Motions "Going Natural" Hair Tips & Giveaway!

Looking to go au’ natural? The winter months are a perfect time to keep your mane looking glorious while you return to those beautiful curly, kinky, wavy roots!

Motions ethnic hair care brand provides some great tips to help give your relaxed tresses a much needed break as you transition back to a natural state.

Let It Grow!
Hair naturally grows approximately ½ an inch per month. For shoulder length hair, growing out a relaxer could take between two and four years! The process is timely, but the results are worth it. Natural styles offer full volume and won’t interfere with exercise routines, where as chemicals from relaxed hair can get on your face and clothes when breaking a serious sweat. The natural hair trend is perfect for the girl on-the-go who doesn’t have time to do her ‘do. For a quick fix, apply a few drops of Motions Smoothing Shine Serum (SRP: $4.79) to help moisturize your hair and scalp, which can become irritated when growing out your relaxed hair. Light and non-greasy, this serum fights frizz and flyaways throughout the day while adding instant shine.

The Transition
The oil glands in curly hair can restrict moisture and contribute to both dry scalp and brittle locks, increasing breakage. Natural hair can also absorb moisture in the air, creating a frizzy look that loses its shape at the roots – a frustrating phase for women while they grow out their relaxed hair. Motions Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion (SRP: $3.89) is formulated with hydrating emollients and humectants to soften hair while providing manageability. The lotion, with a formula including panthenol and keratin, helps protect natural hair from heat. It also adds moisture back into hair, leaving tresses looking hydrated and healthy.

Wear It Proud
A fashionista doesn’t conform to the same style as everyone else. Show off your individuality with natural hair and flaunt your new, springy curls with these simple steps:

• Spray your hair with a detangler and divide into small sections.
• Brush through hair with a large tooth comb, working from the ends to the top of your head.
• Apply Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion Regular Hold (SRP: $4.49) onto damp tresses,
and twist into small sections all over your head. This lotion helps to keep hair in place during the drying process.
• Once dry, take out the twists and voila! You will have amazing texture and beautiful, natural corkscrew curls that last well into the night.

Ready to make the leap to the natural look? Well BuzzologySurveys is partnering with Motions to give ten lucky readers a “Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion” so you can create those dazzling do’s at home! Click here to enter!!! Contest ends 1/9/2009.

And visit Motionshair.com to learn more about styling tips for year around as well as its full line of hair care products!

Results: 2008 African American Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving Trends

BuzzologySurveys recently conducted a survey to gauge the seasonal shopping and gift giving preferences of African American consumers.

With recession woes on the top of many minds, African American shoppers are very concerned about the economy but still out in force this holiday season. Black consumers are decreasing their spending this year, with 56.7% of respondents cutting back on purchases due to the country’s dampening financial outlook.

Sixty three percent of those surveyed expect to spend up to $500 on gifts this holiday, with immediate family members (72.4%) and children (69%) being the most popular receivers of presents under the Christmas tree. “Must have” purchases include books, mobile phones, apparel/shoes, gift cards, online/video games and electronics respectively; toys, fragrances/beauty items, and jewelry were also selected as popular choices of African American shoppers.

More than thirty two percent plan to do at least a quarter of their shopping online, with Amazon.com being named the favorite website for purchases; while 25.8% indicate none of their shopping will be done online this year. Macy's and Best Buy tied as the most popular brick-and-mortar retailer by Black Consumers; Walmart was also mentioned as a leading destination.

Using debit cards is the favored method of payment for African American shoppers this season (52.4%), with credit cards (47.4%) and cash (41.7%) rounding out the top three.

Black consumers are reacting to the news about the economic downturn and making smart decisions about how much they spend this holiday season. One takeaway? African American shoppers should curtail the use of credit cards when buying gifts, which was noted as the 2nd leading avenue for paying for purchases. The "buy-now, pay-later" philosophy could encourage us to spend more than we initially budgeted, and interest and other fees can lead us into deeper debt at a time when we could be making more strategic financial decisions.

To request more information on this survey, please contact us at info@buzzologysurveys.com.

See Full List From "Buy Black For Christmas" Series

Didn’t get a chance to check out all the picks from this year’s "Buy Black For Christmas" Series?

See the full list below, which highlights great gift giving ideas (under $125) while encouraging African Americans to support Black businesses this holiday season. BuzologySurveys reminds you to continue to patronize these companies in 2009 and beyond:

* Brown Estate Wines
* Canady Le Chocolatier’s Truffles
* Flaunt The Faith Apparel Line
* Hue-Man Bookstore Membership Card
* Jordon Foods Gourmet Popcorn
* Mo’Twin Designs Neckwear
* NKHenry Handbags & Accessories
* Nubian Heritage’s NH Men’s Skincare Products
* Pooka Pure & Simple Beauty Products
* PZI Jeans

JSOnline: Auto Industry A Boon And Bust For Blacks In Midwest

From JSOnline.com:

Fred Jones of Milwaukee was one of the nation's largest and most successful African-American car dealers until he decided to go into the restaurant business.

These days, he owns International House of Pancakes restaurants in Milwaukee and New Berlin, but he still has fond memories of selling cars. He also remembers when the automobile industry was one of the largest employers of black people long before other industries opened their doors.In many ways, it can be argued the black middle class owes its very existence to the Big Three automakers.

These companies are now looking for the same kind of bailout the government gave Wall Street; given how much the automobile industry has given to black people such as himself, Jones doesn't think that's such a bad idea. Read on...

Photo: Corbis

BC: 'House of Payne' Is No. 1 With African-American Audiences

From Broadcasting & Cable:

Debmar-Mercury's rookie sitcom, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, is running in the middle of the pack when it comes to off-net sitcoms, but among the African-American audiences it targets, it tops anything else on television.

Among African-American adults age 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, House of Payne is the No. 1 show in all of network prime, all of cable and all of syndication, according to its — take a breath here — live-plus-seven, season-to-date, gross-average-audience ratings average. That rating includes double-runs on stations and its cable run on TBS.

In primetime, House of Payne beats such ratings monsters as Grey's Anatomy, Dancing With the Stars, Desperate Housewives and CSI in all African-American adult demographics. Among African-Americans 18-34, the weekday airings of the show are scoring a 6.3 household average. That rating climbs as audiences age, scoring a 7.1 among adults 18-49 and a 7.6 among adults 25-54.

“If you want to reach 7.1% of the African American audience among adults 18-49, you can do that. And you can buy House of Payne for a lot less than CSI,” which ties for sixth in that demographic, says Bob Cesa, Twentieth's executive VP of ad sales. “There's no doubt that House of Payne is a screaming deal.” Full Story

Photo: Daylife.com

Buy Black For Christmas: Hue-Man Bookstore Membership Card

BuzzologySurveys initially wanted to select an African American author to highlight for this year’s series. But with so many wonderful writers and titles to chose from, we encourage you to give someone the gift of selecting their own favorites by purchasing a Membership Card from Hue-Man Bookstore & Café.

Known as the largest independent African-American bookstore in the country, this Harlem landmark offers an extensive collection of literary gems by Black authors and other great works. The membership card offers discounts in-store and online. Cost: $25.

Please contact Hue-Man directly for instructions on how to purchase items using the membership card via their website.

www.HuemanBookstore.com

Photo: HuemanBookstore.com

Buy Black For Christmas: Jordon Foods Gourmet Popcorn

Jordon Foods Company, based right outside of Kansas City, MO, is one of the few black-owned popcorn manufacturing plants in the nation. Launched in 1998 by Marion Jordon Sr., the first generation company is known for distributing a wide array of products including coffees, steak and barbecue sauces and honey, as well as its popular line of gourmet popcorn.

With flavors such as Cinnamon, Cheese, Green Apple, Cherry, and Caramel, their popcorn tins are a wonderful, tasty treat for the “snackers” on your holiday list. Cost: $16.95 - $39.95.

www.JordonFoodskc.com/shop

Photos: JordonFoodskc.com

Buy Black For Christmas: PZI Jeans Giveaway!!!

PZI Jeans made an appearance on our inaugural “Buy Black For Christmas Series” and due to the brand’s continued popularity on our site, we’ve decided to highlight the company again!

Daniel C. Jason and Claire B . Jason designed PZI Jeans with the urban woman in mind. Known for creating jeans that perfectly fit our curves, the line continues to make a name for itself by offering top designer looks without the expensive price tag.

PZI Jeans Giveaway:

Attention SEXY, Confidant, Hard Working ladies -Worldwide!! PZI Jeans Appreciates you!

BuzzologySurveys has teamed up with PZI Jeans “Finally JEANS That Fit!” to get you looking hot for ‘09! We’re giving 2 BuzzologySurvey readers a pair of PZI perfect fit jeans! Yes free!!! Click here for details! Contest ends 1/9/2009.

The more who enter....The sooner we can do it again!!

BizJournals: Marriott Sr. VP Norman Jenkins Forms Company

From BizJournals:

Back in April, Marriott International Inc. Senior Vice President Norman Jenkins received a Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award. Now, after 16 years at Marriott, Jenkins is heading out on his own, launching Capstone Development to develop hotel properties in mainly the mid-Atlantic and urban markets.

Jenkins is Bethesda-based Marriott International's senior vice president of North American lodging development. With the Washington Business Journal award, Jenkins was recognized for his accomplishments for bridging the gap between minorities and hotel ownership in the Washington area.

In 2005, Jenkins and Marriott launched the Diversity Ownership Initiative with a goal to increase hotel ownership among diverse groups and women. The goal is to have 500 hotels that are owned, operated or in the pipeline by women and minority groups by 2010. Full Story

Photo: Bizjournals.com

Buy Black For Christmas: Nubian Heritage’s NH Skincare Products

The Nubian Heritage brand started from very humble beginnings, with parent company co-founders Richelieu Dennis and Nyema Tubman selling their Sundial products on the streets of Harlem to owning several retail stores and a manufacturing plant in the New York City area.

Their NH Man Drive Three Butters Body Wash, Three Butters Moisturizer, Essential After Shave and Essential Oil formulas will cater specifically to the grooming needs of that special man in your life. Cost: $12 - $30.

www.nubianheritage.com

Photo: NubianHeritage.com

Buy Black For Christmas: Brown Estate Wines

A family owned boutique winery in Napa Valley, California, Brown Estate has been producing its rich, robust, limited edition wines since 1996.

Under the auspices of Winegrower David Brown, their latest vintage includes a 2006 Chardonnay, 2005 Zinfandel Blend and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, which they suggest you “pair with filet mignon and potatoes au gratin for a divine indulgence!” A must buy for any wine connoisseur on your Christmas list. Cost: $45 - $72.

Online wine purchases can only be shipped to select states; please check the website for more details.

www.brownestate.com

Photos: BrownEstate.com