Textures, Textures, Textures

Kinky Textured Hair

When I came up with the title for this blog, all I could think of was one of my favorite rappers from back in the day, Ice-T who would chime, “Colors, colors, colors…” Why that song? Because just as there are many many colors, there are many many hair textures.  And just as when making reference to color we make ourselves clear by naming the color or describing the color; however when it come to hair we do not. We should be describing a specific hair texture when making decisions on what to use on it just like we describe a specific color when determining what it is we want to see. Instead when many speak of textured hair, words like ethnic, textured, nappy, kinky, coarse, wooly and thick comes to mind.

While those words are ok for generalizations; they will not help you when you are trying to buy what is best for your texture. In case you did not know, according to Milady’s Standard of Cosmetology there are three different hair kinds of textured hair and three different types of hair. The three different textures of hair are curly, wavy and kinky. The three different types of hair are fine, medium and coarse.  To help consumers gage and narrow down their selection in the shopping process. fancy advertising and savvy marketing lures consumers with doctored photos, witty commercials and celebrity endorsements. However, when a chemist formulates shampoos and conditioners; they do according the chemistry of hair.

Curly Textured Hair

So how are you suppose to know what your hair texture and type is? Well, one way to determine your hair texture, is to turn to your mom’s or dad’s hair. Another way is turn to your mirror. True, our DNA is thee almighty determinator of our hair texture, reports the ever popular website for science geeks worldwide, The Tech Museum of Innovation. However, most people do not have the time to be looking for their DNA so, the uniqueness of your hair texture, what to use on it and what to do with it; one will need a mirror and their eyes (or someone elses)!

The first thing you want to do is part your hair down the middle or on the side. Then lean close to the mirror or a magnified one if you have one. Next, look closely at your scalp to see the direction or pattern you see coming directly from the scalp out of that very little tiny whole called a follicle.

Wavy Textured Hair

If your hair is growing in an angle and is raised AWAY from the scalp it is wavy. If the hair is growing AWAY from the scalp and you can CLEARLY see a “C” impression in your hair texture; your hair is curly. If the hair is laying very CLOSE to the scalp and you HAVE to use a comb to lift the hair (no, not the flakes...lol), you have kinky hair. Wavy hair is the most common hair texture. Kinky hair is the most rare. Surprised? So was I. How could this be if we are Black, African Americans, bi-racial, ethnic, people of color, women of color and so on?

Remember I mentioned, the role genetics play in determining hair texture. Because most people with textured hair associate the origination of texture with Africa (and they would be right). As a result, many clump the image of Africans, particularly the color of skin and texture of hair together. Understand that their are just as many hair textures as there are countries on the CONTINENT of Africa; thus there are varying Africans and people in general with varying hair textures.

So, to save yourself time, money and unwanted results, be sure to make all of your textured hair care needs based on your hair texture and hair type versus the picture you see not matter who is endorsing it or how it is packaged.

Textures, textures, textures (in my Ice-T voice)!

Out With a Bang!



Bangs were the "Style Changer"
of 2013!

2013 was a sexy year for hair styles and innoavtion in styling tools were at an all time high! Every blogger likes to end their



year writing a reflection of what got their and the public’s attention the most. To me 2013 was the year of “The Throwback.” Everywhere you clicked, swiped and scrolled you saw accents of the “throwback.” Hairstyles and styling tools did not escape the 2013 buzzword of the year.

This blog hilites 3 areas with the top 5. The 3 areas are the top 5 hair care myths, the top 5 hair care products mixed in with a couple of styling tools and the top 5 hair styles of 2013. Drum roll please…

 

As a cosmetologist and blogger, I get asked some pretty interesting things standing behind that chair, front of my computer screen and phone. And as my Big Ma would say, “If you long enough, you’ll hear a bunch of I nevers!” Big Ma was right, because just when I thought I’ve thought I’ve heard them all; well I never (clutch the pearls)!

The Top 5 Hair Care Myths of 2012 :

• Growing Dandruff
• Cutting your ends makes your hair grow
• Brazilian, Malaysian, Polynesian, Remy and Good hair
• A White stylist can not flat iron a black woman’s hair
• Co-Washing

One by one I will briefly refute these hair care myths:

• Biologically speaking dandruff results in dead fibrin (flakes on the scalp) and there is absolutely nothing stimulating or nourishing from anything that is dead. Second, your blood supply is soley responsible as the best source of nourishment and growth stimulator for your hair.
• Testoterone is responsible for the hair actually growing from the scalp not scissors!
• Brazilian, Malaysian and Polynesian are races. People of the same race do not ALL have the same head of hair; no matter where they live. Good hair? Hair is good if you treat it good.
• A White stylist can flat iron any texture of hair super straiaght provided she has a hot enough pair of flat irons, accompanied with a excellent smoothing balm and skills!
• And my favorite myth of 2013, that interesting oxymoron co-washing. Now if one was to apply conditioner to their hair to their hair first and then shampoo (wash it). I could seriously get with that technique because then the conditioner would literally be acting as assistant to the shampooing (washing) process. But, now to put conditioner or a product labled “co-washing” in your hair and LITERALLY NOT WASH it back out? OOOOOk, would you wash up (I mean co-wash) with lotion?

P2 by Philip Pelusi,
thee "Aston Martin" of hair care.

Next on my Top 5 of 2013 are hair styling products and tools. These gidgets and gadgets took the essence throwback and catapulted them into the next millineum! Here is why…

• 
  
  
  P2 by Philip Pelusi’s Repair Hair. In the spirit of throwback all cosmetologists know that every human hair has 3 layers. The cuticle, cortex and medulla. Well, Repair Hair (when used with heat) penetrates to all three layers and physically repairs them. Now that’s what I call getting back to the basics. This product exceeds the expectations of any stylist who uses it and the customers whose hair is severely breaking or compromised will jump out the chair and hug you. This I know for sure.
• Eufora’s Beautifying Serum for hair. The names says it all. If you are into all the organic, natural, sustaianability wonderfulness, then you and your hair are in for a royal treat!

• 

  Amika a.k.a
  NKOTB

  Amika’s Color pHerfection Shampoo. Throwback at it’s finest. When you look at the packaging on this stuff, you will immediately grab the bottle, start twirling with your hands in the air and start singing, “the age of aquarius!” The technology with the Buckthorn Berry and it’s super duper shining and strengthening capabilities as well as low pH (hence the name pHerfection shampoo) and NO sulfates makes this thee 1970’s Wonder Woman/Shampoo of the year.
• 

  

  The MiraCurl Curling Iron

  The MiraCurl Curling Tool. This thing took me back to the days of Popeye’s, “Oh no, blow me down!” First of of all, it works. Second of all, you can adjust the heat. Third of all, you can change the direction of the curls, Fourth of all, you can adjust the tightnes of the curls. Fifth of all, you know how your hands get tired from twirling that curling IRON? You don’t have to worry about that. Sixth of all, it works on all textures (real and fake). And Seventh of all, it works. Oh, I already typed that!
• The H2pro Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Irons. Talking about “throwback.” Can you say, “Nano-Nano.” Just like Mork from Ork (if you don’t know what I’m typing about; you are too young. Google it)! Now I know, these particular pair of flat irons within the H2pro brand are the NOT the fanciest they make; but-ter-umm, let me tell you, for the hard working stylist behind the chair and the everyday girl who’s got thangs to do; these baby’s are on the O-N-E.  The tourmaline coated ceramic plates along with the control temperature settings makes them one of thee best flat irons of all times. Do I have some of the fancier ones? Yes-sir-ree, I do. But Imma keep it 100, I use the H2pro Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron the most.

 

 Now, boiling down to the Top 5 Hair Styles of 2013 were a breeze because nobody style’s hair anymore. As a matter of fact, if it were not for special occassions, I seriously doubt women would want their hair styled any more. As the new generation would type,  #realtalk (lol)! Hairstyles of today kinda remind me of an old song throwback Bugs Bunny use to sing, “Ol gray hare aint what it use to be…” So, though hair styles have changes over the years and yes they are most certainly not what they use to be, in the spirit of styling hair, here goes my Top 5 Hair Styles of 2013:

Jazzmine and her "SWIRLS"

• Soft Loose Bouncy Swirls (thats what I call this hair style and it’s technique). Women love this look because when it falls, it looks like they did it themselves and the look is not too contrived.
• Straight. As Sweet Brown would say, “Ain’t nobody got no time for that.” One of the main reasons women do not want their hair curled, waved, teased, sprayed, spritzed set and coiffured is because we have things to do, places to go, people to meet and food to eat so as a result, “Aint nobody got no time for that.”
• Soft Wave/Loose Curls. Gone are the days of clicking that dang-on marcel iron, twirling that curling iron and sitting under that hot ass dryer. No sir-ree, grab that heated wand, deep wave maker or twirl that flat iron and, “Voila, Sasch Fierce is in the house.” Bow down bi-a-tches! #beyoncerocks (Ok, so I bought the CD!)
• The Au-Naturale any and everthing. The serious 1960 anti-straight, embrace your inner queen, power to the people throwback; pump yo fis

  

  Au Naturale'

  t like dis hair styles! Forget making my hair curl, the natural hairstyles makes my toes curl. They are unisex, androgenous, non classist, anti-aging, omnipresent and everything in between. From bald fades, to twists outs, corn rows, wash and wear, locs, bantu knots; you name it. I am woman, hear me roar. And I do not need you to validate my beauty natural look looks awesome.
• 

  

  Bangs de' FLOTUS!

• And to take this Top 5 2013 blog out with a bang, paying homage to the throwback of them all, Bangs! 2013 was the year of the bang. When First Lady Obama a.k.a FLOTUS a.k.a Michelle Obama celebrated her 49th birthday by accenting her beauty with bangs. It was like Northeatern Ohio’s throwback Thistledown, “every 19 minutes, the place goes crazy!” It was such a sensation, Kelly Rippa wore clip on bangs and introduced her viewers to “Bangs Fridays!” From there, the rest they say is history. Every woman, every girl with every kind of length and texture wanted bangs. The Reverence Design Team Hair Salon where I work were a team of bang fringe cutting sensation! What better way to start a trend than not trying to start one?

The “trend setter, I’m better” First Lady Obama takes my last 2013 blog out with a bang! She continues on in the spirit of “throwback” when being yourself was in and making your mark in the world was what it was all about. 2013 was a spectacular year for me professionally and personally. I wish you all the best in 2014. I encourage you to make some more marks in the new year. Remember, while beauty is skin deep, ugly is to the bone. Everybody’s got a little light under the sun. So... shine*shine*shine!

Happy New Year!