Will my head shape look good in a wig?

Wondering if your have the right head shape to wear a wig? The weather can be unpredictable. High humidity, rain, sweat can all put a damper on a fabulous hair day. So if you are in a bind for time and want to look great, then do you wonder if a wig is an option that you can embrace to save the day? The way to answer this question is to determine if you have a flat head or not. If you get a book balanced on top of your head, then determine if the book actually touches your front hairline or is there a gap between the book and your hairline. If there is a gap, then more than likely your forehead slopes down, and a full wig will NOT be a good fit.

Actress Diahann Carroll is a perfect example of a headshape that does not conform to the typical lacefront wig. Half wigs are a better option for this headshape/forehead shape. With the half wigs, one wears their own hairline out. If you worry about the weather and your own texture matching the half wig, then you can opt for a wig with a bang. The bang could be a "swoop bang" or a "whispy bang." The bangs help compensate for the gap from the hairline to the forehead dropoff point. Also, people with this "gap" headshape will find their side profile pictures flatter them more than head on photographs. They also will find that the traditional ponytail look without a bang is not a good "bad hair day" option.

So if the book does touch your hairline, then your head is flat enough to wear a full wig. In the picture at the top of this article, ignore the bang. You can see that her forehead versus the "top of her head" has a nice 90 degree dropoff. The book lays flat on her head touching her hairline. She is a perfect candidate for a wig. Pictured here is a wig stand. Do you get the same idea?
Almost any wig would go on natural looking without much effort with a head shape like this. So a flat, straight, vertical forehead means "wig ready." A big, bulging, curved forehead is not a natural candidate for a traditional wig.

Easter 2011: No Rush!

I wished that I knew the hair artist for this hairstyle!!!! This is fantasy hair! The artist put a lot of time and thought in this creation. As a fellow hair artist, I appreciate it. Those who criticize it should try to duplicate it. It is not easy to do. On a more humorous note, this hairstyle is "seasonal" and likely not to be showcased by the conservative soul.

On a separate note, Easter 2011 was a failure as far as hair service revenues. There was no rush. There was no overflow. Why? Could it be that gasoline prices are around $4.00 per gallon? Could it be that income taxes were due? Could it be that people decided to go to the beach for Spring Break to save some money? Could it be that Easter fell too close to Mother's day this year? Could it be that people are not socializing as much because of the gas prices? Could it be that people are embracing their natural texture? Could it be that people just want to keep it simple? Or could it be that Prom is coming up too? I do not know all the reasons, but the hair industry as a whole is not a lucrative business anymore.

High end services such as hair color, hair extensions, keratin treatments, and hair replacement services are going for "cheap!" People are even doing these services at home without the aid of a licensed professional. In some cases, the results achieved at home may be as good as going to the salon.

There is the terminology of "working hard" and "working smart." I think the hair industry used to be where you could work smart. Now, it seems that stylists across the board are working hard to retain current clients, attract new clients, and still maintain a work/life balance.

With more experience, one would hope to make more money. The hair industry just seems to be an exception at this time. There are other industries out there that are suffering from automation and change in spending habits. Examples: Blockbuster Video, Borders Books, photography and pre-press.

Staying on top of innovation is important and staying ahead of the curve. I am dedicated to the hair industry, but just like any "starving artist," I can see how hairstylists may be forced to find ways of working in the hair industry without standing behind the chair.

Relaxer steps: Conditioner or Shampoo first?

Avlon products started the concept of conditioning the hair right after the relaxer is rinsed out. Avlon is the makers of Affirm and Fiberguard Affirm relaxer systems. Mizani followed in Avlon's success with their Mizani Butter Blend Relaxer System. The concept of conditioning the hair while the hair cuticle is still open sounds good in theory, but notice the pH of the Sustenance Fortifying Treatment pictured here . . . it is at 4.5. It is hard for the hair that is still at an elevated pH level to accept the lower pH "conditioner." So many hairstylist sit clients under the dryer trying to get the conditioner to absorb better. On a different note, what if the relaxer residue would not rinse completely clean from the hair? Water and oil do not mix. Sometimes the relaxer client has an oily scalp, and there may be too much base in the hair. Conditioning the hair with relaxer residue still in the hair is not good especially when you know that a pH of 4.5 is designed to start shutting the hair cuticle. Hairdressers are human. If your stylists is double and triple booked, she is moving quickly from one head to another. Let's not forget that hairstylists get tired and sometimes hungry. Hairstylists are not machines so there are so many variables that could result in different results with each visit. Sometimes the clients' regimen at home could change as well. Weather changes can mean hair changes. My point is that there is nothing exact about a salon visit. I recommend shampooing after rinsing the relaxer out. Okay. There is an exception to every rule . . . Paul Mitchell is that exception.
Pictured is Paul Mitchell's Super Strengthener In process treatment. According to Paul Mitchell's customer service, the pH is from a 9 to 10. It absorbs instanteously without heat and at such an elevated pH, it is NOT trying to shut the hair cuticle down. It is the only conditioning treatment that I trust to use after rinsing a relaxer out and before a shampoo. Even if there is relaxer residue left in the hair (hoping not), but if so, the pH of the hair remains elevated until shampooing. There is still another conditioning process after the shampooing as well. Two conditioning steps instead of one. Please see my separate articles on Paul Mitchell Relaxer System.

Ceramic Tools Review: 2.25" Flat Iron

To achieve this style, I blow dried with a round brush and flat ironed with the Ceramic Tools 2.25" flat iron pictured below. I still used some hair polish and hair spray as well.
The model number of this flat iron is CTFI293. According to the customer service representative(April 2011), the ceramic plates on this tool are designed to reflect ions. So there is some ionic emissions surrounding this iron, but there is NOT a separate ionic technology present that the newer flat irons have. This Ceramic Tools iron has adjustable temperatures from 1 to 25. I had to turn this iron to about the 18 to 20 range to get the mannequin hair this sleek. Again, I used finishing products to seal the deal. The Customer Service representative said they no longer make this iron. She had to dig through hard manuals for the information because her computer database only had a brief description.

I am highlighting this iron because I feel that this ceramic iron is less damaging than the newer flat irons. Please see my other articles on flat irons.

Hydracap Review: Shrink wrap for deep conditioning!

I found the hydracap in a Sally's Beauty Supply store. I am a "sucker" for new stuff especially when it has nothing to do with a chemical. So four hydracaps come in this package which runs around $4.00. So about a dollar per shrink wrap . . .
So this is how the hydracap looks out of the package.
This is the hydracap after using with one of my long hair clients. It definitely caught the attention of the other clients . . . Stylists: you know anything that gets attention means . . . anyway, back to my review. (LOL!) The hydracap worked fine. The client thought it was interesting and wanted to know if I felt that it made a difference in her hair. In my opinion, no. There was no difference in the conditioning results surrounding her hair than with any other regular processing cap.

I have a few more ideas surrounding these hydracaps for salon usage . . . maybe use them for flat wraps? This shrink wrap plastic is thicker than "Saran Wrap" and the regular processing caps. I have three more to experiment with to see if I will buy another pack.

Moms, if the hydracap gets the children excited about deep conditioning at home, then it may be worth the four dollars.