Lock your curls into place with Regis Design Line's Curl Lock Cream!

FINALLY! Extreme hold for your bodacious curls! For those who love the shape of their curls but are in need of a light weight product with a firm hold Regis Design Line has answered your prayers with 'Curl Lock Curl Cream'!

Regis Design Line's ‘Curl Lock Curl Cream’ is just that! Best applied while hair has been towel dried or semi damp, to hair in sections. It provides an awesome hold and definition to each curl. The Curl Lock sister shampoo is a great addition to this product but the curl cream itself does not rely on it.

The Pro’s: People who love their curls to be crunch free, filled with volume and movement will enjoy Regis Design Line's Curl Lock Curl Cream. This is not for rigid hairstyling; it most definitely locks every curl into place. This is a great product for those with thick coils to those with feathery fine hair. The texture of the product is rich and creamy.

Potential Con’s: The curl cream partially ignites curls and defines what you already have in an amazing way.

Regis Design Line's Curl Lock Curl Cream is affordable and can easily be found at your local specialty beauty supply. If not? Request it!

Log on to www.regiscorp.com for more product details!

Post by Editor in Chief Ally Glasgow, owner of AMAG Media (Web Media & Events Management Company) and LOUDMOUFCOUTURE Clothing. Ally and her team stay busy with in house communication projects in Beauty, Fashion, Travel and The Arts. Give her feedback via ally@amagmedia.com.

TiP: Hair Stylist Loyalty 101

Things get busy and life gets hectic but stay true to your stylist! Don't have too many different "Philosophies" in your head! Don't victimize your hair!

I've been one to have too many hands in my hair. What I mean by that is... I may go to one stylist this week and another the next. For me? it's my business to do this. I'm my own Ginnie pig. But I realise it's not always the best situation for your hair. I admit, it's a convenience thing over anything else. My life gets hectic and I hate making appointments even days in advanced because things tend to change for me VERY quickly and abruptly. Alot of the time, I've been that horrible client that cancels the morning of or wants to come in the morning of (without notice). At one point I travelled a lot, so for me i've learned you have to have consistency with your hair. That applies to your stylist as well.

I KNOW, I know, we're all not Oprah. Not all of our budgets can include our stylist as an item when travelling across the country or the world.

But to avoid having a few pocket curl situations, be sure to consider the following....

- It's true, you have different stylist for different things. You may have one stylist for your regular wash 'n go look and another for your creative extensions fix. You may have various stylist in various cities to accommodate your travel situation. Although their gifts and styling traits may be different make sure they have similar hair care philosophies to avoid mismatched hair situations that may lead to serious stress on your hair.

- Have an open and honest relationship with your stylist. Be friendly and relaxed with them to receive genuine feedback. You wouldn't just let ANYONE house sit? So get to know who is styling your hair.

- Be consistent. Visit your hairstylist on a schedule that your budget and time can accommodate. Invest in them and they will invest in your hair. Let them trust you so you can trust them. In this industry, people tend to get hustled with a blink of an eye to avoid this be consistent and personable.


*I know you all are probably wondering what in the WORLD is a Pocket Curl. I only learned what this term meant by my home girl Ms. Lynn (Jazma). Pretty much, it's when a shady stylist is curling your hair, burns a patch of your hair (that may or may not drop to the floor) and pockets the curl. They don't tell you about the mistake, they don't try to fix it but rather they pocket the curl and send you on your way without any remorse. So befriend your stylist and AVOID the Pocket Curl lol.

Post by Editor in Chief Ally Glasgow, owner of AMAG Media (Web Media & Events Management Company) and LOUDMOUFCOUTURE Clothing. Ally and her team stay busy with in house communication projects in Beauty, Fashion, Travel and The Arts. Give her feedback via ally@amagmedia.com.

LG Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 by L'oreal RAP UP!

We know, we know it's almost two weeks since the wirlwind of fabulousness ended but here is the rundown/rap up as we promised!

All in all Toronto Fashion Week was success adn you can say (based on the opinion of many) very tame in comparison to earlier events. Cough-no drnken speeches this time around-Cough. All you canadian fashion enthusiasts KNOW who and what we're talking about.

The fashionable trends in hair to look out for this coming fall are wild and almost tribal. We here at BHC are EXTREEMELY excited to see how lovely ladies of Canada will incorporate some of these trends into their everyday fab. Earthy and natural hair tones are IN this year. As a whole, it seems the asymetrical hair cutting is a thing of the past. No crazy hair colours, but lots of crazy hair styling. Lots of teasing, texture, volume and up do's. Although wild, the styles were very fun, flirty and feminine.

Although there wasn't much change in the lack of diversity on the catwalk (which NEEDS to change), the beautiful women of colour who did stomp the catwalk were looking fabolicious.

Stacey Mackenzie was indeed a presence at fashion week! We got it in with her back stage and took note of her hair colour transition from strawberry blond/red vibe to a rather sultry deep chocolate brown.

Canadian First Lady of fashion aka Bossy Lady @ Fashion Television Jeanne Beker's discouraging words to Canada's Next Top Model Cycle 1 contestant Tenika Davis a couple years back havn't effected homegirls presence on the Canadian catwalk. BHC was glad to see our girl Tenika getting her strut on at multiples shows during Fashion Week.

Stay Tuned for some pics, we're havin some technical difficulties (they'll be up soon!).

Why are Black Hair Products so *F@$*& expensive in Canada!?!?

Photo provided by www.thatblackgirlsite.com

Yes, this is a question many of us wonder I’m sure. In the Canadian beauty scene we tend to receive the more boutique-y high quality beauty brands later than our American neighbours. But in the majority of cases, whether late or early a lot of the products we have access to (that aren’t useless garbage) are OVER PRICED!

Why is it that the cost of Black Hair Care product is so expensive here in comparison to the states? Well we have an answer that kinda-sorta justifies why that is.

Generally, our black hair care beauty suppliers are “Mom ‘N Pop” neighbourhood supported businesses. A huge percentage of black hair care products are produced overseas, their corporate offices managed mainly in the USA and cater to the American market due to the high percentage of their target demographic residing there.

When our local beauty suppliers order products directly through the corporate entities, they receive inflamed costs themselves (based on the difference in currency, our higher taxes and shipping/handling rates). Plus, they are sometimes (in actually most cases) considered “international orders” and their product order minimums are outrageous! Our beauty suppliers in some instances are required to purchase a minimum $3000.00 USD+ of product QUARTERLY to receive a wholesale account with the products corporate office. That’s a huge risk just for ONE product line, so in the majority of cases if the beauty supply isn’t familiar with the product line? They’re not willing to risk having a bunch of dusty beauty ornaments on their shelves waiting to be tossed.

So I guess the next question is …how do they get the product they have currently on their shelves? Well that in itself is a bit more time consuming, but indeed more cost effective in most cases. They set up relationships with fellow retailers who reap the benefits of having a beauty supply in an American market, rather than paying a gazillion dollars in inflated “international” fees to the products corporate sales. Although still inflated, in comparison to dealing with the corporate wholesale account requirements… they save all across the board (by purchasing significantly less product) but inevitably paying additional fees all the same (such as shipping, handling and staffing travel expenses).

So when you visit your local “Mom ‘N Pop” Beauty Supply and get an urge to cuss out the nearest customer service rep in sight, remember ALL of what Blackhairacanada.com mentioned. NOW, we’re not saying this applies to every business but in most cases with the ethical ones it does indeed.

So how do we change this? How do we get these prices to be more reasonable as they are in our neighbouring USA? Well, if you want to support the Canadian Market so that it doesn’t dry up and disappear then stop buying hair online, over the boarder and be a loyal customer. Be brand advocates of your local Beauty Supply! Give them reason to trust us rather than swindle us! This will give you the consumer POWER and SAY over what products they choose to order and in what abundance. Money and numbers talk! So rally all the lovely individuals in your life that are Hair Care/Beauty enthusiasts and head over to your local beauty supply. Start buying, start requesting and start changing our industry! So that we change the interest of these corporate suppliers and so WE Canadians become a market priority!

And be sure not to forget blackhairacanda.com in the movement =).

FINALLY Tabitha! We salute you!

It was so refreshing to catch the latest episode of Tabitha’s Salon Takeover featured on Canada’s Slice Network this past weekend. We here at blackhaircanada.com follow the show religiously and we were pleasantly surprised to see Tabitha FINALLY feature a Black hair Salon. Eclectic salon, filled with a very colourful staff, lots of drama and an overly stressed owner was shook down in the latest episode of Tabitha’s Salon Takeover. As always, Tabitha was not easy on them at all and she made a world of difference. It was a great episode and we can’t wait to watch as Tabitha comes to Canada to get a few black salons in shape in our edge of the woods (fingers crossed). Log on to www.slice.ca incase you missed the episode, it is most definitely worth the watch (Tabatha's Salon Takeover II – 203).

Most Improved of '09

The intervention of the once upon a time HOTmess that is Canada’s MTV Live’s Nicole Holness takes the award for most improved hairstyling this year.

MTV Live’s crazy, loud and cute VJ Nicole Holness has been relentlessly irritating black hair stylists for the past few years. This Scarborough native’s hair DONTS on air have had many asking for a while “Who the *&%$@# would do THAT to her hair?”

And then FINALLY…



Her tangled synthetic hair pieces have been retired and unruly waves finally tamed! Her recent hair DO's have been complimentary to her fun and yet funky style within the past few months. Whoever her new hairstylist is, we salute you! And please note, you (new hairstyist) have saved Ms. Holness from potentially being shaken and even chased down the street by various hairstylists throughout the GTA (all at once even) with a hairbrush and hair treatment in tow.

Watch Ms. Holness' crazy antics with hair FINALLY in check on MTV Live Monday through Thursday Weeknights at 6:00pm EST on MTV Canada!

We love Jully Black’s innovative hairstyle as much as her intimately creative 2009 release “The Black Book”!

We love how Canada’s soulful song bird and Etalk Daily correspondent Ms. JULLY Black has been working her fierce cutting edge doo lately. With the release of her latest LP “The Black Book” it is no surprise Ms. Black has been up to nothing but fabulousness from her HAIR to toe.

Her recent doo consists of a very creative take on an asymmetrical bob styled upward as opposed to down. She playfully has incorporated volume without it seeming heavy or ‘over the top’ like some of her pop counterparts - cough- crazed lady gaga -cough-. Ms. Black completes her sultry look with healthy shine and chic but bold colour choice.

The Black Book is in stores now! Have a listen to some of the songs off her latest LP by clicking here!

Going ‘Nautural’ isn’t as hard as you may think

Natural hair within the black community has been laced with this stigma surrounding legitimacy of ‘blackness’. At times, wearing your hair natural can be misinterpreted (by some) as a social statement. More and more black women in Canada are wearing their hair natural, not as a statement but rather to deter from damaging their hair with over processed traditional hair care.

As someone who has been Natural for over three years now, I’ve been the most comfortable I‘ve ever been with my own natural texture. I embrace the versatility and I am constantly playing with my hair, now that I am extremely comfortable with its state. I can’t really say that I wear my hair in one particular style all the time… I will admit there are few signature styles that I revisit from time to time. All in all, for each style no matter how different they are people tend to react with a “You’re so bold”. I enjoy washing my hair and playing with my multi-textured tightly coiled curls. But I also enjoy blowing out my curls to a straight doo, for more length and less use of product. In the winter, to give my hair a break I wear extensions leaving a little piece of my natural hair exposed to cover them. Surprisingly, with little maintenance the extensions need only a simple touch up with my flat iron on a low heat every few days to blend my hairs texture with that of my extensions regularly.

For you lovely individuals that are playing with idea of going natural? DO IT! There are so many different styles and textures you can pursue while natural. It truly is an empowering feeling knowing you have so much versatility on a whim.

Chris Rock's "GOOD HAIR" featured at 2009 TIFF

What more can be said about black people and their hair? Everything.
The subject has inspired countless song lyrics, books, films and kitchen-counter arguments. The politics, the economics and even the physics of black hair can sometimes trigger obsession. Now everyone can find out what all the fuss is about, with Chris Rock as a guide.

Acting as African America's Michael Moore, Rock goes front and centre in this investigative documentary that is both hilarious and surprisingly informative. It began with an innocent question from his young daughter: “Daddy, how come I don't have good hair?” In black families “good” hair means straight hair, and it's been the source of pain and envy ever since African slaves first digested European beauty standards. Today, women on limited incomes pay thousands of dollars a year to maintain a straight-hair weave – or expect their men to pay for them. To assist in the exploration of this trend, the Reverend Al Sharpton, interviewed by Rock in a light mood, sermonizes on the historical significance of his processed ‘do.

Rock is bemused as he goes from salon to street corner to industrial giant, but he asks tough, smart questions. Aided by both ordinary people and celebrities – actress Nia Long, author Maya Angelou – he aims to bring common sense to an arena ruled by vanity and warped custom. Still, there's no denying the incredible creative ferment brought on by this desire to change and improve one's hair. Visiting an annual contest for black hair stylists, Rock watches as competitors whip up coiffures that seem straight out of science fiction.

Underpinning it all is a hidden economy that stretches from those living in America's black neighbourhoods, to the businessmen who harvest women's hair in India, to the Korean American brokers who deal straight black Asian hair to black women so their manes can look more European. It's a black thing, but everybody's involved (Good Hair at TIFF).

Public Screening

Sunday September 13 - 03:45PM
Tuesday September 15 - 02:30PM
Saturday September 19 - 09:30AM