I had the awesome pleasure of attending AMBERmag.com’s Survival Secrets of Game Changers event on Tuesday featuring textured hair product trailblazers: Miko and Titi Branch of Miss Jessie’s.

Moderated by Tia Williams of ShakeYourBeauty.com and co-owner of The Fly Cut, the masterminds behind Miss Jessie’s shared very candid and incredibly personal accounts of how they reached mass-produced success.

Being an aspiring entrepreneur, it was refreshing and enlightening to hear first-hand how these BG game changers paved the way for countless other curly hair care product lines.

Here are a few facts that I learned about the curly ‘do dynamos:

• The sisters lived together in the brownstone that housed their first salon in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. 
• They didn’t take out any loans to finance their hair care product line. Instead, they used their salon to finance the launch of their products. 
• From 2006-2008, the sisters were in a bitter dispute that resulted in litigation. In fact, Miko was legally restricted from working within 200 miles of New York.
• They fought against being placed in the the “ethnic” beauty section of Target, which negatively affected their sales.  After a lot of convincing, the products were ultimately placed in their desired professional styling section of the store.
• The sisters are currently shopping a book that will give their fans and aspiring entrepreneurs an in-depth look into what it took to create their curly hair care empire.  

Now that I’ve been wearing my hair natural (no longer relaxing) for the past 3 1/2 years, it’s exciting to see so many products on the market available for women who have kinky/curly/coily hair like mine.

A photo of me taken via Instagram during a recent trip to Miami. Btw, I know I’m late, but don’t you just love that app?

I’ll admit, it took me some time to find the right products to complement my coarse curls. But, after trying scores of puddings, potions, and more, I’ve finally found a few products that can transform my dull and dry strands into lush and lovely locks.

From Carol’s Daughter to Ouidad to Miss Jessie’s, there are countless lines that specialize in naturally curly hair.  Although the search can be frustrating, just be patient until you find the products that suit your tresses best.

Here are a few of my top picks:

This deep conditioner smells as good as sounds. I only use this once a month, but it moisturizes my strands to perfection.

I’ve been truly loving so many L’Oreal products lately! This entire sulfate-free system makes my strands frizz-free, which helps to accentuate my natural curl pattern.

Talk about a heavy-duty curling gel! This pleasantly scented curling custard turns drab curls into intensely sleek, defined ones.

There are many Carol’s Daughter products to covet, but the Hair Milk line is by far my favorite. The light-weight formula adds a bit of shine and moisture without weighing down hair. Plus, it has a fresh, lemon-like scent that livens up your locks.

Do you wear your hair natural or relaxed? If you wear your hair natural, what are your favorite products that help bring out your natural curl pattern?

Obviously, fashions are at the forefront of the runway during New York Fashion Week. But, the fun doesn’t stop there. In order to fully showcase their fashions, designers have to work with top hair stylists to develop eye-catching looks that will complement their couture creations.

From Frédéric Fekkai’s Flamenco Dancer-inspired sleek, yet voluminous chignons at Marchesa to Rita Hazan’s salon stylist, Eddie Ngai’s elegant and seductive, polished French twists at Farah Angsana to ravishing, ribbon-intertwined braided updo’s at Rachel Roy, this year hair is taking center-stage at shows.

Models donning elegant, braided updo’s at Rachel Roy.

A model struts her stuff down the runway with a French-inspired do at Farah Angsana.

Whether it’s a funky mohawk, red wig or a classic, simple style it’s always a treat to see what talented hair stylists create to grace the catwalks.

What do the stars say about your strands? Motions has created a fun and super cute star-studded astrology chart that you can match with their products. Since I’m a Taurus like hair chameleon Janet Jackson, it says that we appreciate beauty – well that’s obviously true!

From relaxers to Oil Sheen & Conditioning Sprays, Motions is a brand that we BGs can trust with our tresses. You guys know that I’ve tried scores of hair care products throughout the years and Motions is still one of my favorites.

What’s your sign? Tell me and one lucky reader will win 5 Motions products including: Light Hold Working Spritz, Shine Enhancing Pomade, Foaming Wrap Lotion, and the Silkening Shine Relaxer System. The winner will be randomly selected and announced next week.