Guess Who's Chair Hopping?

HINT:  It's no longer the customers!

Can you believe it?  The customers are now complaining that

1. Their hairstylists keep relocating.
2. The salons are closing.
3. The hairstylist work hours have become too limited.

My salon has been opened for going on ten years.  I am now attracting more and more clients because they want a hairstylist that

1. works full-time as a hairstylist
2. has flexible hours, days and nights
3. plans to remain open for ten more years.
4. attends continuing educational classes to stay ahead on the latest trends.

I literally am booking clients at 7:30pm, 8:30 pm, and on special occasions, 9:30pm at night.  I have to start my day later as to NOT burn out by the end of the night.  

Times are changing.  Clients are now looking for stable hairstylists in 2014.  

Praise God that my appointment book seems to stay steady with an occasional wait list.  I'm happy to have endured to reap the harvest!

A Hair Shaking Shout-out!

I purposely did not speak in this video.  I am still testing video functionality on this blog.

(I had just did a partial tightening using hand interlocking .  My hair is dry versus wet.)

Two years loc anniversary coming up at the end of this month!  

Ten year salon anniversary coming up in August of this year.

This blog also turns five years old this August.  

I decided AGAINST publishing a book on hair because too many people are writing books on hair.  

 But I am considering vlogging on youtube!

So please continue to stay tuned! 

and

Thank you for following me!

7/19/2014 Update:  My youtube channel is born:  

In case video does not work, here's the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QpWQLqGNQA&index=1&list=UUQFrkMISufjQ7oedlaEL6dA

Hair Cuticle Erosion and Scalp Abrasion

Have you noticed that your hairstylist wears vinyl gloves when applying chemicals such as relaxers, perms, haircolor, smoothing treatments, etc?

When you are doing serious household cleaning, do you put on gloves?

The answers to both of these questions is probably - YES!

So what protects your scalp which is a living organ?  The "Vaseline" based protectant?

Hmm, got you thinking?

FACT:  If your scalp is exposed to chemicals on a regular basis, then it will eventually increase sensitivity to the chemical causing temporary abrasions and possibly even permanent scalp scarring.

So if you start relaxing a child's hair at age five, then if she gets scarring in her scalp in the form of bald spots by age 16 - then who is to blame?

FACT:  Some people's hair buckles up at the root, and others' hair grows away from the root.  Hair that buckles at the root typically forces the relaxer chemical to come in direct contact with the scalp.  Whereas people with less resistant hair typically get minimal exposure of the relaxer coming in extended contact with the scalp.

So if your aunts and female ancestors have a lot of  "resistant kinky" hair, then you may see some hair thinning or hair loss in your blood line.  It is NOT because of "bad blood!"  It is solely because the buckling of kinky, resistant hair requires relaxer touch-ups more often for control, but this increased frequency also increases the scalp's exposure to the chemicals.  Over time this vicious cycle would cause hair loss in anyone regardless of race.

Now, lets tackle "Hair Cuticle Erosion."  What is hair cuticle erosion?  Well, similar to land erosion, the hair shaft is being "chipped" away or damaged.  Eventually, damaged hair needs to be cut off if it does not break off first.

So what causes the erosion of the hair cuticle?

1. Hot irons at too hot of a temperature for fine or medium hair.
2. Lightener/Hair Bleach and Color Remover to correct color.
3. Overlapping Permanent Haircolor too many times.
4. Using the wrong hairbrush to blow-dry hair.
5. Using a pure protein treatment on the same day as a relaxer. (Remember damaged hair can be soft hair.)
6. Byproducts left in the hair from "No lye" relaxers.
7. Double processing hair.  (relaxer plus permanent haircolor or perm plus permanent haircolor)

As far as smoothing treatments go, the flat ironing of the hair can cause more cuticle erosion than the actual "smoothing solution" being applied.

Hair cuticle erosion is not the "end of the world."  All hair is DEAD that is why you do not feel it when the scissors cut it, but cut into your scalp - it's living - you will feel that.

FACT: Hair will grow back as long as the scalp is healthy.  So damage your scalp, and you are DOOMED!

Damage your hair - just trim away and discontinue anything that caused the previous damage.

Well, it's just as simple as that!

Your Guide to Naturalista's in 2014

The Original Naturalista
The Original Naturalista goes back and forth between heat straightening and "wash and go" styling.  She may have a partial head of color highlights for style enhancement, but she does NOT color her full head.  She does not have any permanent chemicals in her hair besides the optional partial head of highlights.  She may get smoothing treatments which temporarily coats her hair for weeks at a time to control frizz.  Race and curl pattern are both irrelevant.  She will use a "curl care" product line for her "wash and go" styling.  She can be one of the original "press and curl" enthusiasts.

The Organic Naturalista
The Organic Naturalista does not use any permanent chemicals.  No haircolor. Little to no heat styling.  She typically eats an organic diet.  She only uses organic products and oils in her hair.

The Neo-Naturalista
The Neo- Naturalista is that wants her hair to have a consistent, neat natural look regardless of the weather change or climate.

1. She may get her relaxer touch-ups on a regular basis and flat twists her hair for a controlled "twist-out" look.  
2. She may use high-lift permanent color as a texturizer to loosen her curl pattern all over. 
3. She may get a body wave or soft curl chemical to achieve a natural look.

The Commercially Integrated Naturalista
The commercially integrated Naturalista keeps her hair covered by integrating braids, weaves, and/or wigs. She may be an undercover "Organic Naturalista" or a "Neo Naturalista."

I am an Organic Naturalista in regards to my own locs. If I add some color highlights to my locs, then I would become an original Naturalista.

Which Naturalista are you?

Unleashing Avlon's Texture Release!

 If you are ready to come out of the relaxer or the thio based body wave (Wave Nouveau, etc), then Avlon's Texture Release system may be perfect for you!

In my opinion, it is a "cousin" to the "Diva Smooth" process (separate blog article) and healthier than those keratin smoothing treatments.

It is a temporary curl elongation.  It is a hair filler that is heat activated and offers you wash n`go styling or just frizz-free straightness for up to about 10 weeks depending on the hair type.  My salon (Applebaum Salon) now offers this service.  The pictures in this article are from my training class.

 Avlon's Texture Release system is a Nano Technology. There is NO formaldehyde NOR any type of aldehyde deriative.  There are no fumes as you flat iron.  It has NOT been tested on children.  So this system like any other hair chemical is for those past puberty.

The two models have been shampooed and dried.  Their hair texture is VERY SOFT.  Their curl pattern is a Type 4, but they do NOT have resistant hair.

 Color correction or any color services should be done a week after this Texture Release service to avoid fading your color or removing the color.  The lotion should not be applied to the scalp but if the scalp comes in contact with the product then it is not life threatening.

 The blow dry service is what starts the activation of this system.  The client has to be blown dry first then they can be re-wet for a wash and go styling or "hot ironed" for straighter results.

 When re-wetting the blown dry hair, allow the curl memory to come back.  It may take a little longer to curl up, but it will start to wave in about five or 10 minutes.

There is a Curl, Shape and Shine Cream for "wash and go" styling which was used section by section to crunch this model for final styling.

The other longer haired model at the beginning of this article was flat ironed at 400 degrees with 2 to 3 passes of the flat iron.

I am really excited about this product. It is double the price of the relaxer service, but it qualifies as a healthier version of the smoothing treatments on the market.

I will try to post more feedback from my own clients as I get more people on the system.