Maria Fernanda Candido, the Brazilian television actress and entrepreneur, is most well-known for her role in the hugely popular Brazilian telenovela, Terra Nostra. Like fellow Brazilian, Fabrizio Moretti, Candido also has a fabulous head of hair!

The fabulous Maria Fernanda Candido with the fabulous Ouidad!

Thanks to caras.com.br/ for the Image

The actress and successful restaurateur – who is considered to be the “Brazilian Sophia Loren” for her striking features and curls – actually traveled all the way to New York to have her hair done by Ouidad herself!  Reviews were glowing in all directions!

“Ouidad endorsed something I already did and now I am 100% sure: I use small amounts of product, use conditioner only on the edges and prefer products made especially for my hair type,” she said.

Ouidad echoed those same sentiments saying, “She’s great – and very pleasant to work with. We laughed a lot, it could not have been a better experience… she is a lovely lady and I can’t wait to go to Brazil and dine in her restaurant.”

Check out some more photos of the beautiful starlet preparing for a photo shoot!

Like the first homesteaders taming the Old West, growing up with curly hair in the High Plains region of America certainly challenged my ability to domesticate my locks. Plenty of wind and a semi-arid climate created the perfect frizz-zone to dry out my loose waves and curls! Liberating my curly hair has been a life-long process, similar to teaching a child to walk.

At first, someone held my hand. As the youngest of four daughters who all who have curly hair, I was a living dress-up doll. Barrettes, ribbons, and headbands decorated my head! My mother braided my hair or pulled my tresses into pigtails and ponytails. Mom would sometimes curl my hair around her fingers, leaving soft, playful ringlets to frame my innocent face! On other occasions, my curls were topped off with a hat.

This was a great arrangement for me until the day Mom scratched my eye and burned my forehead while curling my bangs for school pictures! I think it was my mom’s way of saying it was time to take a few steps on my own.

When I started to walk unassisted, my curls were frequently brushed, which didn’t look so bad until puberty hit! Hormones created more havoc with my hair than a wild fire blazing across the prairie! Like a lot of women, I grieve the loss of the beautiful coloring, sheen, and smooth texture. My curls turned coarse, dark, and difficult, much like a teenager’s attitude! My curls still have a tendency to throw tantrums!

Ponytails weren’t a desirable option anymore after a youth group leader asked me to tell him what’s under a pony’s tail. Instead, I experimented with perms, crimping, and straightening my hair, as well as bleaching and coloring! I took new strides with short hair and asymmetrical cuts, anything to see what style would be most flattering, easiest maintenance, and low cost!

Somewhere along the walking path, curls went from adorable and cute to unprofessional and undesirable. Job interviews were conducted with straight hair or sleek styles. I can count on one hand the number of men who have complimented my curly hair. I can count on one finger the number of times a man used the actual words “I love your curly hair!” Women possess a much better record of admiration! However, I never really achieved my own curl happiness…until Ouidad. For the first time, I’m seeing them as bold and beautiful!

One of my sisters discovered Ouidad. She introduced the products to my mom and me. Wow, what a difference! As a spiritual person, I felt God was encouraging me to embrace the gift of curly hair rather than fight what He gave me. It was consuming too much time and energy to be someone I wasn’t born to be. Song of Solomon 7:5 reads “Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses.” I wanted to improve my gait by learning to cherish my own royal tapestry!

While researching Ouidad and her products, I discovered she faced many challenges to be the “Queen of Curl.” Four banks rejected her idea to help curly haired people learn to properly care for their hair. For years, I told my hairdressers curly hair shouldn’t be cut the same way as straight hair, but they laughed at me the same way the banks laughed at Ouidad!

I am so appreciative Ouidad did not take “No” for an answer. I admire her courage in the face of adversity and opposition. I wish I had the opportunity to meet her! Ouidad’s site is teaching me to embrace the beauty of my curls, and her products are helping with the transition, especially since the nearest certified salon is 800 miles away! Ouidad’s encouraging spirit nurtures curls from the inside out! I am so thankful she never gave up on her dream! She’s been a blessing to me and many others!

Through the years, God was weaving a unique tapestry that finally brought me to Ouidad, a courageous woman who could help me learn to love my locks! As my mom created finger-ringlets to crown my head, I don’t think she fully realized the power she possessed to liberate curly hair! Little did I know throughout my journey, I had everything I needed to free my curls — right in my own hands.

People immigrate to America for liberty, freedom, and the power of choice. In the case of my curls, liberty is freedom from physical restraint! One of my favorite photos with curly hair was a reenactment of Lady Liberty, a national symbol of the freedom we seek. Isn’t that interesting? I think it was meant to be. Free YOUR curls!

Chelsie Donner

It’s the Southern California Curls night life – dancing the night away at a posh club like Los Angeles’ Area or dinner at The Hollywood Canteen? Maybe you’d rather just watch a game at a local favorite like Greens Sports Bar? Or perhaps sipping some California Cabernet at Santa Monica’s Bodega Winebar is more your scene?

Thanks to updoprincess.com for the Image

No matter what you like best, Ouidad knows how important it is to keep your curls looking fabulous….and, with all those celebrities out there in Hollywood, there is definitely some curl competition! Let us help you keep those perfect curls no matter where you take them!

For all you dancing fiends, it’s most important to keep those curls intact while heating it up on the dance floor (or at the beach!). Try our Climate Control which has a heat-activated protein that actually breathes with humidity. Then, for added protection, don’t forget to finish up with a Styling Mist that will lock in your style without ever getting sticky or flaky!

Or if you’re having more of a low key night, say strolling down the Santa Monica Blvd after a day at Pismo Beach, you might want to try a more casual look. To learn how to get your curls perfect every time – check out our rake & shake styling system. Work those fabulous California curls, whether shaking them by the DJ booth or tossing them around the fabulous beaches in Southern California!

Vampires seem to be all the rage right now with the success of the film Twilight and the series True Blood, so it may come as a surprise that there would be room yet for another vampire saga. Yet it’s true, the CW’s hit new show The Vampire Diaries has proven that audiences are still bloodthirsty for Vampire drama!

Thanks to tvguide.com for the Image

Actually, the show premiered as the CW’s most-watched new series ever. Based on the successful books by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries have some really addictive storylines and a super attractive cast. One cast member in particular, Katerina Graham has really got us talking!

Playing the character Bonnie Bennett, Graham has got some real acting skills – and some real curl skills too! We can’t stop watching. Apparently, she’s noticed Ouidad as well; her favorite product being our leave-in conditioner, Moisture Lock. Check out what Randa Squillacote, Key Hairstylist on the show had to say;

“Katerina Graham loves when we use the Ouidad Moisture Lock to maintain the natural wave in her hair.”

Those generous natural waves work both for the hungry Vampires of the Vampire Diaries and for the Curl Experts here at Ouidad. Now that’s something we can really sink our teeth into!

From tight curls to kinky curls,  Ouidad has just the specialized hair care choice for your cute and curly haired boy! We know that Ouidad makes caring for curly kid’s hair easy, so choosing the right curly configuration hairstyle is as simple as matching the look with your young man’s personality. No matter what his curl pattern might be, you’ll always have the KRLY collection ready to lend a hand!

Thanks to http://hair.lovetoknow.com for the Image

Like this wash and go style, looking great with our frizz free and in control pump spray, with special proteins that calm out of control curls, keeping them manageable while preventing frizz-causing humidity. The spray-on application is perfect for the kid (and mom) that’s on the go!

None of us need any extra work or trauma fighting curls in the morning rush of school and work – that’s where Ouidad leads the way with products that are gentle, moisturizing and water-soluble. Ouidad knows that some of us still carry the memories of traumatic curl-related events from our childhood, so the Ouidad style of curls care doesn’t stand in the way of a busy lifestyle, it leads the way!

Now more than ever before, country music has become closely aligned with mainstream pop. Singers like Taylor Swift (left),  Carrie Underwood (center) and Whitney Duncan (right), have helped introduce many new, young fans to the world of country.

Just like us at Ouidad, we’re sure many fans were glued to their TV’s for the 2009 Country Music Awards. (CMA) In addition to the great performances, we couldn’t take our eyes of all those rocking country curls! We love that stars are ditching the same old stick-straight dos for the red carpet.

As we’ve mentioned before, Swift has struggled with her hair, but she looked stunning at the CMA show with an elegant, upswept do. Underwood opted for a half-up, half-down style with her beautiful cascading curls, while Duncan preferred a “beachier”, free-flowing wavy look. All were stunning.

While Swift was the big winner of the night, taking home the Entertainer of the Year award, we want to know who should win for Best Curls; Swift, Underwood, Duncan…or someone else? Check out some photos from the night and let us know!

While October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a great way to generate support for breast cancer research, we’ve also mentioned at Ouidad that searching for a cure is a year-round job. That’s why our Curls for a Cure program matches donations even after you take your last bite of Halloween candy – and does 365 days a year! In keeping with that idea, we wanted to tell you about this year’s Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Symposium and Luncheon.

Thanks to bcrfcure.org for the Image

The event took place on October 28 at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria, and was a great success with the over 1,200 guests raising nearly $1.9 million for research. Elizabeth Hurley was also awarded the 2009 Humanitarian Award for her work as a global ambassador of breast cancer awareness.

Thanks to celebrity-gossip.net for the Image

There were over 150 breast cancer researchers in attendance who receive funding from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and with every $250,000 raised another researcher is sponsored to join the fight. That’s a great statistic and one you can take some credit for too: anyone who donates money to Ouidad’s Curls for a Cure helps fund this research.

Ouidad, who attended the event, says, “the symposium was buzzing with positive energy, and why shouldn’t it? More women than ever before are getting checked and doing self-examinations; there is promising research linking nutrition and breast cancer prevention, and every day there are new possibilities. People realize more and more that breast cancer is not a death sentence and that they don’t have to lose hope!   Thanks to all the people, clients at the salon and customers on ouidad.com, who contributed to Curls for a Cure – the event was recognition for all the people that have helped to raise money for the cause.”

Want to get involved? Donate to Curls for a Cure anytime, and help put more researchers to work!

I had the opportunity to go to a color class this past weekend. We were given models and I ended up with a curly hair model (of course). Immediately, I was upset at myself for not having the climate control with me. It was nice to introduce someone to our salon and a new experience since she had never heard of us before.

She laughed at me when I told her that I could tell her her own story because I hear it every day. I started telling her that no one knows what to do with her hair. She goes in for a trim and leaves with inches cut off and everyone wants to blow it straight. She has really dry hair and it stays that way no matter what she uses. She was amazed!!

After her color process I gave her a card and told her to check the website.  I got a call from her saying that she is waiting for her products to arrive.  I felt so good knowing that I was able to help someone with their color as well as their curls.

Latesha, Stylist, 57^th Street Salon, NYC

Con frecuencia Ouidad habla sobre el corte de cabello perfecto, el estilista apropiado, y qué hacer con tu cabello rizado. “¡Deja de luchar con la Madre Naturaleza! Aprende a trabajar con tus rizos y verás que terminarás adorando tu cabello.” ¡Los expertos de Ouidad te sugieren que le des a tus rizos la gran oportunidad de brillar!

(Foto cortesía de Mejores Peinados)

De acuerdo con encuestas recientes de Ouidad, la mayoría coincide en que un correcto corte de cabello es clave – el 92% mencionó que es súper importante. Estos resultados son interesantes, sobretodo porque el 78% sintió que su estilista no comprendía bien el manejo de rizos.

Entonces, ¿qué pasa cuando el 97% de nosotras siente que sus estilistas pueden hacer un mejor trabajo? Con tristeza (y como dato revelador), el 89% de nosotras alguna vez ha terminado en lágrimas debido a un mal corte de cabello.

¡Aquí es donde Ouidad viene al rescate! Nadie con un hermoso rizado natural debe caer en la desilusión de un corte y estilo mal ejecutados – no cuando Ouidad ha comprobado exitosamente su técnica Rake and Shake.

Habla con tu estilista – antes del corte – y si él/ella no entiende tus chinos, aléjate de las tijeras y encuentra a un experto en rizos, ¡como Ouidad!

Latin America might be buzzing about Mexican pop sensation Paulina Rubio’s latest single Causa y Efecto, but here at Ouidad, her gorgeous golden curls are having an entirely different show-stopping effect!

(Thanks to PaulinaRubio.org for the photo)

Pau, as her fans call her, is no stranger to rocking gorgeous curls. Famous since her launch in the Mexican pop sensation Timbiriche in 1982, she has been fairly consistent in keeping her golden locks curly.

Rubio understands how to work with her great head of hair to create fabulous, diverse style. From glossy curls to bouncy ringlets, she inspires us to bring out the best in our hair.

How does Pau’s hair always stay so perfect? She understands the importance of a good cut and great products. Ouidad recommends our Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel to keep her curls under control while dancing around the world on her Gran City Pop Tour!  Paulina Rubio’s show-stopping curls and unbeatable energy will make for another unforgettable tour! Work it chica!