In the N Natural Hair Studio opening review I introduced to you Dr. Phoenyx Austin. She is the author of "If you love it, It will grow: A guide to growing long afro-textured hair". This book is a wonderful book for anyone to read. Although the focus is on natural hair, the tips in this book can be used for chemically treated hair as well. This literary journey is witty, informative, personal and simply put real. It didn't take long for me to finish reading the 20 chapters. Once I began I found it hard to put it down. That may sound odd since it is a book about hair, you could be saying to yourself "It’s just hair". Really, it’s not. It’s about struggle, overcoming obstacles and acceptance.
The information covered from natural emollients, products, nutrition, damage, vitamins, scalp issues, chemicals (a host of other topics) to personal thoughts. I can say for myself, I have learned a lot. It also reiterated things that I already knew while expounding on the details. For example coconut oil is absorbed in the hair follicle, but now I have the idea of using it before I shampoo or co-wash as opposed to after. Who would have thought! It also goes into detail on why afro-textured hair is curly/kinky in the first place, if you have ever wondered why and would like to know... Get the book :)
I am so glad I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Austin. Sometimes we buy books or read articles and you wonder what the person is really like. Well I can say that her personality really shines through in these pages. I really hope that you take the time to purchase this book and enjoy it as much as I did. Supporting and promoting each other as women is a vital and important step to a positive perception.
Visit Dr. Austin's website
http://www.drphoenyx.com/ to buy the book and other tips. This book is also available for purchase at
http://www.amazon.com/. Don't forget to look for her on face book
http://www.facebook.com/#!/DrPhoenyx click Like.
Happy Reading :)
When I decided to wear my hair natural I had a dilemma of wearing my hair in ways that would be professional. Now that I look back on it, I am not sure why there seems to be some sought of disconnect between being natural, professional and elegant. Is it possible to have natural hair and still be professional? Absolutely! I happen to be a professional natural woman and I don't run into any problems with it. There is definitely a time and a place for the well-known twist outs, braid outs and all the other "outs". I normally wear my "outs" on the weekends allowing my hair to breathe for a day or two. Although there is nothing wrong with wearing your hair out at the work place, during the week I wear protective styles that happen to double as great work hair. 
I am in a vintage stage with my hair so it all works perfectly. There is something about all the rolls, folds, tucks and pins. I just love it! There are ways around not having long enough hair for the average pony tail or even French twist. I find YouTube to be a great source of inspiration for ideas. What I have noticed is as my hair grows I am forced to experiment with different styles. What worked when my hair was much shorter does not have the same look now that it has grown. Personally I am alright with that. When my hair was relaxed the classic bun was my go to. I wore a bun just about every day. Not only was it convenient but it kept my hair in military regulations and standards. The problem was I began to look the same no matter where I went or what I was doing. The bun became a habit. It was hard to see myself with other styles until I cut my hair off. At that point I had no choice but to find styles that were best suited for me. 
So for the ladies that have been teeter tottering on "can I be professional with natural hair?" the answer is yes! The same goes for interviews, job fairs, and elegant evenings. We all want to look our best and be our best especially on a first impression. The last thing we should ever want is to be turned down or not hired for a job simply because our hair was not "presentable". Hair does not have to be straight to be presentable but it should be neat and well put together. If you visit the Tutorials Tab I have posted some elegant and professional undo’s that you can use for inspiration. The key is to find what works for you and when you do own it! ;)
