My dentist and I have a love/hate relationship.  He loves the fact that all the dental work I need will keep me a regular patient of his for quite awhile. And I hate the fact that seeing him almost always involves pain in my mouth and because he’s really good, pain in my purse!

Anyhow since my appointment was for first thing in the morning, my hair was freshly shampooed and still damp. I love my natural wash and wear hairstyle! Since I review hair products, I’m always trying new products mixing old ones.  My search to find the right product combination cocktail in order to perfect my hairdo is afterall an ongoing process. So many products , so much hair, so little time.

Based on my visit to the dentist, obviously this day’s product combination cocktail was a winning mix in several ways.  My dentist is a very observant man.  After assessing my dental emergency, he almost immediately remarked about how great my hair smelled! He also thought my hair looked so good that he wasn’t exactly sure if it was authentically my own hair. A weave or wig, perhaps? He wondered, out loud. I’m not offended at all. I’ve been getting that response all my life. I have so much hair it really does look  unreal. In his disbelief, he reached over and gave my curls a little tug just to be sure.

Anyway, I loved the way my curls looked that day. Also with that combination of products and I clearly had at least one fan (my dentist) who very much appreciated my hair’s fragrance.  I started with a Miss Jessies Sweetback deep conditioner, after rinsing then I applied Mixed Chicks HIS Mix leave- in conditioner and then finished with Miss Jessies Quick Curls curl cream. See the products I used and my step-by-step product application and styling guide in order to achieve the look.

“I always notice lots of breakage especially when I wash (my hair). Also when I apply product to do a twist out I always have to keep taking the hair off my fingers because so much of it always breaks off. I have already cut off 2 to 3 inches. It stopped breakage for a while.

Everyone keeps telling me it looks so healthy, but then why is it breaking off. I have even had a few strands come out straight from my scalp. I don’t use gel anymore.

Also I was shampooing with shampoo and conditioner that was supposedly going to reduce the breakage. It hasn’t done a  thing.  Anyways, I don’t wanna be bald.  My hair looks thick, its so big and curly so it fools people. But if it keeps up I think its gonna be a hot mess or worse… bald.  Do you think maybe it needs protein? “

In this case what she notices as “breakage” is actually normal. Extremely curly or tightly coiled hair textures typically have a lower elasticity and break easier. And tightly coiled hair has a tendency to knot especially on the ends. To understand hair elasticity, think of how much or how far you can stretch a rubber band before it snaps. Also think of the difference between a new rubber band and one that has been stretched repeatedly over time.

When you shampoo or wet the hair, it experiences a physical change because of the water. When hair is wet, is becomes easy to stretch but the amount of elasticity the hair has, will determine how much you can stretch the hair and it come back into place without popping, snapping or breaking.

So when you are shampooing, detangling, parting , twisting and otherwise manipulating the hair while it is wet, there will be a certain amount of hair that will not stretch and go back into place. Instead they will pop, or break. This will happen only when the hair is wet. You do not need protein since it will not remedy this situation.

The 3 things to minimize the “breakage” when you shampoo:

1. Shampoo hair more gently and try to keep hair flowing in one direction.
2. Using the proper conditioning shampoo designed for extremely curly textures.
3. Follow with detangling conditioner that will help reduce the hair friction and release tangles.

The good news is this that there’s nothing abnormal going on here. You are not going bald. You can believe what people have been telling you. You do have a full head of thick, healthy hair!

Hair by Daria Wright and Makeup by Victoria Stiles for Kess Agency

Lynn was really great to work with and she was so down to earth. She talked about how co- star Hugh Jackman pranked her during shooting the X-Men. She played Wolverine’s love interest Kayla Silverfox in the film. It was a great gig!

Actually sulfates are a detergent or cleansing agent added to many beauty products and also to many commonly used household products such as dish washing liquid. In your typical supermarket deep discount shampoo or body wash you’ll find the ingredient sodium laurel (or laureth) sulfate  near the beginning of the ingredient list, if not first.

The purpose of the sulfate ingredient is to attract dirt and oils and dissolve them. Sulfates create lots of suds therefore giving many consumers the feeling that whatever they are washing hair, laundry, or dishes is truly squeaky clean.

Popular commercials and advertisements have taught us that suds = clean.

So to say a shampoo is sulfate-free, technically means there aren’t any of the typical sudsing agents. Sometimes  another version of a similar chemical just not called “sulfate”  is used as a substitute. But generally the shampoo formulas that are sulfate-free gently cleanse the hair . It is also very likely that you will not see lots of suds either. But this doesn’t mean your hair isn’t clean if there aren’t any suds.  In fact, sulfate-free shampoos should be used when deep or harsh cleansing isn’t necessary.   

When should you use a sulfate-free shampoo vs. a typical shampoo?

 The answer to this hair growth question is never easy because in fact there really is no “quick” way to grow hair. Hair growth is a steady but gradual process. Our hair is always growing even though we tend not to notice. Just think of how often you have to shave your legs, underarms or how quickly men shave their faces. The average rate of hair growth is ¼ to ½ of an inch per month.

Note that warmer and more humid weather promotes the growth process of all living things. A good example of this is a rain forest.

Because of the warm, very moist climate of the forest encourages the vegetation to flourish. It is very similar with your hair growth.

Some individuals experience a slightly faster rate of hair growth than average. But it’s best to be realistic and not measure your own hair growth by the exception to the rule. With that in mind, in a year’s time if you have healthy hair habits you should be able to grow about 6 inches of new hair.

Pros:

• Reduce frizziness
• Reduce puffiness
• Reduce bulkiness of thicker hair
• Loosen up hair prone to kinks or tangles
• Preserve more hair integrity and strength than relaxing or other chemical processes
• Still able to wear hairstyles with texture because hair still retains a strong curl pattern
• Does not create a drastic line of demarcation at the roots when new hair grows in
• Depending on hair texture and/or hair length may only need to be done 2 – 3 times per year

Cons

• Permanently alters natural curl pattern of existing hair growth
• Not reversible
• Will only slightly change whatever your natural curl pattern already is
• If over done can result in less curl pattern than desired

It may sound simple or easy but this is not a DIY project ( Do-It-Yourself) or for kitchen beauticians.  Only someone with chemical knowledge and training should perform this service.  

If you think texturizing is the way to go for you I would suggest, as with all chemical services, make an appointment with a licensed,  professional hairstylist skilled in chemical applications.

won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievements in Hairstyling for her work on the Tyra Banks Show.

The prestigious honor is awarded by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  Also receiving  Emmy awards in the same category were the team of hairstylists that were responsible for creating the amazing looks for everyone that appeared on the show including talk show host Ms. Tyra Banks herself.

Although Daria hadn’t in her wildest dreams imagined she’d be an Emmy award recipient she states,

” It’s great to be acknowledged for hard work and talent.  It was completely unexpected.  This honor is extremely rewarding and motivating.”  

So what’s next for the Emmy winner?  Wright assures us,

” This is only the beginning of great accomplishments yet to come. I have so many ideas up my sleeve. Watch out world! “

For more details on Daria’s Emmy buzz check out the news on the http://blog.kessagency.com/

Straight to the Root Answer :  The first thing that needs to be figured out is how your hair came to be in BAD shape.   

Four typical reasons  a client’s hair is  in poor condition :

1. Chemical over processing

2.  Lack of healthy hair routine

3. Hair extensions, weave or braids style gone wrong

 4. Or  d) All of the above

In order to make the transition from wearing your hair relaxed to going back to your natural state a lot smoother there a few things I would suggest.

A. You have to remove , that is cut off, the previously permed or relaxed hair at some point. If your hair is damaged then that hair is slowing down your progress.

I recommend about every 8 weeks having a good professional hairstylist cut at least an inch of old hair off. (This is about the same interval of time you probably would have been going to get you relaxer touch up service.)

Note:  Any hair that is relaxed is permanently and chemically straight.  Your hair doesn’t “revert” back. Although this is a popular misconception among African-American women and even sad to say even among some stylists, it simply isn’t true. So if I were you, I’d get used to the idea of regular haircuts.

B. Now more than ever you are going to have to have a good healthy hair routine. Regular shampooing , at least once a week, with a moisturizing, hydrating type-shampoo brands such as Keracare

 
or Mop-C

are great choices. Follow with a conditioner that is also moisturizing, and or hyrdrating such as  Miss Jessie’s Rapid Recovery or Organic Root Stimulator Replenish Pak. You should follow up with a good Leave-In Conditioner such as Miracle 10 or Aveda’s Style Prep Smoother for further detangling before styling.

C. Since you will be dealing with your naturally kinky, curly new growth at the rootsand your old relaxed hair on the ends your hairstyling efforts will become increasingly more challenging. In the beginning stages, the first 1-2 inches of new growth, I recommend using a mini flat iron for straightening the egdes and roots.

 D. As you start to have anywhere from 2 inches or more of new growth, I suggest wet sets or roller sets. By wearing your hair in a style with more volume or curls it camouflages the fact that your roots aren’t the same texture as your relaxed ends.

Finally, the process of “growing out” your relaxer will take at least 12 to 18 months. The process will be a lot less painful if after you achieved a new growth length that you feel comfortable with, just have your professional stylist cut off all the remaining relaxed hair at that point. Then you won’t have to deal with what I call the “battle of the two textures”.

My client might describe her hair as being just “too curly”, “too straight”, “too thin”, “too thick”, “too short”, or too what-ever-else. Next comes the phrase “ I want my hair to be like her hair, over there. Her hair is absolutely perfect!”

In my years of experience as a hairstyist, I can tell you the grass always seems to be greener on the other side of the fence. But believe me, since I sit on the middle of the fence, on both sides of the fence everyone pretty much hates her own hair. Since that is the case, this means then that the “perfect hair” just doesn’t exist.

I say though, that the problem is not the in the hair, it’s in the head.

This is especially true of my clients that are black women, myself included. When we were kids, my sister and I would sometimes wrap towels around our heads so we could have “ imaginary” hair that hung all the way down our backs that could swing. We’d twirl around and around pretending we were white girls.Looking back I realized the effect, one of my favorite TV shows then, the Brady Bunch, was really having on me. I still remember the episode when Marsha Brady had to brush her long, blond hair 100 strokes before going to bed. I still remember thinking to myself “ Wow! Her hair must be really special if she has to brush it with a special brush so many times every night!” It was all about “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha”. And I knew very well that getting my hair done was anything but a luxurious and pleasant “princess experience” like Marsha Brady’s. I dreaded the hairbrush, especially if it was attached to my mothers’ hand.

Nothing is wrong with straight hair or coarse, kinky, curly or nappy hair. It just is what it is, that’s all.
But from early childhood I believe little black girls begin to learn a very subtle message about their hair texture, which could chip away at their self-esteem.

The media is not solely responsible for affecting the way we see ourselves, it usually starts right at home.
For many black mothers their approach to shampooing, combing, braiding, pressing or “fixing” their daughter’s hair is often an unpleasant and painful time. Little girls see the looks of disapproval or the frowns on their mother faces, as they approach with the comb, brush and hair grease. Little girls hear the sighs and moans, the“cussing”, and the “Lord-have-mercy-if-you-don’t-sit-still ” as they yank, pull and tug at the “unruly” hair that just won’t seem to cooperate.

To add to it all, are the other negative phrases frustrated moms tend to say without thought. Some negatively refer to their child’s hair as: “this stuff”, or as being “bad hair”, “too much to deal with”, “ so nappy and knotty”, or “a tangled mess”.  If that is what you experience as a young girl on a regular basis whenever it’s time to get your hair combed, what is an impressionable mind going to think?
I believe this is where the hair issues begin in the African-American community for countless little girls. They start believing that something is wrong with their lovely locks, tresses and curls. And many will further internalize all the negativity and unconsciously begin to adopt the thinking that “something must be wrong with me”.

As an African-American hairstylist, I’ve decided to use Straight To The Root as my way of building up black women’s self-esteem, one strand at a time. Also I will expose the lies and cultural myths that many African-American women have grown to accept about their hair. I intend to educate and inspire as many black women as possible to accept and love who we are, as we are.

The product in question apparently was a popular hair dressing lotion by Organic Root Stimulator called Olive Oil Moisturizing Lotion.  

 The little girl happened to be the only black child in the entire class. Well I think there has got to be so much more than meets the eye with this story. 

What are your thoughts about this incident? Please sign in and share your comments with us.

See the article  from the Seattle Times for yourself.  Let us know what you think.