I used to think managing natural hair was difficult, even though I had never actually tried to manage mine. My mother permed my hair straight out of diapers, and I never got to see it. I went unnatural last year, and stopped perming my hair. At first it was nightmare, and I threatened my new "crown of glory" with a perm. Then I eventually went to the salon to get it done, and it came out nice and soft(no relaxer needed). I stopped deceiving myself, and admit that i lacked a lot of knowledge concerning the proper care of natural hair, and that's why it was giving me problems. www.nappturality.com I joined that website, and learned how to comb my hair, figure out what products are made and not made for my hair.
My hair is shoulder length now(all natural), never experienced this quick growth while unnatural. Some of my friends screamed at how fast it grew, and encouraged me to get a relaxer, "now that it is long". With my new mindset, that seems retarded. I look back now, and I remember the countless girls in high school that relaxed their long natural hair knowing fully well that in a year or less it would retreat into that "limp wannabe white girl state screaming for a weave" I know a lot of people claim that not being natural is just a fashion choice, but I remember how uncomfortable a lot of people(black) were about me choosing to wear my hair like that

Yes there is

there is[b] absolutely [/b] no creativity here. They did not take the ghana must go bag to another level, or put a fresh twist on it. They simple stamped thier names on it. Rubbish jo!

It is amazing how we as black people take the easy way out with everything-
We don't demand reparations for slavery because it has been so LOOONG AGO, yet till today the German government has special grants and scholarships for people of Jewish decent.

Oprah Winfrey built the first all girls’ high school in an impoverished neighborhood (aka black) in South Africa. Noticed I said FIRST, because you see after the apartheid was abolished, the black people did not demand that the White people build up their communities.

Now the same foolish excuse is chimed by black people everywhere, “Our natural hair is too difficult to maintain that’s why we perm it." How many black people stop to ask themselves what can we do to make our hair better? How many black people ask themselves what can we do with reparations? How many ask ourselves what can WE do to build up our communities? Because white people and companies haven't volunteered to do so; we roll with it.
We black people avoid investing time in things that better the quality of life for our people. While white people are investing millions into skin and hair care research, amongst other things; we just fold our arms, and hope they throw a bone our way, because research takes a lot of time and money, and unfortunately, a lot of black people think of "Now" and not long-term.
Research is being and HAS been done for hair and skin care, but it is not for us. They figure out what works for white people, and cross their fingers in hope that it works for us. But guess what, it doesn't!! So what do we do? We try and make our hair more like theirs to make up for it!!!

Why am I venting? I was tired of my perming my hair. Moving to yankee, for some reason my relaxed hair failed to adjust. It always grows, and sheds back up to shoulder length. I decided to go "natural", Something other women from other cultures take for granted (white people have their own perm), and I realized how anti-black hair the world truly is. The products don't work for your hair, lots of hairdressers only know how to take a hot comb to it, braid is practically your fail-safe option, and interestingly enough, turns out that white people are more interested in natural black hair than blacks.
Hopefully one of those white people will become dermatologists in future and do some research and invest some money into it, because I don't see too many people black out there that give a dam%.

There are lots of Nigerian women that cheat, but they are much more secretive(or better liars) than thier male counterparts.
I agree with Hmmm. I get fed when I come home for hols, and some of my former class mates talk about married men being more "matured". (someone needs to look up a dictionary) .Also I think a lot married men cry dissatisfaction from thier wives for cheating. I disagree with that. A lot of married woman are also unhappy in nigeria b'cos thier men feel simply b'cos they pay the bills they've done enough. Some don't even help out thier wife in raising the kids,cooking, cleaning and dealing with in-laws, instead the chase after a young college girl that has nothin to do but wake up in the morning and apply hair makeup and her latest outfit(and is always available). Thats selfish.

Do you believe in it?
I was seventeen when i got into college and for the fist time I gained a lot of weight as a freshman. My friends were surprised, "i was the skinny girl with the jackrabbit metabolism that could eat w/ever she wants but never gain a pound."
I lost the weight back then, but now when people ask me how i maintain my weight I say "good habits." Anyone that disagrees with me I will give you my "Freshman 15 Fat Plan"
1, swap two slices of bread for 4 krispy kreme donuts and a starbucks moolatte or cake, sorry muffin for breakfast.
2, Strive to finish a Hardy's burger and med fries.( slowly but surely wins the race.)
3. Never add ice to your pourchased drink.
4. Attend organizations meetingsand volunteer work, have two slices and strive to take a box back home.
5. Do buy popcorn and make sure you load up the butter and medium drink while at the cinema.
6. Make sure you have cable and make sure you have a favorite show almost every night.
7. Watch law and order marathons or whatever marathons you like.
8. Always eat in front of the TV, fast food is your best choice
8. Park your car closest to the entrance of your grocery store.
9. Get a job on campus  that requires you to sit at your desk.
10. Purchase a bag of Doritos and coke before your last class of the day(because trying to stay awake)
11. Get acquainted with the vending machine.
12. Stock your larder with sweets,chocolates, chips and snack on them without keeping track while pulling an all-nighter
13. We have a school gym?

1. Dior Addict
2. True diamond
3. Red door
4. Fantasia

All men do not cheat. Only cheaters say that and only insecure women accept that. AIDS IS REAL

You need a social security# to open an account. The new rule in US (which they drilled during my oreintation) is that people on student visas only get a social security # when they get a job

i have an experience to share. I just moved to the states and it was my freshman year in college. I started to stay in apartment with my brother that was two years older than me. I didn't have a social security number and so I couldn't get a visa check card or a credit card of my own. Plus my brother was here before me and it was only his name on the account our parents set for us and i was only 17. Well my brother began to give me an allowance. Whenever I needed money he gave me. Groceries, lingerie, clothes, books and everything in between. It eventually caused a lot of friction between us. Why? Money is power. He had total control. I started out as him handing me money, but suddenly now I had to breakdown what I was doin with the money to the last dime. I had to explain why I needed a bra Whether i really needed a book for school. write a list of what i wanted to buy from the grocery store so that he could approve. That is very demeaning and our relationship grew sour. Sometimes if we had an argument he wouldn't give me any money, or when i needed money he wouldn't give me until he felt like it.
Even after It got my card and name on the account we still have friction over our parents money. Most of my girlfriends think I am a cheapskate. (store brand groceries) but my brother still felt he was better than managing money than me, i am not responsible enough to handle money. My actions with money have always been prudent, so he view has nothing to do with my actions, but the simple fact that when some has had so much control over an aspect of your life for some time. They find it hard to realize that you can stand on your own two feet.
I'm not married, but from my experience I know that allowances wont work. We r human and I know how nice it would feel if I got mad at my brother and withheld money from him to put gas in his car. HA!

Beyonce is the first woman in history to be honored with best song wirter of the year. With 8 Grammys. Part of the highest ever selling female group ever(bigger than TLC number#2 Spicegirls#3). Who is chirstina milan? just another pretty hispanic girl with mediocre talent. In terms of beauty I can go through ten hispanic girls way hotter than she is eg salma Hayek, eva mendes, jessica alba, rosario dawson, and way more sucessful than she is. Please compare her with someone on her level like Amerie, oh wait she's not even signed to a label anymore.

I hate brad pitts guts, he is notorious for not turning up for shows. Tom is more down to earth

ever since hilary lost weight, her eyes make her look like a druggie, lindsay is prettier either way and has more acting range.

plastic buttocks beyonce Stop hatin. Besides I have seen black girls with bigger butts than beyonce.(kitoye anyone.) As for fake hair beyonce hair is fake, ciara's hair is fake(yeah that long red hair or black curly hair now is real)and Toni barxton please hair grow short to long in record time please. The only person with real hair is ashanti actually hair is natchi she straightens it out with a hot comb. As far as all this artists go,they all have a team of make-up artists that roll with them.(comes with the industry.)Do u actually think anyone of them wants to be caught dead without make up. please


lBeyonce
Ashanti
Ciara(too muscular but dances a lot better than toni.)
Toni( all she needs to do is show off her womanly area and nothing officially will be left to the imagination)

na lie o! genevieve has it

toni has a better face beyonce has a better body, Beyonce wins

desiree:

I second that, i do whatever i like with my hair, relaxers, highlights, weave. The operative word here is "MY" "MIO".

I am not saying don't perm your hair, whites girls perm their hair, get weaves, color and also stay natural. But whatever they decide to work with they are guaranteed the most advanced innovations in hair care at their fingertips. Most of us black girls perm our hair because it easier to find people and products that can at least adequately manage our permed hair than our natural hair. Most black girls after cutting their hair(when its damaged) barely wait after 2 inches of growth to get a perm.

To reply and earlier post "lepas are healthier than orobo" That is a lazy overgeneralization. whether you are lepa or orobo your habits and genes determine how healthy you are. My friend is a size 2 and she has breast cancer. Jut because you are slim does not make you fit. Some lepas/orobo can jug 2 miles withoug stopping to catch thier breath and some can't. And as for food habits both sides have thier own problems Obesity for orobos and anorexia/bullihmia for lepas

lip gloss! I love the ones by M.A.C. One tube can last a long time. One drawback of lipgloss though is you always have to reapply. I also love lip tints because they look natural and they last a much longer time than lipgloss. Lipstick is too cakey

Some of you might have heard India Aries new song with Akon. Talking about skin but most importantly hair. She talks about her struggle as a black woman with her hair . Not being able to keep it because the world did not consider it "good hair"
Good hair is almost white hair. I don't think we came out from our mother's womb realizing that God had blessed us with the misfortune of bad hair. We learned that when media images showcased 'next to no' beauties with naturally kinky hair, we learned that it wasn't good hair when we go to both black and white hair salons and have the stylist struggle to do our hair because they just didn't learn to work it in beauty school. We learned that by realizing 99% of the products out there are not made for us. The 1% include relaxers and products to take care of relaxed hair some what. Lots of natural sistahs I run into are always hunting for a hair product that would at least work. A stylist that could give them something other than an afro. If u look at some old historical pictures of white womens hair you will realize that with each passing decade their hair became better manged, softer and more free flowing.(i don't believe in evolution) It took years of research and development to get where their hair is now. How much money is spent on developing products for the natural kinky black hair Notice how they advertise they advertise new products on infomercials. They always get the mixed race girl as if to say "Hey we made it for you too."

You act like the fact that nudity on the runway is news, everybody knows that there is sometimes nudity on runways.
I said bad copy cats refuse to admit that they copied, Chanel was the first fashion house to create the fashion show"presenting of designs by a designer to an audience). Beauty pageants were created by westerners that is why today the beauty pageants cop the western format for Beauty. Ben Bruce repeatedly said that he told the pageant organizers to look for a western Queen, and after Agbanis victory every other beauty pageant began to look for one.g. Miss Nigeria, Lux blah blah blah now have western specifications. I will repeat bad copy cats refuse to admit that they are copying.

The only reason I referred to Beyonce and Pdiddy is because they like Agbani( a celebrity in her own rights) came to a charity event to use their fame to further a cause. What I criticized was their individual manner of approach.
In the editorial that flashed the picture of Agbani topless, where was the mention of a speech or a take home message to stirr us. Since this is such an important event ( Charities are important events) could she not have penned one word for the event, and maybe voiced it, I'm sorry chinani believes that her breasts stood a better chance of rallying the idea. Lets us support her effort oooh I'm sorry but tomorrow now when some says that a beauty queen is nothing more than a pretty face, some people will start crying

there is a difference between a entertainment at A CHARITY EVENT FOR CHILDREN and a FASHION SHOW. If you see both as the same, unfortunately you have missed the point.
In life you must always have a point of view. This is not a WESTERN IDEA as you imply but a universal one. As a person western or Black you do not wake up one morning and pick up your Biology text book to study for an Economics exam. Whats the point? If you are suggesting that unfortunately all Nigerians are pointless decision makers please speak for urself.

No offense to chinani. But we all know that the westerners are the pioneers of the fashion industry ant they still dictate what is in and what is out. We are still playing catch up. Yes in the past we girls dance naked for MARRIAGE not food for starving children, Yes we walked around naked, also men walked around half naked(but there was innoncence back then that is lost now.)

Music is used as a tool in most charity events because it has been proven that you do not underestimate the power of words in a song eg (free mandela) or in a speech e.g. (Martin Luther (i had a dream) to stirr the emotions of individuals to rally around for a cause. I have seen past Miss worlds come back to give stirring speeches that moved audiences to get activelly involved. The best we could come up with is a pair of breasts.
Westerners are the pioneers of flashy charity events and also the pioneers of nudity on the fashion runway. But these pioneers drew a line. Why? the bottom line is you need to ask yourself what is my goal? what kind of emotions do I want to stirr up in people? Whats are the benefits to this? Pdiddy might have a risque advert for his perfume, but guess what? during his Vote or Die campaign I did not see two half naked women escort him to his interview with Bill O'Reily. Sex sells magazines but it does not sell diapers.
Africans have always been copycats, but as follows with copy cats you copy but do not truly understand the intentions or meaning of what you have copied because that can only be gotten from the originals.

Here we are trying to copy western ideals and miss the point in the process. the Breast cancer awareness fashion show held in newyork included stars like gwinnet paltrow, renee zewelleger, catherine zeta jones. There were no topless model in sight. The fahion show for the Katrina fund that included Beyonce, Naomi , had no topless females in sight. Why? Because its is not warranted, and it certainly does not generate the type of positive publicity you want. Only Designers and people trying to shock, to gain fame from the press for thier notoriety have topless model. How do these toplesss unknown or known beauties translate into food for starving children. People are hungry in nigeria not because there is no food in the markets(last I checked) but because they don't have the money to afford it.