Chemical Craziness

Let me do your perm!

“How do rumors get started? They’re started by the jealous people and they get mad seeing something they had and somebody else is holding.” Back in the 80’s when Tymex Social Club’s Rumors song was climbing the charts; I bet never in a million years did they think their song would be the intro to a blog about hair let alone over the internet.  For the topic of chemical services in a hair salon, I honestly could not come up with a better intro than the first verse of the song, “Rumors.”

Most craziness in hair care comes from rumors. Most rumors are really started by jealous people who are upset that someone has something they feel is their…in this context that something is chemically treated hair.

I am very impressed with the advanced science and technology in hair care; however I remain very disappointed by the limited use of them. Something tells me the lack of educating both the stylist and the consumer could be a culprit. Chemical services in a hair salon remind me of the slander “eggs” took back in the late 80’s. I recall seeing a commercial for eggs that had a jingle of their goodness that chimed “the incredible edible egg!" The next thing you know, cholesterol happened and eggs were kicked to the curb.

Let's give it up for Sexual Chocolate!

Something similar happened to chemical services. Remember when perms (Jeri Curls, Care Free Curls, Ogilvie, and Wave Nouveau) were the answers to care free hair styling in the truest since? Then Eddie Murphy made the funny hit comedy, "Coming to America." The Soul Glow greasy drippy permed hair styles made the movie extra funny. Then the funny scene happened. The family got off the couch and left the greasy wet stains on the sofa. From there, the perm business as we knew it were ruined for life; never to make a successful comeback again. Relaxers and hair color; like perms are taking a beating. They are unfortunately categorized in the “not so good” part of the beauty industry. The "not so good" rumor about these chemical services are not so true. Permed, relaxed and hair coloring services can be used safely. The fact that they are man made chemicals does not mean they are completely bad. They are not for everyone, but they are not bad. Read on to learn why.

I will begin with relaxers. Relaxers are chemical straighteners that were further formulated and advanced by the inventor of the stop light, Garrett A. Morgan’s. His accidental run in with Sodium Hydroxide in an attempt to repair a machine that weaved wool led him to accidentally wipe the goo on his pet dog. He later discovered his dog's hair was softer. He tinkered with the formula and applied the strange concoction in his hair; and voila!. Sodium hydroxide has been associated with everything from hair loss to brain tumors. Rumor or respected fact? Read on.  Next up on the “not so good” list would be perms. Perms like relaxers, permanently alter your hair; hence the name for both is perm. Perms and relaxers are used interchangeably, but they are two very different chemicals. Perms active ingredient is amoniumthioglycolate. Whew, try saying that 3 times! This ingredient straightens your hair texture UNLIKE like a relaxer.  The next step requires a solution to be used with rods (very small rollers) to create a new curl or wave pattern. Rumor has it, Amoniumthioglycolate makes people hair fall out and causes seizures. Rumor or respected fact? Last on the “not so good” list is PERMANENT hair color. Permanent hair color has two primary ingredients that must be combined in order for the product to actually lighten hair. The first is ammonia that is in the tube or small bottle that is mixed with the peroxide. When the two are mixed and applied to the hair, the lightening and artificial changing of your hair’s natural color begins. The active ingredient in hair color is Phenylendiamine (PPD). People say permanent hair color is bad for relaxed hair and makes it fall out. Rumor or respected fact?

The rumors around the above mentioned chemical services are typically in the theme of how caustic and at times how life threatening they are. Are those just rumors or are they facts? Considering I am no chemist, I typed the next sentence cautiously; that depends. 

Now, what should I do next?

For starters, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approves patents or recipes for food and they provide the same rigors for companies who want to make and sell their hair care products to the general public. The goal of the FDA is to make sure that the food we eat and the products we apply to our skin and hair are safe. They also require hair care manufacturers to hand over the ingredients they use so that they can test the product for safety and accuracy of what is actually in it. After putting the hair care manufacturers through a series of very rigorous standards and approval process, they will either approve or disapprove of the proposed product. To date, the FDA has approved all three. Most hair companies are not in the business of making hair fall out. When the FDA is made aware of such incidents; a blitz goes out to the media to warn the public complete with a hotline and a attorney to call. To decrease the likelihood of unwanted hair loss and physical injury, the FDA and the manufacturer of off all three have agreed on one thing that will decrease the likelihood of UNWANTED disastrous results. That one thing both agree on is something your mother would tell you every time you asked her a question…READ /FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. 

In my professional opinion this is how the rumors get started. It is no big secret that if ever you want to hide something from a person, you have to put it in a book. Remember, Big Ma always hid her money in the Bible? The thieves never got it! There are many licensed professionals who do what I call, "the application of cookie cut techniques.” That basically translates into, when another stylist or customer tells another stylist how to do something or the instructions of one product is generically applied to every chemical service performed. As a result rumors get started by people who’s mad seeing something they had and somebody else is holding. In this case that something else would be knowledge and ethics. A successful and professional stylist always has both. The worst thing any professional could do is not read and follows instructions.

The conflict and the varying of opinions about perms, relaxers and permanent hair color are in relation to a few things. The first is safety, followed by cost and appropriateness of when to use these chemicals, how to use them and who to use them on remains a big one. Once again; consumer beware. All perms, relaxers and permanent hair colors are not made the same way by the same manufacturer. Manufacturers and the FDA do not put instructions on these products for nothing. The user of any chemical must follow the directions and the WARNING. Additional training by the company who makes these products is in order for the stylist who uses them. 

Ask your stylist if they have been certified and trained to use the chemicals they are using on your hair. Ask if they are on the pulse of what the FDA is asking of these hair product manufacturers. If they beat around the bush; give them the opportunity to gain the knowledge and get the training. If after a few inquiries and you are still getting the run around from your stylist; then you know ETHICS are somehow not figured into the workday equation; let alone any certification process.

Do not be duped by stylists who try to dumb down the chemical services of perms, relaxers and permanent hair color. These services require more than just the skill to apply them. Just as a doctor, attorney or chef has the option to become a specialist of some sorts in their line of work; so do cosmetologist. In those areas of expertise self-appointment is not the way. I encourage anyone looking to receive a chemical service at a salon to inquire about the level of training and the frequency of training from the company. While most states have continuing education requirements for stylists to maintain their license; being a expert to perform perm, relaxer and hair coloring service requires more than the state minimum.

The hair on an individual head is as unique as the individual on which it lies, says Philip Pelusi (the creator of P2 by Philip Pelusi). Be certain that your stylist has a clear understanding of your unique hair and what it requires. As for the rumors and chemical craziness? Remember the end of that song, "these wicked people; they just persist!"

Tricks or Treatments?

WTF!

Does this scenario resonate with you? You wake up in the morning, hop in the shower. You brush your teeth, exfoliate your face, and moisturize your face and body. Then, you apply your make up and begin combing your hair. You look in the sink and hair is every where. You look on the floor and hair is every where. You get your Swiffer Sweeper, paper towel or maybe you grab the broom so you can quickly dispose of those much needed strands. Your heart races a little. You do not want to panic totally because the bath mats are camouflaging the rest of the hair. You think to yourself, “I dare not shake these mats. Hell, I’m running late.”

You get to work. You are getting on with your day. You stop in the lady’s room to freshen up. You comb your hair again. More hair is in the sink, flakes have fallen onto your Ann Taylor suit and the shedding hair is very noticeable on the jacket. Finally, you mummer to yourself, “Now this is some bullshit.”

You go back to your desk, grab your Droid, notebook, pen and head over to your meeting. You can not concentrate because all you can think about is your excessively shedding hair. The meeting is over and the powers that be are gone for the day. You hate to do it, but you have to. You have to cut out work, head to the salon to get a ……TREATMENT.

If you are a lover of hip hop then you can just about guess what verse I’m about to use; “here comes the fusion.” In my Flavor Flav voice! You get to the salon; you are there for quite some time. You feel a sense of relief come over you as your stylist assures you that this treatment will work. You take her word for it; hook, line and sinker. You leave and it appears nice while you are at the salon. When you wake up in the morning; it is worse. Now your words turn to something like, WTF!

Are you wondering what happened? Why was her hair shedding? Why did she leave work for her hair? What kind of treatment did she use? How much did she pay? Where did she go get it done at? All of these questions are running through your head.

The answers to your concerns are simple; a consultation. All of her hair shedding woes could have been best handled by a thorough in depth consultation. Versus taking her back to the shampoo bowl and sitting you under a dryer; a thorough consultation with a hand out explaining to you how it works is a simple route. Honestly stylists who use quality products do not sit their clients under the dryer; not many do that any more. Even spas have speed. Customers are now voicing their concerns that some stylists are using dryers to buy time. Consultations are the foundation of every salon visit. A consultation saves you time and money. Many times clients are misled as to what hair care products can and cannot do. As a result, the above scenario becomes common to many.

Hair care products fall into a category called cosmetics which basically mean to enhance or camouflage. Regardless the price, hair care products are very superficial (on the surface). Shampoos, conditioners and treatments are topical. Most do very little repairing. Because the health of the hair comes from within and the FDA has very clear definitions and guidelines as to what the difference is between a cosmetic and a medicine; hair care companies have to follow those guidelines. Hair care products are cosmetics to hair; NOT medicines. So; consumers beware.

Conditioners are formulated to make hair soft, manageable, easy to de-tangle and shine. Treatments are formulated to superficially act as a band aid. Some treatments can penetrate and work on all 3 layers of your hair. That’s right; each strand of hair has multiple layers. Most treatments only work on the outer layer, called the cuticle which is mostly made of keratin which is also a protein. Protein treatments are great. The secret to getting the best protein treatment your money and time can buy is to know where the source of protein comes from. Every stylist has their own theory as to what they think the best source is. Therefore, I suggest this, “If it works; use it. If not, stop.” The second, thing that makes a treatment worth its money and time is the technology in it. The trend now is Nano-tech and organic. If your stylist is not using this language, suggest she try some of the newer products. Nano tech and organic offers customers speed. Products that do not have the technology require the use of a heated dryer; which means more time in the salon. The third thing that makes a treatment great is customization. Be sure the label is specific to your hair texture and type. I would be leery of the same buzz words. For example, moisturizing, shine, soft and so on.

Really good treatments do just that; they treat your hair. Be practical on how much you want to invest. Any stylist who offers money back guarantee would get my money…hint. The worst case scenario is you could make your own treatment. Google natural treatments and you would be surprised. Perhaps most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen cabinets and refrigerator.

Treats; no tricks, you as the customer have the power because you have the money. Do not be duped by fluff and heat. The science, creativity and availability are yours for the taking. Demand the best because you are and for sure you will end up with the treat!

Ponytail Made Easy

Nothing like a good old fashioned ponytail

Hmm, where shall I begin? The story of the ponytail is very similar to that of a younger sibling, cousin or friend. You know, they get the blame for everything. If you wanted to know who broke the window, stole the cookie or sneaked into mom’s closet; the little one always got the blame.

In hair care, the ponytail gets blamed for everything wrong with stressed tresses. The truth of the matter is the “incorrectly styled” ponytail is the culprit. 

A great ponytail begins with great hair. I know; great hair? Because hair reflects the inner workings of our body, start your hair care off with a sound diet, exercise, a good amount of water intake, get some sleep, think positive and don’t forget to poop! A toxic body contributes to stressed, fragile and dull hair. Be sure to stay on top of your health before you start walking the isles of the beauty supply or drug store. 

Now that we have that explained, let’s explore the next steps. Clean, conditioned and fortified hair creates manageable, soft and shiny hair. A shampoo is to your hair what cleanser is to your face. Just as you are selective as to what goes on your skin, use that same scrutiny when making hair care purchases. It is common for consumers to select a product based on the scent or celebrity endorsement. For all practical intents and purposes, the product should match your hair texture and type. If you are unsure of your texture and type, ask your stylist to tell you or come see me! Conditioners vary from treatments. Conditioners simply make hair manageable and soft. Treatments can penetrate through the hair strands tiny layers to repair, replenish and fortify hair. 

Next, are the options to wear a natural pony tail or a smooth and sleek ponytail. The best way to achieve a natural ponytail that will compliment your face and attire is begin to style it while it is wet. Next apply a mousse, gel or wax pomade combos which enhances textures and promotes shine. A mousse is best for less dense and textured heads of hair. Gels are nice for more dense to fine and medium textured heads of hair. Wax pomade combos are nice for very dense or more textured heads of hair. Using the wrong styling agent can tear hair, promote snapping or dry hair out. Be sure to read the label when making your purchase. If the product does not have the language to help you make the right choice, do not purchase it. Keep reading until one does or go to another store if you have to. 

For a sleek and smooth ponytail, blow dry hair first. Next flat iron your hair using 1/8^th inch sections with a flat iron that is at least 430-450 degrees. If your flat irons are not hot your hair will convert back quickly. If you will be pressing your hair, be sure to have the press comb hot enough to straighten your hair and use the back of the comb to achieve straight hair that will not convert back. Next apply more oil or pomade. Oil will not make the ponytail sleek; instead oils will make hair shiny. Pomades (grease) will make your straight hair sleeker with a little shine.

It is important to also be selective as to what you will use to hold your pony tail in place. The thick black or brown elastic coated brands are the best. Do not use rubber bands or elastic bands with metal connectors. Both bands crease into hair promoting stress points that leads to snapping. 

Taming the hair line on natural tresses is also a challenge. I recommend applying a pea size amount of wax, pomade or gel around the hair line and using a pin tail comb or soft bristle toothbrush to tame those tiny hair line hairs,

Finish your natural pony tail with a mist of your favorite oil sheen spray or simply walk out the door. 

To complete your look, be sure to arch or groom your eyebrows. Hoops or studded ear rings will illuminate your skin. Cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize your skin to accentuate your ponytail and attire. Lastly, brush those pearly whites three times to bring the look together; then dash out the door with a smile!

Following these steps will result in a smooth, shiny and secure ponytail. If you do not have a sound diet, exercise, drink water, think positive and have regular poopies; the result is dry hair that excessively sheds and looks dull. The ponytail would not be the blame. If you use the wrong comb and brush it will tear your hair and you will see tiny pieces of hair in the sink and on the floor; don’t blame the ponytail. If you use inferior styling products and tools your hair will be difficult to manage, feel dry and will lack luster; the ponytail will not be the culprit. 

And the next time someone blames the ponytail for their hair woes, lead them to my blog!

We Really Don’t Know

Love

I consider myself a very proficient and passionate cosmetologist. When one asks me what do I love most; hair, skin or nails? I always reply, “I love them all equally.” And I can honestly tell you, I truly do. It is not uncommon that most beauty professionals have had a passion for hair since they were five or six years old. Many tell stories of playing with their doll’s hair, mom’s hair and even dad’s hair. I also worked with one hair stylist who said, "I was hair stylist before I was born and I will be a hair stylist when I come back." Yeah, I know!

Many are surprise to learn that despite my extreme passion for my career as a cosmetologist, I was never the one to want to get my hair combed and look pretty when I was growing up. As a woman of color with extremely textured hair, I never knew what to do to my hair when I was growing up. My mom did not even allow me to touch my hair until I was at least 13 years old. 

Many people are surprised at just how little most people with textured hair do not know what to do with it. For those who grew up with straight hair and could jump in the pool, shower or just whip it up into a pony tail; I say (in my whining voice), “Not fair!” I had no clue of what was on the top of my head. I grew up totally afraid of it and never in a million years did I want to touch it; let alone grow up and get paid to do it.

Growing up, there were many confusing stereotypes when it came to hair in our family, community and culture. The first stereotype was that darker skinned people of color had thicker, hard, kinkier and shorter hair. The second stereotype was that lighter skinned people of color had finer, softer, wavier and longer hair. In our home that stereotype did not fit. My mom who is very very brown had a short soft Afro. My brothers had big Jackson Five Afro’s. My sister had this soft spongy hair. And I had, I do not have a clue. I can tell you my hair made Chaka Khan’s look like Rapunzel. 

My mother was straight from the era of the Black Panthers and the Black Nationalists. We lived in the “yellows.” It’s a King Kennedy thang, you wouldn’t understand it! We would sit around and wait for the Black Nationalists to walk through our projects and do their drill marches. “Way cool,” is what always came to mind whenever I saw them march. With that scenario, one can easily conclude that hair care was not priority one on my mom’s agenda. She never knew what to do with my hair. As a matter of fact all she would do is fuss. Fuss about how thick it was. Fuss about how I never would sit still. Fuss at how I would scream bloody murder to my grandparents. She fussed so much one time til she blamed my father for my "wretched hair." My mom was tiny and my hair was like “The Blob.” It simply swallowed her up. 

As the years went on, she figured it out. With all that grease, water, lotion and brushes; she got it together. It was actually, the brush that eventually did the trick. Many of women of color can all testify how “the brush” was the pivotal point of getting our combed and done. What type of brush am I referring to? The “pop you upside your head brush if you don’t sit still.” It worked like a charm! After getting popped in the head so much, I finally sat still long enough for my mom to do something. That something was mostly corn rows. We could never say “French braids.” My mom would always remind my sister and myself that, “the French didn’t invent shit. Excuse my French. But corn rows are from Africa. Americans call the braids corn rows because that is what they look like on your head; a row of corns. So stop giving the French credit for something they did not invent” Feisty little woman she was.

My story is very similar if not identical to most women of color who grew up in America. Not many of our parents knew what to do with our hair, because our hair was so very different from theirs. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like or is like if the parent was White; their child was Black or if the parent was White; their child was White and has a lot of texture. I would have to write another blog for that topic. 

Hair care is challenging to say the least. If many of us grew up not knowing what to do with our hair one can really see the importance of a well-trained, experienced and educated cosmetologist. There continues to be many myths and practices of what to do you with textured hair. Back in the day, it was kinky. Today it is textured. Whatever we call it, the time has come for more readily available education and training so we can help families out, because they really do not know. Trying to figure out how to care for a child's hair that is very different from yours is like trigonometry...help! 

I look forward to the day when a Afro mannequin is included in a cosmetology kit and corn row braiding is required on the state board cosmetology examination. Until then parents across America, good luck. If you have the time and money a salon or beauty school can be of some assistance.

If all else fails, there is thee old “brush” method….lol!