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Top hair care advice for all hair types unveiled

For many folks, their hair is one of their best features, and to keep it looking its best, you have to take proper care of it. Top hair care advice includes using the right products for your hair type and giving it an occasional treatment, both of which you can do from the comfort of […]

Published

6 days ago

April 29, 2026

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For many folks, their hair is one of their best features, and to keep it looking its best, you have to take proper care of it. Top hair care advice includes using the right products for your hair type and giving it an occasional treatment, both of which you can do from the comfort of your own home.

If you spend less than 10 minutes in the shower on your hair, you’re not alone, because in the US, 44% of hair care consumers do the same. With a myriad of products to choose from and the ins and outs of protecting colored hair to know, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and fall back on a regular shampoo and conditioner. Our blog highlights top hair care advice for all hair types, so your hair can shine as brightly as you do.

How to Maintain Curly Hair?

Many forms of curly hair exist, and as such, you need the right treatments to ensure it stays looking its best. Otherwise, you risk frizzing, dryness, and inconsistent results.

Curly hair, because of its bends and twists, can dry out more easily because it can be difficult for your hair’s natural oil to travel down the hair shaft. To maintain curly hair, use a clarifying shampoo, which helps remove build-up from:

Oils
Products
Dead skin cells

Many people wash their hair every day, but this is not recommended for curly hair. Instead, wash your hair every 3-5 days. The type of conditioner you use also matters, and the best products for curly hair are those that restore moisture and detangle. When drying, use a diffuser attachment on your hairdryer to achieve perfect, bouncy, and defined curls.

How to Style Straight Hair?

If you have straight hair, you have a wide range of styles to choose from. To begin, you want to ensure you’re not washing too often, but don’t leave it longer than 3 days.

Unlike curly hair, natural oils can travel down the hair shafts much more easily, which can leave you with greasy hair more quickly. You want to use a moisturizing conditioner that includes hydrating ingredients, such as:

Coconut oil
Argon oil
Jojoba oil

Style with casual updos or spray with a sea-salt spritzer for a natural, tousled look. If you prefer a flat iron for sleek, straight hair, ensure it has ceramic plates and use heat-protective products to minimize damage.

How to Care For Textured Hair?

Maintaining healthy hair can be tricky for those with textured hair, but it’s definitely not impossible. One primary thing to understand about textured hair is that it needs a lot of moisture, so choose a shampoo and conditioner that is moisturizing. You want to cleanse your hair without stripping it, so consider using natural products from the Botalab hair and scalp care range.

Using a detangling conditioner is also essential to avoid painful knots. Use your fingers to work the conditioner through your hair, or use a wide-tooth comb if you prefer. When styling, use a leave-in conditioner and add stylers of your choice, such as:

Curl creams and butters
Mousses and foams
Gels and custards

Home Hair Care Tips

No matter your hair type, several home hair care tips can leave your hair looking and feeling its best. Here are our top favorite tips.

When using shampoo or conditioner, avoid using your nails on your scalp.
If you have extra curly hair, consider adding oil to your hair after showering.
Choose hair products containing hyaluronic acid, which helps the hair retain its moisture.
If you color your hair, choose sulfate-free shampoo so you don’t strip your color.
Gently towel-dry your hair with a microfibre towel using squeezing motions to avoid fraying or frizz.
Avoid 2-in-1 products because they’re often not hydrating enough and can trap oil and dirt in your hair cuticles.
Maintaining healthy hair also means eating nutritious foods, such as salmon and nuts.
Avoid using hot water when washing your hair to protect the natural oils and avoid dull hair.
To help reduce split ends, use a conditioner that includes protein.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Choose Natural Hair Products?

Finding the right hair care products for your hair type is essential for maintaining healthy hair. When choosing products, check the ingredient label first. You want to avoid products that contain sulfates, silicones, parabens, and drying alcohols.

Next, identify your main goal. If you want more moisture in your hair, look for products that contain aloe vera or water as the first ingredients.

If you want strength, look for products that include hydrolyzed protein. If your goal is to seal in moisture, use products containing oils such as jojoba oil.

Finally, you might not hit the mark with the first product you buy, so don’t be afraid to test different ones. Remember, don’t give up because you don’t get the result you’re looking for; you just haven’t found the right product yet.

What Not to Do With Afro Hair?

Afro hair is beautiful but requires some know-how to keep it looking pristine. To avoid snapping and tangling, never comb your hair when it’s dry.

Rather, use a leave-in conditioner, which can help with detangling. Avoid using excessive heat when styling, and to reduce hair loss along the edges (traction alopecia), avoid tight:

Braids
Extensions
Ponytails

If you’ve had your hair relaxed, never reapply relaxers, or you risk chemical overprocessing. Instead, wait 2-3 months between appointments and only touch up new growth. Finally, avoid plastic hair ties and cotton pillowcases. Rather use silk bonnets and scrunchies.

Elevated Hair Care for the Modern Era

Taking care of your hair doesn’t have to be overcomplicated if you know the right things to do. When styling curly hair, remember to use moisture-rich products and dry with a diffuser for defined, beautiful curls. With straight hair, use a flat iron with ceramic plates and wash your hair every other day. Textured hair looks best when you use the right products and avoid combing when dry.

Loved these hair care secrets? Discover more beauty and wellness insights in our Lifestyle section.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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