Leading Celebrity Stylist Helps African American WomenAchieve Dream Hair (NAPSA)—Frustrated with trying to achieve a magnificent mane of hair because your locks crave moisture? Don’t fret...you’re not alone. According to a recent survey, 96 percent of African-American women experience dry hair and the majority (61 percent) of these women say that dry hair is one of the culprits preventing them from achieving their dream hairstyle. “Dry, itchy scalp and dry hair that breaks easily or is hard to style are problems the majority of black women experience at one time or another,” said Celebrity Hair Stylist Johnny Gentry, who has managed the manes of Vanessa Williams, Tyra Banks and Serena and Venus Williams. “T always tell my clients that the right use of the right products combined with proper hair care techniques can help keep hair moisturized, healthy and strong.” Whether your hair is long or short, natural, relaxed or braided, below Gentry shares his secrets for creating the head-turning tresses you crave. Start with the right foundation. The key to any beautiful style is healthy moisturized hair. To help prevent damage and build hair strength, use products enriched with essential oils (such as jojoba seed oil and coconut oil) and deep moisturizing conditioners, like the new Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural collection designed exclusively for AfricanAmerican women. Shampoo smart. Pour shampoo into the palms of your hands. Then,glide fingers through your hair starting at the scalp and working down toward the ends. Finally, for optimal cleansing of the hair and scalp, make sure to shampoo twice and rinse thoroughly, reaching all sections of your head. Practice proper conditioning techniques. After shampooing and rinsing, squeeze out excess water, which can dilute the moisturizing ingredients in your conditioner. Then, use the balls of your fingertips to apply conditioner to the scalp. Next, use your fingers to comb a generous amount of conditioner through hair for even distri- bution. Leave on for three to five minutes then rinse with cool water. Prepare hair for bed. To maintain moisture levels and keep your style intact while you sleep, apply a small amount of daily oil cream moisturizer to the palms of your hands, then rub together and distribute over entire head. No matter how tired you are, always wrap hair in breathable fabrics like silk, satin or nylon (or sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase) to help hair retain its valuable moisture. Remember—exposing hair to rough fabrics like cotton can zap hair of moisture and cause breakage dueto friction! Follow these tips and say goodbye to dry, unmanageable hair and hello to healthy, moisturized hair. To learn more about the new Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural collection, log on to www.pantene.com.
