Safe Gray coverage on relaxed, type 4, resistant hair

As promised, a healthy solution to gray coverage on resistant, relaxed, type 4 hair. Also, those who have color allergies, consider this semi-permanent hair color option.

As stated in my previous article, gray hair /white hair is missing all colors. So all the primary colors need to be added back into it in order to get coverage and allow for the colors to cancel each other according to color theory.

I have chosen Nairobi TruColors Semi-permanent color for its intense pigment deposit. Also, they have a professional coloring guide to follow. In order to create a "Cognac" light brown color, I had to mix #4 Mahogany (reddish brown) with Marigold (yellow gold) as well as #2 Indigio (blue black). The percentage is mostly Mahogany followed by Marigold then Indigio as needed. Test the color mixture on a white paper towel, and you are ready to apply to resistant White hair.

There is no peroxide. There is no mixing with any activator nor lotion.

Dudley's Semi-permanent color line could also be used. I do not know the corresponding color names to achieve the same light brown color, but I do know that their semi-permanent haircolor does deposit a lot of color pigment as well.

For those who want Black semi-permanent color on their resistant, relaxed white hair but have found that the Nairobi color #1 Pure Black semi permanent haircolor only stains the hair. I am going to suggest using all three semi-permanent colors to cancel each other out therefore going dark. When you add medium heat, you should get a black color to deposit.

The individual bottles of Nairobi Tru Colors semi-permanent haircolor work great on pre-lightened hair such as bleached hair or on "sun kissed" hair. However, if you are fighting gray hair and need a corporate neutral black or brown, a medley of color bottles may need to be used.

Product Review: Hair Growth Serum with Sulfur

There are so many hair growth serums on the market, but this one by Bee Mine products is working!!!! I started using this growth serum on one of my clients that came to me with a male pattern baldness. Her hair has been populating for years now underneath the wigs, but over the last six weeks, I have applied the Bee Mine Products' Growth Serum with Sulfur and the population of new hair seems to be exponential.

We have been more pleased than ever. She has not had a relaxer in years. Also, she is NOT allergic to sulfur. I highly recommend this growth serum to those without relaxer in their hair that would like to maximize thickening.

In addition, this product does not have a strong odor like many sulfur based products. Also, the growth serum does come without the sulfur. Those receiving relaxer services should know that sulfur based products are not compatible with relaxers. You need a week or two before and after relaxer services if you want to use this growth serum with sulfur.

If you have fine hair, you may not like the weight of this product from a styling perspective. Also, the client that is benefiting from the growth serum only gets the serum applied once every two weeks. A little goes a long way! We sell this trial size in the salon.

A Mother's Choice: To Relax or To Lock?

Age 4 - started locks; Age 8 - "locks for life!" I wanted to share one mother's decision for her beloved daughter: (Pictures provided by Arynn's mother.)

I decided to lock Arynn's hair 4 years ago after prayer, careful consideration and much research. Arynn was born with a lot of tight curly hair that is extremely dense and thick. In addition to this, she was very tender-headed. I remember literally having to put Arynn in a headlock to do even simple styles and hope no one would call DSS from her crying at the top of her lungs. With so many strikes against me, I knew I was going to have to make a decision. 3 years prior to locking Arynn's hair I had decided to get sisterlocks and was loving them for many reasons. At the time, I only knew of one other child who had sisterlocks and hers were put in by her mother who was a sisterlock technician at the time. I tried blowing her hair out and even that was a task. I even straightened with the comb a couple of times but did not like the smell of dead, burned hair. Because of the long term and sometimes short term damage that results from perms, I knew that chemicals would not be an option from the beginning. I got lots of negative feedback from adults of both permed and natural hair (surprisingly) that Arynn was too young for sisterlocks, that it should be her decision, what if she wants to cut them out later, etc. I even when to napturality.com for insight. I had to do a heart check and take into consideration our family lifestyle, my husband's thoughts (he was on board from the very beginning), time management and hair management for myself and my daughter. Finally after talking at length with my consultant who agreed to actually lock Arynn's hair (other consultants did not want to even think about doing a 4 year old's hair due to the length of time, attention span, etc.) I knew sisterlocks were the way to go for us. 29 1/2 hours over 4 days later, Arynn had a beautiful head of sister locks. There have been no regrets and I still believe this was the best decision I could have made. Arynn loves her hair and can be found sashaying and swinging her hair in the mirror often. She loves the touch, look and length of her hair. Literally boys, girls, men and women of all colors have complimented her on her hair. It is literally a conversation piece and friends love playing in it.

The biggest negative we have experienced is that after going to an open house of a renown Christian private school, I was told that Arynn would not be able to attend the school with sisterlocks. When asked if that was discrimination, I was told "no" because they could pretty much make their own rules as a private school. This was prior to me deciding that I would home school her so peer pressure is non-existent in our world relative to the school side.

Hair is hair and it needs to be maintained regardless of natural or permed; so yes she has to be tightened and it does require a lot of time because she has sooooo many locks. I know other little girls with sister locks who are tightened in 3-4 hours (average time) every 4-6 weeks. In the beginning much care has to be taken with washing and banding of the hair so that the locks do not come out but after the "settle in" phase (which can take 4-6 months on the average) it's history! That is where sisterlock consultants come in. They are well trained and during your initial consultation everything from product to maintenance is covered. Sisterlocks have their own product line and special instructions, so the process is simple if followed closely. You want someone who is thorough and will answer all of your questions with patience because this is not a fad, its a lifestyle. I respect sisterlock consultants who have gone through the proper training and credentialing because truly it is an art. (Sisterlocks.com has an official SisterLock consultant registry.) Rosa Crawford (out of the Charlotte, NC area) is our Sisterlock consultant and can be found on the official website.

I believe that the trend toward natural hair has made locs of all types acceptable by people of all different cultures and races. Sisterlocks are seen on women in tv, commercials and corporately. Its healthy, beautiful and worth all the money that is invested into it. I would do it again and again. When I asked Arynn what she likes most about her locks, she simply smiles and says "everything mommy."

End of story . . . Benita, here again! I am so thankful that this mother shared her story with us! It brought back memories. I am tenderheaded to this day, and my hair was just ridiculous for my mother to manage. I wish SisterLocks was around thirty years ago, and that my mom would have gotten me started.

It is important to remember that a relaxer is permanent and has to be cut off to start over. Locks are permanent for the most part and have to be cut off to start over. So it is six one way and a half a dozen another way. Moms should not be afraid of sisterlocks for their daughter's hair. I personally want sisterlocks even smaller than the ones that Arynn has pictured above. I want micro Sisterlocks. I may have to travel to DC to get them! I will keep you posted. Until then . . . "Lock on!"

Achieving Gray coverage on Resistant White Hair

I learned a new way of getting excellent gray coverage in less time during my last Chi Hair color class for curl patterns Type 1 to Type 3. (Not for relaxed, Type 4 curl patterns.)

Most colorists already know that a "N" on the color tube stands for "neutral," and that it is necessary for gray coverage. So this information is not new. Thinking about how the neutral series relates to color theory may or may not be new, but let's review anyway!

So the "neutrals" contain all three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. White hair is missing all of these colors and therefore, the white hair must be filled. In addition, all three primary colors cancel out each other netting a darker color.

On resistant white hair, even after using the "neutral" color, I found that I was not getting great coverage. It seemed to fill the white strands but not cover it so I would have to finish the color service with a low-level demi-permanent color. So it was a two step process for resistant gray hair.

Then in the Chi Color class, the instructor mentioned adding an additional "warm" color to balance out the "coolness" of the White or Gray hair. So if you combine the level N plus a level "G" for gold, then "Voila" great coverage of resistant hair in ONE step! (i.e. less time!)

Reds or golds should both work depending on if your client is going for blonde or redhead. "Black hair color" typically would not need any secondary help for gray coverage.

Even my non-resistant gray clients can tell when I add an extra "gold" to the color formula. It gives a little lighter results, but great gray coverage. Many clients like lighter haircolor to soften the gray as the new growth starts to come in.

On a separate note, I have found that the "rinse water" from a color service seems to cause damage to hair extensions. The protective coating on the hair extensions can be broken down by products with alcohol as well as water with chemical residue in it. When I speak of "damage" to the hair extensions, it means causing it to tangle especially if longer lengths are being worn.

In addition, clients with relaxed, type 4c curl patterns should not use permanent color nor demi-permanent color. Use "No mix" colors only. I recently pre-mixed three semi-permanent color together and acheived a nice brown color that seems to absorb into the gray hair without any peroxide worries. Please stay tuned for another article for gray coverage on relaxed, type 4 hair. If you are a type 4 curl pattern without a relaxer, then permanent color and demi-permanent color is safe to use.

The Most Reliable Lace Front Adhesive: Ultrahold

It was October 2010 when I first wrote an article about Ultrahold adhesive. It is still the most dependable adhesive when you do not want a "hairpiece" to move.

Unfortunately, the product can expire. I had to revisit my own 2010 article because the "yellowish" larger bottle of Ultrahold adhesive pictured to the right had started to thicken up on itself. I was thinking the discoloration was a clue in its expiration, but based on my old article, the color does not tie in to expiration. The product was clear and still expired back in October 2010.

I just bought a newer but smaller size of the Ultrahold from EC Beauty in Charlotte, NC. It is pictured to the left. It is around $10 but I use it sparingly for client services so it should last for a good year.