The New Year symbolizes the birth of hope, and the renewal of life. It is time for change, renewal, and celebration. The great thing about today is that yesterday is gone. You can’t go back and undo things you have done, but you can embrace today and look toward the future with hope.

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.”

~G. K. Chesterton 

Many choose the New Year as the time to turn over a new leaf. Smokers vow to kick the foul habit. Some decide to change to a new and improved lifestyle. Habitual spendthrifts decide to mend their ways. And most of us, who enjoy eating unhealthy food, latch on to the latest dieting fad.

No matter what the change….don’t forget the little things. Live life more, appreciate every moment and fear less!

Andrea Pippins, a Baltimore-based graphic designer, released a four-poster series of prints titled “Crowns of Color” last week as answer for her need of diverse affordable art a light-hearted celebration of black women’s hair.

In a recent magazine interview, Pippins describes how she hopes to steer the black hair conversation in a different direction, “With all due respect, I am personally tired of the natural hair conversation in regards to one having to defend the choice to go natural, encouraging someone to go natural, or speaking to it from a place of political debate.”

Crowns of Color is meant to be celebratory, quirky, and a documentation of our culture. Like the barbershop signs from Africa. Although they are simply style guides for the clients who patron the shop they are also reflections of history—a record of what hairstyles were hot at different periods of time in different parts of the continent. I wanted to pay homage to that.

Andrea Pippins ROCKS!

Being an on-air personality comes with its share of criticism and scrutiny from viewers.  A black female meteorologist, Rhonda Lee, was fired from the ABC affiliate in Shreveport, LA because she responded to a racial remark posted by a viewer on the station’s Facebook page.

Lee’s decision stand up for herself ultimately cost her job. It began when a viewer questioned whether she should wear her short Afro, suggesting she put on a wig or grow more hair under a Facebook post on the station’s page. Lee responded:

“Hello Emmitt—-, I am the ‘black lady’ to which you are referring. I’m sorry you don’t like my ethnic hair. And no I don’t have cancer. I’m a non-smoking, 5’3, 121 lbs, 25 mile a week running, 37.5 year old woman, and I’m in perfectly healthy physical condition…”

She was fired for violation company policy by not following the appropriate procedure when responding to a viewer complaint. A firestorm of controversy has ensued.

In a way, her image was placed on trial as a defendant in the case against black women who choose to wear natural hair in spaces where this is not fully accepted.

Is natural hair still considered “taboo”? Why?

Join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter today!

Rrejuvenate and Revitalize … just in time for the New Year!

Buy any one of our amazing Hair Care Regimens and receive a bottle of Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner FREE!

Select the Regimen that works best for your hair type:

• Regimen 1: Curly Hair
• Regimen 2: Natural Hair or Locks or Twists
• Regimen 3A: Color-Treated or Relaxed Hair (medium to coarse hair texture)
• Regimen 3B: Color-Treated or Relaxed Hair (fine to medium hair texture)
• Regiment 4: Dry Scalp Repair

And…..

• New Curly Hair Regimen

You’ll love the Regimens, save money, and look fabulous when you welcome in 2013!

Add Jane Carter Solution’s Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner along with your favorite Regimen to the shopping cart and use Coupon Code FREELEAVEIN and click recalculate to receive your FREE Leave-In Conditioner.

Offer expires 1-2-13 and is valid for on-line purchases only.

Be filled with wonder;
Be touched by peace;
Believe in the miracle;
Feel the warmth of the Season.

The best part of the Holidays is remembering those who make the holidays meaningful. We wish you all the love and happiness this season can bring. May it follow you throughout the coming year.

Happy Holidays from Jane and the Jane Carter Solution staff!

I must admit that I do love this time of the year! I believe in the beauty and spirit of the holiday season; of joy trumping stress, of giving over getting, making merry and spreading glad tidings.

I love:

• Belting out Christmas songs – and not feeling self-conscious about my singing.
• Every gathering includes finding cheer in a bottle of anything containing alcohol.
• Fondly remembering holiday seasons past with family and friends.
• Sparkle, shimmer and all sequin everything.
• Over indulging in all things sweet that come wrapped in a bow.
• The fact that people, who may otherwise not do so the rest of the year, now smile more readily, forget their woes for a little while and adopt a cheery disposition.
• Deciding to drive home the long way simply to enjoy all of the holiday lights and decorations.
• Receiving Holiday cards and emails, aka “year in review” updates.
• Realizing that the love you have in your life from family and friends is the ONLY gift you need…any holiday season.

What are some of your favorite things about this season?