One of the most interesting things about being a hairstylist is the large number of customers who have so much misinformation about hair.
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| 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.
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| This is a result of the wrong comb, products and hair styling techniques. |
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!
