Must straighten, straighten, straighten. Flat irons, blow dryers, serums - all designed to beat the Chicago heat and humidity. Result: lengthy morning sessions in the bathroom and hair that was fried around the edges.

Ten years later, I've embraced my curly hair -- and with gusto. Ignore the picture above; most days I do in fact wear my hair curly. It certainly helps that I work for MODERN, where I'm surrounded by images of cool curl girls. There are also so many companies now that offer products to make natural texture look its best. I'm a huge curly fan and I'm fully on board with the idea of people loving the hair they have.

I'm also the recipient of most of the curly hair products that come into the office -- and of course, I'm always willing to try them out. Recently a new line crossed my desk: Mixed Chicks. Created by two women, Kim Etheredge and Wendi Levy, who couldn't find the right blend of products to control and style their curls, the line is simple (only six products), smells delicious and leaves hair bouncy. I'm particularly a fan of the conditioner, a leave-in that moisturizes well without weighing my hair down -- a problem I've had before with leave-ins. I also love Hair Silk, a non-greasy serum that I use when I wear my hair curly as well as when I occasionally straighten it (see above). For curly guys, the line features a shampoo and conditioner called HIS Mix.

You can check out the whole line at www.mixedchicks.net or e-mail mixedchicks@aol.com for more info.