Curl clues: Do a hair test Pluck a piece. Stretch it out. Is it springy like a slinky? Does it break or stretch? Is it frizzy, dull, hard and dry, with a frizzled end? Or is it shiny, soft and smooth with strong elasticity. Note the curl type and look for signs of damage. |
Diffusing the situation With new ionic dryers and more efficient shapes like the Deva “hand,” diffusing curls is easier and more effective. - Always start with conditioned, detangled wet hair. - Apply styling product for curl type. - Place the diffuser with dryer on low setting at the nape of the neck and dry at scalp first. - As curls lift, move diffuser away from the scalp and push gently into curls - Srunch as you go. |
Curly hair “I do´s” Teach your clients healthy curl care habits. - Sleep on a satin pillowcase. - Never brush or comb dry curls. - Use a wide-toothed comb on wet hair. - Don´t rub shampoo vigorously. - Avoid drug store shampoos loaded with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. They strip hair and leave cuticle rough. - Moisture, moisture, moisture…without moisture there is only frizz. - Avoid drug store styling products that coat curls with plastic resins - they cause breakage and crispy curls. - Don´t wash everyday, instead re-fresh. - Microfiber towels are best for curly, kinky hair. - Never rub with a terrycloth towel. - Use the diffuser. |
STRAIGHT ANSWERS TO STRAIGHTENER QUESTIONS What´s the difference between a chemical relaxer and a thermal relaxer? A chemical relaxer uses chemicals that lift up the cuticle and penetrate the hair shaft to break down and realign the bonds in the internal structure of each hair strand to take the new, straighter shape. A thermal relaxer works in almost the same way, but it uses a gentler chemical with a lower pH to break the bonds and the heat of an iron to realign them. WARNING: Never overlap or mix chemical straighteners with thermal relaxers! What are the types of chemicals used today to straighten or relax curly hair? Sodium Hydroxide Pros: Time-tested, used for decades. High pH can penetrate dense coarse hair types. Many stylists are finding new ways to mix the solution with conditioners that help counteract the damage. Affordable, good results, permanent to about 6 months. Cons: It does contain lye and other caustic elements and cannot be used on damaged or color-treated hair because it is so strong and destructive. Ammonium Thioglycolate, or “thio” as it´s termed by stylists. Pros: Lower pH, less destructive chemical. Swells the hair shaft, penetrates the core to break down hair´s bonds. The heat of the hot-iron breaks down bonds further and realigns them into their new straight position. No off-gassing during the process because it is rinsed before the iron is used on dry hair. Smooth results for thick hair types,permanent to about 6 months. Cons: Two months of re-growth necessary to repeat. Process can last five hours or more and is very expensive ranging at hundreds of dollars. “In the wrong hands, this process can be catastrophic because there are so many steps and it is so time-consuming,” reports Denise Kingsley. Cysteamine Sulfide Pros: Lowest pH, least damaging. “This is a great hair re-texturizer should a client want to simply relax curls into waves, cut out frizz, or maintain the versatility to blow it straight or wear it wavy,” reports Jesse Briggs who swears by this technique. It can be overlapped with other |
processes and used on color-treated hair. Cons: Can have slight odor. The process lasts from one to three hours and can cost hundreds of dollars depending upon hair length. 'Brazilian' Keratin Straighteners Pros: Does not chemically alter the bonds inside the hair. Provides great frizz control and silky shiny, straight hair. Cons: Time-consuming, expensive. “It´s not the keratin that makes it work,” reports Kingsley, “it´s the formaldehyde, a common chemical used in adhesives and building products, that helps it adhere to the hair shaft.” The process is demi-permanent, lasting only 3-4 months. The heat of the hot-iron and the formaldehyde seal the keratin onto the hair shaft which is responsible for the chemical off-gassing concern in the news. “I use a portable fume extractor from Sentry Air systems (www.sentryair.com) to avoid this problem." How do I know what´s really in a product? Many straightener companies have responded by introducing “formaldehyde- free” varieties, but beware, advise experienced stylists, they have replaced them with other “aldehydes”, ethers, and sometimes they just conform to the allowable FDA limit of .2 percent. Remember, there´s always going to be a chemical that makes it work so ask your distributor for the ingredient list if it´s not on the container. Research the ingredients yourself by ‘Googling,´ as Jesse Briggs advises, or by searching them on the Environmental Working Group´s SkinDeep database at www.ewg.org. This way you can find a chemical´s scientific classification, the material safety data sheets on it, the OSHA standards relating to it, any toxicity recorded and tested as well as what other stylists and clients have said about it as a process. Once you know what you´re using, then you can make the educated choice for your client. How do I choose which one to use? Well, that comes with experience agree all stylists, and education. Post this list until you understand it. “Here´s the basic way I make my decision depending on the fabric, or hair type, I´m working with,” explains Carmine Minardi. “I ask myself, ‘How much damage has this hair been through already? Is it colored?´ The less color, the more room for sodium hydroxide. If I see a single process ammonia color one or two levels, then I can use a sodium hydroxide or a thio. If the hair is very fine or delicate, damaged, or has three to four levels of lightening, I´ll choose cysteamine for its lower pH. You can only expose hair to a certain amount more before breakage is an issue.” Denise Kingsley agrees, “The secret is not in the products, it´s in the hands of who is doing it.” |