Coiffure Cocktails!

Dear ladies,
It's come to my attention that I'm sort of relaxer-centric when it comes to SYB's hair coverage. I knew it had gotten bad when SYB Babe Tabitha left a comment begging my sister Lauren, she of the perfect au natural curls, for advice. Anyway, I decided it was high time for a natural hair momentito! I turned to my good friend Kimberly Lyons, who's chemical-free hair is positively iconic in my little circle (there she is...isn't she cute?). A few facts about Ms. Kimberly:

* As a VP at MediaVest, one of the country's largest communications agencies, our girl plans media strategies for fancy clients like Wendys, Coke, P&G, and Mattel.

* She's from Dallas, but has no opinion on the Simpson/Romo affair.

* Her flyness is such that, at age 10, she won a major national pageant.

* A couple of years ago, she embarked on the always-traumatic, growing-out-the-perm adventure...and she doesn't regret it for a minute. "I will never go back to chemicals," insists Ms. Lyons. "What made my transition successful was finding the right mix of hair cocktails! For a year, I put sooo much energy into trying every product imaginable for kinky, wavy, and curly hair...and now my mix is foolproof."

Girls, Kimberly has been generous enough to share with us her top secret hair cocktail mix! Here are the recipes. Happy hairstyling!

KIMBERLY'S WASH-N-GO COCKTAIL:
1.) First shampoo, and then condition with Kiehls Extra-Strength Conditioning Rinse with Coconut ($13).

2.) Massage a palm-size amount of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding ($22) throughout soaking wet hair (for the uninitiated, this is the Holy Grail of curly products...it magically stretches out tight curls). Your hair should be saturated in the stuff.

3.) For an easy, defined look, "finger-shingle" your curls. Here's how: Starting at nape of neck, grab sections of hair between your index and middle fingers, and smooth from root to tip. Once done, diffuse or air-dry. This process helps loosen your curls while adding gorgeous, frizz-free shine.


KIMBERLY'S OVERNIGHT "TWIST-OUT" COCKTAIL:
1.) After shampooing, condition with Nexxus Humectress Conditioner ($24.99)--it's super-moisturizing and excellent for natural hair.

2.) To soften hair and prevent that 80's crunch, apply a nickle-sized dollop of Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercream ($32) to wet hair.

3.) Massage in a palm-full of Jane Carter Solution Condition & Sculpt ($9.99), an excellent, liquidy gel that's awesome for wet-styling (tons of hold without weird stiffness). Make sure your hair's really coated.

4.) Now for the "twist-out!" Using a fine-tooth comb, grab a medium-sized section at the nape of your neck. Split it in two, and then twist the sections around each other. Repeat until your whole head is twisted (that sounds funny). No need to make the twists perfect! Honestly, this should take no more than fifteen minutes or so.

5.) Allow your hair to air-dry for a little bit before bed (this decreases frizz). At bedtime, wrap your head in a silk scarf. In the AM, gently undo the twists and finger-style. Voila! Haute hair on a platter!

Gracias Kimberly!
xoxo,
Tia