I have been oiling my scalp as far as I can remember; in fact oiling my scalp was my remedy to dry scalp…so I thought. Years later I would learn this was not the best way to rectify the problem.

Your body secretes an oily, waxy substance called sebum, through microscopic glands in the skin located predominantly on the scalp and face. As we all know sebum or our natural oils is what lubricates our strands and provides a natural barrier in preventing dryness and breakage. Now when these microscopic glands or sebaceous glands are blocked from an outside factor such as certain hair products, preventing the sebum from secreting properly, this can wreak havoc on our scalp and in some cases causing dandruff.

Not to be confused with dry scalp which are small white flakes of the scalp, stemming from dryness, dandruff is the opposite, identified as yellowish/greyish, waxy, cluster of skin cells stemming from a fungal or bacterial infection of the scalp. There are different types of dandruff and to be properly diagnosed you would have to see a medical professional, but there are certain types of dandruff that breed from dust and pollutants, that unnecessary product buildup attracts, leading us right into another important factor,  proper product usage on our scalp.

For some not oiling our scalp is an unthinkable option but knowing the proper products to use, ensures the health of our scalp, meaning a clean and healthy surface our natural oils can easily secrete while preventing breakage of our strands, which means you should stay clear of mineral oils and heavy butters. Minerals oils do not dissipate but rather sit and clog the area applied too. Stick with lighter oils for the scalp such as coconut oil and rosemary oil which also work double duty as an antimicrobial agent, and antiseptic, not only cleaning our scalp but protecting us from microbes, dust mites and fungus that ultimately can weaken our hair roots and cause unnecessary shedding. Therefore it is imperative we keep our scalp clean and free of heavy buildup.

The curlier the strand the more difficult it is for the sebum to coat the strand due to all the twist and turns the sebum has to travel to reach the ends of our strands, this difficulty usually results in the sebum not completing its journey, this is why it is so important to seal…I know UNFAIR, but knowing this simple factor can help you combat dryness and understand why it is so necessary clear you scalp of product buildup.

Remember to each their own but since I stopped oiling my scalp I have noticed a tremendous difference in the health of my scalp, even leading to less shedding, but always keep in mind, anything topically always correlates to the inside, and disciplining a healthier diet into your regimen can greatly affect your sebum oil production, eliminating dry scalp. Including a diet rich in nutrients like Omega 3 Fatty acids can keep dandruff at bay, and since our bodies naturally cannot produce this fatty acid we need to supplement.  Avoiding a diet consumed by saturated fats and trans-fatty oils may reduce, growth of P. ovale, a fungi thought to be responsible for dandruff.

Learning what works for your hair is a process and the start to a healthy hair journey begins with the scalp. When it boils down to the root of it, less is more and like anything in life if you want to see growth you have to let it breath!

The exhibition also serves as the culmination of more than two years of documentation of these artists’ creative journey by film-maker Jeff Martini, for an upcoming feature entitled “HEAVYWEIGHTPAINT,” a segment of which will be shot at the events.

*The opening reception will be held today at The Art Directors Club from 6-8 PM. The after party will take place from 8-10 PM in the same location, featuring the one and only… DJ Questlove.

A portion of proceeds will go towards to the Brotherhood/Sister Sol, a Harlem-based youth organization. Artworks created by students from “Bro/Sis” will also be on display at the event.

*Please note that this is a 21+ event.

Tim Okamura

Jerome Lagarrigue

Taha Clayton

Joseph Adolphe

“Round Zero is comprised of work inspired by the sport of boxing, which serves as both a rich source of inspiration and a metaphor for the artists’ creative struggles. A parallel can be drawn between the physical and emotional challenges and required mental focus of a pugilist in the ring and the demands faced by the show’s four figurative painters in life and before the canvas.

With each of the artists interpreting the subject of prize fighting through his own unique filter, the resulting collection is simultaneously an homage to the ‘sweet science,’ an exploration of profound symbolic themes and psychological narratives, and a testament to the potency of dynamic figurative painting in contemporary art today.

‘Each of these four artists enters ‘Round Zero’ with his own history and deeply personal relationship to the exhibition’s primary theme of boxing, however, this is not a showcase of ‘sports art’, but rather a primal, atavistic presentation of figurative painting, steeped in pain and sacrifice, celebrating the durability and upper limits of the human body.” – curator Dexter Wimberly.

The Art Director’s Club

106 W 29th St  New York, NY 10001

(212) 643-1440

Trained as a pianist and singer since the tender age of 6, Blake drew inspiration not only from classical and jazz but American R&B, noting Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo and Sly Stone amongst his favorites. Hailing from London, with vocals effortlessly redefining the phrase, “as smooth as butter”, hauntingly mesmerizing, Blake transcends even his own recordings by sounding better live.

During the show I bumped into a familiar face, photographer, Seher Sikandar who took some  amazing  shots of James Blake during his performance.  If you are contemplating seeing Blake live, do not hesitate, his performance leaves no room for disappointment.

Photos: Seher Sikandar

Seher

We hope you see a little bit of yourself in the Mater Mea moms who have let us into their most intimate setting: at home, with their children.” –Mater Mea 

To all the beautiful Mothers, including the ones very dear to my heart, my own Mother and Nikisha, here is a special montage dedicated to all of you. If you have not had a chance to get to know Mater Mea, then this will definitely awe and inspire…Happy Mother’s Day.

All photos by J Quazi King, Rog Walker, Nneka Salmon, Sade’ Clacken Joseph

*Click underlined names for a more in-depth look, including, bios, interviews and MANY more stunning photos.

Nikisha & Jaden

Judia, Danielle & Nicole

Lindsey & Henry

LaShann & Jayden

Latham & Fulano

Geraldine, Warner & Nia

Zuhirah & Salimata

Hadiiya, Nawa, Ahshar & Savannah 

Crystal & Elijah

Gwen & Ian

Wangechi & Neema

Trenesa, Dylan & Romon

Lisa, Quincy & Noah

Rhonda & Raif

Kamara & Cherokee Moon

Stephanie & Mari

Nasozi & Rafayonda

Rene, Casey & Cole

Staceyann & Zuri

Mengly & Ousmane

Coco & Aurelio

Christal & Gabriel

Karen & Imani

Alicia, Jonas & Malcolm

Well we are teaming up with IHS to gift 10 lucky winners and their guest, free admittance on May 19^th or 20^th. Which means you and a guest will share in the experience with us, including the Q&A forum we will be hosting, along with Fran of Hey Fran Hey from 12-2PM & 4-6PM on the basics of natural hair, safe transitional styles, porosity, retaining length & moisture, favorite products, trimming 101, nutrition, our personal regimens and much more.  If you are in the NY area, buses leave every 20 minutes from 42^nd ST Port Authority directly to the Meadowlands Convention Center. To win tickets follow the easy step by step instructions below but if you choose not to wait you can purchase tickets here which are on sale till May 19^th.

Here is how to win free ‘International Hair & Beauty Show’ ticket.

*Click on highlighted pink links

1) Like International Hair & Beauty Show  on Facebook 
2) Like Urban Bush Babes on Facebook 

3) Tweet on Twitter with the tag “win tickets from @urbanbushbabes & @ IHShow” (if you have twitter)

4) Leave a comment in this post with the tag “win tickets from @urbanbushbabes & @ IHShow”

(Giveaway will end this Sunday May 12^th at 11:00PM EST. 10 winners will be chosen randomly. Entries that are submitted after the giveaway will be disqualified. Winner will be announced within this post on Monday, May 13^th)

Rules

Eligible entries must be 18 years or older and within the United States to enter. Potential winner’s failure to respond to the UBB notification post on the selected winner within three days will be omitted and the next candidate will be contacted. Limit one entry per person, per email address for the duration of the giveaway. Excess entries per individual and failure to follow previous giveaway steps listed above will result in void of giveaway. Each entrant agrees that any disputes, claims and cause of action arising out of, or connected with the giveaway awarded shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action and no responsibility to the sponsor or UBB.

Shampoo: (Done once a week)

-Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo
-Sof n’ free Clarifying shampoo ( done every 2 weeks in rotation with Shea Moisture Shampoo)

Conditioner: (Done once a week)

- Say Yes to Carrots Conditioner or (purchase at Walgreens or Target)

I semi-dry my hair with one of my son’s old cotton shirts .

Deep conditioner: (Done once a week after I shampoo)

- Camille Rose Naturals Algae Deep Conditioning Mask (or you can purchase at select Targets)
- My Honey Child Olive You
- Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner  Once a month for protein (or you can purchase from the Vitamin Shoppe)

 Leave-in Cream or Leave-in Conditioner: (Done after my wash & condition, as well as through out the week when I feel my hair needs some added moisture)

- Karens Body Beautiful Sweet Ambrosia  Lavender Vanilla fragrance (or you can purchase at select Targets)
- Camille Rose Naturals Curlaide Moisture Butter (or you can purchase at select Targets)
- Giovanni Direct Leave-In Weightless Moisture Conditioner or (you can purchase this at Target, The Vitamin Shoppe, or other online stores)

Sealing : (This is my last step after applying my leave-in. It is also done any time during the week when my hair feels dry and I feel the need to re-moisturize. I switch up with the oils as well).

- Extra virgin coconut oil

- Treasured Locks African Argan Elixer

- Jamaican Black Castor oil (I use this for the ends of my two strand twists)

Moisturizing:

I moisturize my hair every two days using water, then apply one of my water based leave-in’s as mentioned above or I apply extra virgin coconut oil. I use a silk scarf to tie my hair down when I have it in two strand twists. This helps make the twists last for 2-3 days.

Della is a fashion line handcrafted by a community in Ghana, West Africa. The passionate, talented women who create the pieces are given an opportunity to build a foundation for a better life through jobs, education and skills training.

Photos by Sequoia Ziff

“I’m from London and I have 4 blonde sisters and a blonde brother, we have a different dad. Growing up in a very white working class environment and being brown with an afro, kinda already put me on the outside, so I was able to do my own thing and not have any pressure to fit in, and that really shaped me to be comfortable in being different but when I was at art school I wasn’t happy, but I could get that out creatively.”

More photos and a inside look at Shantell’s work visit Style Like U –> here

Mengly & Ousmane

Photos: J Quazi King

When Mengly Hernandez talks about herself, she often references a self-imposed wall that can create an air of chilly remove around the petite 32-year-old single mom, sometime model and full-time stylist and entrepreneur.

“I’m definitely more cautious,” Hernandez says. “I’ve always been a little more guarded so I really take my time with people.”

It’s a statement that has a really hard time sticking though, with each warm, husky laugh or offer to hook mater mea up with the Dominican hair products Hernandez swears by that she finds in Washington Heights, the neighborhood she calls home. But when you consider that her 13-year-old son Ousmane is standing right next to her behind that wall, the desire to create some distance starts to make sense.

“I had my son when I was 18…and it was very, very, very, very challenging,” Hernandez says. “I was forced to take a semester off [of college] because I had to give birth.”

Hernandez went on to get her college degree while working 9-5 at a swimwear company in the Garment District; to say juggling work, school and a newborn was difficult would be an understatement, she says. “It was overwhelming for me because I had school assignments, I had to breastfeed and organize my job. Luckily I’ve always had my mother around to help out, but it [was] still overwhelming.

“But somehow, you kind of make it through and you become a stronger person for it,” she says. “And here I am. My son is almost 14 [and] he’s a great kid.”

At the mention of her son, Hernandez lights up, her voice — usually a half a beat slower with the unmistakable accent of a native Dominican New Yorker — becomes more animated: you begin to see what life behind the wall is like for the two of them.

The two are very similar, she says, down to their shared business savvy (“He just has great marketing ideas. I’m like, ‘You’re going to be helping me out!’) and eclectic style.

As is the happenstance story behind how she became a stylist for magazines and big-name companies. Hernandez’s look (and that aforementioned aura of cool) has captured the attention of photographers and fashion brands for years — It-girl label Madewell featured her in their “Styled By Real People” section online.

“I met someone at a party years ago,” she remembers. “[She] approached me and asked if she could photograph me.” The woman turned out to be a stylist; the two chatted for a bit and exchanged numbers, with Hernandez not thinking much of the chance encounter.

“I have a friend of mine who has [styled music videos],” she says. “She’s been in the industry…forever. So I saw what she did [and] it was never appealing to me. I just saw her lugging bags.”

Less than a month later, the woman called Hernandez and asked if she would be interested in assisting her on a job with Trident gum. Since her job as a PR liaison and creative director’s assistant at a fashion label had come to an end, Hernandez said, with her signature laissez-faire attitude, “That sounds cool. Whatever.”

One shouldn’t confuse taking life opportunities as they come with a lack of direction. After learning the ropes as an assistant under her new friend, Hernandez eventually struck out on her own. She has since established an impressive client list – Bloomingdales, InStyle, Elle Sweden, and Motorola all rely on her skills. And while it’s definitely more than schlepping bags, it’s far from glamorous, Hernandez reveals…Read the rest of Mengly Hernandez’s conversation with Mater Mea along with more photos here 

What do you enjoy most about being a mom?

I enjoy learning the most. My son is an old soul, so I’ve learned a lot from him.

What have you learned from him?

He inherently knows certain things that I just didn’t know at his age. And I don’t think it has to do with the new generation, or the hormones they put in the milk, or whatever people say. I just think he’s a very wise person.

He’s also very savvy, even marketing wise, with my oils or with my scarves. He’s always giving me feedback. He’s a cool little kid.

What inspires your personal style?

I love textiles and patterns. But also strong women. My grandmother’s one of my biggest inspirations. Women like Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama – she’s a Japanese artist who basically created painting as therapy because she was abused as a child. She’s amazing.

Do you have a skin, hair or health regimen?

I make my own oils. And before I made my own oils, I used coconut oil. I got it from the Indian store. I use that in my hair and on my body.

I try not to use anything that’s artificial because I have sensitive skin. [My] hair, it’s very straightforward. I wash with usually Dominican products. My deep conditioner is Dominican because it suits my hair. Those are products that are usually made in Venezuela or Brazil, where women have the same texture as my hair. It’s very hydrating and good for untangling.

Read the rest of Mater Mea’s one on one with Mengly here

Take the time to check out this amazingly beautiful and innovating site, I promise you won’t be disappointed plus Nikisha was featured on Mater Mea  as well, you can find her interview here

My name is Sanetra Stewart and I am originally from Corpus Christi, Tx but I’ve lived in Austin for over 10yrs.

How long have you been natural?

I’ve been natural for uuuum I don’t even remember, it’s been that long. I’ll guess maybe 8 years. Once I accepted the fact I don’t need to ruin my hair to feel beautiful, I have fell in love with my natural curly hair just the way it is.

What do you do? Is there a resistance or compatibility with your hair in your field of work?

I am a student enrolled at AI of Austin for my BA in Fashion & Retail Mgt. Attending an art school gives me freedom to be creative so trying out different styles and coming up with different outfits that represents me as a person is awesome ……I also model as well and have my own online business called Neres Boutique. Which is a e-commerce full of vintage goodies. I love to thrift so I decided to make it my dream job. So being natural is definitely something I embrace in any environment and encouraged. Natural beauty is most wanted and accepted in the modeling industry nowadays. Being yourself is the most beautiful thing, because no one in the world can be as unique.

Describe your hair.

My hair is thick, curly and still growing. With a mind of its own, sassy and all. Haha

What is your hair regimen?

One of my regular must dos is after shampooing I apply conditioner mostly on the ends then throughout and comb. When rinsing I leave some conditioner in to keep my hair hydrated. Then dry with a old tshirt, which does less damage to the hair and the cotton soaks more water than a regular towel. Or dab here an there and let it air dry, giving it a more natural look with less control.

What are the three biggest factors you attribute to your length?

{1} Making sure ends are cut within every 6-8wks
{2} Don’t flat iron more than twice a month to reduce breakage(which I rarely do because it takes too long lol 2hrs+)
{3} I am VERY picky of what I put in my hair, so the less chemicals the better.

What is your usual go to style?

I can’t choose lol so I’m going to name the 4 I ALWAYS do:: hair down in a fro, frohawk, braided crown, and the Janelle Monae look-pompadour.

What is your nighttime routine?

Sad to say, but I don’t have one. Something I definitely need to change towards a better recovery(hair growth). Which would be combing, moisturizing, braid plaits then cap it for a goodnight sleep.

Your top three favorite products and why?

{1}Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner- Does magic for my hair, the result is a healthy appearance, shiny and volume.

{2}Wild Growth Hair Oil- One of the best growing hair products my mom and I have came across.

{3} A detangling spray, have not found a favorite though.

Your best hair advice?

Wear your hair down as much as you can, ponytails are not the best go to style because they do the most damage. Let it breathe!!!

Ultimate hair crush

Ashley Moore, Corrine Bailey Rae, Solange Knowles, and Tracee Ellis Ross

What is the strangest comment, request or hair story?

The strangest comment I’ve ever received and is funny till this day was someone asking to lay on my hair because it feels like a pillow.

How would you describe your personal fashion style?

My style is very urban/boho chic, I guess you would say and sometimes with a masculine touch. But my style changes everyday depending on how I feel at that moment.

What advice would you give to people who might be afraid to show their true fashion sense or natural hair for fear of being judged by others?

~You don’t want to live your life copying everyone and wondering what it would feel like if you were yourself. Your supposed to flaunt your natural beauty of what God created. We’re his art and you should be comfortable in your skin not caring what others think. Plus having a crowd of friends who support you is a must have to encourage those who are afraid and lost. I became comfortable being myself during my senior year in High School and met my boyfriend who helped me grow into who I am today. An independent woman and being able to wear whatever I want without stressing about what others would think before stepping foot out the door. Boy those days are long gone. Hahaha

What would you say to others who judge individuals negatively for their personal fashion style?
Don’t be jealous. Lol I would tell them their actions are very rude and disrespectful. Their probably doing it because they are close-minded and not courageous to be themselves.

When it comes to your style who, what or where does your inspiration come from?

I’m in love with Solange Knowles, enjoy the fact she doesn’t care what people think and doesn’t go by fashion rules. The 50′s is my favorite time period, the dresses were so beautiful!!

If you could name one person from the past whose closet you would love to raid, who would it be?

Diana Ross, my moms and nannies(grandma). Going through family photo albums definitely revealed where I get my wild & don’t care sense of style.

Favorite stores and places to shop for vintage or thrift

I like to come across the random mom & pop stores in small towns. Those are the best ones.

Most embarrassing moment

Walking around with my new red hair and TOO BRIGHT baby hairs.

What is your favorite life lesson?

To never be an open book before getting to know someone. Learned my lesson during my early college years, and to font stress and go with the flow.

Current music playlist and favorite book

One of my favorite books is Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah since I haven’t picked up a book in awhile. But this year I plan on rebuilding my book collection for sure. For music I have been listening to

Rihanna-Stay
Rihanna-Pour It Up, all of Solange Knowles especially Losing You,
Alicia Keys-Girl on Fire
Bruno Mars-Locked Out of Heaven, all of Kid Cudi’s music and the list goes on.

Favorite restaurant and dish you would not want to live without

The Park at The Domain in Austin, Tx have this 5 cheese Mac & cheese. It’s to die for!!!! Mouth watering as we speak….

Do you have a blog/website?

I have a:::
Tumblr(personal)
Tumblr(boutique)
My boutique(currently in the works, www.neresboutique.com)

Anything else?

Lol I think my brain has done enough for the day. But I would love for everyone to follow my boutique to stay updated of the launch date and the soft opening for our site!!! If you love urban vintage and old age trinkets then you will definitely become a regular.

What makes you an Urban Bush Babe?

Being confident in who I am as a person and having a positive outlook on life. Wearing my hair down and natural on a daily encouraging others natural is beautiful and should be fulfilled at all times.