That's Played Out (Part 1)!

The maximum absorption rate for hair to reap the benefits of a
hair conditioning treatment or hair conditioner is 1-20
minutes!

In my opinion, the social life of a cosmetologist is similar to a celebrity who goes out into the public and they are overwhelmed with questions about their last movie, television appearance or last music performance. Most times when we go out to dinner with a group of friends or to a party and we are introduced as a hairstylist the conversation, like those with celebrities, immediately turns to hair care. And like a celebrity who gets asked the same questions about their most popular performance, us hairstylists gets asked the same questions about the most hated service in the hair salon....drum roll please; THE GAWD AWFUL HAIR DRYER!

Every body and their great grand ma wants to know why do hair stylists put people under the dryer for a long time when getting a hair conditioning service only for the hair stylists to leave them, forget about them, go have lunch, talk on the phone, run errands, go to the beauty supply store, order products from the distributor right in their face, argue with their significant other, pay their bills, fuss at their children, get on Facebook, scroll Instagram, Tweet or text sweet nothings to their boo thang all while their paying customer sits under THE GAWD AWFUL HAIR DRYER!

Again, this is my Blog Nodogo and Ndogo is Swahili for small, therefore, I have to be brief. This Blog Ndogo will be a two part series.  First things first. When ever I am inundated with this question by the hundreds of people I meet at any type of gathering or party, I always respond in Kurtis Blow voice, "Hold up, hold up, hold up; that's played out!" If y'all old enough, y'all know the rest....LOL

I did some extensive research on this heated topic and let me tell you, there are many of school of thought on this topic. So to the point, readers were calling writers stupid and writers were calling readers stupid. To access this information on Google Scholar was like trying to get into Fort Knox (not happening dude)! So, I am not going to call my readers stupid and while I can not get into Fort Knox, I do know a thing or two and about three chemists to help me help my readers. So here goes it...

The reason sitting under a heated dryer is played out is because of this fancy word called NANO TECHNOLOGY or molecular weight. When it comes to hair care products, I have wrote and taught over one hundred times that the cost and quality of a product is strictly determined by what goes into it and the packaging. So, nano technology speaks to the quality of ingredient used to make the product do what the manufacturer thinks its customers are looking for. 

These molecules are so tiny they can actually penetrate that
very thin strand of hair. Can your egg do that? NOPE

If a customer wants a product that works quick, will not weigh her hair down and is priced within reason; then it is going to take three things. Those three things are very very tiny molecules (hence nano technology), a trained, skilled & certified hair stylist and of course MONEY. Cheaper, out dated products, eggs and mayonaise do not have the technology to penetrate the hair, repair it and wash away with out leaving the hair over processed and you sitting under the dryer for a long time. Why? Because their molecules are too large.

If a hair stylist is using hair care products that calls for sitting under the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes, it only means the molecules are larger and will take much longer to penetrate the cuticle to work. It does not mean the ingredients in the products are not working. They are working different on a molecular level. Which explains why those old school treatment takes a long time and may cost more money (yes you will have to pay that stylist for their time, even if you sit). If the product instructs the hair stylist to leave on the hair for 1-3 minutes or 3-5 minutes BINGO, it's on and crack-a-lackin! That means the molecular weight is very very tiny, the molecules can go directly to the section of the strand of hair that is damaged while the rest rinses down the drain and over processed hair is NOT the result. 

Cationic (ionic) molecule that can attract oil and dirt. It can penetrate the
cuticle layer of hair without DAMAGING it or WEIGHING it down...BAM!

Now, I know for some this will be good news and others will remain wedded to what they have been doing. Of course that is perfectly fine. Typewriters are hard to find, but people still use them. The mantra for the salon, The Reverence Design Team, where I work is "experience the science of hair care." We truly personify that mantra. We only use products with the latest technology. We are all trained and certified by the hair care companies who has this kind of of innovative, unique and affordable technology in their products. While I am all in favor of "Me Time," I also understand that "me time" is not isolated to hours in the hair salon. Their is a paradigm shift in hair care where women want to know what is being use on their hair. They also want it in a timely fashion. Using outdated products and practices will not damage hair in any capacity. A hair stylist who refuses to follow the manufacturers instructions, will.  What it will do is take longer and cost more money. 

Good news; in this case, new school trumps old school. Bad news, sitting under a hair dryer past 10 minutes in this day and time is played out.

In my Kurtis Blow voice, "Dontcha give me all that jive, about things you wrote before I's alive..." And that concludes part one of "That's Played Out." 

Cut and Grow

Ends that need to be trimmed.

The other day I was working in the salon. My colleague, Malika came over and showed me an article about the importance having a hair cut. In the beginning, I was very impressed. I was even more impressed that it was written by a licensed cosmetologist. But then. Yep, there is always a but! As I read further into the article, there it was a big fat prevarication (you know; a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth)...LOL! The article read, "cutting hair makes your hair grow." It encouraged readers to schedule their hair cutting appointments so that the magical hair growth could begin. "Malarchy," I say!

Again, the purpose of my Blog Ndogo is to keep things short and sweet. I am not quite sure how often this type of prevarication is in print or spoken, but let me be the first or the second licensed professional to tell you the truth. Cutting your hair makes your hair grow about as much as cutting your fingernails or your grass. It ain't happenin G (in my Flava Flav voice).

Or, hair that needs to be cut (hint: both means the same).

I have no idea of how anyone, especially a licensed cosmetologist, can fathom, justify, explain or even correlate hair growth with cutting. Jenny Bally and Alessandra Foresto of Oprah.com has done some extensive research on the top 5 myths about hair care. They wrote this about the "hair cutting, getting your ends trimmed myth;" "Cutting the ends of your hair DOES NOT affect the follicles in your scalp, which determines how fast and how much your hair grows, says Paradi Mirmirani, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. Hair grows an average of a quarter-inch every month -- whether or not you cut it. Regular trims might make your hair look a little longer, though. Getting rid of split ends reduces hair breakage, and breakage is what makes hair look thinner at the ends (and shorter), says Matt Fugate, a hairstylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown in New York City. Every eight to 12 weeks, ask your stylist to take off the minimum necessary to eliminate split ends." Now I do not how many of you know who Sally Hershberger is, but I suggest you google her. If one of her hair designers as well as myself can honestly admit that cutting hair does not make it grow; what makes those other stylist who says it does right?

Trimming and Cutting ends are synonymous!

For the record dermatology trumps cosmetology on any given Sunday as well as any given anatomical and biological day. While dermatologists may know very little about hair styling; the same can be said about a cosmetologists knowing much about dermatology. In other words, do not confuse the two. Any cosmetologist playing dermatologists in the areas of scalp/skin disorders, scalp/skin diseases, hair growth, hair loss and the likes should not be taken seriously. I mean would you let your dermatologist color your hair, cut it, relax it, braid it, sew or glue in your weave? Of course you would not. And the dermatologist would never offer such a service in their practice. 

Philip Pelusi teaches, "It's now how much you take off that counts..,"

There is no state anywhere in the world that license any hair stylist in the areas of "making hair grow." The FDA has approved very few drugs who can make that claim or their bottles. It is true that vitamin supplements, a well balanced diet, increased circulation by way of scalp massages, far infrared technology and so on can improve the blood supply that is truly responsible for providing the nourishment to promote growth; honestly, that my readers is about the just of it. 

"But how much you leave on." end quote.

Funny thing, if you want your nails or lawn to look nice; what do you do? Get them manicured (trimmed, cut and beautified). The same can be said about a hair cut. Again, while the cut or trim will make either grow both will make your nails, lawn and hair look very nice. Understand there are many consumers who complain that some hair stylists do not know the difference between trimming or cutting a lot or a little; well that is a different blog.

But for now, how is this for cut and grow?

Let's Get Physical

Being a professional cosmetologist has its pros and cons like any other career. Like most careers, the more you do something, receive training and get more training; the better you become at it. But, as good as I think I am, there is this one thing in my career that gets my goat every time. That one thing is the great debate about a hairstyle (image) versus exercise. 

Are you a chump or a champion?

As a professional who makes an honest living off of looking cute, presentable to the public and having a great hair day every day, I will make this Blog Ndogo even more short and sweet. First things first. There is no versus. The hair style will loose the debate every time because looking good is something that always starts from the inside.

There are many of days that I stand behind the salon chair and I get countless inquiries about this debate. Now, I don't know if you can tell, but-ter-rumm; I'm no fitness instructor! Nonetheless, I can not think of one fitness instructor who would support any able bodied person compromising their health over their hair. I know, I know; ya gotta get up early to get the kids ready, get ready for work, walk the dog, feed the husband (lol) and so on and so forth. I can see you now reading this blog thinking, "Umph, I bet that fitness instructor has locs or extension braids and does not know a thing or two about a hair style." Well, they may not. Yet, they can tell you that the more you exercise the more hair you will have. And if looking cute with great hair is what you are after; then the gym (or exercising at home) is the place to make it happen. Not the hair salon. 

Let's get physical!

I actually reward every customer who sits in my chair that chooses fitness/health over their hair! I have come up with the top 3 benefits that exercise does for hair to encourage the skeptics to do so. Drum roll please. Working my way back, the third reason one should choose fitness over a hair style is because there is a strong correlation between physical activity and GROWING hair. Yep, ya know it! Exercising gets the blood flowing something fierce. When blood flows hair grows. The best way to nourish your hair is from within. It's free and you do not have to sit under the dryer for a treatment. The second benefit of choosing fitness over a hairstyle is your beautiful glowing skin. Remember when the blood flows, hair grows and skin glows! (hey I'm on a roll here!)  Yes, exercising definitely promotes healthy glowing, acne free and blemish free skin as well.  Just look around; thick hair, blemish free and glowing skin goes hand in hand. Can you say, "Philly Weeden, Jane Fonda or Miesha Wilson!" They look good, don't they? I mean don't just look at their bodies; look at their hair and skin. Lastly, the number one reason to choose fitness over a hair style is because it saves you money! When you exercise you will not waste money on frivolous purchases at the grocery store, clothing store or hair salon. Well, you might buy more gear, but you catch my drift!

Okay now, real talk; if you are wearing any form of braided styles or a pixie cut, you will have to get those hair styling services more frequently. Compared to when you were more sedentary your hair growth was doing the bare minimum. Now that you are exercising you are getting the maximum and again, that blood flow promotes hair growth. So you are not tripping if you find yourself paying more frequently for those braided styles and pixie cuts. But at least you will have hair.

Yes you can!

In the end, I understand that looking cute and presentable in the public eye is very important to us image conscious folk; but I can tell you from personal experience, exercising as needed rules over a hair style any day! I can not think of any better advice to give to any person wanting to look good from the outside in or the inside out than telling them the honest truth of choosing health over hair. When you feel good, you will look good no matter how much hair you have, do not have and rather it is real or fake. 

I look the part of what I promote as a professional cosmetologist. I have a good hair day every day. One would be hard pressed to catch my hair looking cray, unless your name is Hattie Mae a.k.a LaKeisha (my colorist) or Malika (my back up colorist)! Like many, I too had to address my physical and mental health. I chose exercising. I do it at least 5 times a week for 45 minutes a day. I try it all. Some exercising makes me sweat more than others. And whenever I am asked, "What do you to your hair when you exercise and it messes up?" I realistically respond, "I do it over." My school of thought is, it's all about sanity; not about vanity. 

It's just hair people. Get up, get out, get to moving. Eat a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water. Be sure to boo boo; oh and think really good thoughts! The same effort you put into your hair, clothes, nails, shoes, make up, going out to dinner, going to social gatherings and all that goes with it; put it into your physical and mental health. In the words of my boy George Clinton of the Parliament/Funkadelic, "Free your mind and your ass will follow!" 

Let's get physical!

You Could Pay More. But Why?

For a mere $167.00

There you sit over lunch with your best friend. You look at your watch and say, "Ooh, I gotta go. I have to catch the salon before it closes to get my shampoo and conditioner!" Your best friend responds, "I don't know why you spend so much money on your hair care products. Those fancy salon products are no better than what is being sold at Walmart and the local beauty supply store."

The verdict on rather salon products are better than over the counter products is still out in my professional opinion. "Now, wait! Just hold on a cotton pickin' minute!" Is the typical response when I say that. The name of my salon is "The Reverence Design Team." And reverence means to hold in the highest regards. With that being typed, I am honestly one of those ethical professionals. While my goal is to make money like any other business person, I'd much rather do so ethically versus shiesty. You could pay more, but why; you ask?

A whopping $3.00 gets you over 12 oz.

Honestly, salon products are not better than over the counter. But, what they are is different. Whenever my customers asks me what makes them so different and if they should ditch their products to buy what I am using on their hair. My response is always, "If it works; use it!" If a customer walks in the salon with hair on their head and is using over the counter products, honestly; who am I to tell her to ditch her products for my fancy salon products? Now, if the hair on her head was compromised, I would. I would not encourage her to change unless she just wanted to buy something different.

There are three things to consider if you wanna pay more or less. The first is your unique hair fabric. All women of the same race, ethnicity or gene pool  do not have the same hair. Just because some of us are of the same race, are cousins, sisters, moms and dads does not translate into the SAME. So trying to make your wavy hair curly like that Black woman on YouTube or like your cousin's hair whose is just like yours will not happen. And just because the bottle says for "textured" or/and "natural" hair does not mean it is for your texture. Textured hair does not translate into the "same." As for natural, if it is on your head it IS natural. It does not matter if it chemically altered or not. Chemically altered hair is just that,: chemically altered. Not natural means a wig or weave. It can be chemically altered, but it is still on your head naturally!

The second is price. Just because something is expensive does not mean it is good or better. It simply means it cost more. Likewise, just because something is inexpensive does not mean that it is bad or worse. It simply means that it is inexpensive. The price of the product is determined by what is in it, the technology used and the packaging. If your hair does not require all of those fancy ingredients, modern technology and packaging; then buy something that has no fancy ingredients, very little technology and no packaging at all. It will definitely work it's magic just the same.

$250.00 to grow your hair back. You are worth it, right?

The third is advertisement. The last thing one should do when investing in hair care products is look at who is in the picture, magazine or on TV. Come on people, Reality TV is not real and neither is advertisement. When a client brings in a photo, video, infomercial or even a person (yes, people actually bring in people...lol), I listen very intently. As soon as they finish, I remind them in my Chris Brown voice, "She ain't you!" No need in setting someone up for failure. That would not be very reverency, now would it? If you want your hair to look like someone else's; get a wig. The chances of me giving you Beyoncé's hair color, Jennifer Aniston's cut and Jill Scotts texture is like winning the mega millions. I could convince you when I'm done that your color looks "like" Beyoncé's and you could believe if you want.

Readers please keep in mind that hair care companies, hair salons and hair stylists are not only in the business of making hair look and feel great; we are all in the business of making money. Most
American business use plenty of fear in their sales pitch to get you to spend. I know you have heard something similar to: "If you don't go to; then. Or, if you don't buy; then." Those contingency sales pitches are just that; contingencies. Also, in America the price of something can tell you just how good something is or is not. It can tell you how foolish you are or is not. So buyer beware.

This could be yours, if the price is right! $1.99

If what is on the bottle does not read almost to the word of what you say your hair needs; then do not buy it. If you do not know your hair texture, type and the condition of it; visit a professional hair stylist for a consultation to find out. Do not turn to YouTube or to this blog to find out. Textures, types and the condition of your hair can not be determined via reading, looking at pictures, TV or videos. I re-type; textures, types and the condition of your hair CAN NOT be determined that way. Hair has to be examined in person by a trained cosmetologist.

So to answer the adage, "You could pay more; but why?" The honest answer? Hair care products are like cars. An Aston Martin Rapide will get you downtown just like a Ford Escort. The question is, how do you want to arrive?