By elei on July 12, 2011
I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my ish. It’s been five years since I graduated from Aveda with a Cosmetology Diploma and four years since I graduated from FAMU with a B.A. in Visual Art. Credentials are a big deal to me, although it’s not so much the piece of paper that’s important. What’s important is being immersed in an intense study of my craft and achieving a rare level of competency in it.
I’m going back to school today to become a cosmetology instructor. My mission is to share the knowledge and expertise I’ve gained in the textured hair world. The struggle is real when I read stories and hear from consumers about their Hairror stories with uninformed stylists. My goal is to address basic breakdowns in cosmetology education.
Please join the discussion as I blog, tweet, FB, and YouTube this journey, because it is ultimately for you the consumer to reap the benefits.
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on July 8, 2011
I promised I would leave this debate alone but I feel like starting stuff this morning. In the grand scheme of all things natural, henna is not your friend. The science notwithstanding, if you henna, don’t plan on putting any other color in your hair.
Henna is a stain. It’s like intentionally putting mud on your favorite T-shirt. Most likely that mud will be with you forever and ever till you get a new favorite T-shirt or new hair. There’s no established process of completely removing henna stain meaning going lighter is a no go.
If you’re seeking some adventure with color find the closest Demi permanent color. Just like henna and semi-permanent color it doesn’t have ammonia. A very low level of peroxide is used to gently lift the cuticle, bypassing that permanent mud stain. It also gives versatility in case you want to do a different color or go lighter. Your hair and creativity will thank you.
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on July 6, 2011
Staples of the time honored tradition of kitchen mixoloy, eggs, mayo, honey, apple cider vinegar, avocados, etc. have been purported to cure a multitude of hair and skin challenges. I will not say they don’t create the desired effect we want, but lets approach this from another angle, food rots.
Food is designed to be ingested. It is broken down by mastication then passed to the stomach where enzymes further break it down into its building blocks; amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Those essential nutrients are then used where they are designed to within the body. That is magical journey of nutritious food. Food being placed on the hair goes through nothing of that. All it does is coat the hair strand/scalp and some food items are notoriously difficult to remove fully, especially by cowashing (see Cardinal Sin #1). The scalp and internal layers of the hair are notoriously dark and damp creating an environment ripe for the rot of leftover food particles.
Beyond rotting, the molecules of food straight out of the fridge are just not small enough to penetrate the cuticle of the hair. Instead of putting the food on the hair, put the food in your mouth and nourish your hair from the inside out. Healthy hair starts in a well nourished follicle. There are plenty of great conditioners and treatments on the market that have the proper formulations and molecular weight to address your hair challenges. They are also much easier to rinse off and store for much longer periods of time
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on July 5, 2011
To Poo or Not to Poo that is the question? There seems to be an undying tension in the natural hair community as to whether shampooing is truly an essential part of the hair care process. The debate though is missing the whole entire point. It has hinged on the effect of certain shampoo ingredients, namely sulfates, on the hair. When in actuality the purpose of shampoo is to cleanse the scalp of sebum, dead skin cells, products, and environmental dirt/debris. The hair just gets the added benefit of slightly raised cuticles and removal of dirt and debris.
Yes the scalp is skin, just like the rest of our body. Under that skin are thousands of follicles which house the building blocks of our hair. Most styling products we use have polymers, silicones, and other materials that coat the scalp and can only be removed with stronger cleansers. Failing to cleanse scalp skin properly can lead to hair loss, inflamation/infection of hair follicles, and generally unhealthy hair growing out of those follicles. And believe it or not co-washing is not cleansing. Shampoo and conditioner have 2 completely different scientific formulas for a reason. There are no cleansing properties in conditioner. It coats the hair, closes the cuticle, provides sleekness/slip/manageability, and generally if applied to the scalp leaves a residue that can build up.
Proper cleansing should take place at a minimum of every two weeks. Clarify the scalp with a sulfate shampoo to remove all polymers, silicones, sebum, dead skin, car exhaust, and anything else coating the scalp. Then follow with a sulfate free moisturizing shampoo to cleanse the hair while not stripping it. Good hygiene is good hygiene, and your scalp will thank you.
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on April 27, 2011
The last few weeks on the Love Notes blog I have explored the relationships between consumers and stylists, where I emphasize that the stylist client relationship should be a partnership lead by the goals and desires of the client. In the past few weeks I’ve come to understand that many consumers have multiple Hairror Stories (thanks @autumncson and @afrosnbabyhair) from their years of visiting salons. It is important to understand that as the consumer, you are purchasing a service from a professional and you have a lot of control over the transaction. It is your responsibility to patronize stylists that respect you, your time, your money, and your hair.
A good stylist
1. Honors a clients appointment time
2. Provides a through consultation that examines the full history of the hair and the clients goals/challenges
3. Listens to the client and uses their advanced knowledge to present solutions
4. Offers options but does not pressure the client into doing something that they are not ready for, do not want, or can’t maintain
5. Uses professional quality products that are designed for the clients texture/density/porosity etc.
6. Charges enough to make a profit but does not price gouge
7. Recommends a hair/scalp care routine and educates client how to maintain their hair at home
8. Completes the full service in a timely manner
9. Recommends a followup schedule for professional care
10. And respects the fact that your hair is your hair and should be a reflection of who you are
If the stylists you’ve been patronizing do not understand that these 10 points encompass their responsibility to you, it’s time to find a new stylist who does.
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on April 26, 2011
There is an art and a science to all hair. From the underlying structure of the follicle to the 3 part structure to the shaft, something called hair theory governs how hair should be treated.
This week the issue if DIY vs. Stylists seems to have set the twitter/blogger universe abuzz. The discussion though is framed improperly. It’s not about stylists being bitter about DIY, though some definitely are. Nor is it about naturals going too far with DIY, although I think some do. It’s about understanding that hair care extends far beyond styling, and a lot of information found on blogs and forums is extra at best and dangerous at worst. There is a limit on what we can properly do for ourselves, me included.
In my professional opinion, I think it’s great that people are moving away from the dependence on stylists for their every need. It is very important for everyone to understand how to care for what is growing out of their heads. But where is that understanding coming from? Someone who has studied the science of hair and put their knowledge into practice or someone who is going on old wives tales and myths? Many of my clients came to me after trying the DIY route with bad or lackluster results. We formed partnerships where I do the heavy lifting of making sure they are on the right track with color/cut/care and they style/maintain at home. This type of symbiotic relationship has helped them to bypass product junkyism, length set backs, and information overload.
There are many bloggers/vloggers/forum members that know their stuff. I’m so glad they are out there and I encourage them to be leaders in the DIY movement and maybe they will become the next generation of stylists. Most of us stylists are not bitter, we are just tired of fixing DIY disasters that could be avoided by fostering a partnership with a committed professional. All information/methods/techniques are not created equal.
Posted in Love Notes |
By elei on April 20, 2011
Natural seems to be synonymous with do it yourself. And we are proud naturals, boasting on twitter and Facebook about our epic detangling and twisting sessions. We have created countless techniques to trim, style, bkt, and color our own hair It is always a great thing to know how to manage and maintain a major part of our appearance, but there’s something deeper lying under the surface of our self sufficiency. We have trust issues, me included.
They may have started at the kitchen stove with our mothers and grandmothers snatching every little piece of hair we had into the smokiest burningist hard press. It may have started at the hand of the stylist that cut 4 inches when you asked for a trim or left the relaxer on till your scalp burned and bled. We’ve all been there. It was a horrible experience that left us scarred and wary, but not every stylist is made equal and you cant just sit in anyone’s chair. Your hair, natural or relaxed is like an expensive fine cashmere sweater. Would you take that sweater to the $1.99 dry cleaners or would you take it to the cleaners with the best reputation for cashmere care?
The stylist client relationship should be an equal partnership whose goal is to achieve healthy, manageable hair for the client while providing a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. It should be, but there are a lot of stylists who have not learned that lesson and never will. As the consumer it is your responsibility to demand more from the profession. As long as you sit in someone’s chair while they f*** you up or you avoid professionals at costs, most stylists will never see the need to improve their technical or customer service skills. You the market, you are in control.
There are those of us who are working to revolutionize this industry but we need you to work with us. I believe natural hair can transcend the current trend if more people had the assistance and support of a knowledgeable professional. But once a professional gains the required skill, will there be a market there waiting for them? Can we transcend the trust issues together?
Posted in Love Notes |
