Silicone Sucks In Implants : Shines Bright on Frizz Hair Problem

FLATTEN THAT FRICKEN

 FRIZZY HAIR

- Part 2 in 5 Part Series
One of the life altering moments in the world of ethnic and frizzy hair care came when “SILICONE’S were introduced to styling products and conditioners. Who could've predicted this one... a substance despised by so many women with lousy breast implants, would end up coming to the rescue of one of women’s biggest complaints. . . only in America! 

The 2 silicones used in the majority of “frizz-free” hair products are Cyclomethicone and Dimethicone. I will continue to remind you to note various ingredient names for the best care of your hair, it is important to become familiar with names and actions yourself.

Cyclomethicone is the lighter of the two silicones and you will find it most often in thermal sprays, thermal (heat protection) coatings, gloss serums, gloss & shine sprays. The consistency is that of a (clear) maple syrup, with absolutely no stickiness or tackiness to it. Slippery is a good one word description for it.

Silicone is described in the dictionary as : any of a number of polymers
containing alternate silicon and oxygen atoms, whose properties are determined
by the organic groups attached to the silicon atoms, and that are fluid,
resinous, rubbery, extremely stable in high temperatures, and
water-repellent.

Dimethicone, #2 is heavier feeling, weighs more, and is normally the one used in hair conditioners and is combined with sister “Cyclo”-methicone, in every companies never ending search for the proper ratio with each other. Its funny for years I tried to battle the problem with a number of other very similar ingredients we use in formulating ethnic hair care products, but always ended up coming back to the silicone's. Being the "natural"-freak that I was born and bred to be, using silicones just didn't seem the proper route ( I also have straight hair, BTW!) They really do work extremely well and they are not harmful in any way especially when you are using them topically. So I have quit trying to fight an unnecessary battle …smart, huh? !

Most curly hairs have what I refer to as “wiry” hair and what does wiry hair need? It needs “softness” and the trip from wiry to soft is where Mister and Mrs. Silicone get their big name from because they have solved the journey.
For the ultimate in Frizz fighting the silicones can be applied via a few different products that incorporate both into their formulas. That way they work more efficiently, than just pouring on a stream of straight silicone, unfortunately that just doesn’t work and is much to greasy and gooey!

There is one company that I have been using for over 15 years, that carries (almost) everything you will need. I am not a fan of their shampoos, but that is only because they have not come out with one that does not have SLS Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it, I am sure they will soon.
They have updated their website and everything on it goes along with all of my hair philosophy so I would use that for your battle against the frizz ,as well. I will be contacting them to see if we can do some sort of podcast in conjunction for all KILLER STRANDS members. I’d like to be able to show you how to apply the products perfectly so you will have the good results they provide.

Which products you purchase all depends on the degree of frizz-iness you have, no one makes better products for frizzier hair than this company. The owner is a master chemist and you can tell by the quality of his products.

This line up is in the order I put them in importance, the first one on the list being the most useful ( again it depends on your level of frizziness)

Always....Always carry a small bottle of Silken seal drops in your purse, if you have the high level of frizz it sounds like most of you have....you will need to re-apply throughout the day.

Flatten That Fricken Frizzy Hair - #1

The Smoothest Route to De-Frazzling The Nest

Rid Your Noggin of Frizzy/Curly Hair

THROW IN THE TOWEL

After your shampoo & shower be careful not to towel dry the hair. Especially not a rough wild scrub with the towel I see so many do, you are roughing up the cuticle. Gently blot the water out if need be, leaving it alone is the single best choice and shaking your head back and forth side to side in the shower just before exiting is an old Hollywood trick. (The deep shaking also helps with root lift - promise).

An important part of the trick to getting rid of frizzy hair is understanding the "cuticle" of the hair strand. The cuticle has scales which lie along the surface of the hair like tiles on a roof with their free edges directed towards the tip. They cover the hair surface all the way along its length.

 
 Hair strand magnified - Cuticle visible
If you could look at a hair under a powerful microscope you would see that the scales growing over the youngest part of the hair (the part that grows closest to the scalp) are smooth and unbroken. 
Further along the hair, you would be able to see that they may have been damaged by cosmetic treatments ( flat irons, over processing, etc).


When the hair's cuticles are smoothed down and going in the same direction the appearance will be shiny and smooth, therefore lessening/eliminating frizz.

Remember this theory for other things you do to your hair such as : putting clothes on over the head, wearing hats, swim caps, brushing hair upside down(that's a 'no'). The roughing up that the towel drying creates sets the entire styling process up to fail for you, its a very easy step, put a post-it on the bathroom mirror right now if you must.

Included will be 10 of my Tricks + 5 product recommendations. What you have that sets you apart from each other ..........are your tricks and product finds that you try to keep secret. That is why people seek you out, along with the obvious : artistic flare & knowledge of hair.

Frizz-Free Help for Frizzy & Curly Hair-monsters

Frizz-Free HAIR -7 SECRET TIPS for Frizz-FREE HAIR

And a new Serum Pages to come to the rescue

#7.........Stop - Drop & ROLL ---> Pile your curls on top of your head and let tendrils drop around your face. ..Its a very sexy look for summer...always always apply plenty of Serum, we hav manynew Seruns to choose from!

#6........Huff & Puff ---> The trick to achieving a neat, glossy curl is to blow-dry hair straight first - before you start curling, using serum, spray detangler and your IONIC Blow dryer...sounds like loads of work BUT . . .the results are worth it if FRIZZ-FREE is the goal leaving your curls luscious & shiny.

#5.........Stiff N' Crispy.The very worse type of curl? the Stiff Crispy Curl...even 'saying the words' gags you & forces you back to the "proper products" category, staying away from cheap mousse's AND not applying too much product. Make sure to get a product suited to your hair, there are many different types of curly hair ( fine, coarse...etc)...and once you have the correct goop be sure to shake the excess water out of your hair - swinging the hair side to side gently ( no towel) - before applying the goop to the hair rather than soaking wet hair.

#4..........Press & Curl..........Preventing the Frizz comes from smoothing the Frizz with a Curling Iron. The bigger the curls the bigger the barrel and the bigger the section. Change the 2 variables and you change the size of the tendrils. Small Barrel, small section = smaller curls for the perfect loop

#3......... Snip the Splits....... Frizzy hair can often suffer from mega dry ends. To help beat "crispy" hair, make sure you have a good trim every three to four weeks to keep those tips in tip top shape. Find a stylist that "swears" they will perform a "tip-trim"...just trim 'the TIPS" and a Stylist that specializes in Curls is always the most helpful !

#2.......SHOWER FILTER.........I don't admit it but my hair over the years has gone from straight to a mop of not pretty uneven wavy kinky curls so I completely 'get' the never-ending battle.I will NEVER EVER stop on this....it is imperative, and especially for you mop-tops. Filtering the crud out of the water, WILL lessen the FRIZZ...clean clear crystal pure water is absolutely AMAZING for the condition of the hair. How does your 'tap' water taste? As horrible as mine? if you can't drink it comfortably then do NOT RINSE YOUR HAIR WITH IT. A shower filter can be had in a million and one places on the Internet....Aquasana is a great brand, so are the rest. It will cost you between $125 & $200 > for the year! You can get a decent filter for $50.00 - be sure to change the filters or you've wasted even that.

#1.........2 for 1..........last but not Least?? I get this question a lot......how to use the FLAT IRON to make Curls, so you are only buying one tool. The Photo below shows it..........In words: Place the SECTION of hair at the root horizontally on the flat Iron and Tilt and Turn the iron 360 degrees forward. Holding your hair taut by the ENDS, slowly slide the Iron at the same angle until you come to the ends, then tilt Irons slightly to the side and

that's it. Let them cool before touching or playing with. Everyone needs to find their ouwn specific arsenal of product - as a Sassoon trained Stylist they taught us to cherish and love the texture of hair you HAVE. Changing it always takes some of the health and shine from it as you fight what is normal. 

I would love to hear from some of you that get SUCCESSFUL straightening treatments. There must be some of the Keratin or Brazilian treatments that work and don't destroy hair.... you notice I won't get one.Please tell us your story below in the comments section. All I ever hear on my end is disaster stories.

But, that is kind of my job! Helping everyone with mistakes!

 

 

 KC

Hairstory : 'Why Is Straight Hair, The Cool Hair' ?

  

Plus 10 Tricks To A Great Blow-dry

I wonder where the idea that 'straight' hair is the hair 'to have'. Every 5 years the battle of curlies trying to straighten their hair becomes more public as well as some new fangled technology hits the market. Its funny because the non-straight hair candidates reach across women of all backgrounds. I feel the marketing and making of 'curly hair' products are still fairly archaic - they will master it....it just has been a hidden culture for some time now. The most ridiculous part is : I feel it is aimed at women of color ONLY, and that is the farthest thing from the truth. I wish they would wake-the-Hell up already because a lot of us are waiting !

We continue to think that straight-silky hair is the goal of everyone, or that straight hair is the good hair & every other texture is bad. Everyone needs to pay attention: THERE IS NO GOOD HAIR or BAD HAIR. In Sassoon we were taught to treat as many people who would listen to stick with their "natural texture''. Your hair remains healthier that way, you can play around with your color...color is one of the better things you can do for curly-wavy-frizzy hair it helps add shine lending hair more towards shine with the light bouncing off the bends in the hair. Now I am referring to healthy hair, damaged hair is something you should do everything possible to avoid. The single biggest difference between good hair and bad hair??? Is the health of it. Bad hair is hair that has been damaged, so that should be the first thing you work on....Healthy hair trumps ALL types of hair.

The BLOW DRY is returning when straight hair is the goal, here are 10 important steps to a great Blow-Dry.

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 give up before its done, remember the ‘back’ of your hair is what more people see than any other. 

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 make it all worth while .  

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 and from the John Freida line at Drug stores all the way to here at our store (Sojourns).  

4.) Choose your brushes carefully, the longer the hair the bigger the brush. Axe the heat retaining brushes they add to the frizz and dryness. Boar Bristle brushes are the best and we have this unique and funny looking brush we call the thermo-straightening brush. The advantages to it? You can really PULL down when using it...and when trying to achieve shine and a smooth -clean blow-dry you will want to be sure to go downward with this brush or ANY brush....that way the cuticle is being brushed downward which is the trick to creating shine.

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. Just really try to use the blow dryer as little as possible. You would be surprised at how little you will really need it, give it a test run. 

6.) Hair needs to be 70% dry for blow dry to begin so you want to begin by shaking 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. 

7.) Do not use a conditioner after your shampoo, that step was manufactured by the shampoo companies. The proper routine? Shampoo and use a spray leave-in detangler. A daily conditioner just weighs hair down and produces product build-up. Keep product use light/ Some of you will need a conditioner after shampoo...I'm 100% Irish - Redhead and I have loose curls and require a conditioner after every shampoo. So I don't want to scare everyone away.

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.  

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. There is a technique called "wrapping" -- where you wrap the hair around your head...using the head as a big giant round surface....you go one way then the other...backwards/forwards/sidewards to sidewards... always finishing with the head upwards. That trick works magnificently for 40% of you!

  

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. 

Killer Bonus trick:They have what I call “rear view”  or the 360 degree hands-free mirror for the bathroom, we now carry them. Mount one on 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 handy for many other odds & ends (magnification mirror for eyebrow plucking, make-up application for poor sight, etc). 

This works wonderfully for those of you that want to color your own hair. 



Killer Chemist

Mirror-Mirror on the Wall....Please Remove Frizzy Hair from ALL .

 Lookie Lookie ... what the Lord Almighty has bestowed upon us. Now I am sure many of you think how in the world could someone in sunny California possibly need a product like this???

Well, static hair is everyone's problem and the fact they put "Winter RX Solution" as its Title, really has me puzzled. Just today we had one of our notorious SANTA ANA WIND Days that haunt us in  Sept.,Oct.,Nov., & Dec. - 1/4 of the year. The Static here is so horrendous it amazes me that every single person's hair is not sticking straight up towards the SUN ! Its blazing hot AND we have hurricane winds. It truly sucks.

This is the most wonderful little line.... I've always wondered what people saw in the Alterna Line...but  I have picked up some of their wonderful products...You must check up on them all. It is a tiny bit more expensive line, but as I have always found in more expensive lines??? You need to use a much smaller portion size to deliver 2 - 3 times the benefits. If you think about that...that one point actually makes the product less expensive...think about it.

 With the Alterna Spray is a weightless sheer mist that instantly eliminates static. It works its magic by Sealing and soothing the hair cuticle to smooth fly aways.

Anti-Static Spray soothe's stressed-out tresses and eliminates static with two essentials for smooth, hydrated hair during the year.

Features

• Instantly eliminates static
• Weightless finishing spray
• Seals hair cuticle
• Provides light hold
• Removes static cling

Directions

Shake well. Spray 6-8 inches from dry hair.

Below now is the suggestion I used to advise people on dealing w/ Static...which comes from 6-7 years  ago.

>> The eternal problem of flyaway hairs. Little stubbly hairs sticking up all over the head and if its the winter and hats need to be worn. . . well you can.... for-ged-a-bout-it!

 Most stylists I cavort with use the combo of "STATIC GUARD" bought at any Target, its used for clothing I'm sure there are other brands but this one works wonderfully,and a spray silicone.

• #1 Version:Take your brush or comb, spray once over with the Guard and smooth the hair with it.
• #2 Version: the most used combo is using a combination of Static Guard, Gleam  and one of the zillion silicone serums out there, although it must be one that does not have any denatured alcohol in it or you will be adding fuel to the fire.

The Alterna is the ultimate answer and you need hardly any ! ! 

There, you all should be flyaway FREE

 Killer Chemist

Beat the Frizz Monster To A Pulp: Killer Strands Clinic Handy Hints

Flatten That Fricken Frizz

5 - Part Series - Part 5

Killer Strands Handy Hints are the

smoothest route to de-frazzling the Fuzz

The NUMBER 1 TOP TIP for Frizz and Curlie Heads?-> Become an EXPERT With Serums

• purchase multiple weights {light-medium-thick}


• different areas of the hair need thicker Serum : the fringe {bangs} & the top layer of your hair (more damaged)


• lighter serums(spray) perfect for muliple applications during the day

Remember they are a combo of Cyclomethicone,Trimethicone & Dimethicone...do not purchase Serum with Alcohol in the ingredient list, Alcohol is drying. If Dimethicone is "BEFORE" Cyclo on the ingredient list - (provided they have done things properly) - the Serum should be heavier/thicker. Truthfully the only way to know is to 'feel' and experiment which can be an expensive little test.
Call Beauty Supply's until you find one that has TESTERS, or they let you bring a product back if it doesn't work.
There are expensive and medium priced versions of Serums { if the correct ingredients }
Remember my absolute favorite 2 are made by Kera Care...
Silken Seal Drops and Silken Seal Spray. Yep they are expensive but they are smokin' hot.

COMING UP?

Recipe for making your own hair Serum's

**making one batch can not only be the perfect consistency for YOUR HAIR, it can last a full year and scent it anyway you like!

COLOR FOR CURL

?Being a curl queen will mean you have absorbed and use every rule, trick and secret known to man for the solution & smoothing of frizz everywhere. There are dozens of tricks in all of which I am in the process of revealing for you curly-heads everywhere.

This solution might seem a bit of a stretch for some but I know there will be many who already practice it yet found it out completely by accident. Its not something advertised NOR talked about much, which baffles me as to ‘why’ not ?!?! Killer Strands will be sure to ram it into the ground - into this blog and into you curly-heads ‘ears’ as often and frequently as possible . .
my personal favorite solution to the Frizzy’s?

Hair color, but not any hair color, so please don’t have the car engine running already! The Hair color that solves the Frizzy’s is made by WELLA and called COLOUR TOUCH. I was truly fortunate in my early training, having the most brilliant Colorist take me under her wing giving me a head start on my classmates and the rest of the world. At Sassoon (back in the day) we had the lovely advantage of experimenting, testing and playing with every single hair color product on the market with 1 Academy here in Santa Monica and the other in London between the 2 we sampled & tested all hair color on the market which I continue to do today. In all of my work over the years, I make it a habit to stay current and most definitely within hair it is vital.

Within my hair color expertise, I find it necessary to experiment with each and every new product that comes out as new technologies are developed constantly. Some are good and terrific new inventions and some are just plain stupid….this one is brilliant and it is a line of color that no one has come anywhere close to. This line of colour is what’s called Demi-Permanent, in other words it ‘does not lighten’ it tints hair the same level or darker. This line of colour works absolute miracles on curly/frizzy hair, the way its made /the level of developer it uses is truly a small miracle on your curls & Frizz. Now, how you are going to get this color, is another tricky issue, its not sold in stores and is made for the color professional exclusively.

The professional formula of Color Touch enriches hair with vibrant color and brilliant shine. Hair transforming keratin evens out the hair structure and makes it possible for the shine illuminating pigments of Color Touch to attach to the hair more easily. The result: up to 50% more vibrant color.

Natural wax conditions the hair to create brilliant shine and vibrant color. This means up to 50 % more shine on previously untreated hair.

The creamy consistency of the professional Color Touch formula allows for even distribution on the hair’s surface. Combined with the equalizing properties of the shine illuminating pigments, the end result shows brilliant shine and beautiful, rich color.
Liquid Hair Keratin evens out and balances damaged areas of the hair structure for more even color results as it adds strength and volume while building fullness, shine and beautiful, rich color.

Wella’s exclusive, patented Shine Reflex Pigments penetrate more evenly into the hair providing superior deposit, tonality and durability. The higher pigment density delivers vibrant, intense color coverage. Natural emollients condition and soften the hair leaving it feeling silky smooth while helping to improve and even out the color balance. The ammonia-free formula provides for a gentle conditioning process.

The thicker formula with improved creamy viscosity helps the color stay where it is placed when using a bottle or bowl and brush to apply. Creative techniques are now easier, too, because the color stays in place and there is a noticeable improvement in color absorption further enhancing even color results. The pleasing fragrance makes it a more pleasant hair color experience for the colorist and client as well. You can go to Wella’s website for a referral to a Salon in your Area or email me and we will get the 2 of you hooked up …PLEASE we’d love photo’s, you will not believe the shine this colour puts out, they have mildly reformulated it 2 times I know of – with each one – even better!

Ride the Natural Wave of Smoooooth HAIR

RIDE THE NATURAL WAVE OF SMOOTH HAIR



Have your KeraCare products arrived yet?
What's the deal?
I have kept that secret for well over 15 years, never telling a soul what I use on the curlies so successfully.
On the set I would put it all in blank bottles so no one would know what it was, I was determined to keep my little trix mine, it all seems so silly now...
I'm glad I finally got it out there, because I know how it will help all of you.
The best part about this line? The cost!

Unfortunately as a Curlie-Whirlie or Dizzie-Frizzie you are condemned to a life of multiple and various juggling products, depending on factors such as weather, type & length of hair, skill level of "product-usage"..

Uh Jiminy Crickets do the 'straighties' have to deal with this shit?

In order for your hair to become manageable and soft which is the only way you learn to like it, you must invest in 6 or 8 of the products from yesterday's post. Another wonderful highlight of the KeraCare Line ? Along with the proper ratio of silicone's they have ingredients that work to repair the hair strands as well, including essential oils that over the centuries have been proven to truly work wonders on hair, I include various ones in all of my formulations.

The tight curl structure of curly hair makes it difficult for the natural oils from the sebaceous glands to flow down and lubricate the hair shaft, causing the hair to become dry and brittle. In a last ditch attempt many of you will perform "home" and poor quality Relaxers in order to remove 'some' of the frizz however the chemicals used in these products are strong and often leave the hair worse.

The reason & beginning need for the "Leave-In" conditioner phase.

After the shower, shake the hair out It will take a couple experimental runs to get the "amount" correct of the Leave in. Apply Leave-In by dipping in jar - rubbing the creme smoothly together evenly between the hands....so there are no clumps or lumps.... you want a nice even light coat of it to cover all your hair, possibly running a large tooth comb thru after to make sure it gets evenly distributed. Then, leave it ALONE.
Fiddling and fumbling and playing with curly hair - ONCE Set - is a HUGE mistake, unless your look for the day is "BIG HAIR"!

For the ultimate styling method when the goal is Frizz-FREE,
you are going to have to limit the use of your blow dryer

Wavy hair that

dries naturally

tends to go less frizzy. Remember, I have no allegiance to any company or brand...I make my own conditioners that blow the doors off off anything you can get at any Beauty Supply, Neiman Marcus or Macy's counter and to not seem biased I have chosen to use Kera Care as the brand I would recommend.

Contacting KERA CARE next week, I am anxious to see what they think of my VLOGGING idea..to shoot a 3-5-10 minute VLOG showing how exactly to apply all of their products, there is an art to it,I'd like to teach.

Do you know that, within "GOOGLE'S" Search whirlwind online business, the Number 1 and 2 topics searched for in the "HAIR" category?...

#1 : is CURLY HAIR

and

#2 : is FRIZZY HAIR

So you are being heard...loud and clear....
the problem, especially in my position of wanting to solve every problem that exists in the hair universe, is..........

one solid answer ...a magic pill.

When I was in the Salon, and someone would come to me with these concerns....we would book a Relaxer.
Mind you this can be a $500.00 solution &
It 'can' take most of one day to perform.
But it is a solution.
10 years ago we didn't have the solution we have today.
So there is one, you just have to be independently wealthy to afford it.

The truth will be told here and you must understand
the reason it costs so much?
The time it takes to do it properly.
If it takes 6-7-8 hours perform? Of course you have to pay a hairstylist the rate they would make if they were 'not' doing this procedure...it is fully justified the $$ amount it costs.

I have not fully looked into the so called "Japanese Straightening Method" but within the world of cosmetic chemistry...there are only certain chemical strategies
available, there are no "secret" chemicals...that is not how the world works. It is simply, "MARKETING",they RE - NAMED the regular Relaxer, added a few little silly steps ( like: flat iron the hair right after rinsing)...
steps that I already did with my relaxers, which ended up a brilliant way to pump new energy into a technique that had lost interest in it for years.

No one believes more in clever marketing strategies than me...my college degree is in the subject...so when I can use them - I do.

It takes between 4-5-6 sometimes 8 hours to complete the process the correct way,
depending how long and how thick the hair is. So its merely the "time" and product you are paying for,fully understandable.



KILLER CHEMIST

Ethnic Hair Care & The Curls That Love It

Curls~Frizz~Kinks

the problems of the ethnic hair crew
I have yet to meet a person who didn't want the kind of hair they didn't have

Just remember that the next time you get down on yourself and your hair... as I know everyone does.... Straight hairs wish they had curly, they really do and vice-versa. Its plain and simple human nature I have decided --to want, what you don't have. As you grow older, that will change and go away....you get comfortable in your own skin (and hair).

The challenges facing the Ethnic hair care client are different than their counterparts....but believe me BOTH have just the same amount of challenges - they are just 'different'.
The most common complaints:

• dryness
• fragility & breaking
• styling options
• proper products

Surveys indicate the ethnic hair clients seek professional services every 2-3 weeks while their counterparts regularly come every 6-7 weeks....so they do seek out help more. The most common treatment? Relaxers. Both at home versions as well as the Salon/Professional type. During my years in The Salon, there was no one doing relaxers and I just didn't understand 'why'... so I began the trait. Not a lot of Hair Stylists do them as they are also the most complicated procedure as well as the most critical, dangerous and challenging. 

They are the single Salon service where you make the absolute MOST difference in the hair for a client, and after you have completed a successful relaxer you have made a committed and dedicated client "for LIFE", I have never seen a happier more thrilled hair client than the successful hair Relaxer client. Every single one of them calls 2 days later when they shampoo for the first time literally blown away that after the shampoo the hair did not return to its curly frizzy stage - I have received many MANY fantastic thank you gifts for this service unlike any other service I had performed, it was the coolest thing to me. So, if you have curly hair and are super frustrated with it, seek out a Relaxer specialist.... there are many around the country. If you get stumped you are welcome to call us.

From my experience I would just never recommend this service for anyone to do at home... ever ..it is just too dangerous and the 'timing' aspect is too crucial. Having weak hair to begin with you just don't have the leeway for mistakes, besides the ingredients used in professional Relaxer products are simply better for the hair.

If you insist on getting one and cannot afford the Salon price (@ $150.00 to $500.00 per APP.  it comes in as the most expensive Salon procedure - it can take up to 7 hours to complete) the next best step: look into being a hair model for demonstrating its application, go to the local Beauty Academy and get in on their "model night" or their weekly hair model list. { does not mean you need to be model material all over - don't worry!} I know here in LA,many of you interested in this would be more than welcome at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica, and the Paul Mitchell Academy in Orange County...they are both always looking for hair models as are all good Salons and Beauty Schools they never have enough people to work on. 

The advantage to this option is:

• have an instructor standing over their shoulders
• before they ever put product on live model, spent weeks practicing on 'doll heads with shaving cream'
• watch the procedure done by instructor on stage a few times...
• reading on it...
• studying on it....followed by 'written' testing of it
• more doll head work..practicing the sectioning and application -- combing-- stretching and the speed needed to do it....
• THEN they let the students work on real clients

Now I am talking the best Hair schools in the USA which are Vidal Sassoon and Paul Mitchell....the others will be run totally different - do some research. 

This can be a terrific and successful procedure.  When there is a will there is always a way. As this Blog goes on I am hoping more of you will submit questions and comments, I had a lovely girl suggest I write about ethnic hair...I am more than happy to write about every and any subject --- please - - -I look forward to your comments and requests.
Remember a Relaxer is the same exact chemical make-up as NAIR or NEET Or any hair remover....if left on the hair too long........what do you think will happen ? 
 Yes, the hair can be lifted right off the head....so it is imperative to find a professional to have tiit applied correctly. They do have straighteners now, but being out of the Salon I have not been able to try them myself.....so I will not give advice about something I have only heard "stories" about. I feel you come to me for the truth and I will not make things up.

The key to aceing a Relaxer is the "Timing" of it...The timing and the division of the application procedure. I had one Assistant that was trained in depth on Relaxer -application... so he knew {almost} as much as I did, I sent him to 3 different Relaxer Seminars, many stylists do not want to share the job like this...but it is the only way for it to be super successful for both the client AND the stylist. If its done on a man or a woman with a short cut, one can do it, any longer than chin length hair and it becomes the job of 

2. When booking one it always had to be on a day he was working because the key to the success is applying - pulling and stretching the hair flat with the Relaxer Creme on the hair and doing it fast....making small sections all around the head and being sure to coat > comb > & stretch...from the minute it has been applied to the minute you hit the shampoo bowl to rinse should be between 9 & 16 MINUTES only! That is not very long, even for the fastest stylists on the planet, doing this correctly at home would be impossible.
That is why you want to have a qualified practitioner perform the relaxer on your hair ~
Remember : TAKE CARE OF YOUR HAIR