Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Hair today...

Always want what you can't have? Not a problem. You got straight hair, we can make it curly. You got frizzy hair, we can straighten it out. Got grey hairs you want to vanish: poof! gone! Whether it's with chemicals or heat, there's a trick in our bag for you.

Are You a Good Candidate for a Perm?
Perms work best on hair that has not been colored or highlighted. The chemicals are too harsh for double-processed or heavily highlighted hair. Perming hair that's already damaged from highlights or color can result in major frizz.

If you have dry hair or loads of short layers, you aren't the best candidate for a perm. Perms will dry hair out even more and a perm on short, layered hair could end up poodle-like. Black hair and Asian hair can also be difficult, but not impossible, to perm. You'll want someone who specializes in your type of hair texture.

Not sure if your hair is a good candidate for a perm?  One way you can find out if your hair is damaged and can't withstand more chemical processing is to do the old float trick. Take a few strands of hair and put them in a glass of water, if they sink, this means your hair is damaged and is soaking up moisture. If the strands float, this means your hair is healthy. You may want to keep it that way and avoid the perm. The thicker your hair, the better the perm will take. Also, most perms generally last about 2-6 months.

How to Choose the Right Color Tone
You're likely a "warm" if you have golden, olive or dark skin and brown or dark eyes (most Latinas, Asians and African Americans fall into this category). "Warm" women tan easily and the veins in their inner wrists are green.

You're a "cool" if you have fair skin and blue or green eyes, you burn before you tan and the veins in your wrists run blue. If you're confused because you sometimes burn, sometimes tan, you likely skew warm.
If you have warm skin, opt for golden shades such as caramel and bronze in a darker shade than your skin. Avoid jet-black hair which will wash you out. If you do opt for a golden shade, don't go too light. Your best bet is to use semi-permanent color and never go more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color.

A hair dryer & flat iron can be a girl's best friends
Things to consider when using a hairdryer : it's to dry and style your hair not bake it to a crisp. You may need to use a diffuser to avoid frizziness. Use a comb not a brush initially. Start with freshly-washed hair. Next add any hair products to lightly towel-dried hair. Then use the blowdryer. Separate your hair into sections (it's easier to work with). Now you can use the brush to style curls or straighten your hair.

Flat irons should be used only on hair that's been thoroughly dried. Ceramic plates are best. They diffuse heat better and result in less damage. First apply styling cream/oil to the damp hair. Next coat your hair with a heat-protective spray. Separate your hair into sections (it's easier to work with). Blow dry each section. Then take a 1-2" section of hair and clamp the iron down as close to the scalp as possible. Slowly pull iron down the length of hair. Rub a serum gloss between your hands and palm over hair for extra shine and to keep hair in place. To keep frizzies along the hairline at bay, spritz hairspray on an old toothbrush and 'brush' them down.

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