Oil Painting.)

Bleu-Inspiration: Big.Cut.Chrisette.Michelle

"I was tired of black sista’s feeling subject to having their hair pressed and straightened, and damaged, with relaxers, and heat...I wanted to make short and nappy hair fashionable, and let the industry know that there is nothing wrong with the texture that we have been born with. So I plan to grow it out to the big beautiful nappy hair that I have.” -Chrisette Michelle via new-kidsblogspot.com




(Photo Source: Dereck Blanks via Curly Nikki)

Go.Big.

(Photo Credit: Micaela Rossato, via Fly Blog)