The Heat Solution for Fine Hair

The Electric Marcel curling irons supply plenty of heat for fine hair or even gray hair.  I have found the traditional stove and conventional marcel irons are just not the best fit for sensitive and/or aging hair.  Even with the heat tester, I feel the electric version of the curling irons with adjustable heat control are safer. I have six sizes to choose from.

The client's hair can be blow dried or flat wrapped prior to the electric curling of it.

Sulfate versus Sulfate-Free: When to Use Each?

Products with sulfates have been around for centuries; however, the sulfate-free trend has everyone running away from shampoos that have sulfates in them.  Please ease your mind.  There is a place in the beauty world for BOTH types of shampoos.

Shampoos with a Sulfate in them work best in the following cases:

1) Neutralizing a chemical relaxer - you want your neutralizing shampoo to have sulfates in it to wash out all the "bad stuff" from the hair.

2) Cleansing hair bleach, hair lightener, or color remover from the hair- you want a deep cleansing shampoo with sulfates to make sure the pigment that you just lifted up is washed away to keep it from going back into the hair.  Also, you want to wash out all the "bad stuff" from the hair as well.

3) The first cleansing after a permanent hair color application should be a shampoo with a sulfate in order to wash away any extra "bad stuff" that did not get rinsed out.  Only one lather of the shampoo with sulfate is necessary because you want to avoid stripping the haircolor that you just put in.  The color sealant and other sulfate-free shampoos can used for the second and third lathers after the permanent haircolor service.

4) Deep cleansing the hair in preparation for a demi-permanent or semi-permanent haircolor with a wet application should be done with a shampoo with sulfates to make sure that their is no product buildup on the hair that would prevent the low-strength haircolor from adhering to the hair.

5) Deep cleansing hair with a lot of oil, grease, and layers of products should be done with shampoos with sulfates until the hair feels free of the excessive slickness.  Some finer hair that gets oily quickly should also be cleansed with a shampoo with sulfates to prevent the fine hair from being heavy and limp.

6) Most Keratin treatments or Smoothing Treatments require a shampoo with sulfate in it to prepare the hair to accept the keratin solution.

When to use Sulfate-Free Shampoo?

1) If you are not receiving a chemical service, then sulfate-free shampoo should be the best way to go!

2) If your natural hair does not feel too heavy from product build-up then stick with sulfate-free shampoos until your hair starts to look dull.  When the hair begins to look dull, then clarify it with a sulfate shampoo.

3) If you are trying to maintain your haircolor to keep your gray hairs "undercover," then yes, please stick with sulfate-free shampoo to keep the color from fading too quickly.

4) If your hair feels a little dry and brittle, then stick with sulfate-free shampoo to moisturize the hair while cleansing it.

Okay.  Simple enough rules- right?

Resistant hair: No Match for Relaxers plus Length

 So everyone is familiar with the different hair types being Type 1 through Type 4 with subcategories of a, b, and c.  Now, let's take the discussion one step farther . . .  Resistant versus Non-resistant.  Someone with a Type 4c curl pattern may have a finer and less resistant behavior than another individual with a Type 4c curl pattern who has a coarser, more resistant behavior.  So both people can have similar curl patterns, but the texture of the strands may dictate its resistance behavior and shrinkage behavior.

 This miniature "slinky" represents a "resistant" hair type.  When elongated, it naturally wants to spring back into its original condensed form.  This "resistant" hair behavior is excellent for locking because it likes to coil around everything in its path.  Extensions, braids, etc.   However, to straighten or relax this type of resistant hair, the relaxer has to work very hard to soften the bonds to rearrange them not to behave in its natural behavior.  Sometimes a mild strength relaxer is not strong enough to straighten a resistant hair type, but the toxic dangers to the scalp remain the same.  Alopecia and thickening of the scalp can results from prolonged relaxer exposure in an attempt to straighten resistant hair.

To test your resistance of your natural hair, just pull a strand of elongated hair from your head or comb and  drop it in a clear cup of water.  If there is no product or oils on it, then you should be able to see the hair strand do one of two things.   1) Either it will very slowly start to coil and shrink within a few minutes or 2) it will quickly coil and shrink at the "speed of light" like in two seconds.

If it is "speedy" then the hair is resistant.  If it is "slow" to coil, then it is non-resistant.  Non-resistant hair can grow long with the use of mild relaxers, but it may be harder to lock because of potential unravelling.

Now, resistant, coarse hair, is very difficult to grow long using relaxers.  Locks will grow it long, but relaxer and other straightening services will become a battle between style and health.  If a person with resistant hair can manage to style their hair for 8 to 10 weeks at a time in between relaxer touch-ups, then long length is possible.  However, most women with resistant, coarse hair can not get past their hairline becoming kinky within the five weeks period.

Decisions, Decisions.  Food for thought for those sitting on the fence about what to do next with your hair.

Super Size Perm Rods

These perm rods have a diameters as large as 1.5 inches.  These sizes are probably ideal for longer Sisterlocks!   There are only six in a pack.

They are hollow inside and relatively light in weight.  The brown rods are the same size as the Ivory mesh rollers, and the Pink rods are the same size as the Red rollers - mesh or magnetic.  There is not an equivalent magnetic roller for the Ivory mesh roller nor the brown large perm rod pictured above.

These large rods would also be good for people with fine hair that have challenges with the regular rollers falling out.

Achieving a Bedhead Look with a Salon Finish on Fine Hair

Hair by Benita Blocker, hairstylist. Many of my clients do not like too "fixed" in place hair. They want a great haircut and to be able to finger in place and go.

Hair by Benita Blocker, hairstylist. My client here has fine hair with a Type 4c curl pattern. We can not use any heavy sprays that would weight down the strands. Also, because of her overcurly texture, we must relax about every 6 to 7 weeks. The Paul Mitchell Mild relaxer is the strongest relaxer we can use. Because her strands are fine; the mild strength is a preferred choice. We also found that demi-permanent color is too strong for fine, relaxed hair. Fine hair should not be double processed. Relaxer and a "squeeze bottle, no mix" semi-permanent color is all that can be used.

Hair by Benita Blocker, hairstylist. My client loves style so we try to maintain a great shape. We used the traditional blow-dry and marcel irons to complete this style. At night, she can wrap and moisturize lightly with products like Bee Mine Luscious Cream Moisturizer. Unwrap in the morning and pick through.

Hair by Benita Blocker, hairstylist. We also used Paul Mitchell Extra Body Hairspray (light hold) to make sure she maintains volume as the weather is getting hotter.

Review: Schwarzkopf Osis Dust It Mattifying Powder

After a fresh relaxer, have you ever felt that your hair is a little flat? Or do you have fine, oily hair? Any type of flat hair? Well, sprinkle some of this mattifying powder lightly into the roots where you want more volume, and then Voila! You have light control for styling ease without any weight nor any stickiness. Remember less is best! The "Dust It" powder comes out white but it becomes transparent as you finger tease.

Now guys! Do not feel left out! Do you have strong directional growth in the top of your head? Gels are overkill? Just sprinkle the "Dust it" lightly through the top; then finger spike! Voila! An edgy look without it looking wet.

Comparing FHI Heat Iron Literature: Old and New!

As discussed in a separate article in this blog, notice the temperature warnings for fine and chemically-treated hair? In this newer literature, the warning is at the beginning of the paragraph, right? Reminder: Chemically-treated means color treated or relaxed, etc.
This is a picture of older FHI Heat Literature. Look at the "Temperature Settings" paragraph. Notice the same warning? Notice that in this older literature, the fine and chemically-treated hair warning was in the middle of the paragraph? So the newer literature pictured above emphasizes their warning about the dangers to fine and chemically-treated hair by moving the statement to the first sentence. Were they becoming aware of the damage that was happening?
Look at item number 6. Notice that instructions say hair should glide through iron without pulling nor gripping? If you have curly hair, you are more than likely shutting the iron tight trying to get the curl out? If you are already straight and just want to control some frizz, then a lower temperature, some flat iron serum and a simple pass should do the trick. But for curly hair and fine hair, why spend over $100 for a hot tool that is not designed with the health of your hair in mind?

Ionic Flat Iron Literature Review: FHI Heat, Croc, Chi

FHI Heat's most recent literature now reads "fine and chemically treated hair" should only use the lowest settings. So why pay $200 to $375 for a flat iron that only should be used at low temperature settings? Chemically treated means "permanently colored" or "relaxed" hair or possibly "permanently straightened" hair i.e. Japanese straighteners. Also, sometimes fine hair with texture in it needs some higher temperatures to smooth out, but using this particular technology based on the warnings may not a good option. Please see my article(s) on "direct heat" technology that has been around for generations.
This Croc iron had a lot of fine print. I tried to focus on two of the most interesting warning statements.
Look at second paragraph after PRECAUTION and the five lines down. It says "not to be used within five to six weeks after perming or tinting." That sounds like "chemically treated hair" should beware. This is the brand "Croc" literature. Please see my article(s) on "direct heat" as a hair solution option.
Now, look at second paragraph PRECAUTION and four lines down. It says "not to use with anyone who has had allergic reactions to straightening solutions or cosmetic products." Is it possible that the emissions from the iron could trigger an allergic reaction? Again, this is the brand "Croc" literature.
This Chi Turbo literature line item #8 mentions not to operate the iron where oxygen is administered. This may be a common warning for all hot tools . . . curling irons included. It is good to revisit the topic.

So after my attendance to countless trade shows, hair shows, and hair classes, the platform artists showcase "a show" . . . with new style and energy without mentioning any "fine print." Read your hair tools' literature. If the literature is old, then go to the store and look at the newest literature on the same brand. It should have the most accurate warnings. Remember ionic flat irons are only 10 years old or less. Just like most technological advances, it takes years to get it ready for offering to the general public, and it takes even a few more years to fully perfect. A great example is the laser eye correction. That procedure has come a long way within 15 years.

Long, fine, relaxed, overcurly hair!

My client has fine, Type 4 hair. She has a fresh relaxer and fresh long layered haircut. (No hair extensions here!) Hair by Benita Blocker.
Fine hair does not need hair color to look great! Long Layered Haircut by Award winning Hairstylist Benita Blocker.