Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

You don’t want ’em? I’ll take ’em.

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Again, my intention for today’s tale was to tell you all about the awesome mousses out there, alas, I am in need of telling another tale. On twitter (yeah, I’m on twitter too….I am everywhere), I saw that Tabatha Coffey had tweeted whatever happened to professionalism and integrity, which is what I found myself thinking yesterday. You see, I am working this weekend, Saturday and Sunday – not my usual schedule. Yeah, working the weekend  at 40 is a bummer but my PTG (part time girl) is awesome and deserved a weekend away. (oh, to be 21. ).

Anywho, I am finding myself quite thankful for working this weekend. Yes, it helps that it is raining, I will admit. The reason for my gratitude is not just because of Mother Nature but that I have been present to help women in desperate need of help and advice, be it with beauty advice or just having someone listen to them for one minute.

One woman is in the midst of chemo for the second time and is afraid of losing the hair she has left and her stylist told her to get a wig. So I introduced her to the Nioxin hair care line. Once her chemo is completed it may be the answer for her. Nioxin is formulated to help stop hair loss in its tracks and in many circumstances the hair that has been lost grows back. I have seen it with my own eyes on many occasions – no worries my lovelies, I will tell the tale of Nioxin soon.

I have seen 3 women in two days that have had improper removal of their gel/shellac/acrylic nails and they have come into the shop with their heads hanging low and hardly able to open the door because their fingers are so red and their nails are as white as fresh fallen snow. The culprits? Soaking in a bowl of acetone and the ever evil dremel tool. (Dremel tools are great…for DIY’s and crafts ladies…not your fingernails.). The one woman was on anti-fungal medication because the tools at the nail place she went to were not cleaned and disinfected properly – so not only does she have sore hands and fingers, she has to get her liver function checked every two weeks. ( The oral medication you must take for fungal infections can damage your liver). Please…read my tale “put my hand where?”. Tell your friends. Thank you…and NEVER be ashamed! It was not your fault. Keep your chin up…if only to reduce the look of a double chin in pictures.

I met a woman who’s hair was meant to be blonde, but that was not her outcome. A stylist told her to buy a purple shampoo to get rid of the brassy tone left on her hair. Ladies and Gents – to be clear – purple/blue shampoo’s will remove brassy tones on blondes and people with grey/silver hair – the brassy tones caused by product/pollution/nicotine build up. If you color turns out brassy – no amount of purple/blue shampoo is going to diminish that brass. You need to go back to the stylist and you need a toner. * DO NOT try to do this yourself.

A woman came in to buy a flat iron and had been told by her stylist that if the cost isn’t over $200.00 (like at her Salon I was to find out) that the flat iron was “crap” , classy move, I know. So I explained the differences between all the flat irons and their features. I asked her if she travels alot, and low and behold she travels to Europe. So I explained Universal Voltage and why she needed her flat iron to have it (short explanation – so it won’t set on fire or short out). I let her know I was familiar with the flat iron her stylist had told her about and that it was not universal voltage. She ended up informed, happy and with the right product- universal voltage, auto shut off, up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and spent under $100.00.

As promised on my first entry, these tales will sometimes be product knowledge, tales from the customer’s perspective, tales from the stylist’s perspective and from my perspective…well… a lot from my perspective it seems. Today’s tale is to help wake up the stylists, nail techs, and Salon owners to educate yourselves, use the proper techniques and procedures, pay attention to your clients, listen to them. Also, inform yourselves about other products out there that you may not sell so that you can tell your clients about something comparable that you sell. Don’t get me wrong, I love selling products to your clients, I don’t understand why you don’t and your clients wonder the same thing, trust me, I hear it everyday.

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

The Emily Post of retail.

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Call me old fashioned, but I still believe in manners. Don’t get me wrong, I love a rude limerick and have been known to curse like a drunken sailor (when I am stone cold sober). I am talking about good ol’ please and thank you, keeping your composure in public – not throwing a temper tantrum because the store is out of strawberry flavoured lipgloss, your favorite hairspray has been discontinued or the debit machine is down and GASP.. you have to use… cash. I have compiled a little list of what not to do in public. If you do any of the following in public, you will look like an ass, plain and simple. Feel free to share with your friends and co workers, I don’t mind. In fact, I urge you to share. Please and Thank you.

– when you enter a store and the sales person  says “Hello”, say “Hello” back. Do not respond with “just looking”…how would you like it if when you said “Hello” we responded with “why are you talking to me?”.

– when the debit machine is down, please do not yell at the sales person or swear at us. We did not see you coming and made a call to our carrier and demanded they cut our service just so you can’t purchase the nail file you are in so desperate need of.

– when you ask a salesperson a question, please let us answer you. Please do not speak over us. We cannot help you if you do not listen. Remember in kindergarten…you listen…I listen…we take turns talking.

– when we ask if you need help, please respond with words…not with the wave of your hands like we are a fly trying to land on your lunch. In my industry, many products revamp their lines every year or so and change the packaging. So when I ask if you need help after you have wandered aimlessly for 10 minutes after waving your hand at me, 9 out of 10 times you need my help.

– not all salespeople are on commission. You can get back up now – a shocker, I know. Yes, there are actually salespeople that are willing to help you, no strings attached.

– unless there is a major emergency, stay off your phone. Also, when I am answering your questions, please don’t start texting your friend about the hot guy that just walked by. Yes, he was hot, but I am the one helping you have great hair so you can actually catch his attention.

– my shop along with many others do not have a playland. We are not paid to be the babysitter/nanny/ au pere, take your pick. Please watch your children. Thinking it’s cute that they open all the nail polishes and try the colors on their toes is about as cute as bringing a muddy puppy over to someone’s house to see their new white carpet.

– never, ever throw a flat iron. I know it’s upsetting that it wasn’t comfortable to hold or that you are frustrated that the manufacturer changed their return policy or that it doesn’t match your new bathroom decor…still no reason to throw an appliance at someone. Ever.

– yelling in public is a no no. Don’t do it. I mean honestly, think about what you look like when you are yelling over a can of hairspray. Yelling over injustice and over human trafficking = good. Yelling over hairspray and the funny smell it has = bad.

– when you are late for an appointment, do not yell at the stylist that now you are running late and the appointment is taking too long. Remember – you were the one who was late.

– if you don’t feel like talking, just pleasantly return our greeting and try saying “I am just going to look around, if I need you can I get you?”. See…how lovely is that, you get what you want and not a rude word was uttered.

Really, it is so simple. Smile when someone smiles at you, say “hello” when someone says “hello”, say please and thank you, say “you’re welcome” when someone offers you a “thank you”. Do not yell in public. Unless you are under the age of 5, do not throw a temper tantrum. Do not throw the flat iron.

biz card pic

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Tales of Truth – Part 5

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Yes boys and girls, it is that time again…tales of truth from the salon. A full moon is upon us in a few days and it seems it’s affect has taken hold on the general public earlier than usual. **Names have been changed to protect well…me. Hmmm, lets see, where to begin….

 

A nice looking woman came into the shop in need of hair extensions. I walked her over to our selection of Human Hair extensions and let her know that they were a 7 piece set and that the clips were already attached. I am used to getting a few questions about how to put them in, if one package of hair is enough for a whole head, how to take care of them. I have to admit I am never prepared for the following question – “How durable are the clips and how well do they stay in?” – you see, she has “clients” that sometimes like to pull her hair and she needed to know if the clips would snap open. (a visual I did not need before 10:00 a.m.)

A woman came up to the counter telling me she was there to pick up her product. I asked her which product in particular. She proceeded to rant at me “I called and spoke to someone named Betty and she said she would put the product aside!”. I let her know that I didn’t have a Betty working for me and maybe she called another store. Her lip began to twitch, her face became red, her eyes began to well with tears “she said she would hold it for me and now you don’t have it?!?!?”. Again, I told her maybe she called another store to which she began to recite a phone number that was not the phone number of my shop. I kindly told her that was not the shop’s number to which she stumbled out an apology before hurrying out the door.

I hear the chirp of the door chime, I look up and say “Hi there! How are you today” to which I get my all time favorite response “Just looking.”. I let the customer know I am there if they need anything and go back to my inventory. I see her walk over to the nail polish display, take off her sandal and put her foot on the shelf. I stop her just as she is about to open up a bottle and paint her toes and let her know that we have color swatches so she can see what the color looks like, to which she responds “They are in the shape of finger nails, I need to see what the color looks like on toenails.”. Yes, it is true, people like this do exist.

I was yelled at because the Hairspray I suggested to a client was wonderful for her hair. “Why didn’t you tell me about this hairspray 6 months ago?!” is what she yelled. Between you and I, 6 months ago I thought her name was “just looking”.

Never ceases to amaze me that the customer’s that refer to their child as “brat” have a child that acts like a brat and then the parent complains to me that she doesn’t know why their child misbehaves.

I was helping a women find a new product because her beloved product was discontinued. We have all been there. As I was helping her a customer came in and before I could excuse myself to greet the newest customer, she says “Get me my hairspray!”. I excuse myself from my first customer and ask the Queen of England which hairspray she wanted to which she says “Don’t you remember?”. I apologize and let her know that I have a customer base of over 10000 people. I ask for her phone number so I can look up her personal profile and I can see which hairspray she usually buys from me. To which she says “I never give out my number.”. Before I can speak my first customer pipes up and says “that’s too bad, if you had given her your number she could be helping you as much as she was helping me.”. The lady grabbed the first can of hairspray she saw and bought it, still no phone number.

A customer wanted to return her flat iron because of a defect. I had to let her know in the kindest most polite of ways that “being mad that you have to squeeze the flat iron shut so it will flatten your hair” is not a manufacturer’s defect.

A woman showed me her ingrown hair problem. It wasn’t on her legs. Enough said.

So there you go. A little insight of why I didn’t have a new blog up for 3 days. I was gathering material.

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Behave yourself.

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Over the past few days I have encountered some of the most negative people and heard some of the most ignorant remarks made to customers when they were out and about. So today I am taking it upon myself to clear the air about what is inappropriate to say to customers, competitors and to people in general.

In business, when discussing your competitor’s, don’t go around stating “I’m gonna put them out of business!”. First of all, you look and sound like an ass. Second, what goes around comes around…you will only end up hurting yourself and your business.

As a stylist, when your client comes in after trying to do an “at home” Ombre…don’t laugh. Don’t say “What the hell did you do?”. Don’t make it worse for them than it already is. Tell them you can fix it and move on.

If you have done an “at home” color and now your hair is orange, do not yell at the stylist because she has to take you back to brown hair and your dreams of being blonde are shattered. It is not her fault that you ruined your hair. She is trying to help you keep the hair you have. Want to be blonde…go to the Salon.

Never, I mean never tell a customer “You are wrong. You don’t know what you are talking about.” * Remember this – the customer is always right…in their own mind. So if you tell them they are wrong…you have crossed the line. Instead of telling them they are wrong, educate and enlighten. Try saying “A lot of people have been told that, I was able to find out…and fill in the blanks. No one likes to feel stupid or made to feel like an idiot. No one.

Don’t take it personally. Unless someone comes right out and calls me a name, I don’t take their attitude personally. Most of the time they are mad at their husband or they chipped a nail or have a run in their pantyhose and need someone other than themselves to blame for their misery.

When a customer or client doesn’t seem to believe what you are telling them about a product, don’t take it personally. Everyday I meet women and men that have been given the wrong information about hair products. We have all been there…someone has led us down the garden path too. Be patient, be kind, don’t take it personally.

Call to cancel your appointment – no shows are rude and they take away a stylist’s income. You might as well go into their wallet and take their money.

Be honest. Lies are meant for children under the age of five who are in need of a cookie and will say anything to get one.

Listen to your customer. We have all been there, listening to someone we think is rambling on and on. Maybe they are, or maybe they have just buried a loved one or are heading to the hospice to see their mother and need an escape from what they have to face in their daily life.

When you see someone with a stroller or a wheelchair…get the door for them.

Be kind to the elderly, mind your manners.

Be kind to children. Acknowledge them. I have always found when I speak to the child that comes into the shop they behave better and are usually quite pleased that someone has noticed them and made them feel important. Remember, not everyone has a happy childhood, and maybe, just maybe smiling at that child that day will give them hope.

Make eye contact. It is rude if you don’t, plain and simple.

Do not treat stylists and salespeople as your slave or personal servant. We are human beings that like to be treated with respect just as you do. A nice “Hello” will do. Don’t walk into a shop like you own it…this isn’t New York City and you are not Donald Trump. (no disrespect intended Mr. Trump).

Do not raise your voice at your stylist. Do not raise your voice at your salesperson. Do not raise your voice at the manager. When all is said and done, when you yell in public, you look like a fool. A full grown adult having a temper tantrum is not a pretty sight, don’t do it.

Remember that most return policies are not the policy of the store. We are following the guidelines of our distributor’s return policy. If they won’t take the product back from the store, the store cannot take it back for you. Every product has a 1 800 number for customer service – call them. If more consumers called the companies and were more involved with their purchases, maybe these policies would begin to favor the consumer.

When someone asks your child what their name is, do not speak for your child and say “her name is brat.”. Again, you sound like an ass and if you call your child a brat that is exactly what you are going to have, a child acting like a brat.

Go out today and be kind. Remember, we all have the same amount of time in a day and it is just as important as everyone else’s. Oh yes, and don’t throw the flat iron.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, Uncategorized

Would a flat iron by any other name still be as good?

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There I was, humming along to the Bee Gee’s on the retro lunch hour radio program, (yes, I know all the words to all the Bee Gee’s songs, I am not ashamed) and  some customers stroll into the shop in search of a flat iron. I welcome them to the shop and let them know that all the flat irons we sell are professional caliber. Then I get the all to common question, sometimes with their gum snapping, sometimes in the valley girl accent and sometimes with eyes as wide as a deer caught in the head lights, “Which one is the most expensive? I know that the most expensive must be the best, right?”.  Ladies and gents, let me take this moment to enlighten you about flat irons, their worth and their costs. The following flat irons that I am going to tell you about are the brands I know and sell. There are many brands out there that are just as good, but as always, I will just speak of what I know.

First things first. Department store brand flat irons do not get hot enough, that is why you don’t achieve the look you want. Heat is key when using a flat iron. I highly recommend a flat iron spray to protect your hair from the heat. No. You cannot burn your hair off…well you can…read on.

AVANTI – A professional product line that offers an array of flat irons. They come in all colors and dimensions, from a 1 inch plate to a 1 1/2 inch plate. Avanti offers flat irons with ceramic plates and titanium plates. Avanti flat irons can reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit at optimum heat, depending on the model. Some come with universal voltage – which means it can be used world wide. You will still need to buy an adapter for the plug, but the circuitry won’t blow or set on fire. (it can happen). Avanti has introduced 3 new models that have an auto shut off after 60 minutes of non use, are universal voltage, ceramic plates and reach 450 degrees Fahrenheit and usually retail between $90.00 – $120.00 – the Hanami, the Sensu, and the Takeo. Avanti also is known for the CROC (ususally retails for $250.00 – $300.00) – a very hot flat iron that is meant for the most coarse and resistant hair. If used on fine hair at high temperature – the hair can be break off or singe. ( I have seen it first hand). All Avanti flat irons come with a 2 year warranty against defect only. Prices for Avanti flat irons will range between $89.00 – $300.00 depending where you purchase them.

BABYLISS – A professional product line that offers an array of flat irons. All are ceramic/titanium plates, come in widths from 1 inch – 2 1/2 inch plate, offer a curved plated flat iron (easier to achieve the waved curl that flat irons are used for), some of their models even come with an instructional DVD. Babyliss flat irons reach between 400 – 450 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the make and model. All Babyliss flat irons come with a 2 year warranty against defect only. Usually retails for between $119.00 – 199.00 – depending on the make and model.

CHI – A professional flat iron. Offers 1 inch – 2 inch plates. The 1 inch plate is the most popular. CHI flat irons have ceramic plates and achieve 392 degrees Fahrenheit at optimum heat. Warranties are either 1 year or 2 year, depending on the model. Usually retails for $199.99.

So, as you can see, prices vary. When purchasing a flat iron, unless you have very dry,coarse, stubborn resistant hair, it truly comes down to what you want to spend. As you read above, the Avanti offers great flat irons with many features for less money. I am not here to tell you what to do or what to think, I am just educating you all a bit since many of you live in another country and may not make it into my shop. As in everything retail, sometimes you are paying for quality, sometimes you are paying for the name. A high price tag doesn’t mean it is the best, for you.

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

An “A” for effort

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Lately I have met many women and a few gents that seem to be on a quest. A quest for the right product that will change their life and make everything alright. Now, I must admit, I love to help people out and have no problem selling them the awesome salon products I sell at the shop. I love when the product I suggest works for them and makes them happy. I also like when they tell me when they are not happy with the product, so I can help them find the right one. (I don’t really enjoy when they throw said product at me because I can’t return it because the manufacturer changed their policy…hate the game, not the player.).

“What will make my hair look better?”. “My friend says I need Dry Shampoo”. “My friend uses Moroccanoil and met her husband on E Harmony”. “I don’t know…what do you think I should buy?”. Phrases I hear on a weekly basis. Everyone looking for a magic potion, an easy road, a quick answer. Usually my response is not always welcomed because I tell it like it is. If you want your hair to look good, you have to put forth a little effort. If you want your life to be good…guess what…ya gotta put a little effort in. I had a young lady come to the shop in need of a flat iron. I showed her what we had. After having to explain the features of the first five flat irons I showed her, I asked “What is it exactly that you are looking for?”, to which she responded “I don’t know, can you tell me what I want?”. I told her, “I can show you what you may like, but you have to decide which to purchase, I cannot decide for you.”. To which she responded “that’s what my congregation keeps telling me…that I have to make my own decisions….they are praying for me.”. I looked at her, silently reminding myself “not to show my thoughts on my face”, and told her “god may show you a door, but he’s not gonna open it.”. To which she gaped at me, then laughed out loud. (whew….no flying flat irons today).

What I have come to realize is this….these lovely souls think they are searching for hair product, but more times than not, they are in search of something else, something bigger. They want a quick fix for their hair dilemma as well as the dilemma’s of their lives. We all want to feel attractive, we all want to be seen and heard, we all want fulfillment in our lives and relationships. Guess what…you can have all these things, you just have to put a little effort in. You can have volume at your roots and have a great love life… you have to put a little effort in.

I can sell you the right products to help you have the hair you have always dreamed of, as for providence and serenity, all I can do is offer it.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Tales of truth…part 3

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I am sure you have heard of the “zombie apocalypse” ….well, I believe it has begun. There I was, talking with a customer, explaining to her how she was going to LOVE the Kpak Revitaluxe (you all know how much I love it) and I hear the door chime behind me. I excuse myself for a moment to greet the newest arrival, smile and say “good morning” to which I hear “ughk”. I kid you not. The woman I was helping gasped and looked at me with the “what the hell?!?” look in her eyes. I leaned over and whispered “it’s okay, welcome to my world.” to which she giggled and relaxed. I walked her up to the counter, looking over at the woman (zombie) and told her I would be right with her, to which I got the blank stare and a mumbled statement which I hoped didn’t translate to “I’m gonna eat your face”. My lovely lady paid for her purchase and looked a little worried, I told her I was fine and to enjoy her day, she left the store walking the long way around to the door. (you see, thanks to my glorious hubby, I have seen Zombieland, I am prepared, I know what to do.). Back to the tale at hand. I walked ever so cautiously to the woman and asked what she needed help with….she just looked at me. About 30 seconds went by and she finally said “I need peroxide”. Whew….speech… No need for shovels today.

It was a beautiful summer day in 2011, a day I will remember for as long as I live, or until dementia sets in (family trait). A women in her late 40’s or early 50’s came into the shop, dressed in a beautiful designer summer dress with the cutest sandals to match, clutching her Coach summer tote. I asked if she needed a hand finding anything, “just looking for the nail polish” she innocently responded. I showed her our collections and went to answer the phone. After my phone call I turn around to see this women sitting on the floor, tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth and putting nail polish on her toes. The first thing that sprang to mind was the childhood rhyme “I see London…I see France…I can see your underpants”. I kindly walked up to her and said “Oh honey, first, you can’t try on the polishes, second, we can see up your dress”. I still can’t bring myself to buy pink underwear…enough said.

Last but certainly not least… I know people are lonely and in this age of technology many people email or text, so there isn’t much human interaction. I love to help all the ladies and gents that come into the store to look beautiful and feel good about themselves. That being said, I don’t really need to know everything about them. I don’t need to know about your latest gynecological finding, don’t really need to see your fungal infection on your toe nail, don’t need to see the oozing bumps on your body, don’t need to be shown your body hair on places I didn’t know hair could grow. I will gladly look at your baby pictures, not their dirty diaper. I will be a shoulder if you have lost a loved one, don’t need to hear about the embalming process. Oh, and please…don’t flash me your bikini line asking me “what is this?” and don’t throw a flat iron.

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Tales of truth….part 2

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The sun was shining, a cool breeze was in the air, I was enjoying a moment of my life with my flavored coffee when I heard the chirp of the door chime. The customer makes a b – line to the front counter, I smile, greet her “good morning!” to which she replies “uh huh – sure it is.”  I bid adieu to my french vanilla daydream and focus on the moment at hand. “What can I help you with?” I ask (still smiling). “This P.O.S. flat iron stopped working! It’s not heating up! I couldn’t leave my house because of my hair!”. I look at the receipt, the date is under the year expiry of in store exchange, so I look up at her, smiling and tell her “no worries, the flat iron is still under warranty, please go choose a new one.”. This is where it gets good. You would think that service with a smile and getting a new product would be a good thing. Guess not. She was looking for a fight, and she was mad she wasn’t getting one. She proceeded to pout, tug at her hair, all the while exclaiming “Look at it! Look at my hair! What am I gonna do?”. Which I responded, smiling of course (that really drives ’em crazy) “You can choose a new one, a different model if you like, if there is a price difference you just pay the difference owing.”. Then the staring contest began. Ladies and gents – tell your friends…staring contests are meant for the schoolyard, they will not get you a better deal or a free product. Anyways, it is rude to stare. In the end, she stomped over to the shelf, chose her flat iron and refused to speak to me from there on out. Funny thing was – she thought she had one over on me – I was happy it was quiet.

From time to time, you may come into a store and the product you are looking for is out of stock. I know how irritating that is, I am a consumer too. A word of advice – unless you are under the age of five, you should not start to cry because the product is not there. Nor should you yell or stomp or pout. Ladies, please, I know how important hair spray is and I know how much we love our products and we all have our favorites – keep it together ok? At least once a week I have a women over the age of thirty pitching a fit over missing product. Even when I reassure her it is coming the next day and show them the order to prove it – tearfest 2012 ensues.

In my years in this biz, I have come to realize and am in total agreement with Tabatha Coffey – It’s not really about the hair. The anger, the pouts, the tears….always something else going on and the only power the client feels they have that day is being able to pick a fight with a salesperson. So for all you out there in customer service – try not to take it personally. For those of you that are the consumer – try be polite and mind your manners…and quit staring.

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To go where no flat iron has gone before

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So, you are looking for a new flat iron. You see all these big words like Negative Ions,Tourmaline, Nano- Titanium. I know, you are thinking “What do I do?”, “What do I choose?”, “Where are Data and Jean Luc to help me decipher this language?”. Read on my friends, this should help you with your decision. To be honest, for home use, as long as the Flat Iron is a professional grade, it comes down to the price you want to pay. Heat is what you want. Most professional Flat Irons will achieve at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit at optimum heat. If you travel – look for “Universal Voltage”  – this means you can use that Flat Iron anywhere in the world and it won’t short out.(you will still need an adapter for the plug).

Look for these name brands and you know it is a Professional Salon quality flat iron;

AVANTI, BABYLISS, ZAZEN, CHI, GHD, FHI – Beware if you see these at a department store – they may not be the real deal – and when purchased any where other than a Salon – your warranty may be void with the manufacturer.

Negative Ions – Atoms that can stop the growth of bacteria & fungi which can result in healthier hair and scalp.

Advanced Ceramic Heater (MCH) – Refers to the heating element used to heat the plates in flat irons. Originally developed in Korea – now synonymous with top of the line quality.

Sol Gel Technology – A process that transforms nano particles of a material from liquid to solid, creating an ultra-high concentration, making styling tool plates stronger to resist chips and chemical corrosion and smoother for superior gliding through the hair.

Ceramic/Nano-Ceramic – A non metallic material that is durable, smooth and retains and distributes heat efficiently. A natural source of negative ions and radiates far infrared heat.

Tourmaline – A mineral and natural source of far infrared heat and negative ions – similar benefits as ceramic.

Titanium/Nano-Titanium – The highest electrical and thermal conductivity of a metal. The most useful properties of titanium are corrosion resistance and strength to weight ratio of any metal and is stable at ultra high temperatures. * AWESOME for thick/coarse hair

Far Infrared Heat (FIR) – To put it simply -helps to retain moisture deep in the hair shaft which results in less damage to the hair.

Once you find the Flat Iron you want, no matter what happens, please don’t throw it at anyone – you will just look like a fool – trust me.

 

 

Hair Care

Damage control

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We have all been there. Looking at our reflection in the mirror, wondering “Is my hair dry or damaged?”. Today’s tale is about damage control. There are three major levels of damage when it comes to our lovely locks.

Mechanical Damage – your hair looks and feels dull, little pieces of hair fall onto your clothes. In some cases the hair looks singed. (kinked and fuzzy)

The Cause –  brushing/teasing the hair (in excess – picture Priscilla Presley’s wedding photo), and using thermal styling tools without the proper products.

The Solution – A good conditioning treatment once a week and using a thermal protection spray each time you use a flat iron or curling iron

 

Environmental Damage – your color fades and it feels like product build up is on your hair.

The Cause – Sun exposure and pollution.

The Solution – Most professional hair care lines have U.V. protectants in their products, and there are many spray leave in conditioners that have U.V. protectants as well. A good clarifying shampoo once or twice a month (depending on how much product you use) will help as well.

 

Chemical Damage – your hair looks and feels fuzzy, it will not hold a style, looks like frayed cloth. It breaks off , inches at a time.

The Cause – over use of chemical services such as hair color, lightening, perming or chemical straightening.

The Solution – Stop whatever chemical process you are doing right now. Give your hair a break for a while – buy a hat if need be. You need to get a good deep conditioning treatment done with your stylist ASAP. If you can’t get to the salon – I highly recommend JOICO Kpak Revitaluxe. The newest addition to the Kpak family – this treatment is restorative and strengthens the hair with each use.

I highly recommend that you use Professional Salon products. Too many knock offs and drug store brands have too many sulfates, detergents, silicone’s and alcohol which defeats the purpose – your hair may feel good but those products don’t always penetrate the hair – they just coat the hair, which will lead to further damage.