Category Archives: Hair

by

Facts and Myths: Children’s Hair

tangled-girls-hair-best-brush-kids-women-tangle-teezer

 

I get SO many questions regarding children’s hair.  It perplexes parents, because there seems to be the understanding that children’s hair is different than adult hair.  In some ways it is.  The fact that it is still changing being number one.  Let me go through some common misconceptions and some tips and tricks.

#1  Shaving my kid’s hair off will make it grow in thicker.

FALSE.

SO SO FALSE.

I get this question more than any other.  How much validity is there to this concept?  The short answer is none.  It doesn’t work.  If you did this and your child’s hair grew in “thicker”, that’s because it was going to anyway.  Children are born with a certain texture or curl speed and it can all change within months and it continues to change at puberty.  The hair we have is controlled by our hormones.  Really our genetics ultimately.  If both mom and dad have fine hair, it’s very likely that baby will also have fine hair.  If hair thinning or loss is a factor in the family, then guess what?  It’s likely your child will be dealing with that as well.  There is not a single magical hair cut that will change your genetics.  And ultimately that is what shaving the head is.  It’s just a really short hair cut.  Whether you cut it down to the skin or down to one inch long, it doesn’t matter.  It’s just a hair cut.  It doesn’t have mystical hair thickening powers.  The density of the actual hair shaft and the curl speed is all determined by the follicle and it’s shape.  Which is located inside the scalp tissue.  And if you’d like to know the origins of this tradition…a baby’s hair was shaved off because it was thought to be dirty from birth.  That’s it.  Not because it changes what a child is genetically predispositioned for.

#2  I shouldn’t use “adult” shampoo on my kid.

FALSE.

Once your child is a toddler, it is perfectly find to use professional brand products on your kids, and I highly encourage it.  Using the cheapo kids stuff from the drug store is not doing them any favors.  It’s setting them up for scalp and hair issues.  I use Livingproof on my son.  His hair is healthy and shiny and stays clean way longer.  When he was a bit younger I used Johnson and Johnson on him and found his hair to be dull, full of tangles, and very dry.    Once I made the switch his hair has been healthy and beautiful!  Children need basically what adults need.  It’s still hair no matter the age.  A great regimen and routine cuts.  If your child has unruly curls, or just cannot be tamed, I’m sorry to say, but it’s just part of the lifestyle.  You’ll have to invest a bit more to manage that hair.  No amount of coconut oil or whatever other salad dressing you put in their hair will fix the issue.  You will need to get them on some great products to have optimum hair health.

#3  I want it to GROW!  I’m never cutting it.

MYTH.

A routine haircut ensures healthy hair that will grow just the same.  The hair grows at a certain rate everyday.  This all goes for adults as well.  If you trim off less than what you grow roughly every 6-8 weeks, guess what…your hair will grow!  Consider the actual appearance of your hair.  Yes it’s long, but are you really considering those rat tail ends part of the length?  Do the fading wispy ends actually appeal to you or did you have a more thick and healthy look in your mind?  I’ve had many clients tell me that their hair is thin when really it’s just damaged ends that NEED TO GO.  I’ve also heard the very popular claim that their hair just stops growing at a certain length.  Not true.  It’s just that your hair is disintegrating as fast as it’s growing out of your head.  Break that cycle with a trim.

#4 Vitamins will help hair growth.

TRUE

That’s right!  Biotin and B vitamins are amazing for hair growth, skin health, and nail strength and growth.  I highly recommend it.  Still have prenatals left over?  Take them!  Those Hair Skin and Nails vitamins and gummies that have been flooding the market…basically biotin and b vitamins so if you don’t want to pay the crazy price tag on those or join some pyramid scheme to get a discount on them…go ahead and buy the regular supplements from the pharmacy and you’ll notice a difference in about a month.  Other things that help…a great diet, plenty of water, and a low stress life.  Big challenges, trust me, I know.  For your kiddos, ensure they are taking vitamins daily, make sure they are getting a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.  And do what you can to make sure they live stress free.  Hair loss, thinning, and stunted growth are all medical issues that a hair product or vitamin may not help with.  Some blood work may help uncover any underlying medical issues.  Prescription medications have a major influence on hair as well so consider that as you’re researching causes.

#5   What do I do if my child is a swimmer?

Please protect their hair!!!  Chlorine is really damaging and will lead to dry and unruly hair.  Livingproof makes a great spray called Restore Instant Protect.  It repels chlorine and has a UV protectant.  A little goes a long way but boy does it help!!  Make sure you are shampooing and conditioning your little one’s hair every time.

#6 I don’t need to condition my child’s hair.

FALSE!!

Please shampoo and condition every time.  Really curly hair needs a different regimen, but most hair types absolutely benefit from conditioning.  Don’t you put lotion on your child after a bath?  Why?  Because the soap dries out their skin and they need that moisture added back, right?  The same thing happens to hair.  I love the Livingproof Perfect Hair Day shampoo and conditioner or the Full Shampoo and Conditioner for kiddos.  That’s what I use on them when they come to the studio for a trim.  It leaves hair healthy and shiny, nourished, and really helps with tangles.

#7  My kid doesn’t need a heat protectant.

FALSE.

They sure do.  Every time you blow dry their hair you are cooking those strands.  A little blow dry lotion or a leave in conditioner of some kind that has a heat protectant is a HUGE benefit and will prevent damage and tangles.  For my kiddo I use Livingproof Perfect Hair day 5 in 1 treatment.

The number one hurdle I hear from parents is that salon professional product is too expensive.  I understand.  However, consider that salon professional products are highly effective and more concentrated.  You use way less each time.  If you’re using Livingproof the added benefit is their Healthy Hair Molecule which keeps hair cleaner longer, meaning you won’t be washing their hair as often.  Drugstore product creates a vicious cycle.  You end up using more because it’s mostly water and very little effective product.  There are a lot of cheap waxy fillers, resins, and silicones so hair ends up with buildup.  This buildup makes hair feel dirty so there you are again washing hair more frequently.  So you’re either replenishing product more frequently at $7-$15 a bottle or replenishing perhaps once or twice a year at $26-$30 a bottle.  I’ve found it works out about the same when all is said and done.  I challenge you to try a professional product for a few months and then use your drug store product.  Can you feel the difference?  As a professional I can SEE AND SMELL the difference.  My clients could probably all tell you that I know the minute they have started using something different.  I have a clever little test to show them the build up on their hair too.  With products like Livingproof that are scientifically created to solve the root issue of hair problems there is absolutely no reason that you or your children should have to deal with your hair.  It truly makes styling and maintenance very easy.

I’d love to hear feedback on this topic.  Are there any other questions you have that I haven’t addressed?  Anything you don’t agree with?  Are you willing to take the Salon product challenge?

P.S. ONLY PURCHASE FROM AUTHORIZED RETAILERS!!!

 

xoxo

Shreeda

by

How often should I be seeing my stylist?

6710e736593e767a12eba7342499c094

 

With so many services available at the salon, how can we keep track of when we’re supposed to be doing what?!  Here is a handy guide and some general rules that will help you schedule out your pampering services.

 

If your stylist is anything like me, she’ll want you to space out your appointments, but that’s just my personal preference.  Of course some of my clients don’t have several days in their schedule so we do the works when they come in.

 

Haircuts

Depending on your growth and style, you’ll want to come in every 3-8 weeks for a cut to keep it healthy.  I could go on and on about why it is so important to stay on a regimen with this.  People think I’m making things up when I tell them they need to see me every month or two for a trim.  The longer you wait the more out of shape your style will be.  Hair grows at different rates all around the head so after a month when your hair just looks weird or won’t style the same this is usually the reason, don’t blame your stylist.  Another reason, hair begins to split at the ends especially if you heat style.  The hair on the ends is farthest away from nourishment (your scalp) so it dries out a lot faster.  Periodically trimming the ends mean the splits won’t get all the way up creating flyaways and frizz.

Color

This also comes down to your growth rate, but generally 4-6 weeks for a retouch.  Really it’s when the regrowth is about 1/2″.  Any more than that and you may end up with an uneven color.  When the regrowth gets beyond that you run the risk of an uneven color, or a more involved color process.  The stylist may end up needing two formulas to get an even result.  This is because as hair grows away from the scalp it hardens and reacts to color differently.  Another reason is that the temperature varies, so closer to the scalp it is warmer and therefore processes color differently.  You can end up with banding or blotchy color which is pretty expensive to fix.

Highlights

This is where it gets tricky.  Highlights can be done in a variety of ways now that don’t require as much maintenance as it used to.  Once upon a time you would have a harsh line and about every month you’d be in getting your highlights retouched.  Now with balayage and hair painting it isn’t necessary.  Sometimes it just looks better and better as it grows.  So in the case of highlights I would say refer to your stylist.  They will know best.  I tell my clients to come in when they can’t stand their hair anymore.  If they get traditional foil highlights, I try to soften the regrowth line so it isn’t as obvious.

Keratin and smoothing treatments

I highly recommend pre-booking this service for the exact time it would be due.  I am a certified Brazilian Blowout Stylist and the life on that is about 12 weeks.  It’s best to do the next treatment before the previous one has completely faded out of the hair.  This is so you’ll have stronger healthier hair each time.  Every subsequent treatment builds on the last one.  So when you get your treatment done, go ahead and book 12 weeks out for your next one.  Another reason to do this is that the service is lengthy so you will have a harder time getting in on the schedule if you wait until the last minute.  Your stylist will be compelled to squeeze you in because they love you, but don’t you want an unrushed service?

Perms/Relaxers

This is along the lines of the Smoothing treatments or relaxers.  Refer to your stylist about when they need you back for a retouch and pre-book the service.  This is a lengthy service so you want to make sure your stylist has enough time on their books to complete you.

Staggering appointments

Your stylist will thank you for staggering your appointments.  This allows them to keep everyone on track for their appointments and opens up availability for others.  I have several clients with a TON of hair and usually have to reserve several hours.  In this case, if every one of my clients was getting highlights, a cut, and threading done, I would never have time for everyone to look fabulous all the time.  Someone would be roughing it for a week or so.  I recommend getting hair cut first.  This way color/highlights can be placed according to your style.  If your hair is really short, it may help to do the color first because it’ll be easier on your stylist to work with your hair.  Not all stylists are the same so make sure you ask your stylist what they prefer.  Some like to do an entire look in one day and some salons split up the task so it doesn’t really matter.

 

by

What is Balayage?

Balayage

I can’t believe I haven’t written this post sooner.  I get asked this constantly.  And I’ve heard a hundred different ways to pronounce it!

Balayage is a french word meaning to sweep or to paint. Simply put, it is a technique not an effect.  The resulting effect from this technique is dramatically different than traditional foil highlights. Balayage creates a sun-kissed natural looking hair color with softer, less noticeable regrowth lines. The main idea being less is more.

Balayage is great for someone looking to update their look without committing to increased maintenance.  Foil highlights can tend to have more separation in pieces and usually create a growth line.  Now keep in mind foil is a tool and can be used during a balayage service to keep highlighted pieces from mashing together.  So when I say traditional foil highlights I mean the particular method where hair is weaved into a foil and painted with lightener. (Please don’t call it bleach!)

Balayage

This picture shows the technique and the effect.  Notice how the highlight has a soft line so as it grows it will look better and better.  The before picture…looks like a DIY ombre!

balayage

Here is a beautiful example of Balayage technique used to achieve an ombre.

Now let me show you the difference between ombre, sombre, color melt.  Each style has a different effect but all are done with balayage technique.

ombresombre

The ombre transitions from dark to light and is pretty dramatic.  The sombre of “soft ombre” has a dark to light gradient but much more subtle.  Color melting melts together two colors using balayage technique.

Balayage is an advanced skill, so make sure if you choose to go this route that your stylist knows what they’re doing.  This can go horribly wrong if the stylist isn’t familiar with creating a soft transition or if they aren’t educated on sectioning techniques.  Most importantly they need to understand toning.  What’s toning you say?!  Well that’s a topic for a whole new blog post.  Stay tuned for the answer to that.  Post your questions in the comments below.  What’s your favorite look?

xoxo,

Shreeda

by

The truth about trims

Bad-Hair-Day

 

So you told your stylist you want to grow your hair out.  And they told you to get a trim every 6-8 weeks?!  Are they bonkers?

The short answer…no!

Trims keep the ends of your hair healthy.  Once the ends start to split and fray it’s dunzo.  Nothing will permanently fix split ends.  There are short term remedies like Brazilian Blowout Split End Remedy or products from Pureology and Redken that help treat splits.  However to truly “fix” split ends you need to cut those bad boys off.

What happens if you don’t get that regular trim?  Basically your ends will be disintegrating at the same rate that your hair is growing and it will seem like your hair stops growing at a certain length.  Or your hair ends up really wispy on the ends.  Reminiscent of rat tails.

I tell my clients to trim hair every 6-8 weeks if they want to grow or if they have long hair.  Short hair clients I ask to come back 3-6 weeks.  This is about the time it takes for a short haircut to lose it’s shape.  Hair grows at different rates so a haircut will eventually lose it’s shape.  On average, hair grows about 1/2 inch per month, give or take some depending on health.

So if you’re wanting to grow your hair, get regular trims and use good products to promote scalp and hair health.

xoxo
Shreeda

by

How a brush will fix your clogged drain

I fell of the face of my blog.  I apologize.  So many of you have written to encourage me to write more.  I truly appreciate it.  So here I am.  I’ve had a crazy 2014 and I will write about it when I’m ready.  For now I want to shower you with hair tips.  I am going to try to post one each day.  But forgive me if I don’t.  I have plenty of things that distract me from what I should be doing!  Here we go with my first hair tip….

Prevent clogging up your drain by brushing your hair before you get in the shower.

images

My husband says it makes his teeth itch when he sees the baby Sasquatch that is left behind after I shampoo my hair.  He has a HUGE problem with hair that is not attached to a head.  Ironic since I’m a hairstylist and have random people’s hair collecting in my bra and shoes.  I also get hair splinters!

You’ll lose about a 100 strands a day, normally.  Maybe more if you tie your hair up constantly.  Not only from breakage, but it accumulates in there especially if you aren’t thoroughly brushing your hair each day or letting your hair down from time to time.  A great brush to use is a boar bristle brush.  It smooths down the hair cuticle and leaves hair shiny and healthy.  Don’t go nuts though, too much brushing isn’t good either.

images (1)

And make sure you clean your brush.  Don’t be nasty.  Dirty brush = dirty hair

I typically always use a boar bristle brush for my blow outs.  These type of brushes also feel amazing on the scalp and stimulate blood flow which helps with growth.  It makes a huge difference in the appearance of the hair.

I also need to mention…don’t brush your hair when it’s wet.  Detangle with a wide tooth comb, but don’t attack it with a paddle brush.

Give this tip a try and let me know how it goes for you!

Have a beautiful day!

xoxo

Shreeda