Hair

Mom, (Dad) I know that you’re probably very busy but parents, most of our children are not ready to be totally in charge of combing their own hair at age ten!  One of the most common mistakes made by children combing their own hair is that they more than likely will never detangle or comb the roots (the hair  closest to the scalp).  In most cases the child is tender headed and will simply graze over the tangled area, put that hair in a ponytail and out the door they go.  I’ve seen too many young girls with matted hair from lack of experience in caring for and combing their hair. There is an art to combing hair.  Listen to me, we only get one head of hair when we’re born and that’s it.  Now of course we can buy hair but let’s save that for another talk because we’re talking about the children for now. LOL  Typically the cycle of growing a new “head of hair” is 4-7 years although we don’t actually see it nor do we try to calculate the pace and length of the hair.  Which brings me back to  the child combing hair.  I truly believe many moms/dads are missing out on some valuable, priceless moments that can be treasured by something as simple as combing and styling hair and it’s called bonding time.  Being a great parent requires spending quality time with our children whether it’s helping with homework, playing games outside, engaged in a conversation without the music in the car while listening to them talk about their interests and what went on at school and yes great conversations during a “hair combing” session.  A great approach to an independent child who wants to comb their own hair is to show them how and you can be an assistant making sure the hair is shampooed, conditioned and detangled properly then allow them to finish it then sit back and marvel at their work and Give ‘em a high-five on the job well done.  They will forever remember the bonding time and precious moments  you’ve created now give yourself a pat on the back because you took the time to show some love and that you care about the development and wellbeing of your child.

Everyone hates the hair dryer, well at least 99.99 percent of us do. LOL   However I can only speak from my personal experiences. I can remember riding the city bus to the South end of town (I lived in the North end) to get my hair done as a child and I hated the experience but loved the results of my “press and curl”.  But as I became a teenager I can remember the “Ultra Sheen” relaxer and I guess my mom and her friend decided to become “Kitchenticians” and made a decision to relax my hair with a super strength relaxer! Now I’ll have to get back with you later on that subject. But I can remember the roller set with the small rollers and how long it took to dry under what seemed like the hottest temperature ever! My ears were on fire, my neck burning.  The temperature setting on the dryer must have been on “scald” because my head was hot. LOL. But most of you know the price we will pay for Beauty. As I grew older and matured to a level of patience I realized that sitting under the dryer didn’t have to be such a painful, tiring borrowing experience. With the new modernization and evolution of styles in the hair industry and onset of the tech world our dryer time experience is cut in half and the sitting time changed from frustration to “ok” I can do this! When blow drying came on the scene in the late 1970’s early 80’s that was a game changer  for the black hair experience and we went from one hour (sometimes and extra thirty minutes) under the “heat dome” to approximately 15-20 minutes under the hair dryer.  And with new technology, cellphones, laptops, tablets, macbooks, kindles we can sit under the hair dryer and check our email, bank accounts, make a grocery list in our notes, pay bills, delete old unwanted “pics” and God forbid login to social media accounts! For those who have “Google Docs” one can even work on school lesson plans, business plans and share, all while sitting under the Hair Dryer.  That logon (social media) will cause one to lose track of time and before you know it the Hair dryer has clicked and time is up unless your hair is the length of “Rapunzel” LOL You are now free to move about the salon, Have a beverage until your stylist is ready to complete your hair for the day.  I hope you’ve had a pleasant experience thus far. 🙂  I digress!

Wow the amazing hair that moved!  I can remember my sister coming home and her hair was “moving” blowing in the wind, when she bent over her hair would follow.  All I could say was Wow, “who did your hair”?  Of course she told me and I immediately booked an appointment.  I remember getting the top half of my hair cut very short on the sides (side burns) and short on the top and long in the back. I think it was called a bi-level cut or mullet and I loved it!  I was in or just out of high school and was turning heads!  Which brings me to a time when many women in my community weren’t cutting their hair.  So often I would hear things like “your hair is your glory” “women aren’t supposed to cut their hair” and the reasons why were never explained nor revealed.   For as long as I can remember I was fascinated with the “shears” and cutting hair and would cut bangs on the girls hair in my neighborhood.  (LOL)  So I was never afraid of cutting hair or getting my hair cut.  For those who knew me from my high school days were shocked when I eventually went from a medium length Bob haircut to a very short cut and once again I loved it.  In today’s evolution of style much has changed by many stylists educating clients on the importance of cutting the tresses or at least trimming those ends.  Whether you are wearing a relaxer or sporting the “natural” it is utterly important to trim the tresses!  A hair trim or cut can make a world of a difference in the bottom line of a hairstyle.  A good rule of thumb is every eight to ten weeks to trim those ends or cut the hair.  I love precise haircuts, cuts that are of a specific cut or style based on facial features, lifestyle, careers and hair density and texture.  So, if you’re ever interested in cutting your hair, seek a professional stylist for a consultation but go in with a vision or a picture for an inspiration.  But remember a good stylist may consider your inspiration however she or he will customize a look that is uniquely you considering those factors that I mentioned before.  With careful consideration of your new look and a consultation with your qualified stylist, soon you’ll be turning heads and feeling good, confident and courageous with every step you take!

As a teenager I can remember the “Ultra Sheen” brand of relaxer and I can vividly see the box, the blue and the green hair grease however until then I remember my mom using a brand called “Dixie Peach” and a red smooth heavy cardboard round container with a light metal silver top called “Royal Crown” for pressing hair.  Wow how I hated the process but what else did I know about at the time. The process was after school on a Friday evening hair was shampooed, scalp oiled lightly and combed into plaits for the next morning to be pressed with the hot comb.  My mom would say: “go get the pillow and the bucket” (that was for us to sit on) and she’d have a chair high enough and sit it next to the stove and in the middle of the stove was two pressing combs, a pair of marcel curling irons, all laying on a white towel and the pressing oil on the back of her hand and let the pressing begin!  As I would feel the heat coming my shoulder would raise up as if that would make the heat go away. “Hold your ear and put your shoulders down” my mother would say and “hold your head down so I can get that kitchen” LOL  Once the hair was pressed, if it was Easter season there was a round two where the hair was put in candy curls (spiral curls in today’s terms) and I loved it!  My mom would put the top portion up and into a ponytail with pretty satin ribbons that I would change colors daily from my drawer full of other types of ribbons, barrettes and bows. I loved the results! But this day I guess my mom and her friend decided to become “Kitchenticians” and made a decision to relax my hair with a super strength relaxer!  They read the directions, I sat down and she got started. I don’t remember basing (I’m sure she did) and I don’t remember the burn but I do remember bending over the kitchen sink getting my hair rinsed and I’m sure with a neutralizing shampoo.  My hair was so slick, smooth and silky but little did I know my hair was over processed and all I could think about was I can get it wet in the rain and in the pool and it was still going to be straight when I got out.  The one thing that I would hate was the hair drying process but in my young mind I was gonna have “curls” and no pressing comb!

Have you ever tried to color your hair?  I sure did!  I can remember when I was in high school probably tenth grade, there was a box brand hair color system called “Frost & Tip” that came with a little plastic wand or brush.  I don’t remember the color that I chose but in today’s terms the outcome was a “hot mess” LOL  My hair was orange and being a hairdresser today with a bit of knowledge about hair and hair color I know why my hair was “orange”.  It was due to the deeply pigmented hair that I have and a combination of not choosing the correct color gave me horrible results but I wore it anyway.  I lost hair but thank God my hair was pretty dense back then no one (but my hairdresser) would know what was inside.  Needless to say, I didn’t try that again until years later when I was in Beauty school but that’s another story.  This recollection brings to mind a frantic phone call of a family member’s head swelling and not knowing what to do so I recommended that they immediately go to the emergency room.  That family member was given a steroid shot to keep the swelling at bay and given a prescription for antibiotics for any serious infections that may have occurred.  The problem was not reading the directions nor patch testing.  It turns out that she was allergic to the coal tar, sulfur that was present in the product and she had no idea of it’s harmful results. This can happen to anyone but hopefully to someone reading this may reconsider doing a patch test before proceeding with their home box color or any type of chemical that will touch the scalp.  There could be contusions or loss of hair if consultations and other safety precautions are not administered.  Please read and follow the directions for your safety.   Hair color can be a beautiful add on to any style or texture however keep in mind the risk and the maintenance of it all.  Don’t forget about the conditioning treatments to keep your hair looking its best all year long no matter what kind of weather or whatever the occasion!

Time! I can write a book on the subject of time but for now I’ll just focus on a few instances I’ve encountered with myself and other situations from a business perspective and from a customers’. Fast Food  When I go to a particular fast food restaurant (Chic Fil A) I get great customer service every time, why? Because they pride themselves on getting the orders right in a timely manner and in most cases the staff get it right 99% of the time, they are consistent with service, time and flavor/freshness of food!  I call it a “well oiled machine” and they have an off day and still exceed other similar companies in revenue.  Which brings me to the importance of being…On time. I can recall a time when I started my business and how I would be on time waiting for my  clients only to find them trickling in ten minutes, fifteen minutes late and how frustrated I’d be but never opening my mouth about how important and respectful it is for other people’s time.  As we get older we get bolder! LOL   As I grew in the business and being sick and tired one will rise up to the occasion and so will the client.  I see it as teachable moments for both. When we settle for mediocrity we limit our possibilities however when we raise the bar we set a standard as we strive for excellence.  When we step up, demand respect it will become contagious as we reach one we teach one.  We model, We teach.  We teach folk how to treat us and when we don’t speak up, our lives become one of frustration and disappointment.   From a business perspective I believe Time is “of the essence” time is money, time once gone is “no more” that minute, hour, day will not return. Tomorrow is not promised. Although if we live to see it tomorrow is another day, yesterday’s gone! This life began with a number and will end with a number but it’s what we do with the “time” between the two. So be careful what you do with and how you handle your “dash” of Time. 

Customer Service!  911 Emergency!   Where were you when your appointment reminder came through!  But wait, who was dressing hair? LOL The Coronavirus was considered a pandemic and in my state (TX) it was advised that we shutdown as of March 23 was my last day “until further notice” WOW!  Stylists and clients were calling and texting me asking, what are we going to do?  Well I really didn’t have an answer for them.  I’ve experienced being shut down before due electrical brownouts, plumbing turned off, hurricanes’ power outages for weeks and water off again, also by the city but Never before, a state mandate for all Hair and Nail Salons to be shut down due to a pandemic!  Heck I’m not sure if I’d ever heard of a pandemic in my lifetime (LoL).   What’s a girl to do if she can’t get her hair and nails done?  We had to go “old school” and pull out the rollers and clippies, brush and blow dryer and the old bonnet hair dryer.  Although I became very busy managing my mom, I had to get into survival mode for my clients.  So I began texting my clients to see what their needs were. It’s called Customer Service.   Customer Service   During the height of the pandemic shut down, as a stylist I wanted to find a solution for my  clients and began to diagnose their needs, order products and put together what I called  “Emergency Bags” that included items such as shampoo, conditioner; masque, combs, caps;  etc. items that were specific to each persons’ need and delivered the packages safely to those who wanted it. Although my clients really didn’t  want to embrace the fact of themselves shampooing and setting their hair there was not much of a choice.  Once they realized salons were not opening they got to working on those roller sets! LOL  They shared pics and I gave my stamp of approval.   As a business owner, entrepreneur, service provider I pride myself on giving optimal service.  Do I get it right all the time? Probably not but We should all strive for excellence.  After all without our customers, what business do we really have!  My motto is:   Setting a Standard* Raising the Bar* Striving for Excellence!     We should seek to exceed our customers’ expectations and not just meet their needs nor settle for mediocrity. I’m not done yet but I continue to improve on having  satisfied customers that are raving fans!

“Winterize” Your Hair ?You winterize your home, your car so don’t forget about your Hair! A deep conditioning “Cocktail” is a must/plus and don’t forget the “Cut” and trim those ends!?? ??‍♀️??‍♀️ Conditioners for your Hair are numerous however make sure you choose one specific to your needs.  All treatments are not alike and it’s not a cookie cutter deal or one size fit all.  If your hair is dry and brittle try a hydrating conditioner, something that will add moisture.  If your hair is breaking, find out the root cause and try a protein conditioner followed by a moisturizing conditioner that will soften and smooth the hair shaft causing it to be more manageable and ready for Styling! 🙂   The Scalp Scalp issues are generally matters for the dermatologist who takes care of the skin and it’s diseases.  There are several types of scalp problems (itchy scalp, dry scalp, sensitive scalp) and conditions such as dandruff, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, fungi.  There are treatments for various types of scalp issues that stylists or consumers can use such as dandruff shampoos, scalp oils, serums and scalp treatments using heat/steamers however for severe problems I recommend a dermatologist. I’ve seen severe hair and scalp issues such as traction alopecia due to excessive pulling usually from very tight rubber bands, braids or braiding for “sewn-ins” extensions, quick weaves etc.  Although there’s nothing wrong with these styles but lack of education can severely damage a healthy scalp and head of hair. Shampoo Starting with a great shampoo will not only cleanse the hair and scalp additionally if done thoroughly can also promote hair growth by getting the blood flow circulating as the scalp is stimulated.  But keep in mind that all shampoos are not created equal.  Choose a product suitable for your hair type or hair and scalp needs.  There are shampoos for dry hair, oily hair, color-treated hair, gray hair, sulfate free, color enhancement shampoos, shampoo for dandruff and other scalp issues and simply shampoos for normal hair.   A healthy scalp is the foundation to a healthy head of hair.  So take of your skin and your hair by shampooing regularly and conditioning your skin and hair.  We’re born with one head of hair in various colors and textures and how we handle it from day one may affect the outcome in our years ahead.  So take care of yourself  “From Head to Toe”