The Newest Designer Drug > The " FLAT IRON "

Bottle the Blow

Trash the ...'-tini's '

Hang-up the Hooka. . .

Today's Tweeners are on a rampage and it's a bit more than 'hair raising' to say the least.

If nothing is done and soon,the last thing they will have left

is not their hair . . .

There is a new drug out there,

that is invading the lives of our daughters, girlfriends, sisters, nieces and for me: clients.

I am starting to consider the Flat Iron a Drug

( clarification : FLAT IRON is the proper term for what many refer to as an electrical hair

"straightener" within the professional world of hair: Flat Iron is the Proper Term)

That is a very big Statement: I do realize.

With the tremendous surge in Flat Iron sales in the past couple years, as is with all new "wonder drugs", we have abusers,addicts and a whole new crop of wild and out-of-control problems.

HAIR LOSS & Irreparable hair damage being the most poignant.

ts gotten to such a degree that I am about to call a couple magazines as I cannot reach the people that need to be reached in the infancy of this blog and I feel it that important to our youth.

I call it FIA...or Flat Iron Addiction.

So lets see who will get this important story out there.

I get a minimum of 12 letters every single day from girls that "cannot figure out why all their hair is breaking off ".. . . The weird part is they do not even put it together. . . the flat ironing and the breakage. But I guess a good addict doesn't know that next pipe hit is bad for them either. Part of my fascination comes from the amount of time they spend doing this one thing. Finally one 17 year old client who's hair went from absolutely demolished and breaking off to silky and thick in the course of only 60 days with 10,000HEADS....I was able to ask and get a decent response,

"how much time were you spending flat ironing?"

"4-5 hours she figured - it IS summer !"

I am not exaggerating here...... I asked her what she does with her time now....

She got a Job.

Please people we need to wake up to this little whirlwind we are all missing.

I see this as an OCD type of a problem . . . but I am not a therapist and that is not my expertise, I am merely here to point out the issue, so we can all start to watch for it.

For my contribution.... I am encouraging all of you to go back to the good ole blow dryer and brush.... and no need to do it every day....a couple days a week will be just fine.
Please, write me if you have concerns at all in this arena...for anyone.

Please know I am not trying to be a nag. Remember my Tag Line,

"I care about your hair" and I do ...truly care.

Yesterday I had one of my old regular clients stop by, her hair was horrendous.Just horrendous. I take this hair thing so serious that it makes me ill.. for the remainder of the day when I see someone in clinic with hair like this. I know its only going to get worse unless she changes a few things and fast. The really sad part? She is 26. 10 years ago this was not happening and especially not at that age.

I had to put her on the most strictest of programs and she was upset...and now I know why I haven't seen her in a while. I am merely trying to help and prevent all of you from having to go through what I see is going to be a HUGE problem very very soon.

The mission of my 3 Blogs is to share and relay the information of one of the top Hair Experts in the country with the public in 2 main areas. My goal is to reach most of America and share with them the knowledge of how to color their hair . . .just the same as if they were "baking a cake". There has never been any guidance or release of knowledge or book guiding women of America on how to care for the color of their hair. Not everyone has access to $250. highlights and I propose to change that and make thorough, accurate hair color advice and education available to those who want to learn.

Hair Color Kits Destroy hair, there is no way they can put in one box kit the proper ingredients. Hair Color is a science and chemistry just like cooking is. It is no harder than cooking,...it just has never been taught or a book written and produced for the women and men of America. If one Hair color book was written with the basic rules and laws included there would be thousands of women able to color their hair at home - correctly. (There are plenty of women that will still want to have a Colorist do it for them and plenty of tricks only they can do... just like a master Chef.)

But the 'basics of hair coloring just like "cooking" should be made available to the general public of America.

My last goal with the blogs will be to attempt to solve, slow down or even stop all the Hair loss I see running rampant in this country. I've always seen it in men....but never this young and this pronounced. The amount of women popping up with it now...would blow every single person reading this away. I see it everyday and still can not and WILL NOT get "used to it"..especially when I know I can make a difference.

Killer Chemist

Back to the Good Ole Days of Blow Drying ! . Attention FIA (Flat Iron Abusers)

We are going to take a small DETOUR for a Post here and layout one of the most neglected yet important 10 Steps you've paid attention to in a long time.

Blow Drying.

I am starting to consider the Flat Iron a Drug. ( clarification...FLAT IRON is the proper term for what many refer to as "straighteners"...within the professional world of hair: Flat Iron is the Proper Term)

That's a big statement I know.

With the tremendous surge in Flat Iron Sales in the past couple years, as is with all new "wonder drugs" , we have abusers and addicts and a whole new crop of wild and out-of-control problems. HAIR LOSS being the most poignant. Its gotten to such a degree that I am about to call a couple magazines as I cannot reach the people that need to be reached in the infancy of this blog and I feel it that important to our youth.

So lets see who will get this important story out there. For my contribution.... I am encouraging all of you to go back to the good ole blow dryer and brush.... and no need to do it every day....a couple days a week will be just fine.

Please, write me if you have concerns at all in this arena...for anyone . . . Please know I am not trying to be a nag.

Promise.

I had an old client pop in yesterday, 26 years old and her hair..... it was horrendous. I am just very conerned about your hair and especially being as she IS ONLY 26....I had to put her on the most strictest of programs and she was upset...and now I know why I haven't seen her in a while. I am merely trying to help and prevent all of you from having to go through what I see is going to be a HUGE problem very very soon.

s always...I CARE ABOUT YOUR HAIR. period.

Top 10 ways to keep blow dried hair looking shiny and healthy

10.) The finish is as important as the drying time. Seal the hair by turning the dryer on ‘cool’. Never leave the hair warm – it won’t last 10 minutes that way.

9.) If you invest in a great cut, the time you spend with the blow dryer in hand will not only be less, it will be more rewarding and the end will result will make you like a pro. Try asking for a blow dry lesson to be included with the price of the cut.

8.) When using a finishing product to hold your style – spray it on the brush first. This makes sure the hair won’t be over loaded and lets the hair shine through.

7.) Do not use a conditioner after your shampoo, that step was manufactured by the shampoo companies. The proper routine? Shampoo and only if needed….a spray leave-in detangler. A daily conditioner just weighs hair down and produces product build-up. Keep product use light, no more than 2 at every given blow dry, 1 is even better.

6.) Hair needs to be 70% dry for blow dry to begin. Shake out excess water after shower, rough dry until 2/3 of water is out. Over using a hair dryer can rob the hair of moisture, leaving hair dry & brittle.

5.) “Heat” remains the single #1 enemy to the health of hair, most don’t realize this. Blow drying ONLY until the hair is dry, alternating between hot and cool temperatures as you go through each section remains important for the health of the hair.

4.) Choose your brushes carefully, the longer the hair the bigger the brush. Axe the heat retaining brushes (metal) they add to the frizz and dryness. Boar Bristle brushes are the best, there is a reasonably priced line of brushes that will make your life easy called Marilyn, check out our website for some wonderful brushes!
 

3.) If you’re not using a silicone serum to coat the hair you will contribute to the frizz factor, there are a million and one out there but you must read the label…if it has alcohol in the formula you are defeating the purpose. Silicone Serums range from light to heavy!

2.) The hair dryer itself makes a real difference especially with the new IONIC and Tourmaline models on the market. IONIC utilizes ceramic technology, which will leave your hair healthy, silky with natural shine and manageability. Plus super fast drying time, the higher price tag is because they really do, work. Save your $$, ask for a birthday gift, watch for sales. It will last a couple years and the time it will cut off of your blow dry time and the shine in the finish makes it all worth while .

1.) The most important tip for blow drying? Sectioning the hair. Seem silly? Take a couple extra minutes to section hair into at least 4 sections if not 6. This will help in avoiding bumps and ridges in the end finish. Begin with the back section first, get it out of the way so you don’t get tired & give up before its done, remember the ‘back’ of your hair is what more people see than any other.

Killer bonus trick:

They have what I call “rearview” mirrors for the bathroom, Bed Bath and Beyond refers to them as a wall mount swivel mirror, they run from $29. to $99. Mount one on your bathroom wall; it will afford you the freedom of blow drying the back of your hair while also being able to look at what you are doing! It helps in the final outcome and you will find the mirror has many other uses as well (magnification mirror for eyebrow plucking, make-up application for poor sight, added bonus) .

1st COLOR FORMULATION - explanation

you are a level 4 brown..... and want to be a level 7....blond.
The difference between the level you are at... and the level you want hypothetically be is 3 levels.....
if you use a level 7 color will you achieve the desired result?

NO NO NO! You must use a color that accounts for the difference between your natural level and the level you want to be...
A level 10 color is the correct choice....however using as level 10 which contains only pale yellow dyes, will not keep the orange in a level 7 from showing through. I would use a Level 10 Neutral/Ash/Matt.....in the line I use I have dozens of tones.....and that's why i like it.. I would mix equal parts of 10N with 10M with 10 A.... and that brassiness would be eliminated. If needed it can be toned with a semi perm ASH BROWN....which will also
kill that brassiness.

Please take a look at FIGURE 2.4....this chart should be printed out -- keep it next to where ever you are keeping your color. Its a very handy little chart...I had to memorize all of this from trial and error it was not nearly this organized....back in the day!!

Lucky You......

Lots of you are writing me and I am very pleased with how well some of you are absorbing the material......and asking me "proper" questions.

I guess this was a good idea.

Some are quoting the LEVELS like an old Pro - very refreshing to hear....know that it inspires me and moves me that you are interested enough to try to learn this - - - its not easy -- I take that back.....it IS EASY; its just very 'foreign' to most......and has never been done out in "public" before.

so Thank you...

I hope to keep going, get better and for sure > more organized.

KC

Our First Test Case - Hair Color Example Case

OK here we go Jo..............See this hot ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ photo up there ? ? ? ? That is RIBBONS of lights.... I just call them ribbons, my clients all have ribbons...its a very common term here in weirdo california. . . . . how nice are they? cool, huh? know why? The color on this girl is our goal FOR YOU, and it isn't hard. Why is this such a great idea for your hair????
~No Regrowth ~ Contrast is dynamic ~Cheap
~Do it Yourself ~ Lasts a long-long-long time!
NOTHING LOOKS BETTER...............NOTHING.......its my fav hair technique. I'm giving to you, when the 'girls' show up...
I've come up with a new way to truly-honestly-completely display to you how to do the ribbon lights around the face that I can't wait to show you. What we want to learn is how to put a cool dozen blond ribbon lights around the face. We want them light enough...not too light....We want them scattered not one after another tightly knit...We want them Blonde not YELLOW not ORANGE..... just a beautiful light sunkissed blond.
BUT...........in order for there not be any questions I have come up with a solution before the problem arises...I ordered a few human hair mannequins..I get them from back east....I tried it on a human model........it didn't work.
Its a long stupid story, we're going with mannequins. This will rock I promise. Any day now....because I can't wait to do these with and for you. Its a breeze. Get your supplies. Be ready to go when I get the "girls"... I've given you the list.  Foils, comb, tint brush, tint bowl, yada yada, peroxide and bleach. Now, don't ditto me....as I bought a small yahoo of bleach. It is totally going to be a self sufficient - do-it-yourself whup-de-do. The one precursor here is this......IF you have never EVER colored your hair before....and have completely VIRGIN hair... AND It is a LEVEL 7,8 or 9... you can accomplish those Ribbons with a Blond highlift and/or a blond tint, which is (yes) not as damaging to the hair. BUT....BUT think about this.... you are putting 12 dinky little foils in your hair.... that small amount of hair color will not do enough damage to even blink at, I wouldn't bother. But if you really want to give it a go. Go ahead and purchase a tube of LEVEL 12 HIGHLIFT ASH...( why Ash? use your color wheel.... what color is ash? Ash=Green/Blue tones...... What color is Green opposite from on the color wheel? That's how it works.....you want to SQUASH a color in your hair color? Go across from it on the color wheel. I will throw a color wheel on the page for you to gander at. Yellow is a common mistake in hair color especially blondes, if you your hair is pulling Yellow and want to get rid of it......where do you go? Violets?

Right? Think of some of those violet rinses and shampoos you see for the Gray hair's.... see why? Gray hair has a strong tendency to pull lots of YELLOW....its your Grandma's biggest problem in life. "Yellowish - Gray hair" Lavender conditioner knocks it into next year!

Back to you....why would you think buying an ASH High Lift Blond would be my first choice for you without even knowing your hair color? (I didn't ask).... ash toned high-lift blond 'counteracts' any REDs/ORANGE in the blond. If you're Hispanic,Asian, pretty much any ethnic base....you have tons of red/orange in your hair.....fighting it is the hardest job.

Most of people have brown or black hair, very few people have light hair. As a busy Colorist one reaches for ASH colors across the board more than any other tone. Which probably seems odd to you, I watch new Colorists they think "I want rich warm golden blond - I never want to use ash blonds....green?blues? yuk!

What you are doing is "countering" the offensive colors....and although you are not using in that one little dumb tube of Color something that says" warm golden blond " you want a warm blond you do not want an Orange blond...... I promise you...... and that is what you are creating by using the ASH blond. if you can just start absorbing this a "little" bit...you are on your way to understanding the PRO way of COLORING Hair.

HERE IS YOUR FIRST TEST CASE>

Lets see how you do.

The color you PREFER to be is: Level 7

Your hair's NATURAL color is: Level 4.

( PRINT the chart out and put it on your fridge so it gets emblazoned on your brain)

Did you figure it out?

Now come on, I have people emailing me all the time and wanting the answers to their individual hair color questions, which I love & adore to do DO NOT get me wrong...BUT wouldn't you feel better about yourself if you could figure it out yourself? Its a teeny bit of math and a dash of common sense. Up till now no one has given the rules out -- so it seemed like some big mystery.

Guess what? It isn't ! I hope to bust that open, here and soon.

OK. let me explain it.

Subtract the natural color from the Level you want to be ( or your friend, client or dog!)

Add the difference to the preferred color Level .This will give you the proper color Level to use to achieve the desired results.

Add the difference to the preferred Color Level. This will give you the proper color level to use to achieve the desired results.

Preferred level of Color......................... Level 7 Blond

Natural Level of Color(subtract)........... (-) Level 4 Brown

Difference = 3 LEVELS



Preferred level of Color......................... Level 7 Blond

Difference (add)..................................... + 3 Levels

Level to Use.................................... = Level 10 Blond

The level of Color is a Level 10 blond

(with a blue base)or the orange{remaining pigment} will show through.

( Refer to Fig. 2.2 - tomorrows post + the thorough explanation) Think about it. Go back Review. Is this answer right?

Bits & Pieces : Learn To Formulate Hair Color

Here are bits and pieces to help with Tuesday's Post and your first HAIR COLOR FORMULATION problem

Try the first Formulation quiz

You are a Level 4

and you desitre to be a Level 7