~Saturday, August 04, 2012
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After
spending twenty-five years in the art of hair beauty, I thought it would be fun
to put into writing my hair “dos” and “don’ts” that have stood the test of
time. I have seen many products come and
go. There have been bottles, sprays,
tubes, and pumps; however, the key elements to successful hair remain the same
no matter what shape or form they come in.
So, I hope you enjoy this knowledge I share with you, as much as I have
enjoyed learning it in a profession I have an infinite passion for.
I must
start with the biggest misunderstood product and misconception in the industry;
a phrase I have heard so many times, my ears and mouth are on “auto-pilot” when
it is received and responded to: CONDITIONER WEIGHS
MY HAIR DOWN— absolutely untrue! It can
actually give your hair more body if
using the correct one. Mainly people
with fine hair think conditioner is their enemy. Believe it or not, if you use a conditioner
concentrated in protein, it will plump-up
your hair and give it extra
body. Whether it be keratin, wheat, or
soy protein— give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised. The best thing to remember is: When your hair is healthy, it is happy, and
will respond to everything else you do to it very kindly.
Now
let’s cover coarse hair. Those of us
with curly, coarse hair do not want “plumping” anywhere remotely close to our
planet system—let alone our hair! Thus,
to my fellow curly-haired clients and friends, moisture is your friend. It can be found in many forms: avocado, olive
and argan oil extracts, or calming ingredients of geranium and shea
butter. Whatever the form, curly hair
will always need more moisture-based conditioning than fine hair, whether it is
chemically treated or not.
Chemically
treated hair, brings us into deep conditioners.
The rule of thumb is once a week it should replace your daily
conditioner. The same rules of protein versus moisture
apply based on your individual hair type. There are a couple of
exceptions: Curly hair with highlights,
and curly hair that has been chemically straightened. The strength of your hair has now been
altered and you need to compensate for this by using a deep protein conditioner
once a week; and on a daily basis you should use a conditioner with an equal amount of protein
and moisture. There are a multitude of companies with
product lines specifically formulated to straighten and smooth hair—these will most likely fall
into this category.
