Parents Receive Advice for Building Self Esteem in Multi-Ethnic Girls

NEW YORK, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Soft & Beautiful(R) Just For Me(TM) Texture Softener(TM), releases new self-help tips for parents with ethnic or multi-ethnic daughters. Developed by the Just For Me Texture Softener Sunflower Advisory Board, the "Conversation Starters" are designed to help parents begin a dialogue with their daughters about their self-image. The "Conversation Starters" are a part of a broader "Love Yourself. Love Your Hair." campaign and can be accessed at http://www.texturesoftener.com/loveyourhair in time for Valentine's Day.

Dr. Jeff Gardere speaks to media in New York City today to emphasize the importance of parents starting a dialogue with their daughters to build a better self-image.

"There is definitely a link between a little girl's hair and her self-esteem," said Dr. Jeff Gardere, clinical psychologist and the lead spokesperson for the Sunflower Advisory Board. "In order to ensure your daughter has a healthy self-concept, it is important to begin talking to her about her identity as soon as possible so that you can instill in her a strong sense of self-esteem and a healthy self-image."

The Sunflower Advisory Board, which was launched in January, includes moms with daughters of African-American or mixed heritage, a children's hair care expert and Dr. Gardere. The idea for the "Conversation Starters" came about as the Board sat down to talk about the issues that face multi-ethnic kids. Board members wanted to provide an accessible tool for parents to start a dialogue with their children about self-awareness and self-concepts. The "Conversation Starters" provide parents with guidance on how to initiate these important conversations with their daughters.

  As an example, the conversation starters advise mothers to:
    -- proactively talk about loving their daughters' hair
    -- seize opportunities to talk while watching television or movies
       together
    -- network with other families like their own
    -- designate role models for your daughter
    -- discuss the day's activities and interactions with friends

Just For Me Texture Softener System is hair manageability solution from the #1 children's hair care brand in the ethnic hair care industry, Just For Me. It offers long-lasting, worry-free manageability, especially for moms with daughters of dual heritage as well as for African-American moms who want an alternative to relaxing or pressing their daughters' hair.

About the Alberto-Culver Company

The Alberto-Culver Company (NYSE: ACV) is a global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of personal care products with sales worldwide in more than 100 countries. It includes such leading brands as Alberto VO5(R), St. Ives(R), TRESemme(R) and Nexxus(R) Salon Hair Care. Its Pro-Line(R) International unit is the second-largest producer in the world of products for the ethnic hair care market with leading brands including Just For Me(R), Motions(R) and Soft & Beautiful(R). To learn more about Alberto-Culver and its brands, visit http://www.alberto.com/.