1. BAMBI MONTGOMERY, owner of Honeychild Salon and Spa

"Use a very ripe avocado as a preshampoo conditioning treatment. Massage onto your hair, leave in for an hour, shampoo and rinse. You will be surprised how shiny it will leave your hair."

2. OSCAR JAMES, celebrity hairstylist

"During touch-up time you can prevent overprocessing by applying conditioner to the relaxed portion of the hair, leaving the new growth untouched. The conditioner acts as a barrier inthe event that any of the relaxer comes into contact with the processed hair."

3. DERRICK SCURRY, stylist

"To soften even the most coarse or kinky hair, try Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme ($58, missjessies.com). It moisturizesd and makes hair silky in seconds."

4. CHRIS CRENSHAW, stylist

"Never use plastic bristle brushes on relaxed hair. They can scratch and tear an already weak cuticle. Use a wide-tooth comb to maintain a healthier hair shaft."

5. CHUCK AMOS, celebrity stylist

"For the smoothest hairline, use a firm toothbrush. Small bristles ae perfect for handling flyaways. Add a touch of hair spray or gel before you brush."

6. EDRIS NICHOLLS, salon owner and stylist

"To style curly hair, try aloe vera gel. It provides a buffer against harsh, dry environmental elements. Add a few drops of olive, grapeseed or avocado oil to it, and you have a great leave-in conditioning treatment."

7. ROXANNA FLOYD, makeup artist

"I wore the same hairstyle for 14 years. Buying a cute wig was a way to experiment without cutting my hair. I get my wigs from katourlinewigs.com. Now I never have a bad hair day.

8. RODNEY BARNETT, certified trichologist

"There is a direct relationship between a flaky scalp and poor bowel elimination. Increase your fiber intake to correct this problem."

Recommended Products:

Infusium (frizz)ologie leave in-treatment, infusium23.com
Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum ($26, ouidad.com)
Mason Pearson Handy Pure Bristle Brush, $146, zitomer.com)