What does $500 USD worth of hair look like?

The picture of the receipt shows $498.73 hairstylist cost. Yes, $500 hair in US dollars. Beautiful isn't it? One ounce of color #2 bodywave, two ounces of color #4 bodywave, and one ounce of color #1b straight. (Listed from left to right)

This is first cut hair. Please see my other articles. There is no splitting the weft because you can see that the hair is bent over and sewn. There is no mistaking which side is up. There is no doubling up needed. A single weft has good fullness. There is no need to order excessive lengths because the hair is full from the top to the bottom.

Are you worried about your hair being too yaky to match this hair? This hair is thick and full, and it is not silky straight. It has a "Kim Kardashian" look and feel to it. For those with kinky hair, a serious hair relaxer will need to be applied to smooth out your own texture to blend with this first cut hair.

This hair is designed to last six months to a year. Because we plan to reuse this hair over and over again, we put as few cuts as possible in this hair. Not too many cuts through the weft; not too much length removed.

It comes in thick, white tissue paper inside a box. There is no binder strings to snip. There is no excessive packaging and unwrapping to keep up with.

You can tell this hair is custom picked, wefted and delivered.

It is easy to curl even at low heat settings. This hair is human hair originating from individual ponytails. This hair is too expensive to use glue nor any type of adhesive to apply extensions. Interlock sew-in or traditional cornrow sew-in are the best application methods for this high-end hair. The quality of the hair is undeniably good!

Product Review: Nairobi Texturizing Styling Lotion

Nairobi Texturizing Styling Lotion is a concentrate. It has to be diluted with water to be used as a setting lotion. If the client has color-treated or highly porous hair, then use 4 to 5 parts water to 1 part of this concentrate. You do not want the hair to over absorb ("suck up") too much of this concentrate in its pure form or the client's hair may dry "hard as a rock." Hard hair can mean snap, crackle, and POP! (i.e. breakage from a roller set)

For a crunchy to firm roller set on normal, healthy hair, then 2 or 3 parts water to 1 part concentrate.

The rule of thumb, more water than concentrate.

I just started back using the setting lotions for the winter. I had an older bottle of the Nairobi texturizing styling lotion. I felt that it seemed weaker than what I remembered so I bought a fresh bottle. So professional of me right? Yes. As I suspected the old bottle that I had in storage had become more runny. Also, the consistency of the liquid was thinner and when shaken, the liquid produced much more foam as you can see from the picture.

Again, this proves that if you buy products on clearance, then only buy products that you have used before. That way you truly know if it is expired or not. Expiration dates are not posted on bottles in general. So if you are trying something new, ask about the product turnover at the store. If they are constantly restocking a product, then more than likely it is fresh product unless you are talking about some retailer like Walmart that can order a "ton" of something at a discounted bulk rate at one time then distribute out as needed throughout the whole year to its various different stores.

Anyway, this Nairobi lotion concentrate offers versatile usage depending on the amount of water added. This lotion is a good buy, and it delivers a nice shine!

Stylists: if you take an empty spray bottle, pour the concentrate to about a 20% point or one fifth point, then add water to the top. You should be "in business." Enjoy!

Dimethicone: A Source of dry hair?

Have you ever purchased a lightweight oil and fell in love with the smell and the smoothness that it delivered to the hair without it weighing the hair down? Do you remember after a few months of regular use that your hair seemed to be getting dry?

Remember the brand names like Moroccan Oil, Agadir Oil, Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil?

Well, they all list dimethicone as their second ingredient.

Dimethicone is a silicone. After years of silicones being actively used in the hair industry, it has been concluded that they instantly smooth hair, but over time can cause hair to become dry and dull. So you stop using them . . . Right?

Can you imagine long-term silicone use plus ionic flat iron use? You got it! Dryness and breakage. Many stylists were using only silicone based products as protection. The clients' hair was looking great going out of the salon door, but everyone knows "everything that shines is not always gold."

So let's talk about what to look for? Based on my experience with various different silicones and serums, I have this rule of thumb: If "dimethicone" is the second ingredient in the list, then it is a "no-no" for my clients and I. However, if the serum has "dimethiconol" (instead of dimethicone) as a second ingredient, then I am okay with it. Pureology Shinemax had dimethiconol as the second ingredient listed, and I still like this product. I have not seen the drastic drying effects that the dimethicone products seemed to cause.

Also, if the product has a phenyl trimethicone next to the dimethicone (3rd ingredient), it seems to be okay.

I just purchased the L'oreal Silicone Free Taming Serum. According to the reviews, it should be a good home use option at half the cost of those dimethicone based oils.

For those who have coarser hair, Mizani's Supreme oil is GREAT and no dimethicone. However, let me be clear, the Mizani Supreme oil is too heavy for fine hair and/or thin hair.

Wondering about the shine sprays? As long as they are used at the finish, then they should seal your moisture in.

Those with oily scalps and straight hair should use a first cut boar bristle brush and re-distribute the oils from your scalp through your hair ends. Those who have curlier hair or normal to dry scalp, should add a moisture hairdress every day.

Bee Mine Luscious Cream Moisturizer has been a great daily moisture boost. Please see my article on it.

Mr. John's Hair Clinic of Detroit, Michigan

A client originally from Detroit, Michigan told me about this business. She says that they have an assembly line. During the hair pressing service, three pressing combs are being rotated in and out with a wet sponge to test the pressing combs prior to silkening the hair. My client says they are listening for a certain sound to determine if the pressing comb has cooled down enough.

According my own separate Internet research, the "salon" does not offer any relaxers nor haircolor. They also make some of their own products that they use in the salon.

They focus on straightening natural hair with old school pressing methods.

I did not find an official website for this business, and the main phone number listed is no longer in service.

The "salon" had high recommendations from the hair forums on the web from 2008. They were charging between $45 and $65 per person. The economy changes may have shut them down. The hair industry in North Carolina was already dipping for years.

Anyone considering hair styling as a new career should re-think their decision unless they are willing to operate on pure passion.

But back to Mr. John's Hair Clinic . . . closed or not; it seems to be noteworthy enough for an article on my blog.

Four weeks Follow-up

Well, my new growth was back in full force. I was beginning to rake through the ends to avoid the comb getting stuck in my roots and popping my hair out. (i.e. avoid breaking because of the two texture differences) Women with kinky hair know what I am talking about! Please see third picture posted here.


Yes! It was four weeks and three days since my last touch-up. The Viviscal tablets really work! Just one a day! I discontinued them for about two days because I knew that I was planning to relax my hair again.

Pictured is one "before the relaxer touch-up" picture to show how my roots (i.e. new growth) were controlling my whole hairstyle. The rest of the pictures were taken after the regular strength touch-up.

This time, I used the True Indulgence regular strength relaxer. It did fine. I did roller set my hair, but my roots still buckled a little. I had to go back in with hot irons to smooth and shine. I still do not think that I got as straight as my original exposure to the True Indulgence relaxer. Of course, I had been experimenting with so many relaxation services back then that I was already a little texturized. My new growth is just going to be resistant.

So far I am still pleased with my progress. I trimmed very little this relaxer time. Because I am gaining length, I really am feeling more pressure to find another hairstylist that can perform my touch-ups properly without getting too much on my ends. I pre-protect my ends but still I do not want anyone being too sloppy with the relaxer application. Otherwise, I can keep performing my own relaxer touch-up service. We shall see!

On one separate note, I did experiment with one of the ceramic flat irons that I bought. The principle is this: if you can run a hot curling iron along the hair or hairline to straighen or silken the hair without clasping onto it, then the flat iron utilizing "direct heat" not infrared/indirect heat should essentially serve the same purpose. I did not turn the flat iron up hot enough to silk out my hair so I had to go back in later with the marcel irons. The ceramic flat iron still makes me nervous even though I believe that it is okay to use. Anyway, I also need to check my setting lotion. It may have weakened over time which can mess up my roller set results.

My next touch-up service will be mild strength. I do not want to use regular strength every four weeks. If I continue self-relaxing, I will probably stick with mild strength. I beared through the same touch-up frequency with the mild. Plus, I have under 3 inches of length in my back, and I do not want overlapping to cause me issues months down the road.