EAT ME!

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Step 1: Go to the nearest Safeway or Lucky or some other grocery store.

Step 2: Get some Tollhouse Cookie Dough.

Step 3: Pay for what you bought.

Step 4: Go to your house or anywhere that you have access to an oven.

Step 5: Follow ingredients on package.

Step 6: EAT THEM! (Or share. Whatever.)

CAKE!

How to Make Cake!

Step 1: Go to the nearest grocery store.

Step 2: Get some Betty Crocker cake batter (really, any batter will do).

Step 3: Pay for what you bought.

Step 4: Go to an oven.

Step 5: I’m pretty sure that you need like eggs and some water.  So make sure to get that at the grocery store, too.  But me telling you after you went to the store is just something I always do, so you should really learn your lesson and read through everything first. You’re welcome.

Step 6: EAT IT

How to Make Muffins

Step 1: You should really be able to tell what Step 1 is.

Step 2: Get some muffin batter, again, you should be able to get what I’m saying by now.

Step 3: PAY FOR WHAT YOU BOUGHT.  Seriously, pay.  It’s not cool to shoplift, guys.

Step 4: Really, go to an oven.  If you don’t have one . . . oh, you can figure it out.

Step 5: Again, you need like eggs and water or vegetable oil.  So, yeah.  Do that.

Step 6: EAT

From wikimedia.org

Cake Pops

Steps 1-5: The same as if you were baking a cake, only difference is it’ll be in pop form!

Step 6: Forgot to mention this to you!  You need like that special plate thingy, so what you should do is go get a cake pop kit.  While you’re at it, get a cake pan, a regular flat pan, and the muffin pans.  That way you have all the things.

Remember to preheat the oven, and follow the instructions on the package.  AND DON’T SHOPLIFT.

TYPICAL TEENAGERS!

There’ve gotta be some hidden perks somewhere in there. I mean five years of out of control hormones? That’s just cruel. So let’s see if we can explore at least five perks that every teen can relate to…

Child Favoring

Now, if you have an older sibling, you probably remember all the cool things they got to do while you had to stay home, and the revenge you staged by making sure they had to babysit you on a special night. When you’re not a teenager, it always seems like older kid gets the best stuff. Like a mystical creature, they do things we can’t understand or fathom.  Teens get more free time, better clothes, and we get to drive mom’s car. But of course, the younger sibling gets to pay us back by being there always. So, what was the advantage again? I guess only children can enjoy this.

Holiday Madness

We all must give thanks. Most teens have required schooling through these tumultuous years, but what does education bring? More holidays! Spring break! Winter break! The poor working 9-5 don’t get summers off, that’s for sure. The amount of free time we have is amazing in comparison to that of the normal hardworking American. Not to mention, this is a delicate time when we’re actually allowed to do things alone, like get that r&r from the ‘rents.

Censored (not)!

Now even though most of us don’t notice it, teens are forgiven for so much more than we realize. Of course, there are adults who specifically target us as if to get back at “the system”. We can rant all we want and people will just say “Oh, teenagers!” At the same time, there’s a downside to that. It means since everyone knows you’re hormonal crazies, they’ll automatically take what you say as untrue. I mean, come on; just because we’re teens doesn’t mean we’re stupid.

Stupidityville USA

If you haven’t guessed it before, the teenage years are like #1 for making mistakes. I mean, if you go up and actually talk to these seemingly normal adults, the wild stories they tell are all from their own teenage years (though they all seem less awesome being told by their present selves). Wild is only an age. I’m not saying that every mistake made in teenage years is reversible— some mistakes can change everything forever, as we are told again and again. Still, even though we’re constantly reminded of this, sometimes we just need some time to blow off some steam in our own ways.

Driving Young

I think we all know the amazing independence of being able to drive ourselves around. It’s probably the best or one of the best experiences of this teenage existence. I mean…it’s the first step to freedom, to relying on yourself and having more space. It’s being able to go where you want, even if you have to get a job to pay exuberant gas prices. But hey, it’s worth the sacrifice. Thank god for teen driving, what would we do without it?

So this is it, my five perks that come with the teenage years. I’m sure there are other perks I can’t even think of and some I can’t even fathom because, let’s face it, I am way too much of a teenager to be bothered.

A messy room, tagged on tumblr.com

It’s Spring. Flowers are popping up, baby animals are being born, fruits are ripening on their branches, and your room is… also ripening. If your bedroom

a) Smells like a mixture of rotten cantaloupe and dirty socks

B) Has become an ocean of clothes

C) Is coated in a layer of archaeological dust

D) Could pass for an indoor junkyard

or, E) Could just use a little tidying and organization

…then you are reading the right article! Studies have proven that people who are organized are calmer, more focused, and more productive. Instead of ignoring the mess in desperate hopes that it will somehow go away on its own, you can follow these simple steps to reduce clutter, physically and mentally, and maybe even have some fun while you’re at it.

1. Turn Up the Music

Turn your cleanup into a party (or maybe even a workout?) by blasting your favorite upbeat (and preferably danceable and lip-syncable) songs. Fast-paced, cheerful music will boost your energy and enthusiasm, and might even improve your mood.

2. Out With the Old…

Out with the old! from sheknows.com

Do you still have that soccer jersey from when you were 6 years old? Or maybe you haven’t gotten around to getting rid of the World Of Warcraft tote-bag that your Aunt Matilda oh-so-mistakenly gave you for Christmas? Throwing or giving away unwanted and unneeded objects is a crucial part of eliminating clutter. Go through everything in your room, and categorize it as either Throw-Away, Give-Away, or Keep. Definitely make sure to do this in your closet or dresser, especially if you have a large accumulation of clothes, like me. Rather than digging around for things you no longer want, empty out all of your dresser drawers and only put back the things that you wear and will for-sure wear in the future.

A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn an article of clothing in over 2 months, get rid of it. If you haven’t worn it for seasonal reasons, like because it’s a holiday dress and it’s April, put it away in your closet or in an extra drawer to dig back up when it’s back in season. If you’re not sure if something fits, don’t be lazy. Try it on!

Once you’ve gathered a pile of Give-Aways, you can donate them to a thrift store, like Goodwill or Out of the Closet, have a yard sale, or host a clothing or book exchange. I go through my closet almost every other week and keep clothes that I no longer fit or want in a bag. Whenever I have a friend over, I ask them if they want to go through it. Almost everyone who comes over to my house leaves with at least one article of clothing. I think it’s a nice way to get rid of old clothes, because it tends to make people really happy, plus you can rest assured knowing that your tiny old Fruits Basket shirt is going to a good home.

3. In With the New!

The awesome East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse!

Painted mason jars from www.littlemissmomma.com

Now that you’ve gotten rid of the things that have been cluttering up your room, you can treat yourself to a few new things. A mini remodel can make a tired room feel new, especially if you choose to implement new organizational tools, like storage that doesn’t take up too much space, or file folders. Jars make great containers for small collections, and things like rings or ribbons. Try painting the insides of glass Mason jars and using them as pencil, paintbrush, or toothbrush holders, or vases for fake flowers. Putting up new decor is fun, and can be the thing that makes a room feel like home. Try framing art, magazine clippings, pretty wrapping paper, or pressed flowers. If you visit East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, you can often find a lot of cool and quirky things, as well as basic necessities, such as other people’s photographs, overly sentimental birthday cards, maps, Happy Birthday banners, and crepe paper pineapples.

4. Do the Dirty Work

I recommend Lemon Verbena!

Unfortunately, getting rid of and getting things is not going to automatically make your room shiny-new sparkly-clean. Vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning windows and other surfaces are the things that will really end up making your room feel clean. One way to make this more fun is to use yummy-scented cleaning products (DO NOT DRINK THEM THOUGH) and to time yourself and try to get the dirty work done as fast as humanly possible.

With these easy, simple steps, you can turn your bedroom into a super-cool, chill, clean paradise that you actually want your friends to see. You’re welcome. <3

Image from weheartit.com

Hello fellow music enthusiasts! I am introducing a new segment, MIXTAPE MAYHEM! In said segment, I will pick a theme to set a mixtape to, then create a playlist full of amazing music and share it with all of you! Music is an amazing part of our, or any, culture and we have easier access to it than ever. With websites and companies like Spotify, Rhapsody, Pandora Radio, Songza, and 8tracks we have trillions of songs available to us for free!

The aim of Mixtape Mayhem (MM) is to share new music with all of you to help inspire your own music exploration. The website I will be using is 8tracks, a really cool site where people make mixtapes/playlists and you can listen to them for free. You can listen to my mix FOR FREE here.

The first theme I will be doing is Road Trips…Music to accompany the steady sound of tire to gravel and aid the daydreaming and mind wandering.

(*Disclaimer! Some of these songs might have an inappropriate word or two…Listen at your own risk!*)

The playlist starts with Cherokee by Cat Power. Cat Power is an amazing band that I have been listening to since 8th grade. Chan’s (Cat Power) voice is beautiful and perfectly complements the amazing lyrics. This song reminds me of driving through the redwoods on a windy road, with the windows down, singing along at the top of my lungs.

Next is Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. (fun fact: Maps is actually an acronym for My Angus Please Stay. The lead singer Karen O wrote this song about her ex-boyfriend) This song has a catchy beat, and relatable lyrics. “Wait, they don’t love me like I love you.” This song is perfect for thinking back on past relationships without being too sad or whiny.

Don’t Do Me Like That by Tom Petty is a classic. The beat is fun and fast,and you can’t help but bob your head while you listen. Every road trip I’ve been on since utero has had at least one album of Petty’s and is a definite must. This song is especially good for singing along to.

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Rox In The Box by The Decembrists is an awesome song. While some may disregard them because of their “hipster” reputation, they are actually an extremely talented and interesting dream. Their songs all have a very folky feel and have historical references (and since I’m a complete nerd this fact excites me)

Highway 61 by Bob Dylan is just an obvious choice for a road trip themed playlist. Now, some people may be quick to overlook him because of his unique voice but they are missing out! I was exposed to Bob at a very young age so I’m now completely used to his kazoo-esque voice. This song is super fun and will make any boring road seem a little bit more interesting.

Black Cadillacs by Modest Mouse is one of my favorite Modest Mouse songs. The lyrics are catchy and are perfect for singing along to. I like the fact that you can either pay heavy attention to the lyrics, or just zone out and still get the main idea of the song.

Don’t Worry About The Government by the Talking Heads is just an extremely fun song. The Talking Heads are classic, and David Byrne (the lead singer) is a genius. You never really know if the songs are completely random, or symbolic of some obscure political commentary. I like to think it’s a little bit of both.

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Box Of Rain by The Grateful Deal is an amazing, beautiful song. Box Of Rain is from the album American Beauty, arguably one of the best albums of all time. Box Of Rain has a soft sweet melody and meaningful lyrics that just get stuck in your head. It also has one of my favorite song lyrics of any song ever: “Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there”

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Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap has a soft spot in my musical heart. It was the anthem for my summer and always reminds me of sunny days. It is a song that is easy to zone out to, with a sweet melody.

Helplessness Blues by The Fleet Foxes is a nice, chill, easy going song. The song has a sort of echoey feel to it which creates a deep resonance that goes perfectly with the acoustic guitar and beautiful lyrics. This song is perfect for a long drive, especially near the end.

Vagabond by Wolfmother is a great song for road trips. The steady beat throughout the song reminds me of sunny days and driving fast with the wind blowing in my hair. The word Vagabond also means to travel from one place to another without a fixed home, so, it’s perfect for a road trip playlist.

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers is just an obvious choice. If you don’t like this song you’re lying. This song is a classic road trip song, and also is super fun and always makes me smile. I could listen to this song about a million times and I’d still love it.

Well there you have it folks! My road trip playlist! I hope this inspires you to look up music from the bands I talked about and widen your music knowledge.

Coming Soon…In 2015!

After ten whole years of ‘keeping swimming’, Pixar has finally decided to make a sequel to Finding Nemo! They did it for Toy Story, they did it for Cars (in fact, Pixar’s even making a spin-off of Cars called Planes), and they’re even doing a prequel for Monsters Inc.

However, Pixar has said they weren’t making a sequel to Finding Nemo, but here we are, counting down the days until the set release date: November 25th, 2015.

Pixar has not only determined the release date, but the title has been released as well. It is called Finding Dory, and is about the forgetful – yet lovable – fish, voiced by popular talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. In an article on ign.com, Andrew Stanton, director of the original Finding Nemo, and many more other Pixar movies, revealed that “One thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was why she [Dory] was all alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In Finding Dory, she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way.”

The adorable Dory!

It is said that the movie will take place one year after the events in Finding Nemo, and will be set along the California Coastline, rather than the Sydney, Australia coastline in the first movie. Pixar is bringing back Dory, of course, voiced by the wonderful Ellen DeGeneres, Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks, and Nemo. In the first movie, Nemo was voiced by the then-9-year-old Alexander Gould. However, his voice is too deep now, so Pixar has to find a new voice for the iconic and adorable Nemo.

I am a total Pixar fan. When I heard that Finding Dory was happening, I was so excited. But I definitely wasn’t as excited as Ellen DeGeneres.

When she revealed the big news on her talk show, “Ellen”, DeGeneres showed a hilarious montage of her hinting to the Finding Nemo creators to make a sequel. Being the star of the new movie, DeGeneres has the right to be as excited as she is. Joking about how long the sequel took, DeGeneres said, “I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating Toy Story 16.”

Ellen reveals the exciting news!

It sounds, according to DeGeneres, that the film will live up to the legacy of its predecessor. DeGeneres stated that, “I read the script, it’s fantastic, it’s hilarious, it’s warm, it’s everything that you want it to be.” I certainly hope so!

Some of the characters that I would really like to see returned to the big screen in the sequel are the Tank Gang, the “Fish Are Friends, Not Food” sharks, Crush and his absolutely adorable son, Squirt, the fish from Nemo’s school (you know, the “Aww, you guys made me ink!” squid kid, and the “touch the butt” kids). I also can’t wait to see the new characters that the creators at Pixar have come up with.

So, as Ellen DeGeneres stated on her talk show, “Anything is possible if you’re patient and you beg hard enough on national television.”

Here at Oakland School for the Arts we are privileged to be surrounded by passionate and talented individuals. The vast majority of our students are ambitious and excellent at what they do, which makes it an even more inspiring community to be a part of.  In fact, two particularly outstanding members of our community recently won a very esteemed prize at the Girls Impact The World Film Festival, sponsored by Connecther and the Harvard College Social Innovation Collaborative. Zoe Yi (Digital Media) and Rebecca Dharmapalan (Vocal Music) won first prize with their film “International Boulevard”, a documentary about the sex trafficking epidemic happening in our own city of Oakland. When I asked Zoe “Why this topic?” she responded with “We started thinking about every single way in which women are marginalized in society and tried to narrow it down to here in Oakland…Even though it’s an international film festival we wanted to keep it relevant to us, so that we weren’t reaching our fingers into anybody else’s lives.” Other judges included Maria Eitel (CEO Nike Foundation), Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Pat Mitchell (CEO of the Paley Center for Media), Robb Moss (Harvard film-making professor), Zainab Salbi (Founder of Women for Women) and Jeff Skoll (Founder of Participant Media). Christy Turlington Burns, former model and founder of Every Mother Counts said: “Great job bringing a global issue closer to home. Great use of experts, great film production. Had a very cohesive message and was informative all the way through.”

Zoe acted as the co-director, writer, filmer, and voice of narration. Rebecca acted as executive producer, actor, and was also in charge of social media for the film. Together, they made a killer team and won the entire festival. The judges of this contest were all very established individuals, including Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus who described the film as “Informative and insightful. Makes you think deeper into the issue of sex trafficking.”

Why is the issue of sex trafficking so important you might ask? “Because it’s going on almost five minutes away from our school; it happens right in front of us, and we turn a blind eye to it.” Rebecca tells me, “No woman, and no child should face this harm. I mean, it’s modern day slavery.” The 5-minute film illuminates this idea clearly and efficiently. Footage of Oakland blend in seamlessly with Zoe’s narration, while interviews with many people informed on the subject (including a OPD police officer driving in his car) only further illustrate the message of the film.

“It’s also important because no one really knows about it, and if they do know about prostitution they don’t know the magnitude of the dehumanization that goes on. They don’t understand the reality behind it.” Zoe told me. The film is a step forward to educating people about the harmful situation progressing right under our noses, and information is the first step to change. Rebecca and Zoe may have highlighted a path to awaken people, and to make a change.

Jimi Hendrix’s new album, “People, Hell, and Angels” came out on March 5th. It is Hendrix’s first posthumous album since his untimely death in 1970.

The new album

A posthumous album is a type of album that is released after the artist has died. For example, Amy Winehouse’s “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” (2011), Janis Joplin’s “Pearl” (1971), or Tupac Shakur’s “The Don Killuminati, The Seven Day Theory” (1996).

Jimi Hendrix (1946-70) was a singer and songwriter, and regarded as the best electric guitarist in rock history. He has grabbed mainstream attention from his widely-known chart-topping hits such as “Purple Haze”, “Hey Joe”, and his electrifying rendition of “Star Spangled Banner”performed at Woodstock 1969.

This twelve track CD contains a mix of early and late songs by Jimi Hendrix and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, his former band.

Hendrix has a myriad of unreleased records, but this is album is most likely to be the last of Jimi’s dozens of posthumous albums.

The question: if this is the last Jimi Hendrix album, is it the last Jimi Hendrix album…the one to end all Jimi Hendrix albums?

The album has its moments of classic, good ‘ol Hendrix fire. As for the rest of the album, it becomes clear why these songs weren’t released. They’re all mediocre, and don’t feel like Jimi at his best. Don’t get me wrong, Jimi is a monster regardless, but does this album showcase his best work?

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

I can only recall one song I was genuinely into, the track “Somewhere”. “Somewhere” reminds me of classic Hendrix: it’s fun, good vocals, great guitar solos. Wonderful song all together. The rest of the album was disjointed, and the music didn’t flow the way it does on his original albums, like “Are You Experienced”. It’s just not the same. And I can’t forget the daunting one hundredth rendition of “Wind Cries Mary”. Hendrix has played with this song for most of his career. Hearing it again sounds recycled and stale.

Jimi Hendrix on his eletric guitar spreading his fire

If this is your first Jimi Hendrix album, buy “Are You Experienced” (1967). If you want the full Jimi Hendrix experience, that is the album to check out; he’s in his prime at that time.

“People, Hell and Angels” is an album of somewhat catchy and meaningful songs cloaked in a blanket of less catchy and meaningful songs. You could wait for this one to go in the “SALE” bin at Rasputin’s.

]]> http://osatelegraph.org/jimis-new-album-people-hell-and-angels/feed/ 0 http://osatelegraph.org/first-fridays-future/ http://osatelegraph.org/first-fridays-future/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:11:29 +0000 Bibi Montag http://osatelegraph.org/?p=3277 What is First Friday, you ask?  Well, depending on who you ask, the answer might be different.

The crowd at a recent First Friday. Image from oaklandnorth.net

To the younger artistic crowd it’s an excuse to get out on a Friday night and stop by their favorite hip new galleries and listen to underground bands that no one else has ever heard of while sipping their vegan Thai teas.

Maybe if you asked a police officer he would say it’s a tumultuous gathering of renegade rule breakers with no regard for the law.

Urban dictionary says: “First Friday, also referred to as Art Murmur, is a giant party in downtown Oakland that clogs up Telegraph and Broadway with local artists, sideshows, and the sweet smell of THC. ”

Lately, however, what’s been being said on the topic of First Friday mostly concerns the shooting that occurred February 1st, and how the event will continue in the future.

Kiante Campbell: the young man that was shot & killed

Image from sfweekly.com

On January 1st, 2013, three people were shot on 20th and Telegraph at 10:52 pm.  Only one injury was fatal:  Kiante Campbell, a seventeen year old Oakland resident was shot and killed in the parking lot of a beauty supply warehouse only two blocks from OSA, our school. The other two people shot were a 29 year old San Francisco native, and a 24 year old woman who also lives in Oakland.  The two men (Kiante and the unknown gunman) had some sort of conflict that resulted in this tragedy.

Following the shooting, the fate of First Friday at first appeared to be uncertain. However, I attended the next one, on March 1st, and I must say the vibes have stayed just as open and welcoming as always! Even though the shooting occurred at First Friday, the atmosphere hasn’t really changed.

The art is still amazing, the music is still sensational and the food never disappoints. The only differences are the multitude of police officers patrolling the streets.  And in my opinion, it isn’t helping the situation at all.  The only thing that increasing the authority figures at First Friday will do is to make the innocent First Friday-ers nervous and hesitant about returning.  All in all first Friday used to be a safe haven and gathering place for the creative minds of our generation, so let’s keep it that way.

As many of you may know, Prom is coming up! This means getting dressed up in glamorous dresses and gorgeous accessories. Every girl deserves the chance to go to Prom, but some aren’t given the chance due to financial problems. If you’re unable to afford a dress and accessories, look no further, help is here. The Princess Project is a project dedicated to giving prom dresses and accessories to girls for free!

There are three locations: San Diego, Silicon Valley, and San Francisco (for any of you OSA dwellers planning to go to Prom). Each year The Princess Project has mass giveaways of lightly used Prom dresses in great condition. Hundreds of girls line up in the early hours of the morning, student ID’s in hand, anticipating the awesome opportunity to pick out a beautiful dress. The volunteer staff is dedicated to their customers, not letting any girl leave without the dress of their dreams. One of the great things about the project is you don’t need to be in financial distress to participate. Any girl can partake in the incredible chance to get a free Prom dress.

 To dive deeper into the world of the Princess Project I did an interview with the fairy-god-company themselves, The Princess Project:

Chloe Charlton: What made you want to help girls get dresses for prom?

The Princess Project: Our founders were inspired 10 years ago by a girl that could not afford to buy a dress for prom.  From there, they received hundreds of donated dresses from their network of friends and family, just by sending a simple email. Since then, the Princess Project has evolved to serving thousands of girls in 3 locations every year.

CC: What is your process of filtering donated dresses? How strict are you in this process?

PP: We take dresses from both individual donations and from corporate donors.  We ask for donations that are current in style and in good condition, so that our girls have the best chance of finding an amazing dress for their prom.

CC: How many girls participate on giveaway days?

PP: Every year, across our 3 locations, we serve about 3,000 girls.

CC: Can the dress chosen be brought back and exchanged?

PP: We do not usually allow exchanges.

CC: On a scale of 1-5 how important is customer satisfaction?

PP: 5 – we want every girl to find a dress that makes her feel beautiful and special for her prom!

For more information you can visit The Princess Project’s website: http://princessproject.org/

Lena’s hair!

If you have thick, curly hair, you are probably aware that it can be super-unmanageable. As someone who has a crazy, curly mane myself, I know that sometimes it can be hard to deal with. But with the right tools and products, caring for curly hair doesn’t have to be too difficult. Over the years I’ve learned a lot about caring for my nappy hair, and I want to share some of the tips that I’ve gotten.

I can’t say I’m an expert or anything, but I do get a lot of compliments on my hair (I swear I’m not being conceited, just trying to keep it real). If you kind of know what you’re doing, I think embracing your hair’s natural texture can be a really unique and cool thing.

The first step to healthy, lush curls starts in the shower. While you’re showering, massage a hydrating curly-hair conditioner into your hair and scalp. My personal fave is Schwarzkopf Zero Frizz 100% Rescue Deep Conditioner (only $3 at Grocery Outlet, and it smells like roses, and miraculously detangles your hair). Conditioner is better for damaged hair because it’s more moisturizing than shampoo. It’s not healthy to use shampoo every time you wash your hair, as it will dry it out. I recommend conditioning hair a few times a week and shampooing and conditioning only about once a week.

Zero Fizz conditioner

While the conditioner is in your hair, brush out the tangles with a nylon-bristled hairbrush. Personally, the only time I ever brush my hair is in the shower with conditioner in, otherwise it’s too tangled and gets frizzy and fuzzy. Don’t be alarmed if brushing it out takes a while, especially if you don’t normally do your hair like this. Once your hair is relatively smooth and tangle-free, you may want to use a pick to get out any remaining knots.

Once you’re out of the shower, don’t blow-dry your hair unless it’s absolutely necessarily, like if you have a cold or if you are for some reason wearing a thin white shirt with a hot pink bra underneath. Blow-drying your hair totally sizzles it, which, of course, is very damaging in the long-term.

Mixed Chicks Conditioner

While your hair is still wet, finger-comb in a leave-in conditioner or mousse (I like John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Take Charge Curl-Boosting Mousse, No More Tangles Detangler, and/or Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner).

Don’t be afraid to mix a ton of products. Even if you don’t have any leave-in conditioner or mousse, it is probably a good idea to put at least a little hairspray or gel or something in your hair, just to keep it under control and keep the curls defined.

Braid your hair, or divide it into sections and then twist it, after you put the product in, and then try not to touch it much until it dries. Some natural remedies for damaged hair are coconut oil, shea butter, and olive oil. You can just apply these directly to your hair (they work best on dry hair), and they will help hydrate it and make it shiny.

That’s pretty much it! Some general tips are:

• In the long term, get regular haircuts, even if they’re only little trims, to get rid of split ends.
• Braiding your hair before you go to bed will reduce frizz and give you pretty, defined waves.
• I’ve heard that a satin pillowcase or headwrap will help keep hair smooth and frizz-free.
• Avoid bleaching, dying, chemicals, or excessive heat styling.

I wish you the best of luck on your journey to attain lovely, healthy, moisturized curly hair, and I hope that these tips help you on your way there.

Awesome and curly!