Hair Care on the Go

Been around the world and I can't...

It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, not winter; summer! Summer time brings about fun in the sun, laying in the shade, drinking a little lemonade, traveling and hair! Summer season is not only fun season. For many summer season is travel season. 

Traveling has it's own quirks and quivers. The woes of traveling packing, forgetting things, flight delays and long TSA lines are the typical run of the mill traveling quirks. However, when it comes to hair care the woe quickly morphs into a foe. For those who love to travel or live on the go hair care my 8 tips for hair care on the go can make hair care and hair styling your friend. 

Never fear, the author of What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon and writer of this blog is here with 8 quick things to consider as you travel or live out of your suitcase. 

     1. Pack Light:  Not only sounds good when Erykah Badu sings it, but it will also feel good  as you get through your travels easily. Packing lights saves you time and frees your mind. Time is of the essence when you are on vacation or living to and fro. Pack light so you will not be tossing through packed items that you will never have time to change to wear or will frustrate your traveling experience. Packing light will also give you room to fit the hair care items you need for your journey.

     2. Referrals, Google reviews and social media, oh my! Prior to traveling let people know where you are going and ask them if they can refer someone who may do hair where you will be traveling to. Read their Google reviews. Do not just look at the fiver stars. Read those comments. Utilize all the social media platforms to vet the potential hair stylist or salon. While inboxing and direct messaging are nice for scheduling appointments, nothing beats getting a good consultation in person. Be sure to talk in detail with the stylist prior to service about what you want, the time and the cost.

Pack light.

     3. Inspect and Respect Images: Scrolling through images are great. Understand those are photos. Therefore, inspect and enlarge those images to look for detail. Look into the stylist feed to see they are actually getting comments, writing responses and reposting the progression and retention of their clientele. Look for images of them highlighting them doing the hair style they are posting. Scroll to see if you notice the same face twice or more. If you are looking at different images with different people all the time; buyer beware. Cross check other social medias for continuity of posting and feedback.

     4. Cost: The cost of salon services can be easily found on a salon's website. However, if the hairstylist or salon does not have a website, getting an accurate price quote varies. Most hair stylists don't post the cost of their services or quote prices over the phone because of the varying hair care and hair styling needs that sits in their chair. Price quoting is difficult. Hairstylist needs to see the condition of your scalp and hair to determine the cost. In all fairness, visit the salon to get a consultation for the true price.

Hotel hair care? Maybe.

     5. Hotel hair care: The hair care products offered in most hotels are typically not the best for those who have textured or very long hair. While the shampoo will clean your hair, it may make your hair difficult to manage. The conditioners may not soften Afro, dense heads of hair or very long hair enough to comb it. Therefore, remember to pack what you use at home. Nothing will mess up travel experience than messed up hair from using the wrong products.

     6. Kids hair and travel: If your child has textured, dense or/and very long hair, braiding it up is best. When kids travel, they want to have fun; not get their hair done. 

     7. Heat free hair care: Heat free hair styles such as braids, braid extension hair styles, wash-n-go, weaves, locs, twists and cornrows are almost perfect for travel and the hot season. Keep in mind they need to maintained as well. Follow the directions given to you by the person who styled your hair. Do not leave braided, weaved or extension hairstyles in for long periods of time. Because the scalp is a microbial habitat, leaving those kinds of styles in beyond 3 weeks can prove disastrous when removing them. Heat free hair styles are to be in lieu of actually caring or and styling your own hair on a regimented basis. 

    8. YouTube: I absolutely love YouTube. I love the free advice people upload! YouTube gives you the behind the scenes and the how-to's of what you are looking for an answer to. "YouTube is awesome for everything except teeth and hair," is my favorite saying! Do not watch YouTube for directions on how to do your hair or child's. No two heads of hair are alike, except identical twins. Watching YouTube to learn how to do something to your hair or child's hair will almost always prove to be disastrous. Instead visit your hair stylist and ask for permission to record them doing you hair and your child's hair to learn how to do your hair or your child's hair. 

There you have it. Eight simple things to consider as you have fun this summer traveling or is living out of your suitcase. And in the singing voice of Erykah Badu, "pack light."

You can purchase my book, What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon at www.lwrightbooks.com, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can also purchase it via iBook, Kindle, Nook and Google Play Store. 

Unnatural Hair Care

The L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System

As a social worker turned cosmetologist, something about the natural hair movement in the early 2000's perplexed me. My gut reaction combined with my college education in social science, gave me all kinds of signals and pangs that something about this natural hair movement was not right.

20 years ago, I could not figure it out. Today, 20 years later, I still have not figured it out. While I most certainly understand, agree, empathize and applaud the efforts of deliberately celebrating varying textures of hair on people of African ancestry, I am not quite sure I understand how natural hair became specific to people of African ancestry. It is as if people of ethnicities do not have natural hair too. The other thing I do not understand about the natural hair movement is the constant promotion of the notion that chemically altered hair is not natural. If it grows from your scalp it is natural. If you alter the hair that has grown from your scalp, it remains natural; just altered. The last I checked, if you fry chicken; it's still chicken and if you dye your t-shirt, it's still a t-shirt.

My latest book, "What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon," speaks to the powerful influence the internet and social media has on hairstylists and the beauty industry. I am writing this blog using the natural hair movement to capture my confusion and what they don't tell you at the hair salon. For starters, what they don't tell you at the hair salon, the Internet will. While much of what is on the Internet is interesting, some of it is just plane old nonsense. Let's explore hair care and hair styling. There are like millions if not billions for searches for this topic; thus giving hairstylists and hair care novices a plethora of information to gather.

Read on as I explain the top four most unnatural hair care and hair styling techniques I have come across a cosmetologist and writer on and off the Internet. These practices have seriously influenced the minds of hairstylists and the beauty industry.

They are the LOC (Leave-In Conditioner, Oil and Moisturize) Method, the L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System, the Inversion Method to Grow Hair and the Monistat 7 for Hair Growth Method.

According to Google, the LOC Method is a technique for moisturizing hair. This one here perplexes me because drinking water is the best way to moisturize hair. The second reason this perplexes me is, for the most part this technique appears to be marketed to people with curly, wavy, coily and Afro hair.  For all practical intents and purposes, these textures need to be coated more than they need to be moisturized. Moisture implies the hair will be wet, damp, clammy; you get the picture. Any smart cosmetologist, dermatologist and trichologist will tell all clients that wet hair swells the cuticles and swollen cuticles are solely responsible for tangled hair. Therefore, the operative technique would be to coat these textures. And the CC (Coated Cuticles) Method would be more befitting. Leave-In conditioners, oil and creams all coat the cuticles (outer layer of hair) layer of hair.

The LOC Method

Next, thee gawd awful L.O.I.S Scale Hair Typing System. For starters I loathe this one the most. Why? Well, first of all this concept has been jacked from Andre Walker (a.k.a Oprah's old hairstylist). He created the hair typing system to compliment his private label brand over some 25 years ago and now it's being high jacked by some rogue hairstylists. NaturallyCurly.com explains the, "LOIS system is broken down by letters and incorporates all hair types for black women. L = Bend, O = Curl, I = Straight, S = Wave. I take it they are referring to the hair textures taking on the shape of the letters? Any whoot, what a crock of over cooked spaghetti noodles. If you really want to take advantage of this concept go on over to https://andrewalkerhair.com/ and get it directly from the source! Number two, "incorporates all hair for all black women..." Considering, men's hair bends, curls, waves and goes straight, I think they should be included too! Both male and females hair textures are determined by their genetics and NOT their race; however, I'll give them two points for giving me the opportunity to give credit where credit is due...#AndreWalker.

Third, the interesting Inversion Method to Grow Hair. This technique instructs folks to "heat up some oil, like olive or coconut, apply it to your scalp, comb hair thoroughly, massage your scalp for four minutes, and hold your head upside down for a few moments to rush the blood to your scalp for nourishment and growth." Because I know children read my blogs, I will not curse. But, what the French toast and ham sammich are these muffler suckers talking about? I have no clue. It is true, blood flow will carry the much needed nourishments to your hair. And true massaging your scalp for four minutes is sure to increase blood flow to it. Why hang your head upside down for a few more mintues? Jeezus take the wheel!

Last, the questionable, Monistat 7 for Hair Growth Method. Woo sah readers; woo sa! For those of you who don't know, the scalp is a microbial habitat. The microbes the scalp produces are yeast microbes. The scalp is self cleansing just like the vagina. Both do so all day every day. Both orifices needs to be cared for and groomed with the right products, the right tools and the right techniques. When the scalp and the vagina are not cleansed a timely organized fashion, the results are typically an imbalance of good and bad bacteria flora. Monistat 7 was specifically formulated for the imbalanced vagina under the notion that when used as directed for 7 seven consecutive days the flora (environment of good bacteria) of the vagina will return to normal. It is imperative to use the products formulated for your vagina on your vagina; and use the products formulated to clean your scalp on your scalp.

The Monistat 7 Method for Hair Growth

Understand this is for the environment of the vagina, not the scalp. For the record, companies have formulated shampoos specifically for people who have problems with yeast on the scalp, a' la dandruff, clarifying, and medicated shampoos to be exact. I understand how some products can be multifaceted, like vinegar, olive oil and baking soda.

For the most part, I understand what they are attempting to do with this natural hair thang. Some of it I agree with and others, I do not. Whatever my position or yours, it is unnatural for curly, wavy, coily and Afro hair to be moist, it is unnatural (it may be natural, but it ain't right...#lol) to steal somebody else's idea and make it your own, it is unnatural to hang your head upside down for a certain period of time to make your hair grow, and it is unnatural to use products formulated to improve and alleviate problems with the yeast production in the vagina to improve and alleviate yeast production on the scalp.

Understand, the concept of the right products, the right tools and the right tools concept mentioned in my book are about empowering and educating the reader. In the name of shameless plug, please buy my book. It is much more accurate and user friendly to both the hair stylist and the customer. The wrong products, the wrong tools and the wrong techniques as outlined in this blog exposes how they are all about mass marketing to produce mass dollars. They know all to well the horrible narrative of hair care and hair styling for people of African Ancestry brought on by slavery. They know all too well the narrative told to slaves by slave owners that their hair was bad, nappy, kinky and should not be combed. They know all too well those words and terms were wrong. They know all too well slaves were denied the practice of cleaning and grooming their own hair. Now, 400 years later, they know all to well the result of their abuse and miseducation has become a cultural practice for many descendants of slavery. They know all to well that it has now become the narrative of the natural hair movement: don't wash it, don't comb it, it is difficult to manage and all black women have the same hair.

They were and are wrong. No two heads of hair are alike for people of the same race, ethnicity, nation or culture, I highly suggest a buyer and user beware  attitude towards these popular techniques. They are constantly being promoted over the Internet via social media, hair salons and under educated hairstylists. A cookie cutter approach to hair care and hair styling that categorizes and classifies hair to the social political construct of race is played out. Ain't nobody got time for that. Creating and stealing hair care and hair styling techniques in name of popularity to become a social media influencer or famous, get more attention, likes, followers and money will only benefit their Racially AAA (assigned asinine agenda). 

How unnatural is that?

Flair for Elderly Hair

The beauty of  white hair!

Fear enters our lives in many facets. From the moment we see the unexpected crawl of a bug or feel the rapid beat of our heart brought on by public speaking; everyone has something they fear. While the appearance of gray hair doesn't crawl and startle you or causes your to beat rapidly when you speak in front of crowds, for many, gray hair coupled with aging is a pain in the watoosi (otherwise known as the butt)! Gray hair and aging can be difficult. Some dislike having it, some anticipate it, and others downright embrace it.

Whether you embrace your gray hair and age or fight it every step of the way with make up, color sticks, mascara, Bigen or hair dye, there are a few key things everyone who is aging as their hair turns gray must always consider...

Hair definitely changes as we age.

Complaints about aging typically includes a fuss about gray hair. The complaints primarily focus around four issues. Limpness,  turning yellow, style ability and unruliness. The complaints are not so much related to aging. On the contrary, they are attributed to hair styling issues. Infrequent shampooing, not combing hair enough and using the wrong kinds of hair care products and styling agents are what makes gray hair look bad as opposed to how old you are.

Gray hair is an actual disorder that causes hair to loose it's pigment (color). Many people believe gray changes the structure of your hair. It does not. Often mistakes are easily seen and happen more frequent on gray hair because of the optical illusion that gray hairs are more tedious and less attractive to those who have it. Your gray hair is not difficult now compared to when it was darker. Your gray is is just as attractive as you was when you were younger. It is only the difference in color that sometimes changes one's attitude when their hair become shunned.

I don't know whose worse at selling bogus hair care products; social media, info-mericals or the myriad of home shopper programs. Whatever the options, selling visions of long hair from yesteryear, all modalities are like buying a cheese burger someone one took a bite from. If you are looking to revitalize your aging hair or your loved one's aging hair avoid buying products claiming to return hair to it's youthful luster, revert your gray hair to it's natural color or making your hair thicker. Anatomically and biologically, hair changes as we age. Yep, that is correct. As we age, hair naturally become thin, gray and thinner for most people. I attribute the changing of your thick strands of hair to thin strands of hair to the mouth of follicle (the tiny hole your hair grows from). As we age, the mouth of the follicle shrinks in diameter; thus shrinking the diameter of our hair right along with it. Hair care products and supplements can not revert this naturally occurring phenomenon. Therefore, buyer beware.

Au naturale

While aging may be the inevitable, there are ways to make maximize the optical illusion of younger, fuller and with more shine without trying to look like someone you are not. The easiest and most affordable way to enhance and modify the appearance of graceful aging are: haircuts, hair coloring wigs and head wraps/turbans. I advise everyone, short of the shampoo, a haircut is thee most important aspect of a salon visit. A haircut is to hair what fashion design is to fabric. Yes! Haircuts are that important and magnanimous. Hair coloring is a great way to camouflage, enhance or outright hide the changes that occur with aging hair. In earlier times, people wanted to return to their younger years as it related to their hair color. Not today. Today hair color is art. You can do what you like. To be exact, going darker is not the best way to reverse the signs of aging. Because of loss of pigment in the skin as we age, going darker makes most skin tones look stark and pale. Wigs are quick, easy and flexible. You can purchase a wig in any style and hair color, makes wigs a great alternative. Wigs can be removed whenever you want which makes wigs an even greater alternative. Wigs can be bought in most neighborhoods, online or via a catalog makes them one of the greatest alternatives. Head wraps or turbans are great for showing cultural pride and a sense of style. They sell head wraps and turbans in varying prints and colors. Some are pre-made. While others require intricate twists and turns of fabrics, cloths and for some even old t-shirts. Whatever your style, there is a fabric just right for your style. Covering your hair is also a great way to protect your hair from the sun and will suffice for a quick fix when all else fails or if you want to boldly steal the scene!

African head wrap!

The flair for elderly hair definitely ain't the ol' gray hair it used to be. Gray hair can be natural, short, spiked, sassy, colored or covered. Gray looks great on everyone at every age. Today's attitude towards hair, "It's mine and I love it." Regardless the texture, rather it is thick, thin, or balding, long or short, natural or colored; gray hair is on the minds of many. How to care for it and alter it means a lot many. Be sure to continue to make purchases for your gray hair according to it's texture and type, using the right products, the right tools and the right techniques.

The Inner You

What type of a blogger would I be if I did not write a blog about the outgoing year and the incoming year? Yes, there is something about the end of those 365 days that makes people want to do 365 more! As a cosmetologist, I can not think of a better way to make wanting to live those additional 365 days again more fulfilling than looking good. 

The National Cancer Society has a program to help women feel beautiful as they recover from various forms of cancer called, "Look Good. Feel Better." I can not think of a better mantra for life in the upcoming 2018 new year. It is true. When we look good, we actually do feel better. The interesting part about looking good is sometimes we can actually look uberly attractive and physically fit outwardly; but inwardly we do not feel the same. On the contrary, mentally we can feel fantastic; yet, esthetically and physically we look a hot mess. To rectify this conundrum, women opt to change their hair. They do so because it yields great feelings and looks great. However, this  resolve yields topsy tervy results which typically goes two directions. In the one direction the result is hate. If their hair doesn't turn out right, they either hate their hair and blame the hair product. In the other direction the result is love. They love either love their hair and love the product. Either way, the objective is truly to look good to feel better or to feel better because they look good. If this type of recourse sounds familiar to you or a loved one, then this blog is for you!

One of the most interesting things I find about working in the beauty industry is how much people want to be beautiful. I kind of liking my experiences to that request to that of someone who works in the ministry or spiritual realm. People got to ministers and spiritual coaches asking for blessing and prayers when they are already full of them. God, Spirit, Universe (or whatever name you have for your higher power) has everything already made in perfection. I know this sounds cliché. But it is not cliché. It is an absolute spiritual and physical fact. Consider two things. First beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Second, everything comes from within; everything. So feeling good within automatically puts and end to the "want."

Beauty is like art. What one person thinks is junk and scribble; others see it as art. What sees as ugly, fat and jiggly; others see it as perfection. I encourage every one to operate their mental faculties from the mindset of knowing. Know that you are already beautiful. Rather your have a head full of hair or your hair is balding. Own your own type of beauty versus wanting it. 

In relation to beauty, there are many things we can do with and to our beauty. We can alter our beauty or we can leave our beauty as is and proceed. Either way, we have a divine mind called choice to do as we please.

Today beauty has turned into something with two very interesting sides. On one side of the token there is a popular notion called "natural beauty." On the other side, some call it "altered beauty." Now days we have much coming at us to persuade us to choose a side. But, one has to admit the side of the coin that alters beauty is constantly being tossed again with the hopes to not alter. The one thing in beauty that people like to alter the most is hair. People like to alter their hair with water to reshape the state of if to do things like make it curly, puffy, frizzy, curly or straight. Then there are those who like to alter their hair with tools to cut it or decorations to adorn it. Others like to enhance that by adding heat via irons, dryers and the sun. There are also others who like to enhance the beauty of their hair by altering it with chemicals to change the color or and texture. Whatever the choice of alterations, guess what? You can always have the choice to alter it again.

Thoughts are more toxic than any relaxer.

The thing I find interesting about these varying options to alter it is the negative attention given to those who opt to chemically alter their hair. If a person chooses to alter their hair with chemicals they are often warned of the dangers of chemical alterations. People are warned against internal damages to the body, hair loss, hair damage and in some cases death. Yes, I've read and listened to many school of thoughts that are utterly totally and completely against anything synthetic/manmade on hair and the body.

I am no doctor by any stretch of the imagination nor am I any sort of spiritual or wholistic guru who is affluent in the knowledge of either area. However, I am of the genetic makeup from a supreme being. So with that fact, here is the knowledge bestowed in me from my supreme maker that gives me the credibility to respond. 

Everything comes from within. Nothing comes from without. If you use any chemical on your hair and you become ill, trust me; you were ill before you even reached for the box; before  the chemical was applied. Chemicals are energy like illnesses. They all come from someone's mastermind. If the mind generates sick and ill intent thoughts; so it shall be manifested in the external. Chemical application comes with warnings just like bad thoughts. There is a contingency to both modalities. 

I can think of nothing more toxic than a person who personifies, represents and promotes that the external is responsible for the internal. Nothing in beauty could be further from the truth. When you add anything external to an internal that is compromised, predisposed or is at risk, then consideration to what you choose to use externally should be considered with scrutiny.

My mom had this to say about surface beauty, "Beauty is skin deep. But, ugly is to the bone." In other words, a toxic mentality permeates. However, one chooses to alter their hair or image is a very personal decision. What is toxic to one person may not be toxic to the other. Everything is not for everybody. As we adorn ourselves externally, get to know ourselves internally. Discover what is really on the inside that you want the world to see daily. If you wanna fry it, dye it and lay it to the side; in the infamous words of the Rapper Debonair, Shock Gee - "Do what you like."   

Just grab 'em in the biscuit!

And for those who insist that chemicals or altering one's beauty beyond their view or opinion of how it should be done, understand that it is their energy of judging, their undertone of excessive persuasion and harsh words that begins the formation of the toxic thoughts that makes women, girls, teens and men sick from within long before any man made chemical touches and enters the body externally. 

The human body is amazing. Contrary to popular belief the human body wants to be alive. The divine made us so intricately well that it has organs that are designed to rid the body of toxins and even regenerate themselves to keep us living strong healthy lives. If and when the body becomes toxic, please know that you have the power of your mind through choices to change behaviors and affirm healing thoughts that will manifest any kind of healing. You know; what some people call miracles! 

The new year is approaching. Use this magical time to truly begin something beautiful in your mind. While you do have the option to do this at any and every moment in your life, feel free to use the incoming year and date of January 1, 2018 to do so.

According to numerologist Simone Matthews, of universallifetools.com, she writes this about numerology, "Numerology is a most ancient and mystical art form for understanding our own personal cycles of growth & evolution AND becoming conscious of ourselves in the greater context of planetary & cosmic evolution." As for the meaning of the new year 2018, she goes on to write this edifying passage to translate the meaning of the master number 11, "Firstly… in a Universal 11 Year we have the FREEDOM to really SEE ourselves from a greater level of awareness or consciousness.  Just like looking at our reflection in the water, we are drawn during 2018 to take a good hard look at areas in our life where we have held ourselves back, stayed small for fear of rejection, or limited our growth for fear of failure.  What do you ‘see’ when you take a deep introspective look at your life in this  moment, what is the universe reflecting back to you in this Universal 11 Year." To get more information on this topic, please visit her website. It is awesome.

There is only one you. When the maker made you, he broke the mode. Everyone has a divine mind that allows them to only create from within.  How you want to create or alter your beauty including hair is a part of that divine mind of choice. Even if you relax it, color it, loc it, braid it, cut it off, sew it on or glue it on, it is your prerogative to do so. If and when folk go to express their opinions about it; that's ok! They have the choice to use their divine minds for whatever they like or dislike.

Tap into the inner you. Continue to ask your supreme source how you can you express your beauty. Use that information to express yourself and should you choose; your beautiful hair.

Revolt

#REVOLT

The salon industry is full of beauty. Creative people are plentiful. Vibrant personalities and artistic designs keeps the smiles coming. It is a place for the unique, loud, prim and proper. It welcomes home boys and home girls alike. Regardless the age, if you can fit in the chair, you are welcomed. The salon industry is happening. 

In all its splendor of artistic flair and technological advances, it needs an enema. Wait, what just happened? The outer appearance, by way of social media and marketing of the salon industry appears to be lose and flowing. However, from the inside it is rigid and stiff. It is not all encompassment. It is segregated. So there in lies the crap and a lot of it. Segregation is the crap that causes our service model to be blocked and backed up. On the outside a person can look perfectly normal, have clear skin, a flat belly and all. But on the inside, their colon is blocked; they are full of crap. We look like we are truly flowing with our colorful artsy tartsy hair designs and fancy salon names. Sometimes we are. But, we need an enema of sorts to loosen up our service model approach to the vast and diverse world of hair; with emphasis on hair care for the textured hair masses. 

What is wrong with the service model, you ponder? Because the salon industry is primarily segregated we do not see it. It is the training of the masses by the powers that be that pretty much teaches and promotes that people of the same race pretty much have the same hair texture. That is false. It is how they indirectly promote segregation. Call it target audience, demographics; you can put any word you want on it. It is what it is. Segregation. And where there is segregation. There is discrimination. No matter how nice we separate those shopping aisle using covert racial undertones such as, "ethnic, women of color, natural hair,

bi-racial and the likes." It looks as if we are finally opening up to the other half of the world who went unnoticed. What other half? What is there not to see? Over 90 percent of humans have some degree of texture in their hair! However, when one observes how hair styles and hair care is promoted, they have to admit, straight hair rules. There is a separate practice and cost for those with textured hair. According  to the 2015 Department of Labor report, America has approximately 688,700 plus licensed cosmetologists. And they all began their education of hair care and hair styling on straight haired mannequins. There is segregation in the education of hair when the mannequins are black and white with straight hair. Textured hair mannequins are not open for discussion; nor are they an option to purchase during the education of cosmetology. The extensiveness of the hyperbole in the beauty industry is shameful. Especially in America. To separate people, then use word play, photos and the emotion quotient in advertisement and education is misleading and deplorable to say the least. At what point were retailers (and of all places; a pharmacy, i.e. CVS) gullible enough to hang a sign called "ethnic" above a hair care aisle? I guess "coloreds only" would bring out the Tiki torch carrying customers, huh? They feel comfortable seeing white people with no texture walk down one aisle and seeing people of color and whites with textured hair walk down another? Dude.

This nonsense has to end. I work in the industry. I have been doing my part to address this nonsense. Attempts are definitely being made to end it; but for the most part, segregation is real. It is ignored, accepted, overlooked. To describe my observation, I will describe what I call, The "segregated" service cycle. This cycle of segregation pretty much consists of approximately 6 simple steps (give or take):

1. Let people know you are a licensed cosmetologist
2. Let people know what you do
3. Let people know where you are located 
4. Let people know what your work hours are  
5. Let people know how much you charge 
6. Let people know what hair care goods you sell. 

In return, the customer:

1. Arrives at location
2. Request what is on salon service menu
3. Pay services rendered
4. Purchase recommended hair care goods (optional)
5. Refer clients
6. Rebook appointments

We are pretty much trained to do business with people who look like us. To sum it up, you get what you pay for. Sounds fundamentally sound right? 

Wrong. Why?

You are not getting what you paid for. You are getting what you "wish" you could get when you pay for it. First of all, everyone knows the world is diverse. Segregation does not work effectively. It overtly screens out certain people. When people are screened out, people are at risk. Second, race has very little to do with hair. Yet there is a discriminating distinction between those with texture and those without texture. There is a discriminating distinction between those who are of color without texture and those who are of color and no color with texture. You gasp?  

Both hair stylist and customer need not lie, deny and turn heads in another direction as if this segregated cycle is functioning. The segregated cycle is not functioning. People are woke and alert. The race card is not being played too much these days. A paradigm shift has taken place within the hair salon industry where customers of every race with textured hair are fed up with the covert segregated cycle. 

While the internet, blogs, YouTube, certain celebrity stylists, multicultural salons and other social media outlets have offered some relief; textured hair consumers remain under served. They are forced into a section called "ethnic" for no reason. They embrace the "natural hair movement" as if straight hair is not  natural. The separateness leads to cyber bullying, discrimination, and racism. And what is this new buzz word I'm seeing, "cultural appropriation?" They are using this term to slander straight haired women who wear cornrow or box braids. Geesh. This nonsense leaves customers and consumers feeling fed up, scorned and left out.

I remain stunned. How can I help the fed up, scorned and left out customers?They have some how fallen through the cracks of the very industry that is supposed to help them. The world of hair styles and hair care is utterly, totally and completely filled with diversity and textured hair. So what am I to do?

REVOLT.

I looked up the meaning of revolution to make sure the word could capture my sentiments. Is a revolution the solution for who I call the "textured hair masses?" Of the many definitions of revolution, I chose one that read, "Revolution is the forcible overthrow of a social order in favor of a new system."

Real life hair care.

"Yeah," I thought to myself, "A revolution is the solution. Hashtag revolt!" So, with my pumped fist, fervor and excitement, I typed "the revolution will be live."  Gil Scott Heron, the famous spoken word poet who wrote about revolution in the 70's was right when he spoke, "the revolution will not be televised." The segregation towards textured hair consumers and customers within the hair salon industry has brought about much dysfunction and mis-education. Along with it are unprecedented practices that yield ill-prepared hair stylists and a heart broken customers.

For the most part, the segregation within the beauty industry reminds me of a dysfunctional relationship. It has secrets and wives tales that are as valid as alternative facts. It is full of remorse, regrets and resentments. And like a bad relationship, both parties ultimately conclude, that karma is real. What goes around comes around. Segregation and dysfunction reflects lack of self love. We must learn to teach and help people care for their textured hair.

I will help. I will teach. This is the revolution in hair care. It is live! I am starting this revolution by replacing that segregated cycle with a new textured hair care world order! The new cycle is The Wright Method for all hair textures (regardless the race). The Wright Method has three simple steps. This system is user friendly to both the hair stylist and customer.  Great hair requires three simple steps in no given order regardless the color of your skin, the texture of your hair, the service requested, location of the salon, hours of salon operation, cost of goods, cost of service; rather you re-book, refer or purchase retail. The Wright Method is as follows:

1. The right hair care products for your unique hair fabric
2. The right hair styling tools for your unique hair fabric
3. The right technique(s) for your unique hair fabric

This is my revolution. This is my revolution in hair care. It reminds me of the revolution during the outbreak of the AIDS virus in the early 80's. There was a belief that AIDS was contagious and airborne.  Along came a group of doctors who partnered with CDC (Center for Disease Control) to revolt. They wanted the segregation that resulted in discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS virus to end. Together they created and implemented "Universal Precautions." This drastically reduced paranoia, ignorance while simultaneously protecting the spread of all viruses. It all but stamped out the discriminatory practices against those with HIV/AIDS. I am suggesting everyone and all companies adopt "The Wright Method" where everyone with any type of hair texture can be serviced effectively.

I am inspired. Part of being a revolutionist is to not merely point out what is wrong. Remember a true revolution not only forces out and overthrows what is not productive to the masses, it vehemently is in favor of a new system! Are you ready for a revolution?

My simple method replaces segregated cycle of dysfunctional hair care for those with textured hair to a desegregated cycle that functions for all hair textures.

Join the revolution. It is live. I am coming to a city near you. "The Wright Method" will be promoted via public speakings and teachings. My appearances consist of a presentation, Q&A and a pop up shop.

Serious inquiries, email or contact me at 216-321-1101.

The Strength of Hair

One of the most interesting things about being a hairstylist is the large number of customers who have so much misinformation about hair.

Ewe, damaged hair!

Prior to becoming a hair stylist, I worked in the social service field. I could see the connection between this new phenomenon called "the internet" and the inquiry of hair care. It was as if every woman was on a personal quest to find out about the behind the scenes of hair. They wanted to know what is going and what is not going on in the hair salon. So to that point, it was in social work that I learned just how little information customers were getting about their own hair in spite of paying hundreds of dollars for months and for many years to have their hair cared for and styled.

The agency I worked for would on occasionally pay for hair styles to use them as incentives for positive reinforcement for clients. So while they were being motivated to grow via an occasional hair style, some of that was done in vane because many walked away with just that; a hair style. During that time many women revealed much disappointment in their salon experience by way of the conversation being focused on the stylist, social issues and gossip. The disclosed just how little hair care and care of their own hair was being discussed.This type of service was unfortunate. Those services were truly being paid for with the intent to promote a positive image of self. Many walked away feeling as if their incentive was purely for the financial gain for the stylist as they got a hair style for the moment.

While I no longer work in the field of of social service, as a hair stylist, I still see the conflict women have with their hair and their image. The struggle is real for those with textured hair trying desperately and consistently to find solutions to the challenges of caring for textured hair. 

Rather it is wash and wear, twist out, corn rows, press and curl, silk press, weaves, roller sets, braids, bantu knots, locks, coils, hair cuts, hair color, bald heads and everything in between; the challenge of how to achieve and maintain remains a very frustrating enigma. What is a girl or guy to do? How could it be, that I've spent hundreds of dollars on hair care products and salon visits and I am still not satisfied with my hair? 

The answer lies in the anatomy of each strand of hair. When people think of their hair or touch it, they often associate the head of hair as a bulk versus each individual strand. I feel in my heart that taking people on simple visual  journey of their unique fiber (regardless the texture) can help make the daunting tasks of hair care not daunting! Notice,I did not write easy or quick. Caring for textured hair is not quick or easy. Caring for textured hair is routine. It requires a regimen. Once you get into your regimen, it becomes habitual; not necessarily easy. The more you fight the reality of the regimen your unique fiber requires, the more daunting the task of hair care and hair styling will indeed be. 

To make hair care and hair styling compliment your lifestyle; take the time to get a clear understanding and knowing that hair care is something you must do for your hair on a daily basis.. From there pick a day(s), time(s), and commit to it. Hair care and grooming is very similar to oral care, fabric care and body care. If you don't do it in a timely fashion with the right products, right tools and the right technique; bad teeth, bad breath, faded clothes, bad skin and body odor is the result. So while you may tire of personal, oral hygiene routine, you do it. Ultimately, you get in the habit or routine of  managing them all. You understand what it takes in its entirety and what is required to preserve the life and appearance of them all.

This is a result of the wrong comb, products
and hair styling techniques.

Understanding the hair on your head is simple requires the same thought processes and acceptance that a routine is a must. To help you get your hair care routine mojo going below outlines a few VISUAL guided facts about hair and scalp that will give you a clear depiction of exactly what is going on top of that head of your!










Drum roll please:

• Know that the scalp is a microbial habitat that needs to be cleansed once to twice a week.
• See each strand of hair for what it's worth. One of many! 
• Each strand of hair has multiple cuticle layers that look like shingles on a roof.
• The objective in hair care is to keep those layers in tact.
• Keeping those layers in tact protects the cortex.
• The cortex where hair gets its the strength.
• The cuticle and cortex is strengthened by using the right products, styling tools and right technique.
• Wide tooth combs scrape, tear and compromise the outer cuticle layer; thus further compromising the cortex layer.
• Using water to style hair causes the outer cuticle layer to swell, buckle and snap. This too further exposes the cortex layer.
• Applying conditioners and synthetic oils to the scalp will clog the mouth of the follicle. 
• The mouth of the follicle is the tiny whole each hair grows from.
• When the mouth of follicle is clogged, hair growth becomes compromised rapidly.

There is much hype about the outer layer of hair as it relates to the cuticle. While cuticle care is vital to hair care, remember the color of hair and the true strength of hair lies in the cortex layer. And in hair care, the goal is to protect that cortex layer of the hair to ensure great curls, braids, color, weave, textures, waves, fros, kinks and everything in between. 

Seeming as color and strength are pretty much the primary goal or concern of many when it comes to the appearance and performance of hair, I hope this helps.

Do not make hair care difficult. Keep it simple. Find a routine that suits what your hair fiber calls for and stick to it until it changes. When the texture of your changes, change your regimen. The texture of your hair will change as you age. 

As long as you recognize that protecting that cortex is what is truly responsible for the integrity of each strand of hair, then you too will KNOW the strength of your hair!